INTLRNAL REPORT
IDENTIFICATION ANDCIIARACTLRIZATIO1j'.OF FOREST COi T'IUNITIESAND IiABITNF HPIa IN AND ADJACENT TO TI IDII. A I)RLi'1S EXPERI",E` TAL FOREST C. T.flyrness JerryF. Franklin Donald 7-obel Oregon State University Identification and Characterization of Forest Communities A total of 23 forest communities have been identified and characterized in a preliminarymanner. Data used in formulating the classification had previously been collected on 300 reconnaissance plots located on the
Ii. J. Andrews Forest and surrounding area. Vegetation classification was facilitated by similarity analysis and stand ordination procedures developed by I)r. Will Noir, formerly of Colorado State University. Results of stand ordination indicate the presence of strong moisture and temperaturegradientsalong which forest stands array themselves. The forestcommunitiesrecognized in this classification are listed below. They are considered to be climax associations except where indicated. Plain characteristics of each unit are shown in the attached summary table.
Tsuga heterophylla zone 1,2 1. Pseudotsuga menzi.esii/ilolodiscu--, discolor 2. Pseudotsugamenziesii-Tsuga heterophylla/Corylus cornutal
3. Tsuga heterophyl la/ Cast anops i s chrysophyllal'2
shallonl'2 4. Tsuga heterophylla/Rhododendron macrophyllum/Gaultheria
5. Pseudotsuga menziesii/Acer circinatum/Gaultheria shallop (seral) 1,2 6. Tsuga heterophylla/Rhododendron macrophyllum/Berberis nervosa
7. Pseudotsuga menziesii/Acer circinatuin/Berberis nervosa (seral)1
8. 'Tsuga heterophylla/Acer circinatum/Polystichum munitum1)2
9. Tsuga heterophylla/Polystichum munitum2
10. Tsuga heterophylla/Polystichum munitum-Oxalis oreganal
Transitional zone
1. Tsuga heterophylla-Abies amabilis/Rhododendron macrophyllum/Berberis nervosa1,2 Tsugaheterophylla-Abies amabilis/Itlododendron macrophyllum/Linnaea borealis Tsuga heterojhvlla-Abies amabilis/Linnaea borea.lis',2 4.Useudotsuga menziesii/3ccr circinatum/Whi pplea rnodesta (sera1) Abies at;mabi I i s zone
I. Abies amabilis-Tsuga mertensiana/Xerophyllum tenaxl
2. Abies amabilis/Vaccinium membranaceum/Xerophyllun tenax
3. Abies amabilis/Rhododendron macrophyllum-Vaccinium alaskaense/Cornus canadens i. s 4. Abies amabilis/Vaccinium alaskaense/Cornus canadensis1
5. Abies cera/Achlys triphylla
6. Abies amabilis/Achlys triphylla
7. Abies procera/Clintonia uniflora (seral)
8. Abies amabilis/Tiarella unifoliatal'2
9. Chamaecyparis nootkatensis/. to anax horridum
Communities marked with ' each have an established reference stand in which intensive environmental monitoring is currently under way. Observations made in these 14 reference stands include air and soil temperature, plant moisture stress, nutrient content of foliage, and phenology. For preliminary results of these measurements see Zobel's progress report for year-1 project entitled "Relation of biologically defined environmental measurements to distribution and productivity of forest ecosystems in the central Oregon Cascades." Stands in communities marked with 2 are currently being used by Dr. Denis Lavender in his study of litterfall and nutrient cycling in old-growth Douglas-fir stands. In most cases these plots are located in close proximity to reference stands. We are currently preparing a manuscript entitled "Forest communities of the central portion of the western Cascades in Oregon," which will summarize methods used in classifying the vegetation and give detailed descriptions of the communities. It is anticipated that this manuscript will be published as a Coniferous Biome bulletin. A by-product of work on this study has been the publication of "A checklist of vascular plants on the 11. J. Andrews Experimental Forest, western Oregon" by Jerry F. Franklin and C. T. Dyrness (U.S. Forest Serv. X Res. Note PNNW'7-138, January 1971, 37 p.).
Vegetation Mapping on Experimental Watersheds Most of this work was accomplished by Mr. Glenn Hawk (graduate student in botany at Oregon State University), who was employed for this purpose during the summers of 1970 and 1971. Watersheds that have been mapped include: (1) experimental watersheds 2 and 3, largely consisting of old-growth Douglas-fir forest at elevations of approximately 1,500 to 3,000 feet (total area about 400 acres), and (2) experimental watersheds 6, 7, and 8 (collectively known as the "IIi-15 watersheds") largely consisting of second-growth (130 year old) Douglas-fir forest.at elevations of approximately 3,000 to 3,500 feet (total area about 170 acres).
