Print Report

A3677 Abies lowiana - Pinus ponderosa Eastern Sierran Forest & Woodland Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance is distinguished by the dominance of Abies lowiana, Pinus monticola, and Pinus ponderosa. Pseudotsuga menziesii is usually absent. This alliance also includes stands of Pinus ponderosa var. washoensis (limited to the east side of the Sierra Nevada). Stands occur on the Modoc Plateau and Warner Mountains of California, north along the east slope of the southern Cascades in Oregon.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Sierra White Fir - Ponderosa Pine Eastern Sierran Forest & Woodland Alliance

Colloquial Name: Eastern Sierran White Fir - Ponderosa Pine Forest & Woodland

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance consists of mixed conifer stands dominated by Abies lowiana, Pinus monticola, and Pinus ponderosa with varying amounts of Calocedrus decurrens and Pinus contorta in the tree layer. Pseudotsuga menziesii is usually absent. Other conifers present include Calocedrus decurrens, Pinus contorta, and Pinus monticola in the tree layer. This alliance includes stands of Pinus ponderosa var. washoensis also limited to the east side of the Sierra Nevada. Understories are typically open, with moderately low shrub cover and diversity that includes Arctostaphylos patula, Arctostaphylos nevadensis, Chrysolepis sempervirens, Ceanothus sp., and Ribes viscosissimum. Common herbaceous taxa include Arnica cordifolia, Festuca sp., Poa nervosa, Carex inops, Pyrola picta, and Hieracium albiflorum. In openings, Wyethia mollis can be abundant. Stands occur on the Modoc Plateau and Warner Mountains of California, north along the east slope of the southern Cascades in Oregon. These forests and woodlands range from just above the zone of ponderosa pine in the montane zone, to the upper montane zone at elevations of 1370 to over 2135 m (4500-7000 feet). Occurrences are found on all slopes and aspects, although more frequently on drier areas, including northwest- and southeast-facing slopes, but also on northerly slopes and ridges.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Mixed dominance of Abies lowiana and Pinus ponderosa.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Associations within ~Southern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane Forest Macrogroup (M022)$$ are highly related (e.g., ~Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Forest & Woodland Group (G228)$$ and ~Southern Rocky Mountain White Fir - Douglas-fir Dry Forest Group (G226)$$). Further study is needed to determine whether the alliance in this group (G344) should be separate (at the division level) from these other groups. Treatment of Pinus ponderosa varieties has been recently revised (cf. Haller and Vivrette 2011).

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This alliance tends to be more woodland than forest in character, with conifer trees (15-20 m tall), and the undergrowth is more open and drier, with little shrub or herbaceous cover.

Floristics: This alliance consists of mixed conifer stands dominated Abies lowiana (= Abies concolor var. lowiana), Pinus monticola, and Pinus ponderosa with varying amounts of Calocedrus decurrens and Pinus contorta in the tree layer. Pseudotsuga menziesii is usually absent. Understories are typically open, with moderately low shrub cover and diversity that includes Arctostaphylos patula, Arctostaphylos nevadensis, Chrysolepis sempervirens, Ceanothus sp., and Ribes viscosissimum. Common herbaceous taxa include Arnica cordifolia, Festuca sp., Poa nervosa, Carex inops, Pyrola picta, and Hieracium albiflorum. In openings, Wyethia mollis can be abundant.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  These forests and woodlands range from just above the zone of ponderosa pine in the montane zone, to the upper montane zone. Elevations range from 1370 m to over 2135 m (4500-7000 feet). Occurrences are found on all slopes and aspects, although more frequently on drier areas, including northwest- and southeast-facing slopes, but also occurs on northerly slopes and ridges. This alliance generally occurs on basalts, andesite, glacial till, basaltic rubble, colluvium, or volcanic ash-derived soils, and sometimes on granitics (Carson Range). These soils have characteristic features of good aeration and drainage, coarse textures, circumneutral to slightly acidic pH, an abundance of mineral material, rockiness, and periods of drought during the growing season. Climatically, this alliance occurs somewhat in the rainshadow of the Sierras and Cascades and has a more continental regime, similar to the northern Great Basin. This alliance tends to be more woodland than forest in character, and the undergrowth is more open and drier, with little shrub or herbaceous cover. Tree regeneration is less prolific than in other mixed-montane conifer alliances of the Cascades, Sierra Nevada and California Coast Ranges. In the Warner Mountains, the Abies lowiana stands range from 1675 to 2135 m (5500-7000 feet) in elevation, and the mixed Pinus monticola - Abies concolor is usually above 2135 m (7000 feet).
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in south-central Oregon and central to northeastern California.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CA, OR


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.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
Alliance A3677 Sierra White Fir - Ponderosa Pine Eastern Sierran Forest & Woodland Alliance A3677 1.B.2.Nd.2.a
Association CEGL000014 Sierra White Fir - Ponderosa Pine / Saskatoon Serviceberry Forest CEGL000014 1.B.2.Nd.2.a
Association CEGL000017 Sierra White Fir - Ponderosa Pine / Greenleaf Manzanita - Barberry species Forest CEGL000017 1.B.2.Nd.2.a
Association CEGL000018 Sierra White Fir - Ponderosa Pine / Snowberry species Forest CEGL000018 1.B.2.Nd.2.a
Association CEGL000256 Sierra White Fir - Lodgepole Pine / Long-stolon Sedge - Western Needlegrass Forest CEGL000256 1.B.2.Nd.2.a
Association CEGL000257 Sierra White Fir - Ponderosa Pine / Long-stolon Sedge Forest CEGL000257 1.B.2.Nd.2.a
Association CEGL000258 Sierra White Fir - Ponderosa Pine / Snowbrush Ceanothus Forest CEGL000258 1.B.2.Nd.2.a
Association CEGL000259 Sierra White Fir - Ponderosa Pine / Antelope Bitterbrush Woodland CEGL000259 1.B.2.Nd.2.a
Association CEGL000260 Sierra White Fir - Western White Pine / Sticky Currant Forest CEGL000260 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: >< Abies concolor Series (Johnston 1987)
>< Interior Douglas-fir: 210 (Eyre 1980) [southwestern stands]
>< Sierra Nevada Mixed Conifer: 243 (Eyre 1980)
>< Western Needleleaf Forests: 20: Spruce-Fir-Douglas fir Forest (Picea-Abies-Pseudotsuga) (Küchler 1964)
>< Western Needleleaf Forests: 5: Mixed Conifer Forest (Abies-Pinus-Pseudotsuga) (Küchler 1964)
>< White Fir: 211 (Eyre 1980) [Pacific coastal stands]
Concept Author(s): G. Kittel, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: G. Kittel and J. Evens

Acknowledgements: We have incorporated significant descriptive information previously compiled by J. Evens.

Version Date: 12-18-14
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