State 1
Reference State

Community 1.1
Mature mountain hemlock stand

This phase has an overstory dominated by Mountain hemlock (at least ten percent overstory canopy cover present) and Pacific silver fir, with numerous lower tree canopies of both and seral species including Subalpine fir, Alaska cedar, western hemlock, wester redcedar. Trees are large (average diameter at breast height is 20-30 inches) and are mature (200 to 250 years or older). The understory consists of tall shrubs, and cool, moist-adapted shrub and herbaceous species (Alaska blueberry, white avalanche lily (Erythronium montanum), dwarf dramble, oval-leaf huckleberry, common beargrass, bride's bonnet, rusty menziesia, moss species), though slightly drier sites will have vine mape and vaccinium species. At the highest elevation of the mountain hemlock ecosite, the overstory has at least ten percent canopy cover of mountain hemlock and seral tree species including subalpine fir, Pacific silver fir and Alaska cedar and an understory of pink mountainheath, ovalleaf huckleberry, common beargrass, thinleaf huckleberry, Sitka valerian, western moss heather, Cascade bilberry.

Community 1.2
Post-disturbance herbaceous-shrub-sapling community

Immediately post-fire, on-site and windblown tree seeds establish, shrub and herbaceous plants resprout and pioneering herbaceous plants establish on mineral soil interspaces. This is a short duration community phase that lasts approximately three years. Following this initial phase, perennial shrubs dominate the understory and stabilize the soil. Shrubs are diverse and can include rusty menziesia, Alaska huckleberry, Cascade azalea and Pacific rhododenron. There may be remnant trees throughout the site. Seedlings mature to saplings and then pole-sized trees up to 100 years. Tree species that may be present include mountain hemlock, Pacific silver fir, subalpine fir, Alaska cedar, western hemlock and western redcedar.

Community 1.3
Mid-development open stand

This phase is dominated by a mix of mountain hemlock, Pacific silver fir, and numerous possible seral tree species (subalpine fir, Alaska cedar, western hemlock, wester redcedar, western white pine) that are pole-sized and are in an open canopy due to the occurrence of mixed severity fire, and insect and/or disease damage. There numerous tree canopies present in the stand. Tree ages are at least fifty years old to 150 years old. The understory is a mix of tall shrubs and moist adapted herbaceous species including Alaska huckleberry, thimbleberry, oval-leaf huckleberry, common beargrass, rusty menziesai, white mountin lily, bride's bonnet and moss species.

Community 1.4
Late development open stand

This phase is dominated by a mix of mountain hemlock, Pacific silver fir, and numerous possible seral tree species (subalpine fir, Alaska cedar, western hemlock, wester redcedar, western white pine) that are pole-sized and are in an open canopy due to the occurrence of mixed severity fire, and insect and/or disease damage. There numerous tree canopies present in the stand, and Pacific silver fir tends to dominate these lower canopies. Tree ages are larger (average diameter at breast height is 20 to 30 inches) and at least 150 years old to 200 years old. The understory is a mix of tall shrubs and moist adapted herbaceous species including Alaska huckleberry, thimbleberry, oval-leaf huckleberry, common beargrass, rusty menziesai, white mountin lily, bride's bonnet and moss species.

Community 1.5
Mid-development closed stand

This plant community is dominated by larger trees that are a mix of mountain hemlock, Pacific silver fir, and some seral tree species (subalpine fir, Alaska cedar, western hemlock, wester redcedar, western white pine) in the overstory in a closed canopy configuration. The closed canopy is due to the lack occurrence of mixed severity fire. The lower tree canopy has Pacific silver fir as well. Trees are pole-sized (average diameter at breast height is ten to twnety inches) and mature approximately 150 to 250 years old.

Pathway 1.1a
Community 1.1 to 1.2

Rare, stand-replacement fire that kills significant number of mature trees and top-kills shrubs and herbaceous plants. This disturbance causes a return to the pioneering, herbaceous community with resprouting shrubs. Avalanches can cause a similar disturbance, in that the community is returned to a pioneering herbaceous one. Avalanches repeat in the same place periodically and advancement of the community will be truncated if avalanches occur (similar to fire).

Pathway 1.2a
Community 1.2 to 1.3

With time, the tree seedlings and small saplings go to the mid-development community and due to the occurrence of mixed severity fire the canopy is in an open configuration.

Pathway 1.2b
Community 1.2 to 1.5

With time, the tree seedlings and small saplings go to the mid-development community and grow into closed configuration.

Pathway 1.3b
Community 1.3 to 1.2

Rare, stand-replacement fire that kills significant number of mature trees and top-kills shrubs and herbaceous plants. This disturbance causes a return to the pioneering, herbaceous community with resprouting shrubs. Avalanches can cause a similar disturbance, in that the community is returned to a pioneering herbaceous one. Avalanches repeat in the same place periodically and advancement of the community will be truncated if avalanches occur (similar to fire).

Pathway 1.3a
Community 1.3 to 1.4

With time, the pole sized trees develop to large mature trees in the late development phase.

Pathway 1.4a
Community 1.4 to 1.1

With time, the large mature tree develop into the closed configuration of the reference phase without the occurrence of mixed severity fire.

Pathway 1.4b
Community 1.4 to 1.2

Rare, stand-replacement fire that kills significant number of mature trees and top-kills shrubs and herbaceous plants. This disturbance causes a return to the pioneering, herbaceous community with resprouting shrubs. Avalanches can cause a similar disturbance, in that the community is returned to a pioneering herbaceous one. Avalanches repeat in the same place periodically and advancement of the community will be truncated if avalanches occur (similar to fire).

Pathway 1.5a
Community 1.5 to 1.1

With time, the large mature tree develop into the closed configuration of the reference phase without the occurrence of mixed severity fire.

Pathway 1.5b
Community 1.5 to 1.2

Rare, stand-replacement fire that kills significant number of mature trees and top-kills shrubs and herbaceous plants. This disturbance causes a return to the pioneering, herbaceous community with resprouting shrubs. Avalanches can cause a similar disturbance, in that the community is returned to a pioneering herbaceous one. Avalanches repeat in the same place periodically and advancement of the community will be truncated if avalanches occur (similar to fire).