Vegetation classification for the badger allotment, Mt. Hood National Forest

Graduation date: 1979More than 200 sites between 500 and 2000 meters elevation\ud were examined utilizing a reconnaissance sampling technique for a\ud portion of the eastern slopes of the northern Oregon Cascade Mountains.\ud Twelve different forested plant communities were described\ud with data on vegetation, soils and topography. A map of their distribution\ud and a key for their identification were presented.\ud The communities were grouped into four different series based\ud on climax tree species. The Pinus ponderosa-Quercus garryana\ud series dominated elevations between 600 and 850 meters and included\ud four community types. The Quercus garryana/Purshia tridentata/\ud Agropyron spicatum type was an open Quercus garryana woodland\ud found on upper southerly slopes with relatively shallow soils. The\ud Pinus ponderosa-Quercus garryana/Purshia tridentata/Festuca\ud idahoensis type was the most widespread member of the series and\ud was found on gentle slopes with east to south aspects. The Pinus/\ud ponderosa/Purshia tridentata/Lupinus leucophyllus type was found\ud on gentle east to south facing slopes on flat or convex microrelief.\ud The Pinus ponderosa/Purshia tridentata Lupinus caudata type was on\ud gentle east to south facing slopes having concave microrelief.\ud The Abies grandis series dominated elevations between 850 and\ud 1500 meters and included four community types. The Abies grandis/\ud Carex geyeri type occupied the lowest elevations within the series and\ud was found on all aspects and slope positions. The Abies grandis/\ud Pyrola secunda type was found at the upper elevations on midslopes\ud with northerly aspects between 1360 and 1415 meters.\ud The Thuja plicata series was found in stream bottoms and\ud valleys between 1100 and 1325 meters elevation and included two\ud community types. The Tsuga plicata/Linnaea borealis var. longiflora\ud type was found on flat to concave microrelief with soils that had a high\ud ground water table. The Tsuga heterophylla/Linnaea borealis var.\ud longiflora type was found on lower sheltered valleys and side slopes.\ud The Abies amabilis series dominated the upper elevations of\ud the study area between 1500 and 1960 meters and included two community\ud types. Tsuga mertensiana was a conspicuous associate with\ud Abies amabilis. The understory vegetation was often depauperate\ud and poorly developed. Low shrubs were usually the most dominant\ud understory species. The Abies amabilis /Rubus lasiococcus type was\ud found at the lower elevations within the series on a variety of slopes,\ud aspects and topography. The Abies amabilis/Vaccinium scoparium\ud type occupied the highest elevations within the study area and subalpine\ud meadows and openings were commonly interspersed with it.\ud It occurred on north to east aspects on a variety of slopes and\ud topography.\ud Non-forested areas within the study area were not classified but\ud were briefly described. Some implications for management by community\ud were also given