| Ecoregions: Eastern slopes of Coast mountains, southern interior mountains, and the sub-boreal interior |
| Elevations: SW - 1200-2100m, SE - 1500-2300m, N - 900-1700m |
| Latitudes: 49-57 degrees |
| |
| Description: |
- The common sub-alpine zone in the southern interior
- At lower elevations, grades into IDF and ICH in the southern interior and into the IDF, SBS and SBPS in the sub-boreal
interior. Grades into AT at higher elevations in all areas
- Severe climate characterized by a long cold winter and a short cool summer
- Only trees that can survive long periods of frozen ground occur
- Engelmann spruce and sub-alpine fir dominate wetter areas, with lodgepole pine as a poineer after disturbance and mountain hemlock in higher snowfall areas
- Whitebark pine and limber pine occur on drier sites
- White rhododendron and false azalea are common understorey plants
|
| Representative Species: |
| Drier phase |
| |
Trees
|
| |
Picea engelmannii (Engelmann spruce) |
| |
Abies lasiocarpa (Subalpine fir) |
| |
Pinus contorta (Lodgepole pine) |
| |
Pinus albicaulis (Whitebark pine) |
| |
Larix lyalli (Alpine larch) |
| |
Shrubs |
| |
Amelanchier alnifolia (saskatoon) |
| |
Vaccinium membranaceum (black huckleberry) |
| |
Juniperus communis (common juniper) |
| |
Herbs |
| |
Cornus canadensis (bunchberry) |
| |
Hieracium albiflorum (white-flowered hawkweed) |
| |
| Wetter Phase |
| |
Trees |
| |
Picea engelmannii (Engelmann spruce) |
| |
Abies lasiocarpa (Subalpine fir) |
| |
Shrubs |
| |
Vaccinium spp. (Blueberries and grouseberries) |
| |
Rhododendrum albiflorum (white rhododendrum) |
| |
Menziesia feruginea (false azalea) |
| |
Herbs |
| |
Tiarella unifolia (one-leafed foam flower) |
| |
Valeriana sitchensis (Sitka valerian) |
| |
| Potential Restoration Species: |
| Drier phase |
| |
Trees |
| |
Picea engelmannii (Engelmann spruce) |
| |
Abies lasiocarpa (Subalpine fir) |
| |
Pinus contorta (Lodgepole pine) |
| |
Pinus albicaulis (Whitebark pine) |
| |
Larix lyalli (Alpine larch) |
| |
Shrubs |
| |
Amelanchier alnifolia (saskatoon) |
| |
Vaccinium membranaceum (black huckleberry) |
| |
Juniperus communis (common juniper) |
| |
Alnus crispa spp. sinuata (thinfleaf alder) |
| |
Herbs |
| |
Cassiope mertensiana (white mtn. heather) |
| |
Cassiope tetragona (four-angled mtn. heather) |
| |
Festuca altaica (Altai fescue) |
| |
| Wetter Phase |
| |
Trees |
| |
Picea engelmannii (Engelmann spruce) |
| |
Abies lasiocarpa (Subalpine fir) |
| |
Shrubs |
| |
Vaccinium spp. (Blueberries and grouseberries) |
| |
Alnus incarta spp. tenuifolia (Mountain alder) |
| |
Herbs |
| |
Athyrium filix-femina (lady fern) |
| |
Dryopteris expansa (Spiny wood fern) |
| |
Erigeron peregrinus (subalpine daisy) |
| |
Heracleum lanatum (cow parsley) |
| |
Rubus pedatus (five-leaved bramble) |
| |
Valeriana sitchensis (Sitka valerian) |
| |
Lupinus arcticus (Arctic lupine) |
| |
Tiarella trifoliata (foam flower) |
| |
| Meidinger, D. and Pojar, J. 1991. Ecosystems of British Columbia. British Columbia Ministry of Forests. 330 pp.
http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/Docs/Srs/SRseries.htm |
