Pinus contorta var. murrayana (Balf.) Engelm.

More info for the terms: forest, shrub, shrubs

The Fire Study Shrub control by burning before timber harvest discusses
controlling shrubs in ponderosa pine-Sierra lodgepole pine mixed-conifer
communties on the Pringle Falls Experimental Forest, Oregon.

Sierra lodgepole pine
tamarack pine
lodgepole pine
Sierra-Cascade lodgepole pine

Sierra lodgepole pine is a native conifer from 90 to 100 feet (28-30 m)
in height and averaging 16.5 inches (42 cm) in d.b.h. [38,41,55,64].
Trees growing near timberline are shrubby in form [12]. Sierra
lodgepole pine is long-lived; some trees have lived in excess of 600
years [64]. Its bark is thin [39,41]. The branches are short and
finely subdivided into branchlets of small diameter [62]. Needles are
from 1.2 to 2.4 inches (3-6 cm) long and occur in fascicles of two
[29,41]. The nonserotinous cones are 1.6 to 2.4 inches (4-6 cm) in
length, and often occur in clusters [12,27,29,62,65].

Sierra lodgepole pine occurs in the Cascade Range of southern
Washington, Oregon, and California [34]; it also occurs in the Sierra
Nevada and Klamath Mountains. Disjunct populations occur farther south
in the Transverse and Peninsular ranges and the Sierra de Juarez of Baja
California [7,12,34,41]. Sierra lodgepole pine is also found in the
Virginia and Sweetwater mountains of the Great Basin [36].

More info for the terms: fire regime, fire-return interval, fuel, fuel loading, seed, severity, stand-replacing fire

Sierra lodgepole pine is fire sensitive [2,48]. After stand-replacing
fire, it typically establishes from wind-dispersed seed. Agee [1]
reported that establishment of Sierra lodgepole pine in Crater Lake
National Monument, Oregon, was favored by fires of moderate to high
severity. Fire-return intervals in Sierra lodgepole pine forests vary.
On the western slope of the Cascade Range in Oregon, stand-replacing
fires may occur several hundred years apart. On the eastern slopewhere
drier conditions prevail, such fires may occur at intervals of less than
20 years [2]. Keeley [64] reported a fire-return interval of several
hundred years was also common on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada.
Stand-replacing fires are related to insect attacks, particulary by pine
mountain beetle, and declining vigor and high fuel loading in older
stands [2,16,63]. When fires occur in Sierra lodgepole stands, they are
usually intense and extensive [2].

FIRE REGIMES :
Find fire regime information for the plant communities in which this
taxon may occur by entering "Sierra lodgepole pine" in the FEIS home page
under "Find FIRE REGIMES".

More info for the terms: density, fire suppression, fuel

Sierra lodgepole pine has increased in importance in some white fir
forests. It typically invades such forests in the first few decades
following fire. Historically, Sierra lodgepole pine in understories of
white fir forests were killed by the next fire. Past policies of fire
suppression in Crater Lakes National Monument, however, have resulted in
a significant increase in density of Sierra lodgepole pine within the
white fir zone [1].

Lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe adds to vertical distribution of fuel.
Periodic fire, however, aids in keeping dwarf mistletoe, fungal, and
insect infestations under control [25].

Heart and root rot fungi may invade fire-scarred Sierra lodgepole pine
[18].

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More info for the term: phanerophyte

Phanerophyte

More info for the terms: herbaceous, organic soils, shrubs, xeric

Sierra lodgepole pine grows in areas with cold, wet winters and dry,
warm summers [38,53]. In the southern part of its range, Sierra
lodgepole pine grows under xeric conditions [23,56]. Annual
precipitation ranges from 30 to 60 inches (750-1,500 mm), mostly in the
form of snow [48,52].

Sierra lodgepole pine thrives on a broad spectrum of soil types, from
water-logged organic soils to well-drained glacial outwashes [13,62].
It also grows in soils with underlying hardpan. Soil parent materials
include pumice, ash, and granite [22,45,52,55]. Sierra lodgepole pine
most commonly grows in soils with a pH of 5.1 to 5.3 [45]. It cannot
tolerate soils approaching a pH of 8 [11].

Sierra lodgepole pine occurs from 5,000 to 11,600 feet (1,515-3,508 m)
in elevation in California and from 3,000 and 7,000 feet (910-2,130 m)
in Oregon [38,41,56].

Other canopy associates not mentioned in Distribution and Occurrence
include quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) and western juniper
(Juniperus occidentalis ssp. australis) [40,48,57]. Sierra lodgepole
pine understory is sparse [48]. Associate understory shrubs include
birchleaf mountain-mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius), pinemat manzanita
(Arctostaphylos nevadensis), gooseberry currant (Ribes montigenum),
purple mountain heather (Phyllodoce breweri), bitterbrush (Purshia
tridentata), whitethorn ceanothus (Ceanothus cordulatus), bearberry
(Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), and western huckleberry (Vaccinium
occidentale) [3,33,48]. Herbaceous associates include sedges (Carex
spp.), bottlebrush squirreltail (Elymus elymoides), western needlegrass
(Stipa occidentalis), pinegrass (Calamagrostis rubescens), rockcress
(Arabis spp.), sulfur buckwheat (Erogonum umbellatum), and pussypaws
(Spraguea umbellata) [39,48,59].

