Print Report

A3755 Pinus contorta Swamp Forest Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: These wetlands are dominated by Pinus contorta var. contorta (along the coastal areas) or at higher elevations (var. murrayana, var. latifolia) with or without a shrub layer where soils are poorly drained mineral with organic lenses but do not form uniformly deep peat (i.e., not a bog or fen).

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Lodgepole Pine Swamp Forest Alliance

Colloquial Name: Lodgepole Pine Swamp Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: These wetlands are dominated by Pinus contorta var. contorta (along the coastal areas) or at higher elevations (var. murrayana, var. latifolia) with or without a shrub layer. Soils are poorly drained sites due to topographic depressions, high water table or hardpans that impede drainage. Soils are mineral with and without organic lenses, but do not form uniformly deep peat (i.e., not a bog or fen).

Diagnostic Characteristics: Diagnostic of this lowland wetland forest alliance is the dominance of Pinus contorta in the moderately dense to dense tree canopy without significant regeneration of other tree species, and the extended flooding and high water tables during the growing season.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Pinus contorta swamps of coastal and montane elevations.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This alliance is characterized by a tree canopy dominated by evergreen needle-leaved trees, with cover ranging from moderately open to closed (50-80%). There is either a dense short-shrub layer, dominated by evergreen and deciduous shrubs, or an herbaceous layer dominated by graminoids. Occasional tall deciduous shrubs occur but rarely form a stratum.

Floristics: This coniferous forest alliance is characterized by a moderately closed to closed tree canopy composed primarily of Pinus contorta. Other conifers sometimes present may include Abies grandis, Abies magnifica var. shastensis, or Tsuga mertensiana. In most stands, only Pinus contorta is successfully reproducing, and cover of mature trees of the other species is low. The short-shrub layer, if present, is usually continuous and dense. Vaccinium uliginosum is the most frequent and dominant species in such a shrub layer, but other shrubs often present include Ledum glandulosum, Vaccinium cespitosum, Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda (= Pentaphylloides floribunda), Lonicera caerulea, or Spiraea douglasii. Herbaceous species are not abundant in shrubby stands. Associate species often present can include Carex angustata, Ligusticum grayi, Fragaria spp., Thalictrum occidentale, Geum macrophyllum, Maianthemum stellatum, and Trifolium longipes. In stands with no dense short-shrub layer, the herbaceous layer is typically lush and dominated by tall graminoids such as Carex obnupta. When there are no other herbaceous species reported Sphagnum spp. can be common.

Dynamics:  Pinus contorta is sensitive to all but cool surface fires. Kovalchik (1987) reports that these communities dry enough during the summer to carry fires from adjacent upland areas. Most of the shrubs and herbaceous species found in this vegetation are well-adapted to regenerating following fire, therefore, there should be little change in species composition (Kovalchik 1987). High livestock use will result in a decrease in shrub cover and an increase in introduced Poa pratensis.
Environmental Description:  Stands are in forested margins of meadows, and lake or forest basins (Volland 1976, Kovalchik 1987). In all cases, the sites are flat to gentle in slope (0-7%), and microtopography can vary from concave to flat to slightly undulating or hummocky. Soils are from air-laid or alluvially deposited pumice or pumice lacustrine deposits around lake margins (Volland 1976, Kovalchik 1987). Textures are coarse, ranging from fine sandy loam to coarse sands. High seasonal water tables or flooding occurs in most stands, and water table depth can vary from near the surface year-round to over 1 m in dry seasons.

The coastal Oregon examples of this alliance are found on deflation plains of sea level coastal dune systems. In these deflation plains, wind-scour has removed dune sands until the water table is reached, and moist sands are no longer scoured. Some of these deflation plains can be up to 2 km in width. The water table is near the surface year-round, but seasonal flooding can occur during the rainy winter and spring months. Soils are poorly developed from sand deposits, with coarse textures.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found along the Pacific Coast between northern California and southwestern Washington, in the Sierra Nevada of California, Coast and Cascade ranges of Oregon and on the eastern side of the Cascades in the central Oregon "Pumice Zone."

