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CEGL000902 Pseudotsuga menziesii / Holodiscus dumosus Scree Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Douglas-fir / Rockspirea Scree Woodland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This plant association is documented from the mountains of Arizona and New Mexico and the Gunnison Basin of Colorado. It has also been reported from Arizona and likely occurs in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of southern Colorado. Stands grow on steep slopes with rocky colluvial soils derived from sandstone or volcanic talus. Pseudotsuga menziesii dominates the open canopy. The understory is distinctly shrubby and characterized by Holodiscus dumosus and Symphoricarpos oreophilus, among the many species that may be present. The herbaceous layer is poorly represented.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Pseudotsuga menziesii and Pinus strobiformis are dominant trees. Holodiscus dumosus is common, but Quercus gambelii is poorly represented and the understory is scarce to poorly represented. Abies concolor is absent or accidental.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This type is similar to other scree/talus types such as ~Abies concolor / Leymus triticoides Woodland (CEGL000886)$$, ~Abies lasiocarpa / Holodiscus dumosus Scree Woodland (CEGL000918)$$, and ~Abies lasiocarpa / Jamesia americana Forest (CEGL000312)$$.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This is an open woodland association with a sparse canopy of sometimes very large Pseudotsuga menziesii trees up to 20 m tall. Occasionally the canopy and subcanopy will contain other species, such as Juniperus scopulorum or Pinus strobiformis. Total vegetation cover is limited by the high percentage of rock in the soil and averages around 50%. The shrub understory is dominated by Holodiscus dumosus but is well-developed and diverse. Typical shrub associates include Acer glabrum, Mahonia repens, Symphoricarpos oreophilus, Ribes spp., Jamesia americana, Cornus sericea, and Salix scouleriana. The herbaceous layer is sparse, inconsistent, and generally poorly developed in most stands.
Dynamics: The high percentage of rock in the substrate limits the sites in which woody vegetation can become established, but also acts to concentrate precipitation and conserve soil moisture, so that this community contains mesic species more typical of riparian areas. The slopes on which these stands occur are generally stable, although soil creep does occur.
Environmental Description: This association is restricted to steep to very steep talus slopes in the mountains of New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado. Up to 80% of the ground surface and 90% of the soil volume are cobbles, rocks or boulders. Stands in Colorado and northern New Mexico occur at around 2450 m (8040 feet) elevation, while in the mountains of southern New Mexico stands occur at elevations as high as 3020 m (9900 feet).
Geographic Range: This limited-range endemic is reported from the Mogollon Mountains (Fitzhugh et al. 1987) and Sangre de Cristo Mountains (DeVelice et al. 1986) in New Mexico and the Gunnison Basin in Colorado, but it is expected to occur elsewhere at high elevations in New Mexico and Arizona.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AZ, CO, NM
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686041
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3G4
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.1 White Fir - Douglas-fir - Blue Spruce Forest Macrogroup | M022 | 1.B.2.Nb.1 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Nb.1.c White Fir - Douglas-fir Southern Rocky Mountain Dry Forest Group | G226 | 1.B.2.Nb.1.c |
| Alliance | A3454 Douglas-fir Southern Rocky Mountain Forest & Woodland Alliance | A3454 | 1.B.2.Nb.1.c |
| Association | CEGL000902 Douglas-fir / Rockspirea Scree Woodland | CEGL000902 | 1.B.2.Nb.1.c |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Pseudotsuga menziesii / Holodiscus dumosus (Scree) Habitat Type (Fitzhugh et al. 1987)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Holodiscus dumosus Habitat Type (DeVelice et al. 1986)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Holodiscus dumosus Plant Association (Larson and Moir 1987)
< Pseudotsuga menziesii / Scree Forest (Larson and Moir 1986)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Holodiscus dumousus (Stuever and Hayden 1997a)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Holodiscus dumosus Habitat Type (DeVelice et al. 1986)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Holodiscus dumosus Plant Association (Larson and Moir 1987)
< Pseudotsuga menziesii / Scree Forest (Larson and Moir 1986)
= Pseudotsuga menziesii / Holodiscus dumousus (Stuever and Hayden 1997a)
- 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.
- Coles, J., A. Tendick, J. Von Loh, G. Bradshaw, G. Manis, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, and A. Evenden. 2010. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR--2010/361. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- DeVelice, R. L., J. A. Ludwig, W. H. Moir, and F. Ronco, Jr. 1986. A classification of forest habitat types of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. General Technical Report RM-131. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 59 pp.
- Fitzhugh, E. L., W. H. Moir, J. A. Ludwig, and F. Ronco, Jr. 1987. Forest habitat types in the Apache, Gila, and part of the Cibola national forests. General Technical Report RM-145. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 116 pp.
- Larson, M., and W. H. Moir. 1986. Forest and woodland habitat types (plant associations) of southern New Mexico and central Arizona (north of the Mogollon Rim). USDA Forest Service, Southwestern Region, Albuquerque, NM. 76 pp.
- Larson, M., and W. H. Moir. 1987. Forest and woodland habitat types of northern New Mexico and northern Arizona. Edition 2. USDA Forest Service, Southwestern Region, Albuquerque, NM.
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- Stuever, M. C., and J. S. Hayden. 1997a. Plant associations of Arizona and New Mexico, edition 3. Volume 1: Forests. USDA Forest Service, Southwestern Region. Habitat Typing Guides. 291 pp.
- Tendick, A., J. Coles, P. Williams, G. Bradshaw, G. Manis, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, and A. Evenden. 2010. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Curecanti National Recreation Area. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR--2010/408. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 797 pp.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.