Environmental characteristics of the Grand Fir Mosaic and adjacent habitat types

Dennis Ferguson; John C. Byrne

doi:10.2737/RMRS-RP-24

Treesearch

Environmental characteristics of the Grand Fir Mosaic and adjacent habitat types

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Dennis Ferguson, John C. Byrne

Year:

2000

Type:

Research Paper

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2737/RMRS-RP-24

Source:

Research Paper RMRS-RP-24. Ft. Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 20 p.

Download (PDF 650 KB)

Download (PDF 650 KB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/29121.pdf

Abstract

Grand Fir Mosaic habitats differ from adjacent forest habitats in their slow rate of secondary succession to woody vegetation. Remote monitoring stations were used to sample the environment at a Grand Fir Mosaic site and three adjacent habitat types. The Grand Fir Mosaic site has shorter growing seasons, cooler temperatures, and more soil moisture than the other sites. Soil pH at the Grand Fir Mosaic site cycled from 5.5 to 6.5 in winter months to 4.0 to 5.0 in summer months. These unique site and environmental characteristics are shown to cause highly acidic soils with high aluminum availability below pH 5.0.

Keywords

habitat types, forest succession, aluminum toxicity, allophanic soils, nonallophanic soils, soil pH, andisols, climate, weather data, environmental monitoring

Citation

Ferguson, Dennis E.; Byrne, John C. 2000. Environmental characteristics of the Grand Fir Mosaic and adjacent habitat types. Research Paper RMRS-RP-24. Ft. Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 20 p.