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CEGL005646 Pinus ponderosa / Cercocarpus ledifolius Central Rocky Mountain Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Ponderosa Pine / Curl-leaf Mountain-mahogany Central Rocky Mountain Woodland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This woodland association occurs in eastern Oregon. Elevations of documented stands range from 1400 to 1500 m (4600-4920 feet), on gentle to moderate slopes. Exposed bedrock, large rocks and litter cover much of the unvegetated surface. Soils tend to be shallow, skeletal and extremely well-drained. This woodland association is characterized by an open canopy of Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa with a subcanopy or tall-shrub layer of Cercocarpus ledifolius. The Cercocarpus shrubs often take an "arboreal" form, in which individuals have a single trunk and a distinct canopy. Scattered Pseudotsuga menziesii may also occur in the canopy, and the subcanopy layer may also contain Juniperus occidentalis and Juniperus scopulorum. Shrubs other than Cercocarpus ledifolius tend to be sparse, but Amelanchier utahensis, Purshia tridentata, or Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana may be present. The sparse herbaceous layer tends to be dominated by graminoids, including Carex rossii, Leymus salinus, Hesperostipa comata, Elymus elymoides, and Poa fendleriana. Forbs are inconsistent among sites and contribute little cover.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This is a distinct and well-documented woodland type. A few stands may intergrade with ~Pseudotsuga menziesii / Cercocarpus ledifolius Woodland (CEGL000897)$$. Taxonomists (Kartesz 1999) recognize two varieties of Pinus ponderosa, a Pacific form, Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa, and an interior form, Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum. This association is dominated by Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This woodland association is characterized by an open canopy up to 20 m tall of Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa with a subcanopy or tall-shrub layer of Cercocarpus ledifolius up to 5 m tall. The Cercocarpus shrubs often take an "arboreal" form, in which individuals have a single trunk and a distinct canopy. Scattered Pseudotsuga menziesii may also occur in the canopy. Shrubs other than Cercocarpus ledifolius tend to be sparse but may include Amelanchier utahensis, Purshia tridentata, or Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana. The sparse herbaceous layer tends to be dominated by graminoids, including Carex rossii, Leymus salinus, Hesperostipa comata, Elymus elymoides, and Poa fendleriana. Forbs are inconsistent among sites and contribute little cover.
Dynamics: The dominant species in this association are adapted to fires; mature Pinus ponderosa routinely survive surface fires, and Cercocarpus ledifolius is capable of resprouting even after relatively hot fires. However, most of the sampled stands used in this description do not report any evidence of fire, and the large size of the Cercocarpus shrubs indicates that these stands have not experienced any fire in at least several centuries. Cercocarpus ledifolius is somewhat shade-tolerant; it will grow under an open tree canopy, but as the canopy closes shrub density decreases.
Environmental Description: This woodland association occurs on benches, plateaus and mountain ridges. Elevations of documented stands range from 1400 to 1500 m (4600-4920 feet) in Oregon. Sites occur on gentle to moderate slopes with north and east aspects. Exposed bedrock, large rocks and litter cover much of the unvegetated surface. Soils are derived from a variety of sources, including sandstone, andesite and basalt, but tend to be shallow, skeletal and extremely well-drained.
Geographic Range: This association has been reported from the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon (Dealy 1975, Johnson and Clausnitzer 1992), and possibly northeastern California (Dealy 1975).
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA?, OR
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.959222
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.Nb Rocky Mountain Forest & Woodland Division | D194 | 1.B.2.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.2.Nb.2 Ponderosa Pine - Douglas-fir - Limber Pine Central Rocky Mountain Dry Forest Macrogroup | M501 | 1.B.2.Nb.2 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Nb.2.a Ponderosa Pine Central Rocky Mountain Open Woodland Group | G213 | 1.B.2.Nb.2.a |
| Alliance | A3446 Ponderosa Pine / Shrub Understory Central Rocky Mountain Woodland Alliance | A3446 | 1.B.2.Nb.2.a |
| Association | CEGL005646 Ponderosa Pine / Curl-leaf Mountain-mahogany Central Rocky Mountain Woodland | CEGL005646 | 1.B.2.Nb.2.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
- Bourgeron, P. S., and L. D. Engelking, editors. 1994. A preliminary vegetation classification of the western United States. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Western Heritage Task Force, Boulder, CO. 175 pp. plus appendix.
- 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.
- Dealy, J. E. 1975. Ecology of curl-leaf mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius Nutt.) in Oregon and adjacent areas. Unpublished dissertation, Oregon State University, Corvallis. 168 pp.
- 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.
- Kagan, J. S., J. A. Christy, M. P. Murray, and J. A. Titus. 2004. Classification of native vegetation of Oregon. January 2004. Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Portland. 52 pp.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.