56 Those units recognized in our classification of forest communities were found to provide a logical and useful framework for mapping vegetation in these areas. Information shown for each map delineation includes forest community, amounts of tree regeneration in the understory, and characteristics of the tree overstory, including species composition, tree age class, and canopy coverage.Characterization of :napping units is uascd on data collected on 125 reconnaissance plots, which were established and described during the course of the field survey work. These plots are distributed over the entire mapped area and their location is indicated on the maps. Information recorded for each reconnaissance plot included an estimate of coverage of each plant species present, slope, aspect, and a brief description of soil profile characteristics. Forest communities found in significant amounts on watersheds 2 and 3 are Pseudotsuga menziesii/liolodiscus discolor, Tsuga heterophylla/Castanopsis chrysophylla, Tsuga heterophylla Rhododendron macroEhyllum/Gaultheria shallon, Pseudotsuga menziesii/Acer circinatum/Gaultheria shallon, Tsuga hetero hyllaRhododendron macropliyllzun Berberis nervosa, Pseudotsuga menziesii/Acer circinatum Berberis nervosa, Tsuga hetero hylla/Acer circinatum Polystichum munitum, and Tsuga heterophylla Polystichum munitum. Forest vegetation on watersheds 6, 7, and 8 falls primarily into three communities: Tsuga heterophylla-Abies amabilis/Rhododendron macrophyllum/ Berberis nervosa, Pseudotsuga menziesii/Acer circinatum/Berberis nervosa, and Pseudotsugamenziesii Acer circinatum/Whipplea modest a. The vegetation maps are currently being drafted in final form at a scale of about 32 inches to the mile. Descriptive material accompanying the maps will include descriptions of the principal mapping units, a summarization of reconnaissance plot data, and an estimate of acreages within the various map units,
`)7 Tsu,'; droph2l a zone Pseudotsu.,eaHolociscus,discolor menziesii/ Psmc/Ilodi PseudotsugaIs u; menziesii/ Psme-Tshe/Cococa heterophylla/ Castanopsis chrysophylla Tsuga heterophylla/ Tshe/Cach Rhododendron macrophyllum/Tsuga heterophylla/ Tshe/Rhma/Gash Pseudotsuga menziesii/ Acer circi:natur/Psme"ACCl/Gash Successional status Climax Corvius cornuta var. -alifornica Climax Gaultheria shallon Gaultheria shallon Seral LandformSoilsSlope--aspectElevation (feet) SmoothSteep--S,1,500-2,000 slopes SW SmoothSteep--S,1,500-2,000 slopes SW, W Climax Ridgetops,Mod.1,500-2,600 to steep--S, SW upper slopes Si.ManyGentle1,600-2,800 loam regosolsto steep--all from Climax BenchGentle1,200-2,500 and to smoothsteep--all slope Tree layerOverstory Dominants PseudotsugaShallow lithosols menziesiiand regosols PseudotsugaStony regosols menziesii frompyroclastics PseudotsugaStony regosols menziesii frompyroclastics TsugaPseudotsuga heterophylla menziesiipyroclastics Mod.Pseudotsuga deep si. menziesiilo. orSi. ci. lo. Shrub layerDominantsReproduction Dominants Pseudotsuga menziesii AcerPseudotsugaTsuga circinatum heterophylla menziesii PseudotsugaCastanopsisTsuga heterophylla menziesii chrysophylla RhododendronTsuga heterophylla macrophyllum AcerTsuga circinatum heterophylla Other significantspecies HolodiscusBerberisAcer circinatum nervosa discolor CorylusGaultheria cornuta shallon var.californica AcerGaultheriaRhododendron circinatum shallon macrophyllum AcerGaultheria circinatum shallon BerberisGaultheria shallon nervosa LiCo GaultheriaSymphoricarposCorylus cornuta shallon mollis var.californica BerberisCornusCastanopsis nervosanuttallii chrysophylla TaxusCornusBerberis brevifolia nuttallii nervosa TaxusBerberis brevifolia nervosa Herb layerDominants WhippleaSynthyris modesta reniformis (sparse) WhippleaLinnaea borealis modesta (sparse) LinnaeaXerophyllum borealis tenax (sparse) Linnaea borealis (very sparse) PyrolaViola sempervirens asarifolia (very sparse) Other significantspecies PolystichumLinnaeaFestuca borealis occidental munitum is AchlysPolystichumChimaphilaSynthyris triphylla munitumreniformis umbellata TrientalisPteridiumPolystichumViolaChimaphila sempervirens aquilinumlatifolia munitum umbellata RubusViolaXerophyllumPolystichumChimaphila sempervirensursinus umbellatatenaxmunitum WhippleaLinnaeaChimaphilaRubus borealis ursinusrodesta umbel-1ata
