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CEGL005917 Abies lasiocarpa - Picea engelmannii / Vaccinium membranaceum / Xerophyllum tenax Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Subalpine Fir - Engelmann Spruce / Thinleaf Huckleberry / Common Beargrass Forest
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association is broadly distributed throughout the mid to upper subalpine zones of the northern Rocky Mountains, concentrated west of the Continental Divide. It is strongly associated with moderate to steep, cold, relatively dry slopes, usually having southeast- through south- to west-facing exposures. It typically occurs from midslopes upwards to slope shoulders, ridgetops and occasionally extending to high-elevation benchlands as well. Elevations range is from 1425-2025 m (4675-6643 feet) in the northern portion of its distribution and 1740-2470 m (5700-8100 feet) in its southern extent. These sites have well-drained, nutrient-poor soils derived from a variety of parent materials. The range in soil surface texture is broad, from silt to loamy sand with the gravel content averaging about 14% near surface and increasing markedly with depth. Litter dominates ground surface with low cover of bare soil and rock. The evergreen needle-leaved tree canopy is open to dense (30-80% cover) and may be stunted (2-5 m) in the highest elevation stands. The upper tree canopy is typically codominated by Abies lasiocarpa, Picea engelmannii trees and mature seral tree species, with Abies lasiocarpa dominating the subcanopy and regeneration layers. Important seral species in the tree canopy are Pseudotsuga menziesii, Pinus contorta, and Larix occidentalis. The short-shrub layer is typically composed of dense patches and dominated by Vaccinium membranaceum. Other consistent shrubs and dwarf-shrubs include Lonicera utahensis, Mahonia repens, Paxistima myrsinites, Sorbus scopulina, and Spiraea betulifolia. The herbaceous layer is dominated by Xerophyllum tenax and Calamagrostis rubescens (locally). Other relatively consistent species are Arnica latifolia, Carex geyeri, Osmorhiza berteroi, Orthilia secunda, Thalictrum occidentale, and Viola orbiculata. Occasionally cover of Vaccinium membranaceum may be low or absent, then Xerophyllum tenax strongly dominates the understory.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Stands of this association missing Vaccinium membranaceum are distinguished from the similar association, ~Abies lasiocarpa - Picea engelmannii / Vaccinium scoparium / Xerophyllum tenax Forest (CEGL005914)$$, by the abundance of Xerophyllum tenax, the lack of Vaccinium scoparium, and a wide diversity of forbs present.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This conifer association is characterized by Abies lasiocarpa and Picea engelmannii codominating the tree canopy with a typically dense understory dominated by Vaccinium membranaceum (canopy cover) and Xerophyllum tenax. Cover of Vaccinium scoparium and Vaccinium myrtillus is low (<5%). The evergreen needle-leaved tree canopy is open to dense (30-80% cover) and may be stunted (2-5 m) in the highest elevation stands. The upper tree canopy is typically codominated by Abies lasiocarpa, Picea engelmannii trees, and mature seral tree species, with Abies lasiocarpa dominating the subcanopy and regeneration layers. Important seral species in the tree canopy are Pseudotsuga menziesii, Pinus contorta, and Larix occidentalis. The short-shrub layer is typically composed of dense patches and dominated by Vaccinium membranaceum. Other consistent shrubs and dwarf-shrubs include Lonicera utahensis, Mahonia repens, Paxistima myrsinites, Sorbus scopulina, and Spiraea betulifolia. The herbaceous layer is dominated by Xerophyllum tenax and Calamagrostis rubescens (locally). Other relatively consistent species are Arnica latifolia, Carex geyeri, Osmorhiza berteroi (= Osmorhiza chilensis), Orthilia secunda (= Pyrola secunda), Thalictrum occidentale, and Viola orbiculata. Occasionally, cover of Vaccinium membranaceum may be low or absent, then Xerophyllum tenax strongly dominates the understory.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This association is broadly distributed throughout the mid to upper subalpine zones of the northern Rocky Mountains, concentrated west of the Continental Divide in western Montana and central and northern Idaho, northwestern Wyoming, northeastern Washington and extending into the Canadian Rockies of southwestern Alberta and British Columbia. Elevation range is from 1425-2025 m (4674-6642 feet) in the northern portion of its distribution and 1740-2470 m (5700-8100 feet) in its southern extent. It is strongly associated with moderate to steep, cold and relatively dry slopes, usually having southeast- through south- to west-facing exposures, usually occurring from midslopes upwards to slope shoulders, ridgetops and occasionally extending to high-elevation benchlands as well. These sites have well-drained, nutrient-poor soils derived from a variety of parent materials, including volcanics (quartz monzonite, undifferentiated granites, rhyolite), noncalcareous sedimentaries and metamorphics (quartzite, argillite, gneiss, schist, phyllite), and glacial till. The range in soil surface texture is broad, from silty loam to sandy loam with the gravel content averaging about 14% near the surface and increasing markedly with depth. Litter dominates ground surface with low cover of bare soil and rock.
