Print Report
G345 Picea glauca - Pseudotsuga menziesii Central Rocky Mountain Forest Group
Type Concept Sentence: This group consists of forests where Picea glauca is the characteristic conifer often with other trees such as Betula papyrifera, Picea engelmannii x glauca hybrids, Pinus contorta, Pinus ponderosa, Populus tremuloides, and Pseudotsuga menziesii. They are found in lower montane regions of western Montana, southwestern Alberta and southeastern British Columbia, with outliers in mountains of the northwestern Great Plains, especially the Black Hills of Wyoming and South Dakota.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: White Spruce - Douglas-fir Central Rocky Mountain Forest Group
Colloquial Name: Central Rocky Mountain Montane White Spruce Forest
Hierarchy Level: Group
Type Concept: This group is found in lower montane regions of western Montana, southwestern Alberta and southeastern British Columbia, with outliers in mountains of the northwestern Great Plains, especially the Black Hills of Wyoming and South Dakota. This forest group is limited to sideslopes and depressions, often adjoining cool, riparian zones, where snow persists well into the growing season. Soils vary widely from deep to quite shallow. Picea glauca is the characteristic conifer, but other trees can include Pinus ponderosa, Pinus contorta, Picea engelmannii x glauca hybrids, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Populus tremuloides, and Betula papyrifera. Undergrowth shrubs typically include Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Elaeagnus commutata, Juniperus communis, Linnaea borealis, Shepherdia canadensis, Symphoricarpos albus, and Vaccinium scoparium. Common forbs and graminoids include Fragaria virginiana, Oxytropis spp., Linnaea borealis, Leymus innovatus, Lathyrus ochroleucus, Hedysarum alpinum, and Asteraceae spp. Disturbance regimes are not well-documented for this group, but likely include periodic windthrow as well as fire spreading from adjacent, drier forests and woodlands.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Forests and woodlands with Picea glauca dominating. Generally in lower montane and foothill settings in the Central Rocky Mountain region, with Rocky Mountain floristic components (as opposed to boreal floristics). Other trees present can include Pinus ponderosa, Pinus contorta, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Abies lasiocarpa, and Populus tremuloides or Picea engelmannii x glauca hybrids.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Information on this group needs to be better integrated across Montana, British Columbia and Alberta. Further information on this group in British Columbia is found in Meidinger and Pojar (1991) and in Alberta, in Achuff and Corns (1982), Achuff and Dudynsky (1984), Achuff et al. (2002), and Natural Areas Committee (2006). No sources are currently known for Montana. Its full geographic extent and distinguishing / diagnostic features require further work. As of 2013, the association lists for the Alberta and British Columbia parts have not been integrated.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Open to closed canopies of conifers, with some deciduous hardwoods intermingled in some occurrences. Typically there is a well-developed shrub layer also of deciduous species, along with forbs, graminoids and often high cover of mosses. Some occurrences may lack the shrub layer.
Floristics: Picea glauca is the characteristic conifer, but other trees can include Pinus ponderosa, Pinus contorta, Abies lasiocarpa, Picea engelmannii (and Picea glauca x Picea engelmannii introgressive hybrids), Pseudotsuga menziesii, Populus tremuloides, and Betula papyrifera. Undergrowth shrubs typically include Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Elaeagnus commutata, Juniperus communis, Linnaea borealis, Shepherdia canadensis, Symphoricarpos albus, and Vaccinium scoparium. Common forbs and graminoids include Fragaria virginiana, Oxytropis spp., Linnaea borealis, Leymus innovatus, Lathyrus ochroleucus, Hedysarum alpinum, and Asteraceae spp.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: In the main part of its range, this forest group is limited to sideslopes and depressions, likely adjoining riparian zones, where snow is well-retained. Soils vary widely from deep to shallow. In the Black Hills, these forests occur as small or large patches at cooler higher elevations, on level or gently sloping areas, from about 1740 to 2135 m (5700-7000 feet) elevation; at lower elevations, they are restricted to north-facing slopes within the ponderosa pine matrix.
Geographic Range: This group is found in lower montane regions of western Montana, southwestern Alberta and southeastern British Columbia, with outliers in higher mountains of the northwestern Great Plains, especially the Black Hills of Wyoming and South Dakota, and possibly the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming. In Albert and British Columbia, this group occurs north through Banff National Park to Jasper National Park, and in the British Columbia portion of the Rockies, these occur in the Columbia Trench north to at least Kootenay and Yoho national parks.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: AB, BC, MT, SD, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.835742
Confidence Level: Low
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.f White Spruce - Douglas-fir Central Rocky Mountain Forest Group | G345 | 1.B.2.Nb.5.f |
| Alliance | A3623 White Spruce Black Hills Forest Alliance | A3623 | 1.B.2.Nb.5.f |
| Alliance | A3624 White Spruce - Douglas-fir Rocky Mountain Forest Alliance | A3624 | 1.B.2.Nb.5.f |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Picea glauca series (Hoffman and Alexander 1987)
< Montane Natural Subregion (Natural Regions Committee 2006) [The white spruce group is found within the mesic parts of this region, which can contain other types.]
< Montane Spruce Zone (Meidinger and Pojar 1991) [The white spruce group is found within the mesic parts of this ecological zone, which can contain other types.]
< Montane Natural Subregion (Natural Regions Committee 2006) [The white spruce group is found within the mesic parts of this region, which can contain other types.]
< Montane Spruce Zone (Meidinger and Pojar 1991) [The white spruce group is found within the mesic parts of this ecological zone, which can contain other types.]
- Achuff, P. L., R. L. McNeil, M. L. Coleman, C. Wallis and C. Wershler. 2002. Ecological land classification of Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta. Volume I: Integrated resource description. Parks Canada, Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta. 226 pp.
- Achuff, P. L., and H. A. Dudynsky. 1984a. Chapter III. Vegetation. Pages 43-131 in: P. L. Achuff, W. D. Holland, G. M. Coen, and K. Van Tighem, editors. Ecological land classification of Kootenay National Park, British Columbia. Volume I: Integrated resource description. Alberta Institute of Pedology Publication No. M-84-10.
- Achuff, P. L., and I. G. W. Corns. 1982. Chapter III. Vegetation. Pages 71-156 in: W. D. Holland and G. M. Coen, editors. Ecological (biophysical) land classification of Banff and Jasper national parks. Volume II: Soil and vegetation resources. Alberta Institute of Pedology. Publication No. SS-82-44.
- Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, S. Gawler, M. Hall, C. Josse, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, L. Sneddon, K. Schulz, J. Teague, M. Russo, K. Snow, and P. Comer, editors. 2010-2019a. Divisions, Macrogroups and Groups for the Revised U.S. National Vegetation Classification. NatureServe, Arlington, VA. plus appendices. [in preparation]
- Hoffman, G. R., and R. R. Alexander. 1987. Forest vegetation of the Black Hills National Forest of South Dakota and Wyoming: A habitat type classification. Research Paper RM-276. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 48 pp.
- Meidinger, D., and J. Pojar, editors. 1991. Ecosystems of British Columbia. British Columbia Ministry of Forests Special Report Series No. 6. Victoria, BC. 330 pp.
- Natural Regions Committee. 2006. Natural regions and subregions of Alberta. Compiled by D. J. Downing and W. W. Pettapiece. Publication No. T/852. Government of Alberta.