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CA, ID, OR, WA


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.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation F026 1.B.3
Division 1.B.3.Ng Vancouverian Flooded & Swamp Forest Division D193 1.B.3.Ng
Macrogroup 1.B.3.Ng.1 Vancouverian Flooded & Swamp Forest Macrogroup M035 1.B.3.Ng.1
Group 1.B.3.Ng.1.e Western Hemlock - Red Alder / Yellow Skunk-cabbage Swamp Forest Group G853 1.B.3.Ng.1.e
Alliance A3755 Lodgepole Pine Swamp Forest Alliance A3755 1.B.3.Ng.1.e
Association CEGL000142 Beach Pine / Slough Sedge Forest CEGL000142 1.B.3.Ng.1.e
Association CEGL000152 Beach Pine / Salal - Pacific Rhododendron - California Huckleberry Forest CEGL000152 1.B.3.Ng.1.e
Association CEGL000158 Lodgepole Pine - (Quaking Aspen) / Bog Blueberry Forest CEGL000158 1.B.3.Ng.1.e
Association CEGL000171 (Tall Lodgepole Pine, Sierra Lodgepole Pine) / Bog Blueberry Forest CEGL000171 1.B.3.Ng.1.e
Association CEGL008668 Sierra Lodgepole Pine / Western Labrador-tea Forest CEGL008668 1.B.3.Ng.1.e
Concept Lineage: A.188, in part

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< Pinus contorta Series (Mauk and Henderson 1984)
Concept Author(s): G. Kittel, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: G. Kittel and M.S. Reid

