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CRYSTAL PIT <br />tolerant species has difficulty growing. Grasses are very sparse, but <br />• mosses and lichens can be locally common. Other forbs are very rare. <br />Overall, the understory cover would range from 100% where the Juniper <br />grows to about 2% to 20% where shade is deep, with the higher cover <br />values produced almost completely by mosses and lichens. <br />The third unit tends to blend into the north facing forests just <br />described and is probably an earlier successional forest which is <br />currently disappearing from the site. This unit is dominated by Aspen <br />CPooulus tremuloides). Based upon the amount of conifer growing among <br />the aspen trees, it is likely the aspen forests of this area are on <br />the decline and are being replaced by coniferous forests and are thus <br />representative of the successional form of Colorado aspen forests. <br />Little evidence exists that the aspen forests of this site are of the <br />climax form so commonly found west of this area in South Park. <br />The understory of the aspen forest ranges from fair (about 50% <br />cover) to good (about 70% cover). It is composed of various forbs, <br />grasses, and some Junioerus communis. The most common grasses are <br />Timothy CPhleum pratense) and various members of the genus Poa <br />• (bluegrasses) with small amounts of Muhlenbergia and Agrooyron which <br />occur where the aspen forest tends to blend into the south facing <br />hillside grasslands. Forbs include Green Gentian CGentiana calvcosa), <br />Columbine CAguilegia coerulea), and various minor amounts of <br />composites including occasional Fringed Sage and Prairie Sage plus <br />Heartleafed Arnica (Arnica cordifolia). <br />Reproduction rates in these forests range from poor to good. In <br />the dense forests of north facing slopes, few seedlings can be found. <br />Where they occur they are associated with moderate reductions in <br />canopy cover. This indicates a replacement condition and a relatively <br />stable and permanent community. Similarly, the reproduction rates of <br />the dry Ponderosa forest unit is fairly low with only occasional <br />seedlings noted. The aspen forests show moderate reproduction of <br />aspen, primarily from suckering with strong invasion and reproduction <br />of the conifer components indicating that if the site were left <br />undisturbed it would rapidly shift to a conifer dominance in the next <br />30 to 60 years and probably a total elimination of aspen. <br />E <br />