Print Report
CEGL000197 Pinus ponderosa / Purshia tridentata / Pseudoroegneria spicata Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Ponderosa Pine / Antelope Bitterbrush / Bluebunch Wheatgrass Woodland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This woodland occurs in the eastern Cascades of Oregon and Washington, the Blue Mountains in eastern Oregon and adjacent Idaho, and California''s Modoc Plateau. It has been described as a phase in Idaho and Montana and may be present there. Elevations vary between 460 and 1650 m (1500-5400 feet) on all aspects and slopes of 0-40%. Soils are gravelly loamy sand to fine sandy loam. Blue Mountains sites tend to be steep while Modoc occurrences are on relatively level lava tube benches on rolling basalt plateaus. Pinus ponderosa is the only tree and covers 5-47% over Purshia tridentata (1-21% cover). Pseudoroegneria spicata and Festuca idahoensis cover 1-20%. The former is more abundant on steep and stony sites. The later is absent from California stands. Species of lesser importance include Achillea millefolium, Lomatium triternatum, and Lathyrus nevadensis. Fires have historically maintained Pinus ponderosa while thinning Purshia tridentata and Juniperus occidentalis. Overgrazed and other disturbed sites have high amounts of Bromus tectorum.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: In Washington, this association is considered part of the ~Pinus ponderosa / Purshia tridentata Central Rocky Mountain Woodland (CEGL005648)$$. This association is a rare community which has been described by many sources in many areas. As such, it represents a fairly wide ecological range. It has been described as a phase of Pinus ponderosa / Purshia tridentata by many authors, and as part of a Pinus ponderosa / Purshia tridentata / Festuca idahoensis - Pseudoroegneria spicata type by others. However, it represents a distinct entity regionally, and is generally lumped because it is rarely common anywhere.
Similar types have been included in this association, including Smith''s ponderosa / bitterbrush - Prunus / wheatgrass type in which Prunus occurs in only 71% of plots and averages 1% cover. A more complete description of the Ponderosa pine / bitterbrush classification issues is included in the EGR for ~Pinus ponderosa / Purshia tridentata / Festuca idahoensis Woodland (CEGL000195)$$. This association is similar to William''s (1978) ''QUGA/PUTR/AGSP'' association which only occasionally supports Pinus ponderosa (which tend to be stunted). The primary descriptions used for this EGR were from Volland (1976), Smith (1994b), and Johnson and Simon (1987).
Similar types have been included in this association, including Smith''s ponderosa / bitterbrush - Prunus / wheatgrass type in which Prunus occurs in only 71% of plots and averages 1% cover. A more complete description of the Ponderosa pine / bitterbrush classification issues is included in the EGR for ~Pinus ponderosa / Purshia tridentata / Festuca idahoensis Woodland (CEGL000195)$$. This association is similar to William''s (1978) ''QUGA/PUTR/AGSP'' association which only occasionally supports Pinus ponderosa (which tend to be stunted). The primary descriptions used for this EGR were from Volland (1976), Smith (1994b), and Johnson and Simon (1987).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Pinus ponderosa is the only tree and covers 5-47% over Purshia tridentata (1-21% cover). Pseudoroegneria spicata and Festuca idahoensis cover 1-20%. The former is more abundant on steep and stony sites. The later is absent from California stands. Species of lesser importance include Achillea millefolium, Lomatium triternatum, and Lathyrus nevadensis. Fires have historically maintained Pinus ponderosa while thinning Purshia tridentata and Juniperus occidentalis. Overgrazed and other disturbed sites have high amounts of Bromus tectorum.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: No Data Available
Geographic Range: This is a regional type. While only described as such from the Oregon Cascades, Wallowa Mountains, and California''s Modoc Plateau, it occurs, as described, in Washington, Idaho, and western Montana. In all areas, it occurs in fairly small patches.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA?, ID, MT?, OR, WA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685909
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3
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 | A3446 Ponderosa Pine / Shrub Understory Central Rocky Mountain Woodland Alliance | A3446 | 1.B.2.Nb.2.a |
| Association | CEGL000197 Ponderosa Pine / Antelope Bitterbrush / Bluebunch Wheatgrass Woodland | CEGL000197 | 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 / Purshia tridentata / Agropyron spicatum (Lillybridge et al. 1995) [PIPO/PUTR/AGSP ASSOCIATION CPS241]
= Ponderosa Pine / Bitterbrush / Bunchgrass (Volland 1985)
? QUGA/PUTR/AGSP (Williams 1978)
? ponderosa / bitterbrush - Prunus / wheatgrass type (Smith 1994b)
= Ponderosa Pine / Bitterbrush / Bunchgrass (Volland 1985)
? QUGA/PUTR/AGSP (Williams 1978)
? ponderosa / bitterbrush - Prunus / wheatgrass type (Smith 1994b)
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- Hall, F. C. 1973. Plant communities of the Blue Mountains in eastern Oregon and southeastern Washington. R6 Area Guide 3-1. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 62 pp.
- Johnson, C. G., Jr., and S. A. Simon. 1987. Plant associations of the Wallowa-Snake Province Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Technical Paper R6-ECOL-TP-255A-86. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. 399 pp. plus appendices.
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- Smith, S. 1994b. Ecological guide to eastside pine plant associations, northeastern California. R5-ECOL-TP-004. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, San Francisco, CA. 174 pp.
- Steele, R., R. D. Pfister, R. A. Ryker, and J. A. Kittams. 1981. Forest habitat types of central Idaho. General Technical Report INT-114. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT. 138 pp.
- Volland, L. A. 1976. Plant communities of the central Oregon pumice zone. USDA Forest Service R-6 Area Guide 4-2. Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 113 pp.
- Volland, L. A. 1985. Plant associations of the central Oregon pumice zone. USDA Forest Service R6-ECOL-104-1985. Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 138 pp.
- 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.
- Williams, C. K. 1978. Vegetation classification for the Badger Allotment, Mt. Hood National Forest. Unpublished dissertation, Oregon State University, Corvallis. 117 pp.
- Williams, C. K., and B. G. Smith. 1990. Forested plant associations of the Wenatchee National Forest. Unpublished draft prepared by the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 217 pp.