Print Report
CEGL000866 Pinus ponderosa / Symphoricarpos albus Riparian Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Ponderosa Pine / Common Snowberry Riparian Woodland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This riparian woodland association is found along creeks around the periphery of the Columbia Basin in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, primarily along the northern and southeastern edges. These are generally floodplain woodlands at low to mid elevations, in low-gradient valleys, or on terraces in narrower valleys, ranging from 4.5 m (15 feet) to over 305 m (1000 feet) wide. Streams are generally small, ranging from 1.5 to 9 m (5-30 feet) wide. Stands are dominated by Pinus ponderosa in the overstory, generally the only tree, averaging 36% cover. Rarely Pseudotsuga menziesii, Populus tremuloides, Abies grandis, or Juniperus occidentalis are present. Symphoricarpos albus dominates the understory, with 34% cover. In some stands, Crataegus douglasii may also be an important understory tall shrub, and Prunus virginiana or Rosa species are also not uncommon. Forbs and grasses dominate the forb layer. Most stands have been impacted by cattle, and as a result, Poa pratensis is dominant, along with other invasive grasses such as Dactylis glomerata and Bromus orcuttianus. However, native grass species, including Elymus glaucus, Elymus trachycaulus, Calamagrostis rubescens, or Bromus carinatus, are often present. Important forbs include Maianthemum stellatum, Fragaria virginiana, Galium boreale, and Achillea millefolium.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association is defined as a PNV vegetation type.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This association is described to include riparian communities in the steppe and shrub-steppe regions of Washington that have conifers as a common component. There is no quantitative information available. The evergreen needle-leaved trees Pinus ponderosa and/or Pseudotsuga menziesii form an open canopy over a lower layer of broad-leaved deciduous tall shrubs and small trees. Species in this layer can include Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa (= Populus trichocarpa), Alnus incana, Alnus rhombifolia, Betula occidentalis, and Quercus garryana. There is scattered regeneration of the conifers in the understory. Shorter shrubs that may occur include Salix spp., Ribes spp., Physocarpus malvaceus, Holodiscus discolor, and Symphoricarpos albus. No information is available on the herbaceous component.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This riparian association occurs in the Columbia Basin, a downwarped, basalt-floored region. Loess is thick in some portions of the region, and alluvial deposits of variable parent materials are patchy along streams and rivers. Thick mantles of sands from periodically glacially dammed lakes cover some portions of the region. In other areas, valleys and canyons (coulees) have been deeply scoured into the basalt by glacial flooding.
The climate of the region is characterized by a mix of continental and maritime influences. It is in the rainshadow of the Cascades, with annual precipitation between 20 and 50 cm. Between 55% and 75% of the precipitation falls during October through March as snow, and summers are typically dry. Summer temperatures can be hot, and winters are typically cold.
This association is found on riparian sites in steep-sided canyons or narrow "V" shapes valleys, with rocky substrates. The streams typically have perennial flow and are mid- to high-gradient. Soils are not described, but are likely to be poorly developed and rocky to bouldery. In one location, it has been found on broad, level river flood terraces.
The climate of the region is characterized by a mix of continental and maritime influences. It is in the rainshadow of the Cascades, with annual precipitation between 20 and 50 cm. Between 55% and 75% of the precipitation falls during October through March as snow, and summers are typically dry. Summer temperatures can be hot, and winters are typically cold.
This association is found on riparian sites in steep-sided canyons or narrow "V" shapes valleys, with rocky substrates. The streams typically have perennial flow and are mid- to high-gradient. Soils are not described, but are likely to be poorly developed and rocky to bouldery. In one location, it has been found on broad, level river flood terraces.
Geographic Range: This riparian woodland association is found along creeks around the periphery of the Columbia Basin in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, primarily along the northern and southeastern edges. In Oregon it is found in scattered locations of the Blue Mountains.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: ID, OR, WA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686289
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2
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.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation | F026 | 1.B.3 |
| Division | 1.B.3.Nc Rocky Mountain-Great Basin Montane Flooded & Swamp Forest Division | D195 | 1.B.3.Nc |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.3.Nc.1 Engelmann Spruce - Narrowleaf Cottonwood / Red-osier Dogwood Riparian & Swamp Forest Macrogroup | M034 | 1.B.3.Nc.1 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Nc.1.a Engelmann Spruce - Blue Spruce - Narrowleaf Cottonwood Riparian & Swamp Forest Group | G506 | 1.B.3.Nc.1.a |
| Alliance | A3797 Ponderosa Pine - Rocky Mountain Juniper - White Fir Riparian Woodland Alliance | A3797 | 1.B.3.Nc.1.a |
| Association | CEGL000866 Ponderosa Pine / Common Snowberry Riparian Woodland | CEGL000866 | 1.B.3.Nc.1.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Pinus ponderosa - Pseudotsuga menziesii Riparian Community (Evans 1989a) [(p.9)]
= Pinus ponderosa / Symphoricarpos alba Floodplain Intermittently Flooded Woodland (Crawford 2003)
= Pinus ponderosa / Symphoricarpos albus - Floodplain (Crowe and Clausnitzer 1997) [(p.72)]
= Pinus ponderosa / Symphoricarpos alba Floodplain Intermittently Flooded Woodland (Crawford 2003)
= Pinus ponderosa / Symphoricarpos albus - Floodplain (Crowe and Clausnitzer 1997) [(p.72)]
- 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.
- Crawford, R. C. 2003. Riparian vegetation classification of the Columbia Basin, Washington. Natural Heritage Report 2003-03. Washington Natural Heritage Program, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Olympia. 98 pp. plus appendices.
- Crowe, E. A., and R. R. Clausnitzer. 1997. Mid-montane wetland plant associations of the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman national forests. Technical Paper R6-NR-ECOL-TP-22-97. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR.
- Evans, S. 1989a. Riparian survey of Washington''s Columbia Basin. Unpublished report prepared for The Nature Conservancy Washington Natural Heritage Program, Olympia, Washington.
- Mack, R. N. 1988. First comprehensive botanical survey of the Columbia Plateau, Washington, the Sandberg and Leiberg expedition of 1893. Northwest Science 62:118-127.
- 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.