Abstract for CNVC00020
Woodland
Forêt ouverte
Pinus contorta var. contorta - Chamaecyparis nootkatensis / Racomitrium spp.
Shore Pine - Yellow-cedar / Rock Moss
Pin tordu côtier - Cyprès jaune / Racomitre
CNVC00020 is an endemic, scrubby, open coniferous woodland association that occurs at elevations up to 600 mASL in very wet, hypermaritime climates of coastal British Columbia. Site conditions are shallow soils on upper slopes and crests over granitic or similarly nutritionally very poor (acidic) rocky knolls. Climate, site and wind conditions result in the scrubby physiognomy and mainly uneven-aged, old forest successional stages. Shore pine (Pinus contorta var. contorta) and yellow-cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) - the predominant tree species - are seldom over 10 m tall. These conifers are significant components of the shrub layer along with salal (Gaultheria shallon). The diverse, but poorly developed herb layer is typified by bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) and black crowberry (Empetrum nigrum). The moss layer is dominated by the rock mosses (Racomitrium spp.).
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