NVCS

CEGL000515 Tsuga mertensiana - Abies amabilis / Vaccinium membranaceum - Xerophyllum tenax Forest

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Mountain Hemlock - Pacific Silver Fir / Thinleaf Huckleberry - Common Beargrass Forest

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level: Association

Type Concept: This association occurs within Mount Rainier National Park and the southeastern Olympic Mountains at high elevations on sites usually on upper slopes and ridgetops with shallow or rocky well-drained soils. It can occur as stringer forest at upper treeline, where it transitions into ~Tsuga mertensiana / Phyllodoce empetriformis - Vaccinium deliciosum Woodland (CEGL005579)$$. The canopy is typically codominated by Tsuga mertensiana and Abies amabilis. The former occupies over 10% total cover. Pseudotsuga menziesii or Abies lasiocarpa are occasionally prominent. The well-developed shrub layer is dominated by Vaccinium membranaceum. The well-developed herb layer is dominated by Xerophyllum tenax. Rubus lasiococcus or Erythronium montanum are usually present.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: No Data Available

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available

note: No Data Available

Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: No Data Available

Dynamics: No Data Available

Environmental Description: No Data Available

Geographic Range: No Data Available

Nations: US

States/Provinces: OR, WA

Plot Analysis Summary: http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685566

Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available

Grank: G5

Greasons: No Data Available

Type	Name	Database Code	Classification Code
Class	1 Forest & Woodland Class	C01	1
Subclass	1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass	S15	1.B
Formation	1.B.2 Cool Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation	F008	1.B.2
Division	1.B.2.Nd Vancouverian Forest & Woodland Division	D192	1.B.2.Nd
Macrogroup	1.B.2.Nd.4 California Red Fir - Mountain Hemlock - Sierra Lodgepole Pine Forest Macrogroup	M025	1.B.2.Nd.4
Group	1.B.2.Nd.4.c Mountain Hemlock - Pacific Silver Fir - Alaska-cedar Wood Group	G849	1.B.2.Nd.4.c
Alliance	A3723 Mountain Hemlock - Pacific Silver Fir Forest & Woodland Alliance	A3723	1.B.2.Nd.4.c
Association	CEGL000515 Mountain Hemlock - Pacific Silver Fir / Thinleaf Huckleberry - Common Beargrass Forest	CEGL000515	1.B.2.Nd.4.c

Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available

Synonomy: ? Abies amabilis-Tsuga mertensiana/Vaccinium membranaceum Association (Franklin 1966)
? Abies amabilis-Tsuga mertensiana/Xerophyllum tenax-Vaccinium membranaceum-Vaccinium alaskaense Association (del Moral and Long 1977)
? Abies amabilis/Xerophyllum tenax Association, Tsuga mertensiana Phase (Franklin et al. 1988) [WANHP crosswalk]
= Tsuga mertensiana / Vaccinium membranaceum - Xerophyllum tenax Association (Henderson et al. 1992)
= Tsuga mertensiana / Vaccinium membranaceum - Xerophyllum tenax Association (Henderson et al. 1989)
= Tsuga mertensiana-Abies amabilis/Vaccinium membranaceum/Xerophyllum tenax Forest (Crawford et al. 2009)
= Tsuga mertensiana-Abies amabilis/Vaccinium membranceum/Xerophyllum tenax (Meidinger et al. 2005) [PNWCOAST_296]
? Tsuga mertensiana/Vaccinium membranaceum/Xerophyllum tenax Association (Diaz et al. 1997)
? Tsuga mertensiana/Vaccinium membranaceum/Xerophyllum tenax-NWO-PNW (Diaz et al. 1997)
? Tsuga mertensiana/Vaccinium membranaceum/Xerophyllum tenax-NWO-PNW (McCain and Diaz 2002b)
? Tsuga mertensiana/Vaccinium membranaceum/Xerophyllum tenax-PNW (Diaz et al. 1997)
? Mountain Hemlock / Big Huckleberry Association (CM S2-10) TSME/VAME (Brockway et al. 1983)
? Mountain hemlock / big huckleberry / beargrass (TSME/VAME/XETE) (Hemstrom et al. 1982) [WANHP crosswalk]

Concept Author(s): Crawford et al. (2009)

Author of Description: Crawford et al. (2009)

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 06-12-15

Bourgeron, P. S., and L. D. Engelking, editors. 1994. A preliminary vegetation classification of the western United States. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Western Heritage Task Force, Boulder, CO. 175 pp. plus appendix.
Brockway, D. G., C. Topik, M. A. Hemstrom, and W. H. Emmingham. 1983. Plant association and management guide for the Pacific silver fir zone, Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Technical Report R6-Ecol-130a-1983. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 122 pp.
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Diaz, N. M., C. T. High, T. K. Mellen, D. E. Smith, and C. Topik. 1997. Plant association and management guide for the mountain hemlock zone. Gifford Pinchot and Mt. Hood National Forests. Technical Report R6-MTH-GP-TP-08-95. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 111 pp.
Dyrness, C. T., J. F. Franklin, and C. Maser. 1974b. Wheeler Creek Research Natural Area. Supplement #1 to "Federal Research Natural Areas in Oregon and Washington. A guidebook for scientists and educators" by Franklin, J. F., F. C. Hall, C. T. Dryness, and C. Maser. USDA Forest Service.
Franklin, J. F. 1966. Vegetation and soils in the subalpine forests of the southern Washington Cascade Range. Ph.D. dissertation, Washington State University, Pullman. 132 pp.
Franklin, J. F., W. H. Moir, M. A. Hemstrom, S. E. Greene, and B. G. Smith. 1988. The forest communities of Mount Rainier National Park. USDI National Park Service. Scientific Monograph Series 19. Washington, DC. 194 pp.
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Henderson, J. A., D. A. Peter, R. Lesher, and D. C. Shaw. 1989. Forested plant associations of the Olympic National Forest. R6-ECOL-TP-001-88. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 502 pp.
Henderson, J. A., D. A. Peter, R. Lesher, and D. C. Shaw. 1992. Field guide to forested plant associations of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Technical Paper R6-ECOL-TP-028-91. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 196 pp.
McCain, C., and N. M. Diaz. 2002b. Field guide to the forested plant associations of the westside central Cascades of northwest Oregon. Willamette N.F., USFS; Mt. Hood N.F., USFS; Salem District, BLM; Eugene District, BLM. Technical Paper R6-NR-ECOL-TP-02-02. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR.
Meidinger, D., C. Chappell, C. Cadrin, G. Kittel, C. McCain, K. Boggs, J. Kagan, G. Cushon, A. Banner, and T. DeMeo. 2005. International Vegetation Classification of the Pacific Northwest: International correlation of temperate coastal forest plant associations of Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska. Contributors: B.C. Ministry of Forests, USDA Forest Service, B.C. Conservation Data Centre, Alaska Natural Heritage Program, Washington Natural Heritage Program, and Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center.
WNHP [Washington Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data files. Washington Natural Heritage Program, Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, WA.
Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.
del Moral, R., and J. N. Long. 1977. Classification of montane forest community types in the Cedar River drainage of western Washington, U.S.A. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 7(2):217-225.