Geographic Range: This association is broadly distributed throughout the mid to upper subalpine zones of the northern Rocky Mountains, concentrated west of the Continental Divide.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: AB, ID, MT, OR?, WA, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.731791
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
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.5 Subalpine Fir - Engelmann Spruce - Whitebark Pine Rocky Mountain Forest Macrogroup | M020 | 1.B.2.Nb.5 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Nb.5.c Engelmann Spruce - Subalpine Fir - Mountain Hemlock Moist Forest & Woodland Group | G218 | 1.B.2.Nb.5.c |
| Alliance | A3614 Subalpine Fir - Engelmann Spruce Rocky Mountain Moist Forest Alliance | A3614 | 1.B.2.Nb.5.c |
| Association | CEGL005917 Subalpine Fir - Engelmann Spruce / Thinleaf Huckleberry / Common Beargrass Forest | CEGL005917 | 1.B.2.Nb.5.c |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Abies lasiocarpa - Picea engelmannii / Vaccinium membranaceum / Xerophyllum tenax Forest (Hop et al. 2007)
< Abies lasiocarpa / Xerophyllum tenax Habitat Type, Vaccinium globulare Phase (Pfister et al. 1977)
< Abies lasiocarpa / Xerophyllum tenax Habitat Type, Vaccinium globulare Phase (Steele et al. 1983)
< Abies lasiocarpa / Xerophyllum tenax Habitat Type, Vaccinium globulare Phase (Cooper et al. 1987)
< Abies lasiocarpa / Xerophyllum tenax Habitat Type, Vaccinium globulare Phase (Steele et al. 1981)
= Abies lasiocarpa / Xerophyllum tenax Plant Association (Williams et al. 1995)
< Abies lasiocarpa / Xerophyllum tenax Habitat Type, Vaccinium globulare Phase (Pfister et al. 1977)
< Abies lasiocarpa / Xerophyllum tenax Habitat Type, Vaccinium globulare Phase (Steele et al. 1983)
< Abies lasiocarpa / Xerophyllum tenax Habitat Type, Vaccinium globulare Phase (Cooper et al. 1987)
< Abies lasiocarpa / Xerophyllum tenax Habitat Type, Vaccinium globulare Phase (Steele et al. 1981)
= Abies lasiocarpa / Xerophyllum tenax Plant Association (Williams et al. 1995)
- ANHIC [Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre]. 2018. Community database files. Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre, Parks and Protected Areas Division, Alberta Community Development, Edmonton.
- Cogan, D., K. Varga, and G. Kittel. 2005. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: Grand Teton National Park and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. Final Project Report 2002-2005 Vegetation Mapping Project. Technical Memorandum 8260-06-02. USDI Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO. 87 pp. plus Appendixes A-F.
- Cooper, S. V., K. E. Neiman, R. Steele, and D. W. Roberts. 1987. Forest habitat types of northern Idaho: A second approximation. General Technical Report INT-236.USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station, Ogden, UT. 135 pp. [reprinted in 1991]
- Hop, K., M. Reid, J. Dieck, S. Lubinski, and S. Cooper. 2007. U.S. Geological Survey-National Park Service Vegetation Mapping Program: Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, WI. 131 pp. plus Appendices A-L.
- 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.
- Reid, M. S., S. V. Cooper, and G. Kittel. 2004. Vegetation classification of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. Final report for USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, International Peace Park Mapping Project. NatureServe, Arlington VA.
- Steele, R., R. D. Pfister, R. A. Ryker, and J. A. Kittams. 1981. Forest habitat types of central Idaho. General Technical Report INT-114. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT. 138 pp.
- Steele, R., S. V. Cooper, D. M. Ondov, D. W. Roberts, and R. D. Pfister. 1983. Forest habitat types of eastern Idaho - western Wyoming. General Technical Report INT-144. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT. 122 pp.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.
- Williams, C. K., B. F. Kelly, B. G. Smith, and T. R. Lillybridge. 1995. Forest plant associations of the Colville National Forest. General Technical Report PNW-GTR-360. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 140 pp.
- Williams, C. K., T. R. Lillybridge, and B. G. Smith. 1990b. Forested plant associations of the Colville National Forest. Report prepared for USDA Forest Service, Colville National Forest, Colville, WA. 133 pp.