Print Report
M023 Calocedrus decurrens - Pinus jeffreyi - Abies lowiana Forest Macrogroup
Type Concept Sentence: This macrogroup includes Jeffrey pine - ponderosa pine woodlands; mixed conifer woodlands with Abies lowiana, Calocedrus decurrens, Pinus jeffreyi, Pinus lambertiana, Pinus ponderosa var. benthamiana, Pinus ponderosa var. washoensis, Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii, or Sequoiadendron giganteum; and Pinus monticola and Abies lowiana forests that occur in dry habitats found in the foothills and montane elevations of the southern Cascade Range, Klamath Mountains, Modoc Plateau, Sierra Nevada, and Peninsula and Transverse ranges. Additionally, some stands of Abies bracteata, Pinus lambertiana, and Pinus ponderosa occur close to the coast, such as in the Santa Lucia Range of the Central Coast, which is the highest coastal range in the U.S.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Incense-cedar - Jeffrey Pine - Sierra White Fir Forest Macrogroup
Colloquial Name: Southern Vancouverian Montane-Foothill Forest
Hierarchy Level: Macrogroup
Type Concept: This macrogroup includes dry to mesic foothill and montane Jeffrey pine - ponderosa pine woodlands; Sierran mixed conifer woodlands dominated by Abies lowiana, Calocedrus decurrens, Pinus jeffreyi, Pinus lambertiana, Pinus ponderosa var. benthamiana, Pinus ponderosa var. washoensis, Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii, or Sequoiadendron giganteum; mixed conifer woodlands tolerant of serpentine soils; and the less well-studied forests on the east side of the Sierra Nevada, on the Modoc Plateau and in the Warner Mountains that are dominated by Pinus monticola and/or Abies lowiana where Pinus ponderosa is often present, but Pseudotsuga menziesii is notably absent. This macrogroup is the most extensive forest in California covering 15% of the state and includes the "Midmontane forest "and "Sierran East-side and Baja California Montane forests" categories as described by Barbour and Billings (2000). It covers a broad range of elevation and latitude and for the most part occurs in relatively dry habitats. These are forests and woodlands of foothill and lower montane elevations of the southern Cascade Range, Klamath Mountains, Modoc Plateau, Sierra Nevada, and Peninsula and Transverse ranges. Historically, frequent low-intensity fires (approximately every 10-30 years) maintained many of these forests. Due to fire suppression, the majority of these forests now have closed canopies, whereas historically fires maintained an open woodland structure.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Low- to mid-montane elevation forests and woodlands dominated by conifer trees, either with one dominant species or as mixed-conifer forests. Dominant species include Abies concolor, Calocedrus decurrens, Pinus jeffreyi, Pinus lambertiana, Pinus ponderosa, Pseudotsuga menziesii, and Sequoiadendron giganteum (and others).
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: These are montane and relative cool temperate stands of generally mixed conifers (although single-species stands are also included) which are not typically at low elevations near the coast.
This description overlaps with ~Vancouverian Coastal Rainforest Macrogroup (M024)$$ in that both have low- to mid-montane forests that can have stands dominated by Pseudotsuga menziesii. Should there be better clarification of how a Pseudotsuga menziesii stand is allocated to this macrogroup (M023) versus M024 - it is in the associated species - overstory and understory, but it isn''t really that clear from the description. Some of the understory species overlap as well, e.g., Holodiscus discolor, Mahonia aquifolium, Mahonia nervosa (D. Meidinger pers. comm. 2014). It was proposed to move ~Cascadian Oregon White Oak - Conifer Forest & Woodland Group (G206)$$ into this macrogroup, but subsequently this group was moved to ~Southern Vancouverian Dry Foothill Forest & Woodland Macrogroup (M886)$$.
This description overlaps with ~Vancouverian Coastal Rainforest Macrogroup (M024)$$ in that both have low- to mid-montane forests that can have stands dominated by Pseudotsuga menziesii. Should there be better clarification of how a Pseudotsuga menziesii stand is allocated to this macrogroup (M023) versus M024 - it is in the associated species - overstory and understory, but it isn''t really that clear from the description. Some of the understory species overlap as well, e.g., Holodiscus discolor, Mahonia aquifolium, Mahonia nervosa (D. Meidinger pers. comm. 2014). It was proposed to move ~Cascadian Oregon White Oak - Conifer Forest & Woodland Group (G206)$$ into this macrogroup, but subsequently this group was moved to ~Southern Vancouverian Dry Foothill Forest & Woodland Macrogroup (M886)$$.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This macrogroup is characterized by open (woodland) to closed (forest) canopies, 15-60 m in height, and evergreen needle-leaved conifer growth form.
