Print Report

CEGL000865 Pinus ponderosa / Pseudoroegneria spicata Woodland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Ponderosa Pine / Bluebunch Wheatgrass Woodland

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This ponderosa pine woodland is one of the drier ponderosa pine woodlands found in the northern Rocky Mountains, Inter-Mountains, and extreme northwestern Great Plains of the United States and Canada. It is found on slopes with coarse soils, often with a high gravel or rock content. Pinus ponderosa is typically the only tree in the overstory, although Juniperus scopulorum may be present in the subcanopy. It forms open to moderately closed canopies. There are very few shrubs. The herbaceous layer is dominated by Pseudoroegneria spicata. Other species found in this layer are Carex filifolia, Carex inops ssp. heliophila, Koeleria macrantha, Achillea millefolium, Balsamorhiza sagittata and Hesperostipa comata. Bare mineral soil and exposed rock are common.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: The stands used to document the Pinus ponderosa / Pseudoroegneria spicata Woodland Habitat Type described by Hansen and Hoffman (1988) and Hoffman and Alexander (1976) had very high basal area and densities for a woodland, possibly due to their sampling procedure. The dense structure may have affected the floristic makeup of the stands and made the list of dominant species a poor reflection of the community as a whole.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: This community is dominated by the tree and herbaceous strata. On three stands in the eastern portion of its range, Hansen and Hoffman (1988) found that total cover by understory strata was 55%. Shrubs made up only 1.3% of this total. Pinus ponderosa is often the only tree in the overstory. The tree coverage can vary from open to moderately closed. In northeastern Wyoming, most of the trees were less than 15 m tall and 60 cm dbh (Thilenius et al. 1995). The herbaceous stratum is also open to moderately dense. Pseudoroegneria spicata is the dominant species. Other species that are often found in the central and eastern portions of its range are Achillea millefolium var. occidentalis, Carex filifolia, Carex inops ssp. heliophila, Koeleria macrantha, and Hesperostipa comata (= Stipa comata). In the western portion of the range of this community Festuca idahoensis may be present (Daubenmire 1952). When shrubs are present they typically include Rhus aromatica and, especially on sandy soils, Ericameria nauseosa (= Chrysothamnus nauseosus). Some invasives (e.g., Bromus inermis) are found in this type with overgrazing.

Dynamics:  Fire likely occurred at regular intervals in this type and is probably important in maintaining the open grassland understory of this type; however, documentation on fire frequency is not available. This type, without fire, will likely succeed to a Pinus ponderosa-dominated type, with fewer currently available prairie species.
Environmental Description:  This community occurs mostly on steep southerly aspects. It is found on coarse soils derived from sandstone, porcillenate, or limestone (Thilenius et al. 1995). These include sandy alluvium, gravelly or sandy till, and loams with high stone content. Rock and mineral soil are commonly exposed. This type has been described in southeastern British Columbia, although sites there tend to be drier.
Geographic Range: This ponderosa pine woodland is one of the drier ponderosa pine woodlands found in the northern Rocky Mountains, Intermountains, and extreme northwestern Great Plains of the United States and Canada, extending from the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming west to Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  BC, ID, MT, ND, OR, SD, WA, WY


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4

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.Nb Rocky Mountain Forest & Woodland Division D194 1.B.2.Nb
Macrogroup 1.B.2.Nb.2 Ponderosa Pine - Douglas-fir - Limber Pine Central Rocky Mountain Dry Forest Macrogroup M501 1.B.2.Nb.2
Group 1.B.2.Nb.2.a Ponderosa Pine Central Rocky Mountain Open Woodland Group G213 1.B.2.Nb.2.a
Alliance A3447 Ponderosa Pine / Herbaceous Understory Central Rocky Mountain Open Woodland Alliance A3447 1.B.2.Nb.2.a
Association CEGL000865 Ponderosa Pine / Bluebunch Wheatgrass Woodland CEGL000865 1.B.2.Nb.2.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Pinus ponderosa / Agropyron spicata Community (Jones 1992b)
= Pinus ponderosa / Agropyron spicatum Association (Daubenmire 1952)
? Pinus ponderosa / Agropyron spicatum Coniferous Forest (Thilenius et al. 1995)
= Pinus ponderosa / Agropyron spicatum Habitat Type (Cooper and Pfister 1985)
= Pinus ponderosa / Agropyron spicatum Habitat Type (Cooper et al. 1987)
? Pinus ponderosa / Festuca idahoensis Habitat Type (Daubenmire and Daubenmire 1968) [similar in structure and composition]
= Pinus ponderosa / Pseudoroegneria spicata Habitat Type (Steele et al. 1981)
= Pinus ponderosa / Pseudoroegneria spicata Woodland (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
? Pinus ponderosa / Pseudoroegneria spicata Woodland Habitat Type (Hoffman and Alexander 1976)
? Pinus ponderosa / Pseudoroegneria spicata Woodland Habitat Type (Hansen and Hoffman 1988)
= Pinus ponderosa / Roegneria spicata Habitat Type (Daubenmire and Daubenmire 1968)
? Pinus ponderosa / Roegneria spicata Habitat Type (Pfister et al. 1977)
? Pinus ponderosa / Roegneria spicata Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Pinus ponderosa / Roegneria spicata Plant Association (Hansen et al. 1984)
= Pinus ponderosa / Roegneria spicata Plant Association (Hoffman and Alexander 1976)
= Pinus ponderosa/Pseudoroegneria spicata Woodland (Crawford et al. 2009)
? Pseudoroegneria spicata / Bouteloua gracilis (Hansen et al. 1984) [similar to this type, but without the pine canopy]
? Rhus aromatica / Pseudoroegneria spicata (Hansen et al. 1984) [similar to this type, but without the pine canopy]
Concept Author(s): J. Drake

Author of Description: J. Drake

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 10-19-95
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