Print Report
CEGL000874 Pinus ponderosa / Quercus x pauciloba Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Ponderosa Pine / Wavyleaf Oak Woodland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This ponderosa pine woodland occurs at mid-elevations in the southern Rocky Mountains of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico on sites with moderate to high solar exposure on all aspects. Sites vary from gentle slopes on rolling mesatops, lava plateaus and shoulders (5-20% slope) to steep canyon slopes and rock outcrops (up 60% slope). Elevation ranges between 1995 and 2500 m (6550-8200 feet). Soils range from sandy to loamy, including well-developed Mollisols derived from pumice slope alluvium or rhyolitic colluvium, or occasionally as fine-textured Alfisols, or rock outcrop. Sites are often rocky or boulder-strewn with accumulations of litter in between. This tall conifer association ranges from open woodland where tree canopies are as low as 10% cover to closed-canopied forest with over 60% cover. Pinus ponderosa dominates the tree canopy, with Juniperus monosperma and Pinus edulis sometimes well-represented in the subcanopy. Stand understories are distinctively shrubby, dominated by the hybrid scrub oak Quercus x pauciloba with Fallugia paradoxa as a frequent associate. Other common shrub associates may include Cercocarpus montanus and Robinia neomexicana. Quercus gambelii is poorly represented or absent. The herbaceous layer is generally less than 5% cover but diverse. Dominant graminoid species may include Bouteloua gracilis, Bouteloua hirsuta, Muhlenbergia montana, Poa fendleriana, and Schizachyrium scoparium. While forbs are diverse, composition is variable from stand to stand and total forb cover is usually less than 5%.
Diagnostic Characteristics: This Pinus ponderosa-dominated plant association must have at least 5% cover of oak, with at least 1% cover of Quercus x pauciloba. Quercus grisea is scarce or absent, and Quercus gambelii, if present, is less dominant than Quercus x pauciloba.
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: This is a tall conifer association ranges from open woodland where tree canopies are as low as 10% cover to closed-canopied forest with over 60% cover. Pinus ponderosa dominates the canopy. Other conifers may be uncommon to codominant, including Pinus edulis, Juniperus scopulorum, Juniperus monosperma, and Juniperus deppeana. Stand understories are distinctively shrubby, dominated by the hybrid scrub oak Quercus x pauciloba with Fallugia paradoxa as a frequent associate. Other common shrub associates may include Cercocarpus montanus and Robinia neomexicana. Quercus gambelii is poorly represented or absent. The herbaceous layer generally has less than 5% cover but is diverse. Dominant graminoid species may include Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua gracilis, Bouteloua hirsuta, Muhlenbergia montana, Poa fendleriana, and Schizachyrium scoparium. Andropogon gerardii, Carex inops ssp. heliophila, and other deer sedges (Carex geophila, Carex occidentalis, and Carex rossii) may also be present but not dominant. While forbs are diverse, composition is variable from stand to stand and total forb cover is usually less than 5%. The most frequent and abundant forb species may include Artemisia ludoviciana, Bahia dissecta, Brickellia brachyphylla, and Heterotheca villosa.
Dynamics: Fire frequency was probably 2-5 years prior to 1900, and then as surface fires carried by dry oaks and herbaceous fuels, seldom crowning. With dense oak and pine thickets and well-developed oak understories common in this type now, ample fuel ladders exist for frequent crowning and hot, intense fires.
Environmental Description: This association occurs at mid-elevation in the southern Rocky Mountains of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico on sites with moderate to high solar exposure on all aspects. Sites vary from gentle on rolling mesatops, lava plateaus and shoulders (5-20% slope) to steep canyon slopes and rock outcrops (up 60% slope). Elevation ranges between 1995 and 2500 m (6550-8200 feet). Soils range from sandy to loamy, including well-developed Mollisols derived from pumice slope alluvium or rhyolitic colluvium, or occasionally as fine-textured Alfisols, or rock outcrop (Hibner 2009). Sites are often rocky or boulder-strewn with accumulations of litter in between.
Geographic Range: This association occurs at mid-elevations in the southern Rocky Mountains of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. It is also reported from Wyoming.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO, NM
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686686
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
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.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.b Ponderosa Pine Southern Rocky Mountain Forest & Woodland Group | G228 | 1.B.2.Nb.1.b |
| Alliance | A3398 Ponderosa Pine Southern Rocky Mountain Forest & Woodland Alliance | A3398 | 1.B.2.Nb.1.b |
| Association | CEGL000874 Ponderosa Pine / Wavyleaf Oak Woodland | CEGL000874 | 1.B.2.Nb.1.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Pinus ponderosa / Quercus X pauciloba (Stuever and Hayden 1997a)
< Pinus ponderosa / Quercus X pauciloba Woodland (DeVelice et al. 1986)
= Pinus ponderosa / Quercus undulata [x pauciloba] Cover Type (Balice et al. 1997)
< Pinus ponderosa / Quercus X pauciloba Woodland (DeVelice et al. 1986)
= Pinus ponderosa / Quercus undulata [x pauciloba] Cover Type (Balice et al. 1997)
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- Balice, R. G., S. G. Ferran, and T. S. Foxx. 1997. Preliminary vegetation and land cover classification for the Los Alamos region. Report LA-UR-97-4627, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM.
- 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.
- CNHP [Colorado Natural Heritage Program]. 2006-2017. Tracked natural plant communities. Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins. [https://cnhp.colostate.edu/ourdata/trackinglist/plant_communities/]
- 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.
- Hibner, C. D. 2009. Special project soil survey of Bandelier National Monument. Natural Resources Conservation Science. In cooperation with the USDI National Park Service and the New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Station. [in review]
- Huckaby, L. S., and P. M. Brown. 1995. Fire history in mixed-conifer forests of the Sacramento Mountains, southern New Mexico. Final Report (WHM file 441). USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO.
- Muldavin, E., A. Kennedy, C. Jackson, P. Neville, T. Neville, K. Schulz, and M. Reid. 2011b. Vegetation classification and map: Bandelier National Monument. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/SCPN/NRTR--2011/438. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- Muldavin, E., Y. Chauvin, P. Neville, T. Neville, L. Arnold, P. Arbetan, and A. Fettes. 2012b. A vegetation classification and map: Pecos National Historical Park. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/SOPN/NRTR--2012/601. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- Muldavin, E., Y. Chauvin, T. Neville, P. Neville, A. Kennedy, H. Hulse, P. Arbetan, K. Schultz, M. Hall, and M. Reid. 2013c. Vegetation classification and map: El Malpais National Park. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/SCPN/NRTR--2013/803. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. [http://nhnm.unm.edu/vlibrary/pubs_archive/nhnm/nonsensitive/R13MUL01NMUS.pdf]
- Rogers, C. M. 1953. The vegetation of the Mesa de Maya region of Colorado, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. Lloydia 16(4):257-290.
- 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.
- Stuever, M. C., and J. S. Hayden. 1997b. Plant associations of Arizona and New Mexico. Volume 2: Woodlands. USDA Forest Service, Southwestern Region, Habitat Typing Guides. 196 pp.
- USFS [U.S. Forest Service]. 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. Second edition, 140 pp. plus insert.
- USFS [U.S. Forest Service]. 1987a. Forest and woodland habitat types (plant associations) of northern New Mexico and northern Arizona. USDA Forest Service, Southwestern Region, Albuquerque, NM. Second edition, 170 pp. plus insert.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.