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The pure stands of Rocky
Mountain ponderosa pine forest receive about 15–20 inches (380–510 mm) of annual precipitation. In the northern Rockies, about 40-50% falls in April through September, while in the southern Rockies, about 66-75% falls during these months. During these months there is
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intercept a lot of the precipitation. The average temperature for this community is, on average, warmer than other conifer communities studied. The average temperature is approximately 5 to 8 °C (41 to 46 °F), creating 50-100 frost-free days per year.
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happens during the summer in the area also. Hunting is favored in the ponderosa pine forest because the trees are more spaced out than other conifer forests making for better range of sight, and the forest is lower and has less snow.
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In the northern Rocky
Mountains of Idaho and western Montana, dry settings of ponderosa pine forests historically burned by low severity surface fires that did not kill overstory trees at 15 to 23 year mean return intervals.
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119:). These species, in particular, exemplify aggressive survivors after disturbance (e.g., fire, mechanical site preparation) and are strong competitors for light and nutrients which compete with ponderosa pine seedlings.
462:
Mauk, RL; Henderson, JA (1984). Coniferous forest habitat types of northern Utah (Report). Ogden, UT: Intermountain Forest and Range
Experiment Station, US Forest Service. General Technical Report GTR-INT-170.
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helps spread the seeds of the ponderosa pine by spreading out and burying its caches. This results in the seeds being further from the trees and better germination rates. This community also hosts the
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511:. Proceedings of the Symposium on Ponderosa Pine: Issues, Trends, and Management. US Forest Service. USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-198.
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562:. Fort Collins, Colorado: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. Res. Pap. RM-145.
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247:). The species present in this area affect the vegetation and provide aesthetic value for the people who use this area recreationally.
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has also adapted to the chemicals ponderosa pine produces for protection by targeting the trees that have lowered chemical levels.
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264:, and shrubs. The high species richness of the understory in this community makes it preferred by grazing animals such as elk (
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477:(Report). Ogden, UT: Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, US Forest Service. General Technical Report INT-144.
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The ponderosa pine forest, unlike the lodgepole pine and spruce/fir forests, supports numerous mammal species including
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The ponderosa pine forest is a favored location for summer cabins and is often easily accessed. Much camping and
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179:) are also adapted to ponderosa pine woodlands. Another species that can be supported by ponderosa pine is the
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are early-seral associates of ponderosa pine on these sites. Ground-level vegetation includes ninebark (
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541:
588:
Barrett, SW; Arno, SF (1982). "Indian fires as an ecological influence in the
Northern Rockies".
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437:
Peet, R. K. (1988). "Forests of the Rocky
Mountains". In Barbour, M. G.; Billings, W. D. (eds.).
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547:. Washington D.C.: US Forest Service. pp. 21–22. Agriculture Handbook No. 475.
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199:), which burrows into gopher holes. Also, ponderosa pine provides habitat for the
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by Native
Americans augmented and even dominated burning in several locations.
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usually prefers a cluster of trees and feeds on the seeds of the cones.
333: in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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542:"Vegetation and environmental features of forest and range ecosystems"
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Steele, R; Cooper, SV; Ondov, DM; Roberts, DW; Pfister, RD (1983).
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at an elevation of 2,000–2,700 metres (6,600–8,900 ft) in the
560:"Abert squirrel cover requirements in Southwestern ponderosa pine"
526:. Pullman, WA: Cooperative Extension, Washington State University.
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Peet, RK (1981). "Forest vegetation of the
Colorado front range".
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cover in a ponderosa pine community compared to a lodgepole pine (
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Baumgartner, DM; Boyd, RJ; Breuer, DW; Miller, DL (1986).
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Weed control for forest productivity in the
Interior West
441:. New York: Cambridge University Press. pp. 63–101.
260:) and spruce/fir community, resulting in more grasses,
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Mixed ponderosa pine and quaking aspen forest, Arizona
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Forest habitat types of eastern Idaho-western
Wyoming
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616:Temperate coniferous forests of the United States
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505:Graham, Russell T; Jain, Theresa B (2005).
349:Learn how and when to remove this message
540:Garrison, George A; et al. (1977).
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439:North American terrestrial vegetation
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331:adding citations to reliable sources
54:species that are only found in this
29:Rocky Mountain ponderosa pine forest
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386:Rocky Mountain Floristic Region
318:needs additional citations for
81:Ponderosa pine occurs as a mid-
621:Forests of the Rocky Mountains
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391:South Central Rockies forests
396:Temperate coniferous forests
22:Rocky Mountain National Park
577:. Flathead Audubon Society.
41:temperate coniferous forest
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508:Ponderosa Pine Ecosystems
20:Ponderosa pine forest in
558:Patton, David R (1975).
381:Colorado Rockies forests
93:in the Rocky Mountains.
241:white-breasted nuthatch
116:Calamagrostis rubescens
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215:) as well as birds as
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39:. It is an important
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376:Ponderosa pine forest
185:Tamias quadrivitattus
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327:improve this article
197:Pituophis catenifera
590:Journal of Forestry
273:Odocoileus hemionus
229:Meleagris gallopavo
221:Piranga ludoviciana
134:Populus tremuloides
113:), and pine grass (
363:four-wheel driving
245:Sitta carolinensis
237:Sialia currucoides
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130:evapotranspiration
107:spp.), elk sedge (
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233:mountain bluebird
189:T. quadrivitattus
181:Colorado chipmunk
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279:Alces alces
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104:Physocarpus
87:Douglas-fir
610:Categories
426:(1): 3–75.
402:References
299:Recreation
270:), deer (
213:Lynx rufus
207:) and the
420:Vegetatio
169:S. aberti
165:S. aberti
44:ecoregion
370:See also
339:May 2022
286:Wildfire
141:Wildlife
132:because
239:), and
123:Climate
89:is the
69:Ecology
63:habitat
48:endemic
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252:canopy
209:bobcat
201:cougar
545:(PDF)
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128:high
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