Frigid Xeric Mountain Slopes and Plateaus (Grand fir Warm Moderately Dry Shrub)

Description

The state is dominated with productive stands of Douglas-fir. Ponderosa pine and western larch can also be a component in the stand, along with grand fir. Grand fir is the dominant understory tree in the second level canopy and regeneration. Western hazel is the dominant understory shrub in all of the Plant Community Phases 1.1 to 1.4 and can sprout quickly after fire or release strongly after canopy gaps in mature stands. Fire regimes would be in the stand replacing or mix severity realm occurring 50 to 100 year range.

Dominant plant species

1. Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), tree

2. ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), tree

3. western larch (Larix occidentalis), tree

4. grand fir (Abies grandis), tree

5. Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana), tree

6. quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), tree

7. beaked hazelnut (Corylus cornuta), shrub

8. white spirea (Spiraea betulifolia), shrub

9. common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus), shrub

10. rose (Rosa), shrub

11. mountain snowberry (Symphoricarpos oreophilus), shrub

12. wintergreen (Pyrola), shrub

13. pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata), shrub

14. Geyer's sedge (Carex geyeri), grass

15. pinegrass (Calamagrostis rubescens), grass

16. Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis), grass

17. sweetroot (Osmorhiza), grass

Submodel

Description

Severe fires to site can cause hazel and other shrubs to dominate site impeding or preventing natural regeneration.

Submodel