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CEGL000840 Pinus ponderosa / Amelanchier alnifolia Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Ponderosa Pine / Saskatoon Serviceberry Woodland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This woodland is a minor association occurring on cool slopes in the foothills of the Bear''s Paw Mountains. Stands are often park-like with an open canopy of Pinus ponderosa. Amelanchier alnifolia, Prunus virginiana, Spiraea betulifolia, and Symphoricarpos occidentalis form a lush understory. Pseudoroegneria spicata is common in the sparse ground layer. Soils are loamy and slightly acidic.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association is based on the Pinus ponderosa / Amelanchier alnifolia Habitat Type (Roberts 1980) and appears to be a well-defined, relatively distinct plant association. However, it is based on only two sample plots.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This woodland association is dominated by the evergreen needle-leaved tree Pinus ponderosa, with an average of 26% canopy cover. No other coniferous trees occur. Occasional individuals of the broad-leaved deciduous tree Populus tremuloides are found. The understory is shrubby, and dominated by broad-leaved deciduous species typically less than 2 m in height. Amelanchier alnifolia is the most abundant, averaging 50% cover, with Prunus virginiana, Spiraea betulifolia, and Symphoricarpos occidentalis contributing another 15-20% cover in some stands. The herbaceous layer is sparse, with perennial bunchgrasses the most abundant species. Pseudoroegneria spicata averages 15% cover in drier stands; Festuca idahoensis and Festuca altaica (= Festuca scabrella) each average less than 5% cover. Few forbs are present, but moist-site species such as Galium boreale, Geum triflorum, Monarda fistulosa, and Lathyrus ochroleucus may be present.
LP/SC 9-97: Pinus ponderosa is the only dominant tree (mean canopy cover of 26%), although Populus tremuloides may be seral in some stands (Roberts 1980). Undergrowth is dominated by shrubs Amelanchier alnifolia (50%), Prunus virginiana (3%), Spiraea betulifolia (15%), and Symphoricarpos occidentalis (15%). Ground layer vegetation is sparse; common species include Pseudoroegneria spicata (15%), Festuca idahoensis (3%), Festuca altaica (3%), Achillea millefolium (1%), Symphyotrichum falcatum (= Aster falcatus) (1%), and Galium boreale (1%) (Roberts 1980).
LP/SC 9-97: Pinus ponderosa is the only dominant tree (mean canopy cover of 26%), although Populus tremuloides may be seral in some stands (Roberts 1980). Undergrowth is dominated by shrubs Amelanchier alnifolia (50%), Prunus virginiana (3%), Spiraea betulifolia (15%), and Symphoricarpos occidentalis (15%). Ground layer vegetation is sparse; common species include Pseudoroegneria spicata (15%), Festuca idahoensis (3%), Festuca altaica (3%), Achillea millefolium (1%), Symphyotrichum falcatum (= Aster falcatus) (1%), and Galium boreale (1%) (Roberts 1980).
Dynamics: Presettlement stands in the warm, moist Pinus ponderosa habitat types were often open and park-like.
Surface fires kept stands in an open condition by thinning out seedling- and sapling-sized trees. However, many modern stands have become overstocked as a result of fire suppression. These overstocked stands are more prone to stand-replacing crown fires (Fischer and Clayton 1983). Apparently, Populus tremuloides may occasionally be a seral species (Roberts 1980).
Surface fires kept stands in an open condition by thinning out seedling- and sapling-sized trees. However, many modern stands have become overstocked as a result of fire suppression. These overstocked stands are more prone to stand-replacing crown fires (Fischer and Clayton 1983). Apparently, Populus tremuloides may occasionally be a seral species (Roberts 1980).
Environmental Description: This association is found in a small, mountainous region isolated from the main chain of the Rocky Mountains, 240-320 km (150-200 miles) to the west. These mountains are within the Glaciated Missouri Plateau section of the Great Plains, within the southern limit of continental glaciation during the last ice age. The climate is continental in nature, with warm summers and very cold, relatively dry winters. Invasions of Arctic air masses occur often during the winter months, and can be followed by warming, drying Chinook winds. A little more than half of the annual precipitation occurs from May to September, with a peak in May and June. This association is found on moderate to steep, northerly slopes from 1100-1340 m (3600-4400 feet) elevation. Soils are loams, with little exposed surface rock and no bare soil. Litter and duff depths average 6 cm. These sites are the most mesic of those supporting Pinus ponderosa in these mountains, but are too dry for Pseudotsuga menziesii.
This community occurs in the foothills below the range of Pseudotsuga menziesii or on sites in the montane zone too dry to support Pseudotsuga menziesii (Roberts 1980). The type occurs on moderate to steep slopes with northerly aspects, and elevations of the two sample stands were 1160 and 1280 m (3800-4200 feet) (Roberts 1980). Mean annual precipitation is about 35-40 cm (Soil Conservation Service 1981b). Soils were loam and slightly acidic (mean pH = 6.5). Mean duff depth was 6.2 cm. Parent material is primarily granitic.
This community occurs in the foothills below the range of Pseudotsuga menziesii or on sites in the montane zone too dry to support Pseudotsuga menziesii (Roberts 1980). The type occurs on moderate to steep slopes with northerly aspects, and elevations of the two sample stands were 1160 and 1280 m (3800-4200 feet) (Roberts 1980). Mean annual precipitation is about 35-40 cm (Soil Conservation Service 1981b). Soils were loam and slightly acidic (mean pH = 6.5). Mean duff depth was 6.2 cm. Parent material is primarily granitic.
Geographic Range: This association is known only from the Bear''s Paw Mountains, in Hill and Choteau counties (north-central Montana), of the Montana Isolated Mountain Ranges Subsection of the Northwestern Glaciated Plains Section. It occurs in the peripheral portion of the range where conditions are too dry to support the Pseudotsuga menziesii Series (Roberts 1980).
Nations: US
States/Provinces: MT
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.688333
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
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.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 | CEGL000840 Ponderosa Pine / Saskatoon Serviceberry Woodland | CEGL000840 | 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 / Amelanchier alnifolia Habitat Type (Roberts 1980)
- 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.
- Fischer, W. C., and B. D. Clayton. 1983. Fire ecology of Montana forest habitat types east of the Continental Divide. General Technical Report INT-141. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT. 83 pp.
- Hansen, P. L., G. R. Hoffman, and A. J. Bjugstad. 1984. The vegetation of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota: A habitat type classification. General Technical Report RM-113. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 35 pp.
- Hansen, P. L., and G. R. Hoffman. 1988. The vegetation of the Grand River/Cedar River, Sioux, and Ashland districts of the Custer National Forest: A habitat type classification. General Technical Report RM-157. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 68 pp.
- MTNHP [Montana Natural Heritage Program]. 2002b. List of ecological communities for Montana. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Montana State Library, Helena, MT.
- Pfister, R. D., B. L. Kovalchik, S. F. Arno, and R. C. Presby. 1977. Forest habitat types of Montana. General Technical Report INT-34. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT. 174 pp.
- Roberts, D. W. 1980. Forest habitat types of the Bear''s Paw Mountains and Little Rocky Mountains, Montana. Unpublished thesis, Department of Forestry, University of Montana, Missoula. 116 pp.
- Soil Conservation Service. 1981b. Average annual precipitation Montana. USDA-SCS, Bozeman, MT.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.