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Klamath Mountains (ecoregion)

January 30, 2023

This article is about the Klamath Mountains ecoregion. For the mountain range, see Klamath Mountains.

The Klamath Mountains ecoregion of Oregon and California lies inland and north of the Coast Range ecoregion, extending from the Umpqua River in the north to the Sacramento Valley in the south. It encompasses the highly dissected ridges, foothills, and valleys of the Klamath and Siskiyou Mountains. It corresponds to the Level III ecoregion designated by the Environmental Protection Agency and to the Klamath-Siskiyou forests ecoregion designated by the World Wide Fund for Nature.[3]

Klamath Mountains
Bear Mountain in the Siskiyou Wilderness of California
Ecology
RealmNearctic
BiomeTemperate coniferous forests
Borders
List
Bird species220[1]
Mammal species87[1]
Geography
Area50,245 km2 (19,400 sq mi)
CountryUnited States
States
Coordinates41°30′N 123°18′W / 41.5°N 123.3°W / 41.5; -123.3
Conservation
Conservation statusCritical/Endangered[2]
Global 200Yes
Habitat loss4.4045%[1]
Protected56.99%[1]

The ecoregion, also known as a geomorphic province,[4] was unglaciated during the Pleistocene epoch, when it served as a refuge for northern plant species. Its mix of granitic, sedimentary, metamorphic, and extrusive rocks contrasts with the predominantly volcanic rocks of the Cascades ecoregion to the northeast. The mild, subhumid climate of the region is characterized by a lengthy summer drought. It supports a mosaic of both northern Californian and Pacific Northwestern conifers and hardwoods.[5]

Ecology

The ecoregion harbors rich biodiversity,[6] with several distinct plant communities, including temperate rain forests, moist inland forests, oak forests and savannas, high elevation forests, and alpine grasslands. Thirty conifer species inhabit the region, including seven endemic species, making the region one of the richest coniferous forest regions of the world in species diversity. The region also has several edaphic plant communities (adapted to specific soil types), notably those of the region's serpentine outcrops.

Conifer species include Coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii subsp. menziesii), Lawson's Cypress (also known as Port Orford Cedar, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana), Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa), Sugar Pine (Pinus lambertiana), Mountain Hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana), White Fir (Abies concolor subsp. lowiana), Red Fir (A. magnifica subsp. shastensis), Weeping Spruce (Picea breweriana), Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), and Pacific Yew (Taxus brevifolia). These forests mark the northern extent of the range for California Buckeye.[7]

Level IV ecoregions

 
Level IV ecoregions in the Klamath Mountains in Oregon. Contiguous areas in California have not been mapped yet. (Full map).

The Oregon portion of the ecoregion has been subdivided into seven Level IV ecoregions, as described below.

Rogue/Illinois Valleys (78a)

The Rogue/Illinois Valleys ecoregion includes terraces and floodplains in the Rogue and Illinois river valleys at an elevation of 900 to 2,000 feet (274 to 610 m). Historically, the valleys supported Oregon white oak and California black oak woodland, with Pacific madrone, ponderosa pine, and grassland. Common understory plants included California fescue, snowberry, and serviceberry. Riparian areas supported willow and cottonwood. Much of the land has been developed for agricultural or residential use, and little of the original vegetation remains. Remnants of oak savanna, prairie vegetation, and seasonal ponds persist on the mesa tops of the Table Rocks north of Medford. Elsewhere, land uses include orchards, cropland, and pastureland. Climate, vegetation, and resulting land use are more similar to Northern California’s inland valleys than to the Willamette Valley ecoregion to the north. The region covers 285 square miles (738 km2) in Oregon, in three separate areas around Medford and Ashland, Grants Pass, and Cave Junction.[5]

Oak Savanna Foothills (78b)

The Oak Savanna Foothills ecoregion consists of moderately sloping mountain foothills bordering the Rogue and Illinois river valleys and sharing their Mediterranean climate. Elevation varies from 1,400 to 4,000 feet (427 to 1,219 m). The driest area, east of Medford, is dominated by Oregon white oak and California black oak woodlands, grassland-savanna, ponderosa pine, and Coast Douglas-fir. The wetter foothills flanking the Illinois Valley support Douglas-fir, madrone, and California incense-cedar. Understory species include oceanspray, Western poison-oak, snowberry, Idaho fescue, California brome, roughstalk bluegrass, and ceanothus. The region is lower and less dissected, with more oak woodland and less closed-canopied forest than the Inland Siskiyous. It covers 818 square miles (2,119 km2) in Oregon.[5]