d r C c I 11 e Tshe/Rhma/Bene Psme/Acci/Bene Tshe/Acci/Pomu Tshe/Pomu Tshe/Pomu-Oxor SuccessionalTsuga heterophylla status zone Rhododendron macrophyllum/ Tsuga heterophylla/Berberis nervosa Climax Pseudotsuga menziesii/ BerberisAcer circinatum/ nervosa Seral PolystichumTsuga heterophylla/ munitumAcer circinatum/ Climax PolystichumTsuga munitum heterophylla/ Climax PolystichumTsuga heterophylla/ munitum/ Oxalis oregana Climax SoilsLandformSlope--aspectElevation (feet) Deep,SmoothGentle1,600-3,000 fineto slope mod.--N, textured NE, NW Moderate--S,DeepSmooth2,100-3,800 loam slope SWfrom andesite colluvium ShallowSmoothSteep--N,1,500-2,700 slopeloam NE, and E silt loam Mod.BenchGentle1,500-2,800 deep & to smooth loamsteep-- and slopeN, siltNW, loam NE Mod.ManyGentle1,100-2,400 deep to steep--allsi. loam from alluvium and Tree layerOverstoryReproduction dominants dominants TsugaTsuPseudotsuga a heterophyllaheterophylla menziesii PseudotsugaTsuga heterophylla menziesii TsugaPseudotsuga heterophylla menziesii TsugaPseudotsuga heterophylla menziesii TsugaPseudotsuga heterophylla menziesiicolluvium Shrub layerOtherDominants significantspecies TaxusAcerBerberisRhododendron circinatum brevifolia nervosa macrophyllum BerberisTaxusAcer circinatum nervosabrevifolia BerberisAcer circinatum nervosa AcerTaxusBerberis circinatum brevifolia nervosa (sparse) BerberisGaultheriaAcer circinatum nervosa shallon (sparse) Herb layerOtherDominants significant PolystichumLinnaeaGaultheria borealis shallonmunitum LinnaeaViolaChimaphila sempervirens borealis umbellata (very sparse) CopticPolystichum laciniata munitum LinnaeaPolystichum borealis munitum LinnaeaOxalisPolystichumVaccinium oregana borealis parvifolium munitum species RubusViolaChimaphilaCoptis sempervirens ursinus laciniata umbellata WhippleaRubusPolystichum ursinusmodesta munitum VancouveriaViolaRubLinnaea us sempervirens ursinus borealis hexandra GaliumViolaTrilliumCoptisTiarella sempervirens laciniatacvatumtriflorum unifoliata DisporumViolaTiarellaRubusAchlysVancouveria sempervirens ursinus triphylla unifoliatahookeri hexandra sitional Rhodcdaadro- macropiwii.um/ TsugaTs?,e--ham/Rhma/Bene heterophylla;Berberis nervosa _s amabilis/ Rhododendron macrophyllum/ LinnaeaTsugaTshe-Abam/Rhma/Libo heterophylla/ borealis Abies amabilis/ LinnaeaTsuga heterophylla/ borealis Abies amabilis/Tshe-Abam/Libo Pseudotsuga menziesii/ WhippleaAcerPsem/Acci/Whmo circinatum/ modesta Slope--aspectElevationSuccessional (feet) status Gentle2,700-3,70C' to steep-N, NE, NW Climax Gentle--all2,600-3,900 Climax Gentle--S,2,000-3,500 SE, SW Climax Moderate--S3,100-3,800 Seral TreeSoilsLandform layer LoamSm. on slope andesite or bench colluviium DeepBenches loam and on hummockyandesitecolluvium DeepBenches loam and on hummockyandesitecolluvium ModerateSmooth deepslopes loams fromandesite colluvium ReproductionOverstory dominants TsugaPseudotsuga heterophylla menziesii .PseudotsugaTsuThujaTsuga amenziesii heterophylla icata TsugaPseudotsuga heterophylla menziesii TsugaPseudotsuga heterophylla menziesii Shrub layerDominantsdominants BerberisRhododendron nervosa macrophyllum Rhododendron macrophyllum BerberisAcer circinatum nervosa (very sparse) BerberisAcer circinatum nervosa Herb layerOther significantspecies AcerTaxus circinatumbrevifolia (very sparse) BerberisTaxusAcer circinatum brevifolianervosa Taxus brevifolia SymphoricarposRosa moll is jaymnocarpa OtherDominants significantspecies PolystichumChimaphilaLinnaea borealis umbellatamunitum CornusLinnaea canadensis borealis ViolaLinnaea sempervirens borealis WhippleaViolaLinnaea sempervirensmodesta borealis Rubus ni,valisursinus RubusPyrolaViolaChimaphila nivalis sempervirensasarifolia umbellata CoptisCornusChimaphilaTiarella canadensislacinata unifoliata umbellata GaliumAsarunAchlysRubusChimaphila ursinus triflorumcaudatumtriphylla umbellata