Floristics: This macrogroup includes conifer forests with a wide variation of possible species combinations. Stands may have a single species or several conifer species co-occurring in individual stands. The following is a list of species that cover the entire range as pure or mixed stands: Abies lowiana (= Abies concolor var. lowiana), Calocedrus decurrens, Pinus jeffreyi, Pinus lambertiana, Pinus ponderosa var. benthamiana, Pinus ponderosa var. washoensis, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Quercus chrysolepis, Quercus kelloggii, and Pinus monticola. Additional species with more limited ranges, but which locally may be dominant to codominant with one or more of the previously listed species, include Abies bracteata, Abies magnifica, Chrysolepis chrysophylla, Picea breweriana, Pseudotsuga macrocarpa, and Sequoiadendron giganteum. Understories are variable depending of geography and level of disturbance and include shrubs Arctostaphylos patula, Arctostaphylos viscida, Artemisia tridentata, Ceanothus cordulatus, Ceanothus integerrimus, Ceanothus prostratus, Chamaebatia foliolosa, Chrysolepis sempervirens, Cornus nuttallii, Corylus cornuta, Eriogonum wrightii, Holodiscus discolor, Notholithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides (= Lithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides), Mahonia aquifolium, Mahonia nervosa, Purshia tridentata, Quercus vacciniifolia, Ribes spp., Symphoricarpos mollis, Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii (= Symphoricarpos parishii), and Toxicodendron diversilobum. Herbaceous understory species include Danthonia californica, Elymus glaucus, Elymus elymoides, Festuca californica, and Lupinus elatus.
Dynamics: Historically, frequent and low-intensity fires (approximately every 15-30 years) maintained these forests and woodlands with mostly open canopies and a correspondingly diverse understory. Due to fire suppression, the majority of these forests now exist with closed canopies.
Environmental Description: This macrogroup occurs on all aspects in lower to mid montane zones from 300 to 2740 m (985-8300 feet) elevation in a variety of topo-edaphic positions, such as upper slopes, canyon sideslopes, ridgetops, and south- and west-facing slopes (which may burn relatively frequently), as well as cool ravines and north-facing slopes. This macrogroup includes forests restricted to varying degrees of ultramafic) soils. Climate: This macrogroup occurs in lower montane regions in a montane (oro-) Mediterranean climate.
Geographic Range: This macrogroup occurs in southern Oregon, south through the Sierra Nevada and throughout the Peninsula and Transverse ranges and scattered in the Central Coast of California, and into northern Baja California, Mexico. They occur in the Klamath Mountains, the southern Cascades, on the Modoc Plateau, as well as at lower and middle elevations of the Sierra Nevada on both the east and west sides.
Nations: MX,US
States/Provinces: CA, MXBCN, NV, OR
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.835947
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.Nd Vancouverian Forest & Woodland Division | D192 | 1.B.2.Nd |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.2.Nd.2 Incense-cedar - Jeffrey Pine - Sierra White Fir Forest Macrogroup | M023 | 1.B.2.Nd.2 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Nd.2.a Incense-cedar - Sugar Pine - Sierra White Fir Forest & Woodland Group | G344 | 1.B.2.Nd.2.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Midmontane forest (Barbour and Billings 2000) [p. 174]
< Sierran east-side and Baja California montane forests (Barbour and Billings 2000) [p. 191]
< Sierran-Type Mixed Conifer Forests (Barbour and Billings 2000) [p. 137]
< Southern California: Mixed Conifer Forest (Barbour et al. 2007a) [p. 505]
< The Sierra Nevada: Ponderosa Pine and Douglas-Fir-Mixed Conifer, White Fir-Mixed Conifer, Giant Sequoia, Red Fir, Jeffery Pine, and The Cascade Range: Modoc Plateau and Warner Mountains (Barbour et al. 2007a) [pp. 461-473, and 487-490]
< Transmontane: Montane White Fir Woodland (Barbour et al. 2007a) [p. 582]
< Sierran east-side and Baja California montane forests (Barbour and Billings 2000) [p. 191]
< Sierran-Type Mixed Conifer Forests (Barbour and Billings 2000) [p. 137]
< Southern California: Mixed Conifer Forest (Barbour et al. 2007a) [p. 505]
< The Sierra Nevada: Ponderosa Pine and Douglas-Fir-Mixed Conifer, White Fir-Mixed Conifer, Giant Sequoia, Red Fir, Jeffery Pine, and The Cascade Range: Modoc Plateau and Warner Mountains (Barbour et al. 2007a) [pp. 461-473, and 487-490]
< Transmontane: Montane White Fir Woodland (Barbour et al. 2007a) [p. 582]
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