Print Report
CEGL000190 Pinus ponderosa / Physocarpus monogynus Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Ponderosa Pine / Mountain Ninebark Forest
Colloquial Name: Ponderosa Pine / Mountain Ninebark Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This ponderosa pine woodland is found in the Black Hills at 1310 to 1800 m (4300-5900 feet) elevation west to Colorado at 2560 to 2710 m (8400-8880 feet). This montane community is one of the more mesic of the ponderosa pine forests in the Black Hills and southern Rocky Mountains. Stands occur predominantly on north- to northwest-facing aspects but may also occur on eastern and southern aspects. Slopes tend to be moderate to steep but range from (1-49%). Soils are relatively deep, well-drained sandy loams from coarse colluvium. The overstory is dominated by Pinus ponderosa often with an admixture of Pseudotsuga menziesii and sometimes Pinus flexilis depending on seral stage. The canopy can be moderately open to closed. Sufficient light penetrates the canopy to allow the growth of a vigorous shrub layer (20-50% cover). There is a substantial shrub layer that grows to approximately 1 m tall. This stratum is dominated by Physocarpus monogynus. Other shrubs that occur in this community are Acer glabrum, Amelanchier alnifolia, Mahonia repens, Prunus virginiana, Rosa acicularis, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, and Symphoricarpos albus. In the Rocky Mountains the tree canopy was more open, and Symphoricarpos rotundifolius may be present with up to 20% cover. The herbaceous layer is dominated by forbs and nonvascular plants. Antennaria rosea, Cerastium arvense, Galium boreale, Pulsatilla patens, and mosses and lichens are typically found in this community. Unvegetated surface is common in this association and is composed of needle litter and duff.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: There is some ambiguity between this type as a forest or woodland; it is currently classified as a forest, e.g., generally >60% canopy closure, but stands with less than 45% canopy cover are not uncommon, especially in the southern Rocky Mountains. Classification confidence of this association at Rocky Mountain National Park was low because of a great deal of variation among the stands; more data would add to the description and perhaps lead to reclassification.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The overstory of this forest community is dominated by Pinus ponderosa often with an admixture of Pseudotsuga menziesii and sometimes Pinus flexilis depending on seral stage. The canopy can be moderately closed to closed. Sufficient light penetrates the canopy to allow the growth of a vigorous shrub layer (20-50% cover). Physocarpus monogynus, which grows to approximately 1 m, is the dominant shrub. In three stands in the Black Hills of Wyoming this species had an average cover of 42% (Hoffman and Alexander 1987). Other shrubs that occur in this community are Acer glabrum, Amelanchier alnifolia, Jamesia americana, Mahonia repens, Prunus virginiana, Rosa acicularis, and Symphoricarpos albus. In the Rocky Mountains the tree canopy was more open, and Symphoricarpos rotundifolius may be present with up to 20% cover. The dwarf-shrub Arctostaphylos uva-ursi is commonly present. The herbaceous layer is dominated by forbs and nonvascular plants. Antennaria rosea, Cerastium arvense, Galium boreale, Pulsatilla patens, and mosses and lichens are typically found in this community. This forest type varies from the Black Hills to the Bighorns: the Black Hills examples contain more Juniperus communis, Prunus virginiana, mosses and lichens (Johnston 1987).
Dynamics: Lack of natural disturbance (e.g., fire) over the last 100 years has led to increased densities and coverage in the subcanopy.
Environmental Description: This montane community is one of the more mesic of the ponderosa pine forests in the Black Hills and southern Rocky Mountains. It is often found on north- and northwest-facing slopes (Hess and Alexander 1986, Johnston 1987) but may also occur on eastern and southern aspects. Slopes are gentle to steep (1-49%). On three stands in eastern Wyoming the slopes ranged from 27-46% (Hoffman and Alexander 1976, 1987). In Wyoming it has been observed at elevations of 1400 to 1800 m (4300-5900 feet) (Jones 1992b) but occurs at 2560 to 2710 m (8400-8880 feet) in Colorado. The soils are typically well-drained sandy loam or loam from relatively deep, coarse colluvium and may have considerable surface rock and high litter cover.