0 f Abies amabilis zone TsugaXerophyllum mertensiana/ tenaxAbiesAbam-Tsme/Xete amabilis/ Vaccinium membranaceumfXerophyllum Rhododendron tenax macrophyllum/Abies amabilis/Abam/Vame/Xete Vaccinium alaskaense/Abam/Rhma-Vaal/CocaCorpus canadensisAbies amabilis/ Vaccinium alaskaense/Abam/Vaal/CocaCornus canadensisAbies amabilis/ AchlysAbies procera/ triphylla Abpr/Actr LandformSoilsSlope--aspectElevationSuccessional (feet) status 4,600-5,300ShallowRidgetopsGentle tobr. mod.--all podzolics Climax Br.RidgeMod.4,200-4,700 podzolics steep--N, & upper NWslopes Climax DeepManyModerate--all3,000-4,000 br. podzolics Climax DeepManyModerate--N,2,900-3,800 br. podzolics NE, NW Climax Mod.SmoothMod.-steep--all4,200-4,700 deep slopes br. podzolics& ridge Seral Tree layerOverstory dominants Abies amabilis Tsuga mertensiana PseudotsugamenziesiiAbies amabilisAbies procera PseudotsugaTsu a heterophylla menziesii PseudotsugaTsuga heterophylla menziesii Abies procera from ash Shrub layerDominantsReproductiondominants VacciniumTsugaAbies amabilismertensiana membranaceum (very sparse) VacciniumAbies amabilis membranaceum (sparse) RhododendronTsugaAbies amabilisheterophylla macrophyllum VacciniumAbiesTsuga amabilis heterophylla (sparse) AcerAbies circinatum amabilis (sparse) Other significantspecies None None TaxusBerberisVaccinium brevifolia nervosa alaskaense TaxusAcerBerberis circinatumbrevifolia nervosa alaskaense Vaccinium membranaceum Herb laverOtherDominants significant NoneXerophyllum tenax AchlysXerophyllum triphylla tenax XerophyllumCornus canadensis tenax (sparse) Cornus canadensis (sparse) AchlysSmilacina triphylla stellata RubusSmilacina lasiococcus stellata ClintoniaChimaphilaLinnaea borealis uniflora umbellata ClintoniaChimaphilaTiarellaLinnaea borealis unifoliatauniflora umbellata PyrolaPteridiumGaliumRubusClintonia secundaoreganum lasiococcus acjuilinum uniflora Abies amabilis zone Abies amabilis/ Abam/Actr Clintonia unifloraAbies procera/ Abpr/Clun Tiarella unifoliataAbies amabilis/ Abam/Tiun Chamaecyparisnootkatensis/ Chno/Opho ElevationSuccessional (feet) status Achl Climax trip ly 4,100-4,300 Seral 3,300-4,200 Climax 3,800-4,500Oplo anax horridum Climax SoilsLandformSlope--aspect Mod.UpperGentle3,900-4,600 deep and to br.midslopessteep--S, podzolics W Mod,ManyModerate--all deep br. podzolicsfrom ash FineManyModerate textured to steep.-all br. podzolics BlackUpperSteep--N loamsmooth andonite slopes Tree layerOverstory dominants TsugaPseudotsuga heterophylla menziesii Abies procera TsugaPseudotsuga heterophylla menziesii AbiesTsuPseudotsugaChamaecyparis a heterophyllaamabilis menziesii nootkatensis Shrub layerDominantsReproductiondominants AbiesVaccinium amabilis membranaceum (sparse) VacciniumAbies amabilis membranaceum (sparse) AbiesVaccinium amabilis membranaceum (sparse) ChamaecyparisAbiesOplopanax amabilis horridum nootkatensis (sparse) Herb layerOther significantspecies BerberisAcerSymphoricarpos circinatum nervosa mollis None Acer circinatum RubusRibes spectabilislacustre OtherDominants significant TiarellaAchlys triphylla unifoliata AchlysCornusSmilacinaClintonia canadensistriphylla stellatauniflora AchylysSmilacinaCornusTiarella triphyllacanadensis unifoliatastellata TiarellaMontiaSmilacina sibirica unifoliata stellata species ViolaLinnaeaChimaphilaAsarum sempervirensglabella caudatumborealis umbellata GaliumPyrolaPteridiumRubusViola lasiococcussempervirens oreganumsecunda aquilinum RubusVancouveriaViolaStreptopusClintonia lasiococcussempervirens uniflora curvipeshexandra AthyriumPolystichumAsarumAchlysCornus triphyllacaudatum filix-feminacanadensis munitum
4 I