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A3619 Abies magnifica var. magnifica - Abies magnifica var. shastensis Forest Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance comprises closed forests dominated by Abies magnifica var. magnifica or Abies magnifica var. shastensis, with one to several other conifers in the overstory. The alliance occurs in upper montane and lower subalpine elevations throughout the mountains of northern California and southern Oregon where the winter snows are deep.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: California Red Fir - Shasta Red Fir Forest Alliance

Colloquial Name: Sierra-Cascade Red Fir Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance comprises closed forests dominated by Abies magnifica var. magnifica or Abies magnifica var. shastensis, with one to several other conifers in the overstory. Other trees in the canopy (typically not dominant or codominant) may include Abies amabilis, Abies lowiana, Abies lasiocarpa, Abies procera, Pinus albicaulis, Pinus contorta var. murrayana, Pinus jeffreyi, Pinus lambertiana, Pinus monticola, and Tsuga mertensiana. Often the understories have only a few shrubs and almost no herbaceous plants, but those in more maritime climates or near water sources are more diverse. When present, the shrub layer is usually composed of ericaceous or, less commonly, cold-deciduous species. Shrubs may include Arctostaphylos nevadensis, Arnica cordifolia, Chrysolepis sempervirens, Leucothoe davisiae, Linnaea borealis, Mahonia nervosa, Quercus sadleriana, Quercus vacciniifolia, Rhododendron macrophyllum, Rosa gymnocarpa, Rubus lasiococcus, Symphoricarpos mollis, Vaccinium membranaceum, Vaccinium membranaceum, and Vaccinium scoparium. The herbaceous layer is generally dominated by shade-tolerant forbs, ferns, and graminoids, including Achlys triphylla, Chimaphila umbellata, Clintonia uniflora, Cornus canadensis, Linnaea borealis, Lupinus albifrons, Orthilia secunda, Penstemon gracilentus, Penstemon gracilis, Polystichum munitum, and Pteridium aquilinum. Blechnum spicant, Pyrola picta, Tiarella trifoliata var. laciniata, and Xerophyllum tenax are other common herbaceous associates. This alliance occurs from the western slope of the Oregon Cascades near the Rogue-Umpqua divide, south through the Klamath-Siskiyou mountains region to the northern California Coast Ranges, into the northern Sierra Nevada. The alliance is extensive at upper montane and lower subalpine elevations throughout the mountains of northern California where the winter snows are deep. Landforms include raised stream benches, terraces, slopes, ridges. The climate is cool and wet with annual precipitation totals of 90-150 cm, and deep (2-5 m) snow accumulations. Summers are usually warm and dry, and soil moisture is dependent upon late-lying snowpacks. Precipitation decreases eastward, especially east of the Cascade Crest. Parent materials and soils are highly variable and include ultramafics.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Dominance of Abies magnifica var. magnifica or Abies magnifica var. shastensis.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: From Sawyer et al. (2009): "The red firs of California (Abies magnifica, including var. shastensis, and Abies procera) are confusing. Abies magnifica is a wide-ranging tree in the upper montane belt in the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascades. Here the cone scales are longer than the bracts. Traditionally botanists have considered the trees in the Klamath Mountains and Cascades, as at Mount Shasta, to be Abies magnifica var. shastensis because the cone scales are shorter than the bracts (Griffin and Critchfield 1972, Stuart and Sawyer 2001, Sawyer 2004). Abies procera is a widespread tree in the Cascades north of Crater Lake. As in Abies magnifica var. shastensis, the bracts exceed the cone scales, but bracts differ in shape from those of var. shastensis. In the area of overlap for species, many botanists (Liu 1972, Franklin 1990, Laacke 1990, Hunt 1993, Sawyer 2004, 2006) have considered the trees with intermediate characters to be Abies x shastensis (= Abies magnifica x Abies procera). Abies procera and Abies x shastensis have similar ecological responses to environmental variation in northwestern California to those of Abies magnifica in the Sierra Nevada (Regalia 1978, Barbour and Woodward 1985, Barbour and Minnich 2000). For this reason, stands containing Abies procera, Abies magnifica, or Abies x shastensis are included in Abies magnifica alliance." Stands characteristically are at higher elevations than those of ~Abies lowiana - Abies magnifica var. magnifica - Abies magnifica var. shastensis Forest Alliance (A3678)$$, in ~Californian Montane Conifer Forest & Woodland Group (G344)$$.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Forests within this alliance are characterized by a tall canopy of needle-leaved evergreen trees which approach 50-60 m in height, ranging from 60-100% cover. In typical stands the understory is depauperate. Occasionally, a layer of broad-leaved evergreen shrubs is well-developed, particularly in wet, northern stands, or stands which have experienced recent disturbance. The herbaceous stratum is typically composed of shade-tolerant forbs, graminoids, or ferns, and foliar cover ranges widely in response to site moisture.

