PONDEROSA PINE - BLACK COTTONWOOD - SNOWBERRY (Pinus ponderosa - Populus balsamifera ssp. Trichocarpa - Symphoricarpos albus)
This community has a restricted distribution within a very small range. It has been seriously depleted by past harvesting and degraded as a result of cattle trampling. There are no verified occurrences in protected areas.
This riparian community has an overstorey of Pinus ponderosa (ponderosa pine), Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa (black cottonwood), Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir) and Betula papyrifera (paper birch). The shrub layer is sparse, consisting mainly of Symphoricarpos albus (common snowberry), Amelanchier alnifolia (saskatoon) and Clematis occidentalis (blue clematis). The sparse herb layer is dominated by Smilacina stellata (star-flowered false Solomon's-seal), Galium boreale (northern bedstraw), and Silene menziesii (Menzies' campion). Aster conspicuus (showy aster) is also present, but with low cover.
Introduced species, which increase in cover with increased disturbance, are Poa spp., Sisymbrium altissimum (tall tumble-mustard), Taraxacum officinale (common dandelion) and Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass).
This community occurs on fluvial parent materials, on somewhat dry floodplain sites. Soils are silts and loams, with a rich nutrient regime.
This community occurs in the southern Kettle River valley, at low elevations (500-950 m) between Johnstone Creek and Boundary Falls, and between July Creek and Christina Lake.
SOI: SOH
PP: PPdh1/05
PP
All stages
Braumandl, T.F. and M.P. Curran. 1992. A field guide for site identification and
interpretation for the Nelson Forest Region. B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C. Land Manage. Handb. No. 20.
Meidinger, D.V. 1990. Alliance tables: unpublished reports from vegetation tabling
programs. B.C. Min. For., Res. Br., Victoria, B.C.