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This species is known to occur in association with the following cover types (as classified by the Society of American Foresters):

205 Mountain hemlock
206 Engelmann spruce - subalpine fir
207 Red fir
208 Whitebark pine
211 White fir
215 Western white pine
218 Lodgepole pine
219 Limber pine
224 Western hemlock
229 Pacific Douglas-fir
230 Douglas-fir - western hemlock
243 Sierra Nevada mixed conifer
244 Pacific ponderosa pine - Douglas-fir
245 Pacific ponderosa pine
247 Jeffrey pine
256 California mixed subalpine

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This species is known to occur in the following ecosystem types (as named by the U.S. Forest Service in their Forest and Range Ecosystem [FRES] Type classification):

FRES20 Douglas-fir
FRES21 Ponderosa pine
FRES23 Fir - spruce
FRES24 Hemlock - Sitka spruce
FRES26 Lodgepole pine

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This species is known to occur in association with the following plant community types (as classified by Küchler 1964):

More info for the term: forest

K001 Spruce - cedar - hemlock forest
K002 Cedar - hemlock - Douglas-fir forest
K004 Fir - hemlock forest
K005 Mixed conifer forest
K007 Red fir forest
K008 Lodgepole pine - subalpine forest
K012 Douglas-fir forest
K013 Cedar - hemlock - pine forest
K015 Western spruce - fir forest

Sierra lodgepole pine is usually killed by fire because of its shallow
root system and thin bark [60]. After a lightning-ignited fire in the
Sierra Nevada at Ellis Meadow in Kings Canyon National Park, most of the
trees surrounding the meadow were killed [15].

More info for the term: cover

Thirty-one mammals and almost 50 bird species use Sierra lodgepole pine
forests for food, cover, or habitat [63]. Dead or dying trees provide
nesting sites for cavity-nesting birds. The fallen branches from these
trees provide sites for ground-nesting birds and mammals. Although dead
trees may be hazardous to elk and deer that are traveling quickly [63],
dense stands of Sierra lodgepole pine provide excellent escape and
resting cover [7,61]. Spruce grouse feed on Sierra lodgepole pine
needles during the winter. The seeds are a food source for squirrels,
chipmunks, birds, and mice [39].

Livestock graze in Sierra lodgepole pine stands, but these stands are
not as important to livestock as Rocky Mountain lodgepole pine stands
are. In the Cascades, livestock often find better forage in associated
vegatation types. Livestock use of lodgepole pine in the Sierra Nevada
has been little studied, but stands there are probably of low
significance to livestock [7].

More info for the term: codominant

Sierra lodgepole pine is a dominant or codominant species in upper
montane and subalpine forests [8,33,43,48,57]. A poorly defined
lodgepole pine zone occurs above the red fir (Abies magnifica) zone and
below the subalpine forests of mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana),
whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis), and western white pine (P. monticola)
[48]. Sierra lodgepole pine forms extensive, pure stands in the Sierran
lodgepole pine zone [2,12,48].

Sierra lodgepole pine is listed as a dominant or indicator species in
the following published classifications:

Preliminary plant associations of the southern Oregon Cascade Mountain
Province [2]
Preliminary plant associations of the Siskiyou Mountain Province [3]
Vegetation types of the San Gabriel Mountains [23]
Riparian zone associations of Deschutes, Ochoco, Fremont, and Winema
National Forests [33]
Vegetation types of the San Bernadino Mountains [40]
Montane forests of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Ranges [45]
Subalpine forests of the Transverse and Peninsular Ranges [56]
Vascular plant communities of California [57]
Plant associations of the central Oregon Pumice Zone [59]

More info for the term: tree

Tree

More info for the terms: climax, fuel, tree

Sierra lodgepole pine serves as a nurse tree for Douglas-fir
(Pseudotsuga menziesii), subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa), and Engelmann
spruce (Picea engelmannii). Its rapid juvenile growth makes it a useful
short-rotation crop [61]. Sierra lodgepole pine forms an edaphic climax
on some sites, and careful consideration should be taken before
converting these stands to other species [11]. Sierra lodgepole pine
has great potential for long-term population maintenance, even in the
absence of disturbance [44]. Overstocking results in limited diameter
growth of Sierra lodgepole pine and stagnant stands [2,39]. When
planted on steep to moderate slopes and high bluffs, Sierra lodgepole
pine had one of the highest survival and growth rates in both first- and
second-year evaluations [10].