Floristics: This alliance comprises closed forests dominated by Abies magnifica var. shastensis (= Abies x shastensis) and/or Abies magnifica var. magnifica, with one to several other conifers in the overstory. Abies amabilis, Abies lowiana (= Abies concolor var. lowiana), Abies lasiocarpa, Abies procera, Picea engelmannii, Pinus albicaulis, Pinus contorta var. murrayana, Pinus jeffreyi, Pinus lambertiana, Pinus monticola, Pinus ponderosa, Pseudotsuga menziesii, or Tsuga mertensiana may be present, depending upon elevation, moisture, geographic location, and site history. In most stands the shrub and herbaceous layers are sparse, but they may be well-developed in the western and northern stands. When present, the shrub layer is usually composed of ericaceous or, less commonly, cold-deciduous species, including Acer circinatum, Arctostaphylos nevadensis, Arctostaphylos patula, Calocedrus decurrens, Ceanothus cordulatus, Ceanothus cuneatus, Ceanothus prostratus, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, Chimaphila umbellata, Chrysolepis sempervirens (= Castanopsis sempervirens), Leucothoe davisiae, Mahonia nervosa, Paxistima myrsinites, Quercus sadleriana, Quercus vacciniifolia, Rhododendron macrophyllum, Rubus lasiococcus, Symphoricarpos mollis, Vaccinium membranaceum, and/or Vaccinium scoparium. The herbaceous layer is generally dominated by shade-tolerant forbs, ferns, and graminoids, including Achlys triphylla, Arnica cordifolia, Blechnum spicant, Chimaphila umbellata, Clintonia uniflora, Cornus canadensis, Linnaea borealis, Lupinus albifrons, Orthilia secunda, Penstemon gracilentus, Penstemon gracilis, Polystichum munitum, Pteridium aquilinum, Pyrola picta, Rosa gymnocarpa, Tiarella trifoliata var. laciniata, and Xerophyllum tenax.

Dynamics:  Communities in this alliance are typically late-seral forest communities which can persist for very long periods under the present climate. Following fire or other disturbance, Pseudotsuga menziesii or Pinus spp. commonly become established in these communities and can persist in the canopy for centuries. The canopy density is influenced by variable-severity burns or by edaphic soils (granitic sands in the Siskiyou Mountains and volcanic ash in the Cascades). The natural fire frequency averages about 40-60 years. With increasing influence of Abies procera northward, Abies magnifica var. shastensis becomes more of a seral tree in mixed forests of the Abies amabilis zone, rather than a zonal climax species such as Abies magnifica var. magnifica in the Sierra Nevada.
Environmental Description:  Communities occur in upper montane habitats of the southern Cascade, northern Sierra Nevada and Klamath-Siskiyou mountains region at elevations of 1400-2700 m. The climate is cool and wet with annual precipitation totals of 90-150 cm, and deep (2-5 m) snow accumulations. Summers are usually warm and dry, and soil moisture is dependent upon late-lying snowpacks. Precipitation is very seasonal, with the bulk falling between November and May, as rain in the lower elevations and as snow above 2000 m. Precipitation decreases eastward, especially east of the Cascade Crest. Soils are shallow on slopes and raised stream benches or can be deep and composed of deep ash deposits or granitic sands, and have surface organic layers.
Geographic Range: This alliance occurs from the western slope of the Oregon Cascades near the Rogue-Umpqua divide, south through the Klamath-Siskiyou mountains region to the northern California Coast Ranges, into the northern Sierra Nevada.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CA, NV, OR


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G5

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.4 California Red Fir - Mountain Hemlock - Sierra Lodgepole Pine Forest Macrogroup M025 1.B.2.Nd.4
Group 1.B.2.Nd.4.a California Red Fir - Shasta Red Fir - Mountain Hemlock Forest Group G749 1.B.2.Nd.4.a
Alliance A3619 California Red Fir - Shasta Red Fir Forest Alliance A3619 1.B.2.Nd.4.a
Association CEGL000034 Shasta Red Fir / Deer Oak Forest CEGL000034 1.B.2.Nd.4.a
Association CEGL000035 Shasta Red Fir - Mountain Hemlock / Pinemat Manzanita Forest CEGL000035 1.B.2.Nd.4.a
Association CEGL000036 Shasta Red Fir / Beautiful Jacob''s-ladder Forest CEGL000036 1.B.2.Nd.4.a
Association CEGL000037 Shasta Red Fir / Thinleaf Huckleberry / Pipsissewa Forest CEGL000037 1.B.2.Nd.4.a
Association CEGL000347 California Red Fir / Sticky Currant Forest CEGL000347 1.B.2.Nd.4.a
Association CEGL000348 Shasta Red Fir / Long-stolon Sedge Forest CEGL000348 1.B.2.Nd.4.a
Association CEGL008609 California Red Fir / Sparse Understory Forest CEGL008609 1.B.2.Nd.4.a
Association CEGL008610 California Red Fir / Woolly Mule''s-ears Forest CEGL008610 1.B.2.Nd.4.a
Association CEGL008611 California Red Fir - Pinemat Manzanita Forest CEGL008611 1.B.2.Nd.4.a
Association CEGL008612 California Red Fir - Sierra Lodgepole Pine / White Hawkweed Forest CEGL008612 1.B.2.Nd.4.a
Association CEGL008613 California Red Fir - Western White Pine Forest CEGL008613 1.B.2.Nd.4.a
Association CEGL008614 California Red Fir - Western White Pine / Bush Chinquapin Forest CEGL008614 1.B.2.Nd.4.a
Association CEGL008615 California Red Fir - Western White Pine / Pinemat Manzanita Forest CEGL008615 1.B.2.Nd.4.a
Association CEGL008616 California Red Fir - Western White Pine - Sierra Lodgepole Pine Forest CEGL008616 1.B.2.Nd.4.a
Concept Lineage: Includes all of A.161 and A.154

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Abies magnifica (Red fir forest) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [88.200.00]
= Abies magnifica Forest Alliance (CNPS 2017) [88.200.00]
? Red Fir Forest (#85310) (Holland 1986b)
< Red fir series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
Concept Author(s): M.S. Reid, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2014)

Author of Description: M.S. Reid

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-18-14
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