Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Management Situation by Revision Topic <br /> <br />Table 11I-5. Vegetation Zones and Dominant Plant Associations for the RGNF <br /> <br />Vegetation Zone Plant Assodation <br />Alpine Kobresia/forb <br /> sedgelforb <br /> willow/sedge <br />Subalpine subalpine fir - Engelmann sprucelRocky Mountain whortlebeny <br /> subalpine fir - Engelmann sprucelcommon juniper <br /> Thurber fescue <br /> bristlecone pine/Thurber fescue <br /> subalpine fir - Engelmann sprucelRocky Mountain whortlebeny- <br /> twinflower <br />Montane aspenIThurber fescue> <br /> lodgepole pinelkinnikinnicko <br /> white fir - Douglas-firlcommon juniper <br /> white fir - Douglas-fir/Arizona fescue <br /> tufted hairgrass - sedge <br /> Arizona fescue - mountain muhly <br /> white fir - Douglas-firlkinnikinnick <br /> Douglas fir/Arizona fescue <br /> ponderosa pine/Arizona fescue <br />Foothill Gambel oak/mountain muhly <br /> mountain big sagebrush/Arizona fescue <br /> pinyon pine/mountain mahogany <br /> pinyon pine/mountain muhly <br /> western wheatgrass <br /> needle-and-thread <br />Oalso found in subalpine zone <br /> <br />Alpine Zone <br />Above timberline is the alpine zone. A willow/sedge community often provides the transition <br />from subalpine to the alpine zone. The alpine zone is also called tundra because it resembles <br />the treeless regions of the Artie. The spring growing season begins earlier here than in the <br />subalpine zone because the snow melts sooner. A tremendous variety of plants inhabit the <br />alpine and there is an amazing display of wildflowers in late June and July. Most alpine <br />plants can withstand considerable frost and are adapted to an extreme environment. <br />low-growing sedge, Kobresia, and forb communities dominate this zone. <br /> <br />Subalpine Zone <br />Along the upper elevational zone of the montane zone, the Forest becomes more dense and <br />moves into the subalpine zone. The subalpine zone is dominated by Engelmann spruce with <br />a mixture of subalpine fir. These two tree species form the most extensive forested cover <br />type on the RGNF. Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir are extremely shade tolerant when <br />compared to the other pine species, Douglas-fir, and aspen. By being shade tolerant, <br />Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir can reproduce under themselves and thus, barring any <br />major disturbance, perpetuate. themselves. Subalpine fir is more shade tolerant than <br />Engelmann spruce, and in younger stands, can be the major component of the forest type. <br />However, it is shorter lived than Engelmann spruce. Consequently, most old-growth <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />I;: <br /> <br />111-20 <br /> <br />(I '.~ 24 3 3 <br /> <br />(j <br />