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A3608 Picea sitchensis / Rubus spectabilis Mesic Forest Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: This alliance consists of tall conifer forests of the Pacific Northwest dominated by Picea sitchensis, often mixed with Tsuga heterophylla and other conifers, with wet indicator understory species such as Oplopanax horridus and Rubus spectabilis. Soils are subirrigated, well-oxygenated and wet but not saturated. Sites contain subhydric soils, are water-receiving, and are generally poorly drained microsites.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Sitka Spruce / Salmonberry Mesic Forest Alliance
Colloquial Name: Sitka Spruce / Salmonberry Mesic Forest
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: This alliance consists of tall conifer forests of the Pacific Northwest dominated by Picea sitchensis, often mixed with Tsuga heterophylla and other conifers. Soils are subirrigated, well-oxygenated and wet but not saturated. Wet indicator species such as Oplopanax horridus and Rubus spectabilis often form the understory shrub canopy. The herbaceous layer is dominated by mesic, shade-tolerant ferns and forbs such as Athyrium filix-femina, Blechnum spicant, Maianthemum dilatatum, Oxalis oregana, and Polystichum munitum. Mosses and lichens are abundant on logs, snags, trees, or the ground surface. Sites have subhydric, water-receiving, and poorly drained soils. This conifer forest alliance is found within the maritime climate-influenced region of the Pacific Northwest, from northern California to British Columbia and possibly southern Alaska, usually within 50 km of tidewater and below 1000 m in elevation. Stands typically occur on coastal terraces, but extend up river valleys and seaward slopes of coastal mountains. Stands occur on moderate to steep slopes with shallow to moderately deep soils.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Picea sitchensis with at least 25% cover and with subhydric indicator species in the understory.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: These are not wetland swamp forests which have different indicator understory species.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Forests of this alliance are typified by a dense to moderately open multi-aged canopy of needle-leaved evergreen trees on average exceeding 50 m in height. Broad-leaved cold-deciduous trees may form a scattered subcanopy, particularly in canopy gaps. The next stratum is usually a broad-leaved evergreen or, less commonly, a broad-leaved, cold-deciduous tall-shrub layer. A low-shrub layer of clambering cold-deciduous shrubs is very common. The herbaceous layer is usually a lush layer of shade-tolerant ferns and forbs. Downed woody debris is abundant, and fallen "nurse logs" are frequently the most common sites of tree regeneration. Dense growth of mosses and other cryptogams is common at the wettest locations.
Floristics: Stands of this alliance are dominated by Picea sitchensis, but Tsuga heterophylla and Pseudotsuga menziesii may be codominants in the canopy, especially at the most inland locations, and Thuja plicata is usually present. Acer macrophyllum is shade-tolerant and may form a sparse subcanopy in older stands. An ericaceous tall-shrub layer is common, with Vaccinium parvifolium or Menziesia ferruginea abundant at moist sites. Rubus spectabilis is a clambering shrub, which can be very common and persistent following disturbance to stands of this alliance. The low shrub Oplopanax horridus is common. The herbaceous understory is dominated by mesic, shade-tolerant ferns and forbs. Characteristic species include Athyrium filix-femina, Blechnum spicant, Maianthemum dilatatum, Oxalis oregana, and Polystichum munitum. Mosses and lichens are abundant on logs, snags, trees, or the ground surface.
Dynamics: Fires tend to be infrequent in stands of this alliance due to high average humidities and low lightning frequencies. When they do burn, these forests are susceptible to high-intensity crown fires. Windthrow resulting from intense winter storms is a common, and occasionally catastrophic, agent of disturbance which can result in forest turnover. Following disturbance, sites are often colonized by shade-intolerant tree species such as Pinus contorta or Alnus rubra. Shrubs, such as Rubus spectabilis, Sambucus racemosa var. melanocarpa, and Vaccinium spp., can also invade. Alnus rubra and Rubus spectabilis, in particular, can form semi-persistent communities on disturbed sites. Regeneration and growth of Picea sitchensis can be severely limited in such early-seral stands. In mature Picea sitchensis forests, regeneration often occurs on downed "nurse logs" on the forest floor.
Environmental Description: Stands occur on low to moderate slopes, especially where subirrigation can occur, with shallow to moderately deep soils. Although this alliance is usually associated with coastal terraces, these forests may extend up river valleys and seaward slopes of coastal mountains. This alliance occurs within the maritime climate-influenced region of the Pacific Northwest, from northern California to British Columbia and possibly southern Alaska, usually within 50 km of tidewater and below 1000 m in elevation. Winter rains can be heavy. Summer rain decreases to the south, but coastal fog events and drizzle are characteristic throughout the range and minimize drought stress.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found throughout the Pacific coastal mountains from California to British Columbia and possibly southern Alaska.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: AK?, BC, CA?, OR, WA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.899666
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: >< Picea sitchensis-Tsuga heterophylla Forests (Chappell et al. 1997)
>< Sitka Spruce Series (Henderson et al. 1989)
>< Sitka Spruce Series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
>< Sitka Spruce: 223 (Eyre 1980)
>< Western Hemlock - Sitka Spruce: 225 (Eyre 1980)
>< Western Needleleaf Forests: 1: Spruce-Cedar-Hemlock Forest (Picea-Thuja-Tsuga) (Küchler 1964)
>< Sitka Spruce Series (Henderson et al. 1989)
>< Sitka Spruce Series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
>< Sitka Spruce: 223 (Eyre 1980)
>< Western Hemlock - Sitka Spruce: 225 (Eyre 1980)
>< Western Needleleaf Forests: 1: Spruce-Cedar-Hemlock Forest (Picea-Thuja-Tsuga) (Küchler 1964)
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