| Ecoregions: Southern Interior |
| Elevations: 335-900m |
| Latitudes: 49-51 degrees |
| |
| Description: |
- Warmest and driest forest zone.
- Narrow band in the driest and warmest valleys of the Southern Interior
(Fraser/Thompson, Okanagan/Similkameen, Keetle, Pend d'Oreille, Columbia)
- Grades to BB at lower elevations and to the IDF at higher elevations
- Ponderosa pine the dominant tree in open savannah-like stands, with Douglas-fir common on cooler and moiser sites
- Understory characterized by abundant grasses such as bluebunch wheatgrass and rough fescues
- Frequent ground fires create and maintain stand structure
- Important habitat for California bighorn sheep, burrowing owl, grouse and white-tailed deer>
|
| Representative Species: |
| Drier phase |
| |
Trees
|
| |
Pinus ponderosa (ponderosa pine) |
| |
Shrubs |
| |
Amelanchier alnifolia (saskatoon) |
| |
Artemisia tridentata (big sage) |
| |
A. frigida (pasture sage) |
| |
Chrysothamnus nauseosus (rabbit brush) |
| |
Forbs and Grasses |
| |
Festuca saximontana (Rocky mtn. fescue) |
| |
Festuca idahoensis (Idaho fescue) |
| |
Crepis atrabarba (slender hawksbeard) |
| |
Astragalis miser (timber milk-vetch) |
| |
Agropyron spicatum (bluebunch wheatgrass) |
| |
Balsamorhiza sagittata (balsamroot) |
| |
Achillea millifolium (yarrow) |
| |
| Wetter Phase |
| |
Trees |
| |
Pinus ponderosa (ponderosa pine) |
| |
Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir) |
| |
Shrubs |
| |
Amelanchier alnifolia (saskatoon) |
| |
Sympohoricarpos albus (snowberry) |
| |
Rosa spp. (roses) |
| |
Acer glabrum (Douglas maple) |
| |
Mahonia aquifolium (tall Oregon-grape) |
| |
Cornus stolonifera (Red-osier dogwood) |
| |
Forbs and Grasses |
| |
Agropyron spicatum (bluebunch wheatgrass) |
| |
Koeleria macrantha (June grass) |
| |
Poa sandbergii (Sandberg's bluegrass) |
| |
Antenaria dimorpha (pussytoes) |
| |
| Potential Restoration Species: |
| Drier phase |
| |
Trees |
| |
Pinus ponderosa (ponderosa pine) |
| |
Shrubs |
| |
Amelanchier alnifolia (saskatoon) |
| |
Artemisia tridentata (big sage) |
| |
A. frigida (pasture sage) |
| |
Chrysothamnus nauseosus (rabbit brush) |
| |
Forbs and Grasses |
| |
Aristida longiseta (red three-awn) |
| |
Balsamorhiza sagittata (balsamroot) |
| |
Festuca saximontana (Rocky mtn. fescue) |
| |
Festuca idahoensis (Idaho fescue) |
| |
Agropyron spicatum (bluebunch wheatgrass) |
| |
| Wetter Phase |
| |
Trees |
| |
Pinus ponderosa (ponderosa pine) |
| |
Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir) |
| |
Shrubs |
| |
Amelanchier alnifolia (saskatoon) |
| |
Sympohoricarpos albus (snowberry) |
| |
Rosa spp. (roses) |
| |
Acer glabrum (Douglas maple) |
| |
Mahonia aquifolium (tall Oregon-grape) |
| |
Cornus stolonifera (Red-osier dogwood) |
| |
Forbs and Grasses |
| |
Agropyron spicatum (bluebunch wheatgrass) |
| |
Distichlis stricta (alkaline saltgrass) |
| |
Smilacina stellata (star flowered false Solomon's seal) |
| |
| 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 |