Geographic Range: This ponderosa pine association is found in the Big Horn Mountains and Black Hills region of Wyoming and South Dakota and extends to the southern Rocky Mountains in southern Wyoming and northern Colorado.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO, SD, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.687497
Confidence Level: Moderate
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.e Ponderosa Pine Northwestern Great Plains Forest & Woodland Group | G216 | 1.B.2.Nb.2.e |
| Alliance | A3465 Ponderosa Pine Mesic Black Hills Forest Alliance | A3465 | 1.B.2.Nb.2.e |
| Association | CEGL000190 Ponderosa Pine / Mountain Ninebark Forest | CEGL000190 | 1.B.2.Nb.2.e |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Pinus ponderosa / Physocarpus monogynus Community (Jones 1992b)
= Pinus ponderosa / Physocarpus monogynus Forest (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Pinus ponderosa / Physocarpus monogynus Habitat Type (Hoffman and Alexander 1976)
= Pinus ponderosa / Physocarpus monogynus Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
>< Pseudotsuga menziesii / Physocarpus monogynus Habitat Type (Hess and Alexander 1986)
= Pinus ponderosa / Physocarpus monogynus Forest (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Pinus ponderosa / Physocarpus monogynus Habitat Type (Hoffman and Alexander 1976)
= Pinus ponderosa / Physocarpus monogynus Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
>< Pseudotsuga menziesii / Physocarpus monogynus Habitat Type (Hess and Alexander 1986)
- BHCI [Black Hills Community Inventory]. 1999. Unpublished element occurrence and plot data collected during the Black Hills Community Inventory. Available upon request from the South Dakota Natural Heritage Program, Pierre, and Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie.
- Caicco, S. L., J. M. Scott, B. Butterfield, and B. Csuti. 1995. A gap analysis of the management status of the vegetation of Idaho (U.S.A.). Conservation Biology 9(3):498-511.
- Faber-Langendoen, D., editor. 2001. Plant communities of the Midwest: Classification in an ecological context. Association for Biodiversity Information, Arlington, VA. 61 pp. plus appendix (705 pp.).
- Hess, K., and R. R. Alexander. 1986. Forest vegetation of the Arapaho and Roosevelt national forests in northcentral Colorado: A habitat type classification. Research Paper RM-266. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 48 pp.
- Hoffman, G. R., and R. R. Alexander. 1976. Forest vegetation of the Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming: A habitat type classification. Research Paper RM-170. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 38 pp.
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- Johnston, B. C. 1987. Plant associations of Region Two: Potential plant communities of Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas. R2-ECOL-87-2. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Lakewood, CO. 429 pp.
- Jones, G. 1992b. Wyoming plant community classification (Draft). Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie, WY. 183 pp.
- Jones, G., and S. Ogle. 2000. Characterization abstracts for vegetation types on the Bighorn, Medicine Bow, and Shoshone national forests. Prepared for USDA Forest Service, Region 2 by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming.
- Marriott, H. J., D. Faber-Langendoen, A. McAdams, D. Stutzman, and B. Burkhart. 1999. The Black Hills Community Inventory: Final report. The Nature Conservancy, Midwest Conservation Science Center, Minneapolis, MN.
- Marriott, H. J., and D. Faber-Langendoen. 2000. The Black Hills community inventory. Volume 2: Plant community descriptions. The Nature Conservancy, Midwest Conservation Science Center and Association for Biodiversity Information, Minneapolis, MN. 326 pp.
- McAdams, A. G., D. A. Stutzman, and D. Faber-Langendoen. 1998. Black Hills Community Inventory, unpublished data. The Nature Conservancy, Midwest Regional Office, Minneapolis, MN.
- Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
- SDNHP [South Dakota Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data. South Dakota Natural Heritage Program, Pierre, SD.
- Salas, D. E., and M. J. Pucherelli. 1998b. USGS-NPS vegetation mapping, Jewel Cave National Monument, South Dakota. USDI Bureau of Reclamation, Technical Memorandum No. 8260-98-06. Denver, CO.
- Salas, D., J. Stevens, and K. Schulz. 2005. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Technical Memorandum No. 8260-05-02. USDI Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO. 161 pp. plus Appendices A-L (733 pp.).
- Terwilliger, C., K. Hess, and C. Wasser. 1979a. Key to the preliminary habitat types of Region 2. Addendum to initial progress report for habitat type classification. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. Fort Collins, CO.
- Thilenius, J. F. 1972. Classification of the deer habitat in the ponderosa pine forest of the Black Hills, South Dakota. Research Paper RM-91. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 28 pp.