Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Maritime Forest Loamy Slopes Kodiak
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
Select a state
Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
-
Transition T1A
Removal of tree canopy by fire, wind, disease, or other.
More details -
Restoration pathway R2A
Time without disturbance, and suitable seedling stock.
More details -
No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
Select a state
State 1
Reference State
Reference State
Description
The Reference State is a mature Sitka spruce community with a prominent moss understory. This State occurs in a complex with non-forested communities that are further defined in the next State (State 2).
Characteristics and indicators
A near monoculture stand of Sitka spruce with a moss understory is the modal concept of this State.
Resilience management
The spruce stands are long lived and fire is rare, so the forested community is resistant to change, and able to adapt quickly with understory growth responding to the open canopy. In catastrophic events, there is risk of erosional concerns due to the steep slopes, shallower bedrock controlled soils.
A humid cool climate, year-round precipitation, and the moss understory devoid of fine fuels create an environment that rarely sees fire. However, when an event occurs and the forest does burn, the thick moss understory and the dense timber stand generally lacks ladder fuels to promote a crown fire, and the dense moss tends to burn slow and smolder.
Depending on the more microclimate conditions within the stand and the start of the event will determine the resiliency of the State.
Dominant plant species
Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), tree
splendid feather moss (Hylocomium splendens), grass
Submodel
State 2
Non-forested State
Non-forested State
Description
An open, or non-forested, community with grasses, forbs, and either a combination of shrubs, or a dominance of ferns compose the site.
Characteristics and indicators
This State is characterized by a shrub or herbaceous cover dominated community. The loss of tree cover or lack of tree cover is the marker of the shift to this altered state. These herbaceous or shrub communities are not necessarily altered or a response to disturbance, but may occur naturally in a complex with the forested community.
Resilience management
The complexity or mosaic occurrence of communities across the landscape create a dynamic environment to classify. In this State, there are three community phases that may occur in response to disturbance, and are primary and secondary in succession of recovery. But these same communities occur intermixed in the ecological site as inclusions with no indicator of disturbance or driver that has led to the particular community phase. The state is resilient and able to respond to disturbances, but is not resistant to catastrophic responses.
Dominant plant species
salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis), shrub
Sitka alder (Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata), shrub
bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis), grass
common ladyfern (Athyrium filix-femina), grass
fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), grass
Submodel
Transition T1A
Removal of tree canopy by fire, wind, disease, or other.
Mechanism
Large scale wind throw events, ice storms, disease, slope erosion, or other means of tree removal from the community quickly transitions the Forested state to an Unforested state. Although fire is rare, there is the potential for burns, however, root rot and other diseases as well as old age, and wind throw can take out significant portions of canopy. The open canopy allows understory to flourish.
Constraints to recovery
Recovery can be extremely slow, depending on the disturbance that caused the canopy to open, the viability of the seedbank for spruce, and the climatic and site conditions for seed germination. Time and site conditions are critical for success.
Relevant conservation practices
| Practice | External resources |
|---|---|
|
Upland Wildlife Habitat Management |
|
|
Forest Stand Improvement |
Restoration pathway R2A
Time without disturbance, and suitable seedling stock.
Mechanism
Time without further disturbance, with site preparation and planting of seedling spruce varieties may be necessary for this site to recover.
Context dependence
Native Sitka spruce struggle to establish back into this community, and many times other available nursery stock are used to enhance productivity of the trees, especially for timber sales. Soil biota are key factors for spruce establishment and productivity. Site conditions are harsh and depending on the disturbance, the biota of the soil may have changed.
Relevant conservation practices
| Practice | External resources |
|---|---|
|
Upland Wildlife Habitat Management |
|
|
Forest Stand Improvement |
Model keys
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Ecological sites
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The Ecosystem Dynamics Interpretive Tool is an information system framework developed by the USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and New Mexico State University.
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