Pinus contorta var. latifolia, Lodgepole Pine Habitat
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Lodgepole Pine Woodland Forest Habitat Lodgepole Pine woodlands generally occur on the driest sites that support conifers in the Pacific Northwest. This habitat is widespread and variable, appearing on moderate to steep slopes in canyons, foothills, and on plateaus or plains near mountains. This habitat generally occurs at mid-to higher (3,000 – 9,000 ft), but some forests can can be found in low-lying frost pockets or wet areas as low as 100 feet in elevation and are relatively long-lasting features of the landscape. It can be associated with serpentine soils in Washington state. This habitat reflects early stage successional forest vegetation that has been initiated by forest fires. Lodgepole pine forests establish within 10-20 years after a fire and tend to break up after 100-200 years. Lodgepole Pine habitat is composed of open to closed evergreen conifer tree canopies, with vertical structure typically being a single tree layer that covers about 10 to 60 percent; though other, more shade tolerant conifers may be abundant in the undergrowth. There are several distinct undergrowth types that develop under the canopy layer: Evergreen or deciduous medium-tall shrubs; evergreen low shrubs; and graminoids with few shrubs. Tree layer:Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) donitates the tree layer of this habitat, but other montane conifers do occur such as the White fir (Abies concolor), Grand fir (Abies grandis), Western larch (Larix occidentalis), Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), Mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana), Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii), and Whitebark pine (pinus albicaulis); though the latter two are indicators of subalpine environments. Ungergrowth:Undergrowth typically consists of tall deciduous shrubs such as the Rocky Mountain maple (acer glabrum), Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia), and Oceanspray (Holodiscus discolor) occurring over a layer of mid-height deciduous shrubs such as Baldhip rose (Rosa gymnocarpa), Russet buffaloberry or Soapberry (Shepherdia canadensis), Shiny leaf spirea (Spirea betulifolia), and Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus). Often, mid-tall evergreen shrubs can be found such as creeping Oregon grape (Mahonia repens) and Tobacco brush (Ceanothus velutinus). Sites that are colder and drier may also support Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) or Pinemat manzanita (Arctostaphylos nevadensis). Often, grasses, sedges, and forbs may dominate the undergrowth of this habitat. Grasses that may be found here include Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis), rough fescue (Festuca campestris), Pinegrass (Calamagrostis rubescens), Onion grass (melica blubosa), Long-stolon sedge (Carex inops), Geyer’s sedge (Carex geyen) and Indian ricegrass (Oryzopsis hymenoides). Forbs are numerous and may include False solomonseal (Maianthemum stellata), Heartleaf arnica (Arnica cordifolia), various lupines, Meadowrue (Thalictrum occidentale), Rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera oblongifolia), Twinflower (Linnaea borealis), various wintergreens, and Western starflower (Trientalis latifolia). Livestock grazing, urban development are major landuses of this habitat and roads, timber harvest, and altered fire regimes further fragment these forests.