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 01-08-14
  • Atzet, T., and L. A. McCrimmon. 1990. Preliminary plant associations of the southern Oregon Cascade Mountain Province. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Siskiyou National Forest, Grants Pass, OR. 330 pp.
  • Barrows, J. S., E. W. Mogren, K. Rowdabaugh, and R. Yancik. 1977. The role of fire in ponderosa pine and mixed conifer ecosystems. Final report, Cooperative report between the National Park Service and Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 101 pp.
  • Burns, R. M., and B. H. Honkala, technical coordinators. 1990a. Silvics of North America: Volume 1. Conifers. Agriculture Handbook 654. USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC. 675 pp.
  • Chappell, C. 1994. Natural forests of the Puget Lowland, Washington. Northwest Science Abstract.
  • Chappell, C., R. Crawford, J. Kagan, and P. J. Doran. 1997. A vegetation, land use, and habitat classification system for the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems of Oregon and Washington. Unpublished report prepared for Wildlife habitat and species associations within Oregon and Washington landscapes: Building a common understanding for management. Prepared by Washington and Oregon Natural Heritage Programs, Olympia, WA, and Portland, OR. 177 pp.
  • Dealy, J. E. 1971. Habitat characteristics of the Silver Lake mule deer range. Research Paper PNW-125. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, Portland, OR. 99 pp.
  • Douglas, G. W. 1971. An ecological survey of potential natural areas in the North Cascades National Park complex. Unpublished report prepared for Intercampus Education and Science Preserves Commission, State of Washington. 137 pp.
  • Eyre, F. H., editor. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 148 pp.
  • Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, M. Hall, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, M. Russo, K. Schulz, L. Sneddon, K. Snow, and J. Teague. 2013-2019b. Screening alliances for induction into the U.S. National Vegetation Classification: Part 1 - Alliance concept review. NatureServe, Arlington, VA.
  • Franklin, J. F. 1966. Vegetation and soils in the subalpine forests of the southern Washington Cascade Range. Ph.D. dissertation, Washington State University, Pullman. 132 pp.
  • Franklin, J. F., and C. T. Dyrness. 1973. Natural vegetation of Oregon and Washington. General Technical Report PNW-8. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, Portland, OR. 417 pp.
  • Hall, F. C. 1973. Plant communities of the Blue Mountains in eastern Oregon and southeastern Washington. R6 Area Guide 3-1. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 62 pp.
  • Harrington, F. A., Jr. 1978. Ecological segregation of ungulates in alpine and subalpine communities. Unpublished dissertation, Colorado State University, Fort Collins. 142 pp.
  • Holland, R. F. 1986b. Preliminary descriptions of the terrestrial natural communities of California. Unpublished report prepared for the California Department of Fish and Game, Nongame-Heritage Program and Natural Diversity Database, Sacramento. 156 pp.
  • Jenny, H., R. J. Arkley, and A. M. Schultz. 1969. The pygmy forest-podsol ecosystem and its dune associates of the Mendocino coast. Madrono 20:60-74.
  • Johnson, C. G., Jr. 1981a. Final report - Research Natural Area program - inventory phase area 3. 83 pp.
  • Johnson, C. G., Jr., and S. A. Simon. 1987. Plant associations of the Wallowa-Snake Province Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Technical Paper R6-ECOL-TP-255A-86. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. 399 pp. plus appendices.
  • Johnson, C. G., and R. R. Clausnitzer. 1992. Plant associations of the Blue and Ochoco mountains. R6-ERW-TP-036-92. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. 163 pp. plus appendices.
  • Kovalchik, B. L. 1987. Riparian zone associations - Deschutes, Ochoco, Fremont, and Winema national forests. Technical Paper 279-87. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 171 pp.
  • Krajina, V. J. 1969. Ecology of western North America. Volume II. Illustrated, University of British Columbia, Department of Botany.
  • Kumler, M. L. 1969. Plant succession on the sand dunes of the Oregon coast. Ecology 50:695-704.
  • Martin, R. C., and R. E. Frenkel. 1978. Preserve analysis: Blacklock Point. Oregon Natural Area Preserves Advisory Committee to the State Land Board, Salem, OR. 63 pp.
  • Mauk, R. L., and J. A. Henderson. 1984. Coniferous forest habitat types of northern Utah. General Technical Report INT-170. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT. 89 pp.
  • Moir, W. H. 1969a. The lodgepole pine zone in Colorado. The American Midland Naturalist 81(1):87-99.
  • Sawyer, J. O., and T. Keeler-Wolf. 1995. A manual of California vegetation. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 471 pp.
  • Terwilliger, C., K. Hess, and C. Wasser. 1979a. Key to the preliminary habitat types of Region 2. Addendum to initial progress report for habitat type classification. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. Fort Collins, CO.
  • Tisdale, E. W., and A. McLean. 1957. The Douglas fir zone of southern British Columbia. Ecological Monographs 27:247-266.
  • Volland, L. A. 1976. Plant communities of the central Oregon pumice zone. USDA Forest Service R-6 Area Guide 4-2. Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 113 pp.
  • Wasser, C. H., and K. Hess. 1982. The habitat types of Region II. USDA Forest Service: A synthesis. Final report prepared for USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 140 pp.
  • Wiedemann, A. M. 1966. Contributions to the plant ecology of the Oregon coastal sand dunes. Ph.D. dissertation, Oregon State University, Corvallis. 255 pp.
  • Wiedemann, A. M. 1984. The ecology of Pacific Northwest coastal sand dunes: A community profile. USDI Fish and Wildlife Service Report FWS/OBS-84/04. 130 pp.
  • Wiedemann, A. M. [1977]. Southern Puget Trough. Pages 93-144 in: Chilote, editor. National Landmark Theme Study.
  • Williams, C. K., T. R. Lillybridge, and B. G. Smith. 1990b. Forested plant associations of the Colville National Forest. Report prepared for USDA Forest Service, Colville National Forest, Colville, WA. 133 pp.
  • Williams, C. K., and B. G. Smith. 1990. Forested plant associations of the Wenatchee National Forest. Unpublished draft prepared by the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 217 pp.
  • Williams, C. K., and T. R. Lillybridge. 1985. Forested plant associations of the Colville National Forest. Draft. Unpublished field guide prepared for USDA Forest Service.