State 1
Reference: Mature Timber Stand

The Reference State is comprised of Douglas-fir as the dominant over story, with a mixed shrub under story. Scattered grasses, grass-likes, and forbs are included. As this state matures, or ages, the density of the Douglas-fir increases, the under story will decrease and will shift in composition. The diversity in the under story is a factor of latitude and longitude as well as the side of the continental divide it resides on.

Characteristics and indicators. The dominant over story cover is Douglas-fir with an intermixed composition of lodgepole pine and Englemanns spruce. In some isolated areas, especially along the upper extent of this state/habitat type populations of white bark pine can be found, especially within the Absaroka Mountain Range. The under story is comprised of a mix of shrub species and a few grasses and grass-likes - primarily pinegrass and Ross's sedge. Shrubs include Rocky mountain maple, huckleberry, ninebark, Spirea, Oregon grape, snowberry, whortleberry and others. Latitude, longitude and reference to the continental divide will influence the specific under story composition.

Community 1.1
PSME Mature Stand

The Douglas-fir mature growth stand is comprised of almost entirely of Douglas-fir. The under story is limited due to the closed canopy, but in areas where thinning has occurred, there is a mix of shrubs and herbaceous cover. These stands provide little grazing or forage, but are excellent cover and habitat. Fallen timber and litter are fire hazards and restrict movement through the tree stands.

Community 1.2
PSME Dominant/PICO/PIEN

This Mixed conifer stand is common in frequent low intensity stand replacing fires. Douglas-fir is the dominant species, with a composition of lodge pole pine as well as occurrences of englemann spruce and white bark pine. The under story composition is variable, but is generally high in shrubs and forbs and only scatter grasses, however, canopy openness is the dictating factor for the under story in these communities.

Pathway CP1.1-1.2
Community 1.1 to 1.2

Low frequency stand replacing fires opens the canopy encouraging mixed conifer growth and under story rejuvenation.

Pathway CP1.2-1.1
Community 1.2 to 1.1

Lack of fire or management leads to dense Douglas-fir timber stands, crowding out other conifers and reducing under story diversity.

State 2
Post Disturbance

Following higher intensity fire or higher frequency of fire, significant logging events, or other major disturbances to the reference community, a shift to State 2 - Post Disturbance, occurs. This state is comprised of community phases that move from a shrub dominant understory with only young sampling cover of lodgepole pine, to a lodgepole pine community. Further management is needed to shift this back to a reference state.

Characteristics and indicators. This State is characterized by the prominence of lodgepole pine and very few if any Douglas-fir. Some Englemanns spruce will be present, and as this stand matures, more Douglas-fir may establish. Fireweed, buckbrush, snowberry, chokecherry, and serviceberry become more prevalent in this community. A stronger herbaceous community will be present in the first community phase while the over story canopy is more open. But as the tree community matures, this will shift to a more shrubby woody dominated community.

Community 2.1
Recent Post Fire

This community is shrub dominated with saplings of young woody growth, generally lodge pole pine. The major shrubs in this community is buckbrush, snowberry, serviceberry, white spirea, and chokecherry. Areas of raspberry are also common. Fireweed is a major forb that will be prominent on the landscape. Geranium, lupine, chickweed, bedstraw, and a variety of other forbs will fill in the under story with some pinegrass, sedges, and fescues.

Community 2.2
PICO/PSME

Recovery following intense fires tends towards a lodge pole pine dominated community. Douglas-fir maintain under low intensity, and with time will recover after a more catestrophic fire, lodge pole pines can recover relatively quickly in low frequency of fires. As the lodge pole pine increase in size and density, the under story shifts to a more herbaceous cover with shrubs rather than the shrub dominated.

Pathway CP2.1-2.2
Community 2.1 to 2.2

Lack of fire, or with no impact to timber growth, the natural succession or recovery process trends to a lodge pole pine timber stand.

Pathway CP2.2-2.1
Community 2.2 to 2.1

Fire or timber management to open the canopy transitions a dense timber stand to a under story dominated community.

State 3
Degraded State

Following an intense fire, or fire followed by a sequence of severe weather, erosion is common. The loss of soil, litter and conditions needed for vegetation recovery greatly reduces the ability for this site to recover, especially woody vegetation. These areas tend to establish as a grass and shrub dominated community and do not transition to a woody canopy without significant inputs (planting of woody vegetation) with surface scarification to allow competition of the woody species with the herbaceous under story.

Characteristics and indicators. This state's main characteristic is the lack of woody vegetation. The indicator that this is a degraded woody site compared to an open parkland site, is that there is generally evidence of the erosion, the disturbance that led to the event - charred debris, clear-cut stumps or logging evidence, blow-down or similar debris that remains in the area. A grass and shrub dominated state is what is found. Shrubs include White spirea, serviceberry, chokecherry, a variety of currants, wild rose, and others. Grasses include pinegrass, Idaho fesuce, king spike fescue, and rough fescue on the west divide. Nodding brome and mountain brome grasses, as well as a variety of rhizomatous wheatgrasses. A wide variety of forbs are expected on this site, but species will vary depending on the what extent of the range is being evaluated (latitude, longitude).

Community 3.1
Native Grasses/Shrubs

This community phase will have remnant signs of fire or logging that removed the woody vegetation, but the site is dominated by herbaceous species. This community can have a broad diversity of species and may vary greatly with use. However, for this ecological site, the main capture is the long-term loss of woody vegetation and the dominance of shrubs and grasses within these small patch dynamics in the forest habitat.

Community 3.2
Invaded

Following major disturbances where seed sources are present, a flush of native and invader species is common, especially following fire fighting operations as well as logging activities. A variety of thistles, houndstongue, smooth brome, and other aggressive introduced species will dominate a site. Mullein, elkweed and other natives can become over abundant on these sites as well, but with time will decrease unlike the introduced invaders.

Pathway CP3.1-3.2
Community 3.1 to 3.2

Seed transport by wildlife, especially migratory species, recreation and livestock can introduce a variety of aggressive weedy species that will dominate the site; especially in areas that are impacted by rodent activity, frost heave, heavy use areas by wildlife and livestock, and other surface disturbances.

Transition T1-2
State 1 to 2

The recovery of a site following a high intensity fire removing the Douglas-fir over story lends to a lodge pole pine community.

Transition T1-3
State 1 to 3

Fire followed by erosion removes the soil cover encouraging herbaceous growth that inhibits the establishment of woody vegetation back to these eroded sites.

Restoration pathway R2-1
State 2 to 1

Given time and with timber management, Douglas-fir will recover and expand on the site. Low intensity fire patterns are needed to maintain and improve this community.

Transition T2-3
State 2 to 3

Extreme erosion following removes the soil cover encouraging herbaceous growth that inhibits the establishment of woody vegetation back to these eroded sites.