Forest/Environment Relationships in Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, U.S.A.

Parker, Albert

Direct from publication, "Forest types of Lassen Volcanic National Park (LVNP), California, were defined by cluster analysis and related to environmental gradients by detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and mosaic diagrams. In addition, regression models relating basal area of common tree species to environmental variables were developed. Six forest types, largely differentiated by elevation (and secondarily by topographic setting), included Pinus Jeffreyi Grev. & Balf. /Abies concolor (Gor. & Glend. ) Lindl. forests on relatively xeric sites from 1600 to 1900m; Abies concolor /Abies magnifica A.Murr. forests on somewhat more mesic settings from 1700 to 2000m; Chaos Jumbles/Devastated Area sites dominated by Pinus contorta Dougl. and other pines on recently geologically disturbed terrain from 1800 to 2000m; Abies magnifica/Pinus monticola Dougl. forests from 2000 to 2400m on a wide variety of topograpic uplands; Pinus contorta forests from 1900 to 2200m on lower slopes, valley bottoms, and meadow/lake margins; and Tsuga mertensiana (Bong.)Carr. woodlands from 2400 to 2600m on the flanks of Lassen Peak. Elevation was strongly correlated with the firest DCA axis (r=0.92) and species regression models included elevation as the primary variable in five of six cases. Topographic variables were incorporated in four species models and soil chemical properties in three models, reflecting their secondary importance in controlling tree species distributions in LVNP."

Forest/Environment Relationships in Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, U.S.A.

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