Print Report
CEGL003254 Picea sitchensis / Oplopanax horridus - Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata Riparian Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Sitka Spruce / Devil''s-club - Sitka Alder Riparian Woodland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: [From Boggs (2000)]: This is a minor, yet widespread type on the Copper River Delta and elsewhere in Alaska. It occurs on outwash deposits (except that of the Copper River), stabilized dunes of beaches and spits, levees of the uplifted marsh, and as an incidental type on portions of uplifted mudflats that are above high tide. On outwash plains, it occurs on recently disturbed lands including new alluvial deposits, ice-scoured islands, and abandoned river channels. The sites are well-drained, although during high riverflows, they are nearly always inundated. The surface topography differs from level to pitted with hummocks. Site shape is usually a stringer or small patch. The soils are characterized by a litter layer less than 10 cm (4 inches) thick over silt or sand. Organic-humic layers up to 20 cm (8 inches) thick (pH of 4.5 to 5.5) were found in the wetter stands. The pH of the mineral layer ranges from 5.5 to 7.0. Horizon development occurs in most of the soil profiles. Gleying was not found, but mottling was noted in most profiles, although absent on all dune sites. Salinity was low in all stands. Stands are composed of dense, sapling-pole size Picea sitchensis. Tree height ranges from 1.8 to 15.3 m (6-50 feet), and their age ranges from 20 to 100 years. The stands are typically a single cohort. Alnus viridis ssp. crispa occurs as a major component in all stands; shrub height ranges from 3 to 6 m (10-20 feet). Bryophyte, forb, graminoid, fern, and other shrub species have highly variable cover values. This is an early-successional type. On outwash plains, it is a primary colonizer of new alluvial deposits, on dunes it invades the early-successional herbaceous types, and on the uplifted marsh it invades the newly uplifted levees. On all landscapes, this community is seral to other Picea sitchensis types and, eventually, Tsuga heterophylla community types.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: The first published account for this community is from the Chatham Area (Martin et al. 1995). These woodlands also occur in the Yakutat area (Shephard 1995), the Stikine Area of the Tongass National Forest (Pawuk and Kissinger 1989), the Chugach National Forest (DeVelice et al. 1994, 1999), the Copper River Delta (Boggs 1996, 2000) and on the South Kenai. Worley (1977) describes a related early-seral type for the outer coast of Glacier Bay National Park.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Stands are composed of dense, sapling-pole size Picea sitchensis. Tree height ranges from 1.8 to 15.3 m (6-50 feet), and their age ranges from 20 to 100 years. The stands are typically a single cohort. Alnus viridis ssp. crispa (= Alnus crispa) occurs as a major component in all stands; shrub height ranges from 3 to 6 m (10-20 feet).
Dynamics: From Boggs (2000): This is an early-successional type. On outwash plains, it is a primary colonizer of new alluvial deposits, on dunes it invades the early-successional herbaceous types, and on the uplifted marsh it invades the newly uplifted levees. On all landscapes, this community is seral to other Picea sitchensis types and, eventually, Tsuga heterophylla community types.
Environmental Description: From Boggs (2000): This is a minor, yet widespread type on the Copper River Delta and elsewhere in Alaska. It occurs on outwash deposits (except that of the Copper River), stabilized dunes of beaches and spits, levees of the uplifted marsh, and as an incidental type on portions of uplifted mudflats that are above high tide. On outwash plains, it occurs on recently disturbed lands including new alluvial deposits, ice-scoured islands, and abandoned river channels. The sites are well-drained, although during high riverflows, they are nearly always inundated. The surface topography differs from level to pitted with hummocks. Site shape is usually a stringer or small patch. The soils are characterized by a litter layer less than 10 cm (4 inches) thick over silt or sand. Organic-humic layers up to 20 cm (8 inches) thick (pH of 4.5 to 5.5) were found in the wetter stands. The pH of the mineral layer ranges from 5.5 to 7.0. Horizon development occurs in most of the soil profiles. Gleying was not found, but mottling was noted in most profiles, although absent on all dune sites. Salinity was low in all stands.
