United States Department of Agriculture Forested Forest Service Plant Associations Pacific Northwest Region of the Olympic R6-ECOL-TP 001-88 1989 National Forest p. $4 g%t 'a THE AUTHORS JAN A. HENDERSON, AREA ECOLOGIST Leader of the ecological classification project for the Olympicand Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forests since 1979. Priorto that he was Assistant Professor of Forest Ecology and Silvicultureat Utah State University. He holds a BS in Forest Managementfrom Washington State University (1968), an MS in Forest Ecology (1970)and a PhD in Botany (1974) from Oregon State University. DAVID H. PETER, ECOLOGIST Assistant to the Area Ecologist, he has worked on the projectsince 1980. He has been involved with all aspects of theproject,with primary responsibility for collection and analysis of soil data.He earned a BS in Biology from The College of Idaho (1973) andan MS in Botany from Washington State University (1977). ROBIN D. LESHER, ECOLOGIST Assistant to the Area Ecologist, she has workedon this project since 1984. She has been involved in all aspects of the project, and had primary responsibility for moss and lichen taxonomy andecology. Prior to this project, she worked severalyears doing botanical and ecological surveys in the North Cascades. She holdsa BS (1979) and an MS (1983) in Biology from Western Washington University. DAVID C. SHAW Currently a PhD candidate at the University of Washington,College of Forest Resources. He has worked on this projectas a Biological Technician since 1984. He had responsibility for field identificationof diseases and insects and wrote sections dealing with thesesubjects. He holds a BS in Biology from Northern Arizona University(1977) and an MS in Biology from Western Washington University (1982). Forested Plant Associations of the Olympic NationalForest by Jan A.Henderson David H. Peter Robin D. Lesher David C. Shaw USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region R6 ECOL TECHNICAL PAPER 001-88 June 1989 ABSTRACT A potential vegetation classification system is presented for theOlympic National Forest.It is based on a sample of 1046 Reconnaissance and 408 Intensiveplots. The hierarchical classifica- tion includes sixvegetation series and 64 plant associations. Diagnostickeys are presented to aid in the identification of series and associations. Descriptionsare presented for each series and association which are oriented toward the application of this classification forland management objectives.Association descriptions include information about plant speciesoccurrences, including mosses and lichens, mammals, birds, insectpests and diseases. Most descriptions include information on timber productivity and soils. Backgroundinformation is also presented on the ecology, geology, soils and history of the Olympic Mountains. Key words: vegetation classification, climax vegetation,climax plant communities, plant asso- ciation, vegetation series, plant community ecology, forest ecology,mosses, lichens, birds, mam- mals, forest diseases, timber productivity, soil, Olympic Mountains. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many people contributed to this publication, toomany in fact, to fully acknowledge here. Since the beginning of this project in 1979, several Regional Foresters,Forest Supervisors and Forest Staff have supported and encouraged this project. At thepresent time they are J. Torrence, D. MacWilliams, 1. Stubblefield, D. Yates and R. Dearsley. Especiallysignificant for their technical support and encouragement are Regional Ecologists, F. Hall and L. Volland, whonot only initiated the project but who have made significant technical and professionalcontributions. Many people assisted the authors on field crews during the project. Theyare L. Ecklund, J. Evans, A. Freed, M. Freiberg, J. Koontz, L. O'Callahan, A. Pemberton, L. Potash,0. Rial, B. Schrader, R. Tokach and S. Wagstaff. In addition to these crew members,many others assisted on an occasional or short-term basis. They include W. Brown, R. Crawford, 0. Daoust, 1. Endo,A. Gold, S. Greene, F. Hall, B. Henderson, P. Morgan, F. Rhoades, R. Schuller,M. Sheehan, G. Van der Rey, L. Volland, M. Webster and J. Wirsing. Primary responsibility for studydesign and interpretation of results belongs to the senior author. 0. Peter did most of the soilprofile analysis and interpretation; M. Webster did some soil profile descriptions. ft Lesher hadprimary responsibility for moss and lichen taxonomy and analysis, with consultation from F. Rhoadesand J. Ammirati. 