Umpqua Interior Foothills (78c)

The Umpqua Interior Foothills ecoregion is a complex of foothills and narrow valleys containing fluvial terraces and floodplains. Elevation varies from 400 to 2,800 feet (122 to 853 m). It is drier than the foothills of the Willamette Valley, partly because the summer Pacific high pressure system arrives earlier and remains longer than in ecoregions to the north. Summers are hot and dry, and soils have a xeric moisture regime in contrast to the udic soils of the Mid-Coastal Sedimentary ecoregion to the west. The slopes are covered by Oregon white oak woodland, Douglas-fir, grand fir, ponderosa pine, madrone, tanoak, and chinkapin, with an understory chaparral community that includes snowberry, salal, Oregon grape, poison oak, oceanspray, and swordfern. Many areas have been converted to pastureland, vineyards, orchards, and row crops. It covers 921 square miles (2,385 km2) in Oregon in the Umpqua Valley, including the city of Roseburg.[5]

 
Waldo rockcress is an uncommon endemic member of the serpentine soils flora of the Serpentine Siskiyous.

Serpentine Siskiyous (78d)

The Serpentine Siskiyous ecoregion consists of highly dissected mountains containing perennial, high gradient streams at an elevation of 1,500 to 4,300 feet (457 to 1,311 m). It is lithogically distinct from the rest of the Klamath Mountains ecoregion. Many plants have difficulty growing in its serpentine soils due to a shortage of calcium and high levels of magnesium, nickel, and chromium. As a result, vegetation is often sparse and composed of specialist species that have evolved to grow in the potentially toxic and nutrient-poor serpentine soils. It supports a mixed conifer forest of Jeffrey pine, tanoak, incense-cedar, Douglas-fir, and montane chaparral composed of manzanita, ceanothus, Idaho fescue, and Lemmon needlegrass. Historic gold, nickel, chromite, copper, and mercury mining have contributed to water quality problems. The region covers 440 square miles (1,140 km2) in Oregon, including portions of the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest and the Kalmiopsis and Wild Rogue wildernesses. Contiguous areas in California have not been mapped yet.[5]

Inland Siskiyous (78e)

 
Preston Peak, Siskiyou Wilderness

The Inland Siskiyous ecoregion is higher and more mountainous than the neighboring foothill and valley ecoregions, with an elevation of 800 to 7,000 feet (244 to 2,134 m). It has a higher fire frequency, less annual precipitation, and longer summer droughts than the Coastal Siskiyous. Forest cover is a diverse and multi-layered mix of conifers, broadleaf evergreens, and deciduous trees and shrubs, featuring Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, Oregon white oak, California black oak, madrone, serviceberry, snowberry, Oregon grape, California fescue, and poison oak. The largest of the Klamath Mountains subregions mapped so far, it covers 2,610 square miles (6,760 km2) in Oregon, including public lands within the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest. Contiguous areas in California have not been mapped yet.[5]

Coastal Siskiyous (78f)

The Coastal Siskiyous ecoregion consists of highly dissected mountains with a wetter and milder maritime climate than elsewhere in the Klamath Mountains ecoregion. Elevation varies from 600 to 5,300 feet (183 to 1,615 m). Productive forests composed of tanoak, Douglas-fir, bigleaf maple, California laurel, and some Port Orford cedar cover its mountainous landscape, with chinkapin, salal, rhododendron, and swordfern; tanoak is more common than elsewhere in Oregon. Broadleaf evergreens, such as tanoak and madrone, quickly colonize disturbed areas, making it difficult to regenerate conifer forest growth. Xeric soils derived from Siskiyou rock types are characteristic; udic soils which support western hemlock and Sitka spruce are present but are less common than in the wetter Coast Range ecoregion to the west. The region covers 853 square miles (2,209 km2) in Oregon, including portions of the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest and the Kalmiopsis and Wild Rogue Wilderness wildernesses. Contiguous areas in California have not been mapped yet.[5]

Klamath River Ridges (78g)

