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CEGL005353 Abies concolor - (Pseudotsuga menziesii) / Thalictrum fendleri Forest

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available


Common (Translated Scientific) Name: White Fir - (Douglas-fir) / Fendler''s Meadowrue Forest

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This mesic mixed montane conifer association is known from Valles Caldera National Preserve and Bandelier National Monument in north-central New Mexico and likely occurs on mesic sites elsewhere in the southern Rocky Mountains. Sites are typically cool and moist and occur on northerly to northeasterly aspects at lower elevations shifting to southeasterly through southwesterly aspects at higher elevations. Elevations range from 1890-2990 m (6200-9800 feet). Slopes vary from very gentle rolling mesatops to steep mountain backslopes and canyon sideslopes (0-55%). Substrates are derived from volcanic andesite, rhyolite, and rhyolitic tuffs. Ground cover is typically characterized by deep leaf litter layers and herbaceous cover with little exposed soil, although some sites can be rocky or have significant accumulation of large woody debris. The vegetation is characterized by an open to closed tree canopy (25-90%) dominated by Abies concolor with seedlings and saplings in the understory. Pseudotsuga menziesii is typically a codominant in the canopy or subcanopy. Other conifers can be common to well-represented, but are subdominants, and include Pinus ponderosa, Pinus strobiformis, Pinus flexilis, and occasionally Picea pungens. Populus tremuloides is often well-represented as seedlings and saplings, or as a codominant in the canopy. Shrub and subshrub composition and cover are variable; shrubs are often absent but cover can range as high as 15%. The most frequent species are Juniperus communis, Rosa woodsii, Rubus idaeus, and Rubus parviflorus. However, the understory is characterized by a moderate to dense (25% or over 50% cover) herbaceous layer with high species richness dominated by a combination of mesic graminoids and forbs. The most abundant graminoids are Bromus ciliatus, Koeleria macrantha, Poa fendleriana, Carex inops ssp. heliophila, Carex occidentalis, and Carex siccata. Forbs can reach 30% cover and are characterized by Thalictrum fendleri and a mixture of other mesic forbs such as Achillea millefolium, Fragaria vesca, Galium aparine, Lathyrus lanszwertii var. leucanthus, Maianthemum stellatum, and Viola canadensis. Erigeron eximius is generally absent in this type. When present, Carex siccata does not form a dense sod that dominates the understory.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This mesic mixed montane conifer association is known from Valles Caldera National Preserve and Bandelier National Monument in northern New Mexico and likely occurs on mesic sites elsewhere in the southern Rocky Mountains. This broadly defined association is similar to the mesic ~Abies concolor - Pseudotsuga menziesii / Erigeron eximius Forest (CEGL000247)$$ that is characterized by an understory dominated by Erigeron eximius, Lathyrus spp., or Valeriana arizonica and the generally wetter ~Abies concolor - Pseudotsuga menziesii / Carex siccata Forest (CEGL000244)$$ that is characterized by an understory of dense Carex siccata sod.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available

Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: The vegetation is characterized by an open to closed tree canopy (25-90%) dominated by Abies concolor with seedlings and saplings in the understory. Pseudotsuga menziesii is typically a codominant in the canopy or subcanopy. Other conifers can be common to well-represented, but are subdominants, and include Pinus ponderosa, Pinus strobiformis, Pinus flexilis, and occasionally Picea pungens. Populus tremuloides is often well-represented as seedlings and saplings, or as a codominant in the canopy. Shrub and subshrub composition and cover are variable; shrubs are often absent but cover can range as high as 15%. The most frequent species are Juniperus communis, Rosa woodsii, Rubus idaeus, and Rubus parviflorus. However, the understory is characterized by a moderate to dense (25% or over 50% cover) herbaceous layer with high species richness dominated by a combination of mesic graminoids and forbs. The most abundant graminoids are Bromus ciliatus, Koeleria macrantha, Poa fendleriana, Carex inops ssp. heliophila, Carex occidentalis, and Carex siccata. Forbs can reach 30% cover and are characterized by Thalictrum fendleri and a mixture of other mesic forbs such as Achillea millefolium, Fragaria vesca, Galium aparine, Lathyrus lanszwertii var. leucanthus, Maianthemum stellatum, and Viola canadensis. Erigeron eximius is generally absent in this type. When present, Carex siccata does not form a dense sod that dominates the understory.

Dynamics:  No Data Available

Environmental Description:  This association ranges in elevation from 1890-2990 m (6200-9800 feet). Sites are typically cool and moist and occur on northerly to northeasterly aspects at lower elevations shifting to southeasterly through southwesterly aspects at higher elevations. Slopes vary from very gentle rolling mesatops to steep mountain backslopes and canyon sideslopes (0-55%). Substrates are derived from volcanic andesite, rhyolite, and rhyolitic tuffs. Ground cover is typically characterized by deep leaf litter layers and herbaceous cover with little exposed soil, although some sites can be rocky or have significant accumulation of large woody debris.

Geographic Range: This association occurs at Valles Caldera National Preserve and Bandelier National Monument in north-central New Mexico, and likely occurs throughout much of the southern Rocky Mountains and high plateaus of Utah.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  NM, UT?




Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available

Grank: GNR

Greasons: No Data Available


Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available

Synonomy: = Abies concolor - (Pseudotsuga menziesii) / Thalictrum fendleri Forest (Muldavin et al. 2011b)
= Abies concolor / Thalictrum fendleri Forest (Muldavin et al. 2006)

Concept Author(s): E. Muldavin et al. (2011b)

Author of Description: K.A. Schulz

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 03-25-09

  • 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.
  • 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., P. Neville, C. Jackson, and T. Neville. 2006. A vegetation map of Valles Caldera National Preserve, New Mexico. Natural Heritage New Mexico Publication No. 06-GTR-302. Natural Heritage New Mexico, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. 59 pp.
  • Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.