North Pacific Lowland Riparian Forest and Shrubland
Lowland riparian systems occur throughout the Pacific Northwest. They are the low-elevation, alluvial floodplains that are confined by valleys and inlets and are more abundant in the central and southern portions of the Pacific Northwest Coast. These forests and tall shrublands are linear in character, occurring on floodplains or lower terraces of rivers and streams. Major broadleaf dominant species are Acer macrophyllum, Alnus rubra, Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa, Salix sitchensis, Salix lucida ssp. lasiandra, Cornus sericea, and Fraxinus latifolia. Conifers tend to increase with succession in the absence of major disturbance. Conifer-dominated types are relatively uncommon and not well-described; Abies grandis, Picea sitchensis, and Thuja plicata are important. Riverine flooding and the succession that occurs after major flooding events are the major natural processes that drive this system. Very early-successional stages can be sparsely vegetated or dominated by herbaceous vegetation.
