Ponderosa Community
The vitality and regeneration of this Pinus ponderosa forest depends on ample seeds, adequate moisture, and a temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit (13 °C) for germination and early survival (Layden 2007). Once the seed germinates, it grows a tap root 20 inches (50 cm) into the ground. This tree likes uneven aged stands and is shade intolerant. Best management practices for the Ponderosa Pine Community include group selection cutting and prescribed controlled burn fires. The bark of ponderosa pine is very thick so older trees can withstand fire to a certain extent. The Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) also respond well to low intensity fires and grow well in Ponderosa Pine Communities. Sucker production after a fire is high (50,000 suckers per hectare) but survival is low (Layden 2007). There is less canopy cover in a Ponderosa Pine Community compared to a Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and Spruce/Fir Community, resulting in more grasses, forbs, and shrubs. The high species richness in this community makes it preferred by grazing animals such as elk (Cervus elaphus), deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and moose (Alces alces).
Read more about this topic: Ponderosa Pine In The Salt Cabin Park Exclosure Area
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