The Klamath River Ridges is characterized by highly dissected mountains, with a dry, continental climate. Elevation varies from 3,800 to 7,500 feet (1,158 to 2,286 m). Vegetation varies with slope, aspect, and elevation. Higher altitudes and north-facing slopes have Douglas-fir and white fir; lower elevations and south-facing slopes are covered in ponderosa pine and western juniper, species that are more drought-resistant than other vegetation types found within the region. The chaparral features Oregon grape, western fescue, snowberry, bluebunch wheatgrass, and ceanothus. The region covers 121 square miles (313 km2) in Oregon near the Siskiyou Summit, including portions of the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest and the Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument. Contiguous areas in California have not been mapped yet.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Hoekstra, J. M.; Molnar, J. L.; Jennings, M.; Revenga, C.; Spalding, M. D.; Boucher, T. M.; Robertson, J. C.; Heibel, T. J.; Ellison, K. (2010). Molnar, J. L. (ed.). The Atlas of Global Conservation: Changes, Challenges, and Opportunities to Make a Difference. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-26256-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ "Klamath-Siskiyou | Ecoregions | WWF". World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  3. ^ "Klamath-Siskiyou forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
  4. ^ California State University, Northridge
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h   This article incorporates public domain material from Thorson, TD; Bryce, SA; Lammers, DA; et al. Ecoregions of Oregon (PDF). United States Geological Survey. (color poster with map, descriptive text, summary tables, and photographs; with a Reverse side).
  6. ^ Norse, Elliott A.; Raven, Peter H. (1989). Ancient Forests of the Pacific Northwest: Sustaining Biological Diversity and Timber Production in a Changing World. Wilderness Society (U.S.). Washington, D.C.: Island Press. ISBN 1-55963-016-7.
  7. ^ Hogan, C.Michael (2008). . Globaltwitcher.com. N. Stromberg. Archived from the original on 2011-10-05.

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Klamath Mountains
  • A Celebration of the Conifer Diversity in Northwest California
  • Conifers of Northwest California
  • Klamath-Siskiyou Forests images at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu (slow modem version)
  • CNPS: Rare and Endemic Conifers of Northwest California