Geographic Range: No Data Available
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AK
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.687432
Confidence Level: Low
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.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation | F026 | 1.B.3 |
| Division | 1.B.3.Ng Vancouverian Flooded & Swamp Forest Division | D193 | 1.B.3.Ng |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.3.Ng.1 Vancouverian Flooded & Swamp Forest Macrogroup | M035 | 1.B.3.Ng.1 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Ng.1.f Sitka Spruce - Black Cottonwood Alaskan Riparian Woodland Group | G852 | 1.B.3.Ng.1.f |
| Alliance | A3747 Sitka Spruce Riparian Forest Alliance | A3747 | 1.B.3.Ng.1.f |
| Association | CEGL003254 Sitka Spruce / Devil''s-club - Sitka Alder Riparian Woodland | CEGL003254 | 1.B.3.Ng.1.f |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Picea sitchensis / Alnus crispa Community Type (DeVelice et al. 1994)
? Picea sitchensis / Alnus crispa Community Type (Martin et al. 1995)
? Picea sitchensis / Alnus crispa Community Type (Borchers et al. 1989)
= Picea sitchensis / Alnus crispa Community Type (Sitka spruce / Sitka alder Community Type) (Boggs 2000)
? Picea sitchensis / Alnus crispa Community Type, wetland variant (Shephard 1995)
? Picea sitchensis / Echinopanax horridum - Alnus spp. Community Type (Pawuk and Kissinger 1989)
= Picea sitchensis/Oplopanax horridus-Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata (Meidinger et al. 2005) [PNWCOAST_058]
? Picea sitchensis / Alnus crispa Community Type (Martin et al. 1995)
? Picea sitchensis / Alnus crispa Community Type (Borchers et al. 1989)
= Picea sitchensis / Alnus crispa Community Type (Sitka spruce / Sitka alder Community Type) (Boggs 2000)
? Picea sitchensis / Alnus crispa Community Type, wetland variant (Shephard 1995)
? Picea sitchensis / Echinopanax horridum - Alnus spp. Community Type (Pawuk and Kissinger 1989)
= Picea sitchensis/Oplopanax horridus-Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata (Meidinger et al. 2005) [PNWCOAST_058]
- Boggs, K. 1996. Forested plant communities of maritime southcentral and southeast Alaska. Unpublished report of the Alaska Natural Heritage Program, University of Alaska, Anchorage.
- Boggs, K. 2000. Classification of community types, successional sequences and landscapes of the Copper River Delta, Alaska. General Technical Report PNW-GTR-469. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, OR. March 2000. 244 pp.
- Borchers, S. L., J. Wattenbarger, and R. Ament. 1989. Forest plant associations of Montague Island, Chugach National Forest. Unpublished report. USDA Forest Service, Alaska Region, Chugach National Forest, Anchorage, AK. 5 pp.
- 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.
- DeVelice, R. L., C. J. Hubbard, K. Boggs, S. Boudreau, M. Potkin, T. Boucher, and C. Wertheim. 1999. Plant community types of the Chugach National Forest: South-central Alaska. Technical Publication R10-TP-76. USDA Forest Service, Chugach National Forest, Alaska Region. 375 pp.
- DeVelice, R., C. Hubbard, M. Potkin, and T. Boucher. 1994. Preliminary classification of vegetation types of Prince William Sound. Unpublished report on file USDA Forest Service, Alaska Region. Chugach National Forest, Anchorage. 40 pp.
- Martin, R. R., S. J. Trull, W. W. Brady, R. A. West, and J. M. Downs. 1995. Forest plant association management guide, Chatham Area, Tongass National Forest. R10-RP-57. USDA Forest Service, Alaska Region.
- Meidinger, D., C. Chappell, C. Cadrin, G. Kittel, C. McCain, K. Boggs, J. Kagan, G. Cushon, A. Banner, and T. DeMeo. 2005. International Vegetation Classification of the Pacific Northwest: International correlation of temperate coastal forest plant associations of Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska. Contributors: B.C. Ministry of Forests, USDA Forest Service, B.C. Conservation Data Centre, Alaska Natural Heritage Program, Washington Natural Heritage Program, and Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center.
- Pawuk, W. H., and E. J. Kissinger. 1989. Preliminary forest plant associations of the Stikine Area, Tongass National Forest. Technical Publication R10-TP-72. USDA Forest Service, Alaska Region, Juneau, AK. 126 pp.
- Shephard, M. E. 1995. Plant community ecology and classification of the Yakutat Foreland, Alaska. R10-TP-56. USDA Forest Service, Alaska Region. 213 pp. plus appendices.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.
- Worley, I. A. 1977. Plant community analysis. Pages 126-239 in: G. P. Streveler and I. A. Worley, editors. Dixon Harbor biological survey. Final report on the summer phase of 1975 field work. U.S. National Park Service, Juneau, AK.