Upland Cool Woodland Group

Description

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.

Submodel

Description

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.

Submodel

Description

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).

Submodel