Print Report

CEGL005518 Tsuga heterophylla - Abies amabilis - (Pseudotsuga menziesii) / Vaccinium alaskaense Forest

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available


Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Western Hemlock - Pacific Silver Fir - (Douglas-fir) / Alaska Blueberry Forest

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This western hemlock - Pacific silver fir forest of British Columbia, Washington and Oregon has a canopy that is usually codominated by Tsuga heterophylla, Abies amabilis, and Pseudotsuga menziesii (latter often absent). Abies amabilis dominates tree regeneration and occupies over 10% total cover. The shrub layer is usually well-developed but is occasionally very sparse. Vaccinium alaskaense dominates the shrub layer and is always present. Mahonia nervosa is sometimes prominent to codominant. The herb layer is usually sparse to occasionally moderate, with Clintonia uniflora and Cornus unalaschkensis the only species present in many stands. Linnaea borealis or Xerophyllum tenax are occasionally prominent to dominant. In Washington, this association occurs at middle elevations in the western Cascades and in the Olympic Mountains on well-drained soils and moderate to somewhat dry sites on a variety of topographic settings. This association is widespread and occurs commonly in the mountains of western Washington and has been impacted by logging.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This type is distinguished from similar types by either (1) over 5% cover of Mahonia nervosa, Xerophyllum tenax, or Linnaea borealis, (2) codominance of Pseudotsuga menziesii, or (3) absence or trace amounts of both Rubus pedatus and Blechnum spicant particularly when total herb layer is under 5%. This concept follows the Coastal Correlation (Meidinger et al. 2005).

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available

Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: The canopy is usually codominated by Tsuga heterophylla, Abies amabilis, and Pseudotsuga menziesii (latter often absent). Abies amabilis dominates tree regeneration and occupies over 10% total cover. The shrub layer is usually well-developed but is occasionally very sparse. Vaccinium alaskaense dominates the shrub layer and is always present. Mahonia nervosa (= Berberis nervosa) is sometimes prominent to codominant. The herb layer is usually sparse to occasionally moderate, with Clintonia uniflora and Cornus unalaschkensis the only species present in many stands. Linnaea borealis or Xerophyllum tenax are occasionally prominent to dominant.

Dynamics:  No Data Available

Environmental Description:  No Data Available

Geographic Range: No Data Available

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  BC, OR, WA




Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available

Grank: G4

Greasons: No Data Available


Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available

Synonomy: > Abies amabilis / Vaccinium alaskaense - Berberis nervosa (Henderson et al. 1989)
> Abies amabilis / Vaccinium alaskaense - Berberis nervosa (Henderson et al. 1992)
>< Abies amabilis / Vaccinium alaskaense - Clintonia uniflora (Henderson et al. 1992)
> Abies amabilis / Vaccinium alaskaense - Mahonia nervosa var. nervosa (Kagan et al. 2004)
> Abies amabilis / Vaccinium alaskaense - Xerophyllum tenax (Henderson et al. 1992)
>< Abies amabilis / Vaccinium alaskaense / Clintonia uniflora (Henderson et al. 1989)
>< Abies amabilis / Vaccinium alaskaense / Cornus canadensis (Kagan et al. 2004)
> Abies amabilis / Vaccinium alaskaense / Xerophyllum tenax (Henderson et al. 1989)
>< Abies amabilis / Vaccinium alaskaense (Henderson et al. 1989)
>< Abies amabilis / Vaccinium alaskaense (Henderson et al. 1992)
>< Abies amabilis / Vaccinium alaskense (Brockway and Topik 1984)
= Abies amabilis / Vaccinium ovalifolium (Murray 2000)
= Tsuga heterophylla-Abies amabilis-(Pseudotsuga menziesii)/Vaccinium alaskaense (Meidinger et al. 2005) [PNWCOAST_016]
= Tsuga heterophylla-Abies amabilis-(Pseudotsuga menziesii)/Vaccinium alaskaense Forest (Crawford et al. 2009) [PNWCOAST_016]
>< Pacific Silver Fir / Alaska Huckleberry Association (CF S2-57) ABAM/VAAL (Brockway et al. 1983)

Concept Author(s): Meidinger et al. (2005)

Author of Description: Crawford et al. (2009)

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 05-11-16

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