Environmental Characterisitcs of the Grand Fir Mosaic and Adjacent Habitat Types

摘要

Grand Fir Mosaic habitats differ from adjacent forest habitats in their slow rateof secondary succession to woody vegetation. Remote monitoring stations were used to sample the environment at a Grand Fir Mosaic site and three adjacent habitat types. The Grand Fir Mosaic site has shorter growing seasons, cooler temperatures, and more soil moisture than the other sites. Soil pH at the Grand Fir Mosaic site cycled from 5.5 to 6.5 in winter months to 4.0 to 5.0 in summer months. These unique site and environmental characteristics are shown to cause highly acidic soils with high aluminum availability below pH 5.0.