Sierra lodgepole pine is susceptible to windfall [55].

Annosus root disease (Heterobasidion annosum) infects Sierra lodgepole
pine in central Oregon and kills trees under stress on dry sites. Other
diseases that affect Sierra lodgepole pine are discussed in the
literature [11,13,22,36,55].

Lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium americanum) is the most
serious parasite of Sierra lodgepole pine [13,38]. Treatment methods
are discussed in the literature [24,25,39].

The mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) is the most severe
insect pest affecting Sierra lodgepole pine. Epidemics can kill 33 to
66 percent of large trees in a stand [63]. Infestations commonly last 5
to 7 years, and occur in 20- to 40-year cycles [63]. Mountain pine
beetle outbreaks create a large amount of fuel build-up. Watersheds can
release up to 30 percent more water because of the dead trees killed by
mountain pine beetle [63].

CA HI NV OR WA MEXICO

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More info for the terms: seed, tree

Pollen is shed in June. Fertilization occurs 13 months after
pollination, usually in June or July [12,13,55]. Cones open and
disperse seed from late August to mid-October, and do not persist on the
tree [12,13].

More info for the term: stand-replacing fire

Fire prepares an ideal seedbed, and Sierra lodgepole pine is an early
postfire colonizer [13,30]. Following stand-replacing fire, it
initially establishes in even-aged stands. Smaller-scale disturbances
such as windfall and avalanches are thought to convert Sierra lodgepole
pine forests to the uneven-aged structure typical of this variety [43].

More info for the term: root crown

Tree without adventitious-bud root crown
Initial-offsite colonizer (off-site, initial community)

More info for the terms: cone, duff, root crown, seed

Sierra lodgepole pine is prolific, reliable seed producer, with good
seed crops occurring every 1 to 3 years [12,27,34,55]. Cones first
appear between the ages of 4 and 8 [13,34]. The percentage of viable
seed is high. Germination studies have shown that seed viability is
between 75 to 77 percent in southern Oregon and 72 percent in the Sierra
Nevada [13]. Seeds are wind dispersed and fall approximately 200 feet
(60 m) from the source [13]. They have remained viable for up to 17
years in cold storage [34]. Seeds require a minimum of 20 percent full
sunlight to germinate [13,39]. Bare mineral soils or disturbed duff
that is free of competing vegetation have the highest rates of
germination [55]. A study in the central Sierra Nevada showed that
Sierra lodgepole pine establishes in large numbers in localized areas of
disturbance, such as tree-fall sites [43].

In the southern Cascade region, squirrels may cause significant cone
losses [12]. However, seed loss to birds and rodents does not greatly
affect Sierra lodgepole pine reproduction because of the heavy cone
crops and high germination capacity of seeds [55]. Browsing by elk and
deer is usually not a major cause of seedling mortality. Grazing or
trampling by livestock can, however, result in some losses [39]. Gopher
herbivory also kills young seedlings [14].

Sierra lodgepole pine does not sprout from the root crown [55].

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This species can be found in the following regions of the western United States (according to the Bureau of Land Management classification of Physiographic Regions of the western United States):

1 Northern Pacific Border
2 Cascade Mountains
3 Southern Pacific Border
4 Sierra Mountains
5 Columbia Plateau

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More info for the terms: climax, forest, tree, xeric

Facultative Seral Species

Sierra lodgepole pine establishes soon after disturbance and is
moderately shade tolerant [13,18,20,26]. It forms stable climax
communities in the zone just above red fir and white fir-mountain
hemlock forests [1,43,48]. It is dominant on more xeric or infertile
sites within the white fir-mountain hemlock forest [1,7,52], but is
generally a seral tree within that forest type [1].

Pinus murrayana Balf.
Pinus contorta subsp. murrayana (Grev. & Balf.) Critchfield

The currently accepted scientific name of Sierra lodgepole pine is Pinus
contorta var. murrayana (Grev. & Balf.) Engelm. [37]. Sierra lodgepole
pine is one of four recognized varieties of lodgepole pine (Pinus
contorta). The other three varieties are listed below [37]:

shore pine (Pinus contorta var. contorta),
Rocky Mountain lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia)
Mendocino White Plains lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. bolanderi)

This review covers Sierra lodgepole pine.

Sierra lodgepole pine regenerates well on poor soils, rocky slopes, and
exposed sites; it is widely planted in Great Britian and New Zealand for
this reason [61,63].

The wood of Sierra lodgepole pine is straight grained, light, and
uniform in texture, with small knots [41,63]. The wood is suited for
common lumber grades, and used for light framing materials, interior
paneling, exterior trim, posts, railroad ties, pulp and paper, and has
potential for structural particle board [7,39,61,63]. The uniform size
of Sierra lodgepole pine makes harvesting efficient. In some areas,
however, it is costly to harvest because access to steep slopes is
difficult with machinery [39,61].