January 30, 2023
klamath, mountains, ecoregion, this, article, about, klamath, mountains, ecoregion, mountain, range, klamath, mountains, klamath, mountains, ecoregion, oregon, california, lies, inland, north, coast, range, ecoregion, extending, from, umpqua, river, north, sac. This article is about the Klamath Mountains ecoregion For the mountain range see Klamath Mountains The Klamath Mountains ecoregion of Oregon and California lies inland and north of the Coast Range ecoregion extending from the Umpqua River in the north to the Sacramento Valley in the south It encompasses the highly dissected ridges foothills and valleys of the Klamath and Siskiyou Mountains It corresponds to the Level III ecoregion designated by the Environmental Protection Agency and to the Klamath Siskiyou forests ecoregion designated by the World Wide Fund for Nature 3 Klamath MountainsBear Mountain in the Siskiyou Wilderness of CaliforniaEcologyRealmNearcticBiomeTemperate coniferous forestsBordersList California interior chaparral and woodlandsCascadesCentral Pacific coastal forestsEastern Cascades Slopes and FoothillsSierra NevadaWillamette ValleyBird species220 1 Mammal species87 1 GeographyArea50 245 km2 19 400 sq mi CountryUnited StatesStatesCaliforniaOregonCoordinates41 30 N 123 18 W 41 5 N 123 3 W 41 5 123 3ConservationConservation statusCritical Endangered 2 Global 200YesHabitat loss4 4045 1 Protected56 99 1 The ecoregion also known as a geomorphic province 4 was unglaciated during the Pleistocene epoch when it served as a refuge for northern plant species Its mix of granitic sedimentary metamorphic and extrusive rocks contrasts with the predominantly volcanic rocks of the Cascades ecoregion to the northeast The mild subhumid climate of the region is characterized by a lengthy summer drought It supports a mosaic of both northern Californian and Pacific Northwestern conifers and hardwoods 5 Contents 1 Ecology 2 Level IV ecoregions 2 1 Rogue Illinois Valleys 78a 2 2 Oak Savanna Foothills 78b 2 3 Umpqua Interior Foothills 78c 2 4 Serpentine Siskiyous 78d 2 5 Inland Siskiyous 78e 2 6 Coastal Siskiyous 78f 2 7 Klamath River Ridges 78g 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksEcology EditThe ecoregion harbors rich biodiversity 6 with several distinct plant communities including temperate rain forests moist inland forests oak forests and savannas high elevation forests and alpine grasslands Thirty conifer species inhabit the region including seven endemic species making the region one of the richest coniferous forest regions of the world in species diversity The region also has several edaphic plant communities adapted to specific soil types notably those of the region s serpentine outcrops Conifer species include Coast Douglas fir Pseudotsuga menziesii subsp menziesii Lawson s Cypress also known as Port Orford Cedar Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Ponderosa Pine Pinus ponderosa Sugar Pine Pinus lambertiana Mountain Hemlock Tsuga mertensiana White Fir Abies concolor subsp lowiana Red Fir A magnifica subsp shastensis Weeping Spruce Picea breweriana Coast Redwood Sequoia sempervirens and Pacific Yew Taxus brevifolia These forests mark the northern extent of the range for California Buckeye 7 Level IV ecoregions Edit Level IV ecoregions in the Klamath Mountains in Oregon Contiguous areas in California have not been mapped yet Full map The Oregon portion of the ecoregion has been subdivided into seven Level IV ecoregions as described below Rogue Illinois Valleys 78a Edit The Rogue Illinois Valleys ecoregion includes terraces and floodplains in the Rogue and Illinois river valleys at an elevation of 900 to 2 000 feet 274 to 610 m Historically the valleys supported Oregon white oak and California black oak woodland with Pacific madrone ponderosa pine and grassland Common understory plants included California fescue snowberry and serviceberry Riparian areas supported willow and cottonwood Much of the land has been developed for agricultural or residential use and little of the original vegetation remains Remnants of oak savanna prairie vegetation and seasonal ponds persist on the mesa tops of the Table Rocks north of Medford Elsewhere land uses include orchards cropland and pastureland Climate vegetation and resulting land use are more similar to Northern California s inland valleys than to the Willamette Valley ecoregion to the north The region covers 285 square miles 738 km2 in Oregon in three separate areas around Medford and Ashland Grants Pass and Cave Junction 5 Oak Savanna Foothills 78b Edit The Oak Savanna Foothills ecoregion consists of moderately sloping mountain foothills bordering the Rogue and Illinois river valleys and sharing their Mediterranean climate Elevation varies from 1 400 to 4 000 feet 427 to 1 219 m The driest area east of Medford is dominated by Oregon white oak and California black oak woodlands grassland savanna ponderosa pine and Coast Douglas fir The wetter foothills flanking the Illinois Valley support Douglas fir madrone and California incense cedar Understory species include oceanspray Western poison oak snowberry Idaho fescue California brome roughstalk bluegrass and ceanothus The region is lower and less dissected with more oak woodland and less closed canopied forest than the Inland Siskiyous It covers 818 square miles 2 119 km2 in Oregon 5 Umpqua Interior Foothills 78c Edit The Umpqua Interior Foothills ecoregion is a complex of foothills and narrow valleys containing fluvial terraces and floodplains Elevation varies from 400 to 2 800 feet 122 to 853 m It is drier than the foothills of the Willamette Valley partly because the summer Pacific high pressure system arrives earlier and remains longer than in ecoregions to the north Summers are hot and dry and soils have a xeric moisture regime in contrast to the udic soils of the Mid Coastal Sedimentary ecoregion to the west The slopes are covered by Oregon white oak woodland Douglas fir grand fir ponderosa pine madrone tanoak and chinkapin with an understory chaparral community that includes snowberry salal Oregon grape poison oak oceanspray and swordfern Many areas have