0. Shaw was responsible for much of the disease and insect information. R.Lesher, D. Shaw and B. Schrader were responsible for much of the field identification of birds. R. Lesheranalyzed the bird and mammal data, and C. ChappeD prepared the table ofcommon breeding forest birds. N. Buckingham was consulted on some taxonomicaspects and verified some vascular plant specimens. Many of the computer programs used in the projectwere developed or modified by M. Connelly, L. Volland or 0. Wheeler. D. Hoodand J. Vosburgh helped in many ways with computer applications.Special thanks is extended to the following people for their review comments: J. Franklin, R. Tabor, J. Hadfietd, K. Russell, B. Leonard,K. McAllister, L. Volland, F. Hall, S. Simon 1. Stubblefield, K. Coon, C. Williams,J. Nelson, M. Madrid and W. Jennings. G. Saunders assisted in design and publication details.Finally, the senior author wishes to acknowl- edge the indirect contribution of four people--W.Chilcote, R. Daubenmire, J. Franklin and R. Pfister, whose ideas and philosophies greatly influencedthe ecological approaches used here. Cover photo by Asahel Curtis, Courtesy theWashington State Historical Society. TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1 Page Introduction 1 A. Origin of the Plant Association Concept 1 B. Region 6 Ecology Program 1 2 C. Objectives Area History History of Indian Cultures 7 History of European Exploration and Discovery 9 Settlement History 10 History of Olympic National Forest 4.FireHistory 12 5. Wind Disturbance History 22 6. Geology 22 Geologic History of the Olympics 25 Bedrock Geology 27 C, Glacial History 31 D. Changes in Sea Level 32 7. Climate 32 Climatic History 34 Current Climate 38 8. Environmental Zones 44 9. Soils Environmental Factors 47 Effects of Different Types of Rock 48 Types of Regolith 49 Organic Matter 50 Common Soil Orders 52 10. Vegetation 52 Overview Paleobotanical History Botanical History Previous Ecological Studies Taxonomic Considerations Indicator Species Endangered, Threatened and Sensitive Species 60 61 Cryptogams Disease and Insects Root Disease Pathogens 69 Heart and Butt Rots 70 Dwarf Mistletoe 70 Insects 71 11. Animals 71 Mammals BirdS 76 Amphibians and Reptiles 77 12. Methods Sample Design 77 Plot Design . 77 Analysis CONTENTS (Continued) D. Classification 77 E. Timber Productivity Analysis 78 Site Index 78 Growth Basal Area (GBA) 79 Site Index-Yield Table 80 Site Index-Growth Basal Area (Sl-GBA) 81 Empirical Yield 82 F. Soil Methods 82 Soil Pit Location and Profile Description 82 Soil Nutrients 82 Soil Temperature 83 Soil Moisture 83 Soil Classification 84 G. Construction of Keys 84 SEC11ON2 1.Introduction to the Classification 87 How to Identify the Plant Association 87 Key to the Series 88 2. The Classification 89 A. Douglas-fir SerIes 89 Key to the Douglas-fir Associations 92 Douglas-fir/Kinniinnick Association 96 Douglasfir/OceansprayBaldhip Rose Association 100 Douglas-fir/Salal Association 104 B. Mountain Hemlock Series 109 Key to the Mountain Hemlock Associations 112 Mountain Hemlock/Alaska Huckleberry Association 116 Mountain Hemlock/Alaska Huckleberry/Avalanche Lily Association 120 Mountain Hemlock/Alaska Huckleberry/Beargrass Association 124 Mountain Hemlock/Big Huckleberry-Alaska Huckleberry Association 126 Mountain Hemlock/Big Huckleberry/Beargrass Association 130 Mountain Hemlock/Red Heather-Blueleaf Huckleberry Association 132 Mountain Hemlock/White Rhododendron-Big Huckleberry Association 136 C. Silver Fir Series 139 Key to the Silver Fir Associations 143 Silver Fir/Alaska Huckleberry Association 152 Silver Fir/Alaska Huckleberry/Avalanche Lily Association 156 Silver Fir/Alaska Huckleberry/Beargrass Association 160 Silver Fir/Alaska Huckleberry/Foamflower Association 164 Silver Fir/Alaska Huckleberry-oregongrape Association 168 Silver Fir/Alaska Huckleberry/Oxalis Association 172 Silver Fir/Alaska Huckleberry/Queen's Cup Association 176 Silver Fir/Alaska Huckleberryfrwinflower Association 180 Silver Fir/Alaska Huckleberry-white Rhododendron Association 184 Silver Fir/Beargrass Association 186 Silver Fir/Big Huckleberry/aeargrass Association 190 Silver Fir/Depauperate Association 194 CONTENTS (Continued) Silver Fir/Devil's Club Association 198 Silver Fir/Oxalis Association 202 Silver Fir/Rhododendron Association 206 Silver Fir/Rhododendron-Alaska Huckleberry Association 210 Silver Fir/Salal Association 214 Silver Fir/Salal/Deerfern Association 218 Silver Fir/Salal/Oxalis Association 222 Silver Fir/Skunkcabbage Association 226 Silver Fir/Swordfern Association 230 Silver Fir/Swordfern-Oxalis Association 234 Silver FirNanillaleaf-Foamflower Association 238 D. Sitka Spruce Series 243 1) Ska Spruce/Swordfern-Oxalis Association 248 E. Subalpine Fir Series 253 Key to the Subalpine Fir Associations 256 Subalpine Fir/Big Huckleberry Association 260 Subalpine Fir/Common Juniper Association 264 Subalpine Fir/Subalpine Lupine Association 268 Subalpine Fir/White Rhododendron Association 272 F. Western Hemlock Series 277 Key to the Western Hemlock Associations 282 Western Hemlock/Alaska Huckleberry