been converted to pastureland vineyards orchards and row crops It covers 921 square miles 2 385 km2 in Oregon in the Umpqua Valley including the city of Roseburg 5 Waldo rockcress is an uncommon endemic member of the serpentine soils flora of the Serpentine Siskiyous Serpentine Siskiyous 78d Edit The Serpentine Siskiyous ecoregion consists of highly dissected mountains containing perennial high gradient streams at an elevation of 1 500 to 4 300 feet 457 to 1 311 m It is lithogically distinct from the rest of the Klamath Mountains ecoregion Many plants have difficulty growing in its serpentine soils due to a shortage of calcium and high levels of magnesium nickel and chromium As a result vegetation is often sparse and composed of specialist species that have evolved to grow in the potentially toxic and nutrient poor serpentine soils It supports a mixed conifer forest of Jeffrey pine tanoak incense cedar Douglas fir and montane chaparral composed of manzanita ceanothus Idaho fescue and Lemmon needlegrass Historic gold nickel chromite copper and mercury mining have contributed to water quality problems The region covers 440 square miles 1 140 km2 in Oregon including portions of the Rogue River Siskiyou National Forest and the Kalmiopsis and Wild Rogue wildernesses Contiguous areas in California have not been mapped yet 5 Inland Siskiyous 78e Edit Preston Peak Siskiyou Wilderness The Inland Siskiyous ecoregion is higher and more mountainous than the neighboring foothill and valley ecoregions with an elevation of 800 to 7 000 feet 244 to 2 134 m It has a higher fire frequency less annual precipitation and longer summer droughts than the Coastal Siskiyous Forest cover is a diverse and multi layered mix of conifers broadleaf evergreens and deciduous trees and shrubs featuring Douglas fir ponderosa pine Oregon white oak California black oak madrone serviceberry snowberry Oregon grape California fescue and poison oak The largest of the Klamath Mountains subregions mapped so far it covers 2 610 square miles 6 760 km2 in Oregon including public lands within the Rogue River Siskiyou National Forest Contiguous areas in California have not been mapped yet 5 Coastal Siskiyous 78f Edit The Coastal Siskiyous ecoregion consists of highly dissected mountains with a wetter and milder maritime climate than elsewhere in the Klamath Mountains ecoregion Elevation varies from 600 to 5 300 feet 183 to 1 615 m Productive forests composed of tanoak Douglas fir bigleaf maple California laurel and some Port Orford cedar cover its mountainous landscape with chinkapin salal rhododendron and swordfern tanoak is more common than elsewhere in Oregon Broadleaf evergreens such as tanoak and madrone quickly colonize disturbed areas making it difficult to regenerate conifer forest growth Xeric soils derived from Siskiyou rock types are characteristic udic soils which support western hemlock and Sitka spruce are present but are less common than in the wetter Coast Range ecoregion to the west The region covers 853 square miles 2 209 km2 in Oregon including portions of the Rogue River Siskiyou National Forest and the Kalmiopsis and Wild Rogue Wilderness wildernesses Contiguous areas in California have not been mapped yet 5 Klamath River Ridges 78g Edit The Klamath River Ridges is characterized by highly dissected mountains with a dry continental climate Elevation varies from 3 800 to 7 500 feet 1 158 to 2 286 m Vegetation varies with slope aspect and elevation Higher altitudes and north facing slopes have Douglas fir and white fir lower elevations and south facing slopes are covered in ponderosa pine and western juniper species that are more drought resistant than other vegetation types found within the region The chaparral features Oregon grape western fescue snowberry bluebunch wheatgrass and ceanothus The region covers 121 square miles 313 km2 in Oregon near the Siskiyou Summit including portions of the Rogue River Siskiyou National Forest and the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument Contiguous areas in California have not been mapped yet 5 See also EditEcoregions defined by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Commission for Environmental Cooperation List of ecoregions in North America CEC List of ecoregions in the United States EPA List of ecoregions in Oregon List of ecoregions in California The conservation group World Wildlife Fund maintains an alternate classification system List of ecoregions WWF List of ecoregions in the United States WWF References Edit a b c d Hoekstra J M Molnar J L Jennings M Revenga C Spalding M D Boucher T M Robertson J C Heibel T J Ellison K 2010 Molnar J L ed The Atlas of Global Conservation Changes Challenges and Opportunities to Make a Difference University of California Press ISBN 978 0 520 26256 0 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint url status link Klamath Siskiyou Ecoregions WWF World Wildlife Fund Retrieved 2020 11 16 Klamath Siskiyou forests Terrestrial Ecoregions World Wildlife Fund California State University Northridge a b c d e f g h This article incorporates public domain material from Thorson TD Bryce SA Lammers DA et al Ecoregions of Oregon PDF United States Geological Survey color poster with map descriptive text summary tables and photographs with a Reverse side Norse Elliott A Raven Peter H 1989 Ancient Forests of the Pacific Northwest Sustaining Biological Diversity and Timber Production in a Changing World Wilderness Society U S Washington D C Island Press ISBN 1 55963 016 7 Hogan C Michael 2008 Aesculus californica Globaltwitcher com N Stromberg Archived from the original on 2011 10 05 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Klamath Mountains A Celebration of the Conifer Diversity in Northwest California Conifers of Northwest California Klamath Siskiyou Forests images at bioimages vanderbilt edu slow modem version CNPS Rare and Endemic Conifers of Northwest California Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Klamath Mountains ecoregion amp oldid 1045093997, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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