Seral

Kotagama says wetlands are under constant 'seral' stage change. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Several areas of ecological importance were proposed for salvage logging, including old-growth forests with live trees greater than 2 meters (m) in diameter breast height; late-seral reserves and key watersheds previously protected under the President's Northwest forest plan; habitat previously protected because of concerns over listed or candidate species; areas abutting wilderness; sacred Native American sites; Wild and Scenic Rivers; roadless areas; and steep slopes previously removed under forest plans. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Historically, green fescue and sedges covered high alpine meadows and ridges particularly in the Wallowas; but, following intense sheep grazing in the early 20th Century, many alpine plant associations reverted to seral or exotic species on rocky subsoil. ❋ Unknown (2009)

In particular, late-seral multi - and single-story forests have declined basin-wide to as much as 40 percent of their original extent. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Fragmentation has been extensive throughout this region, as indicated by the few remaining intact late-seral forests, high road densities, and low ecological integrity rankings discussed above. ❋ Unknown (2009)

The threatened northern spotted owl has been used as an indicator species in environmental impact assessments because its range overlaps with 39 listed or proposed species (10 of which are late-seral associates) and 1,116 total species associated with late-seral forests. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Sitka spruce forests originally dominated the fog-shrouded coast, while a mosaic of western redcedar, western hemlock, and seral Douglas-fir blanketed inland areas. ❋ Unknown (2009)

At higher elevations, it is seral to subalpine fir and Engelmann spruce. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Extensive logging and fire suppression have substantially altered natural disturbance regimes, shifting regional landscapes from those with a full range of seral stages to highly fragmented landscapes where late-seral stages are rapidly being replaced by monocultural tree plantations. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Aquatic diversity areas and late-seral owl reserves in each national forest in the ecoregion ❋ Unknown (2009)

In addition, several late-seral forest reserves have been administratively protected under the President's Northwest Forest plan for forests within the range of the northern spotted owl. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Fire suppression, exotic species invasions, and road building have caused extensive damage to key watersheds, late-seral forests, and rangelands in this ecoregion. ❋ Unknown (2009)

In addition, mid-seral subalpine forests have experienced a 35 percent decrease while late-seral montane multi-story forests have increased by 35 percent. ❋ Unknown (2009)

This active disturbance regime has resulted in a larger proportion of younger seral stages than in areas west of the Cascade Mountains. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Habitat loss within late-seral forests and aquatic areas have been extensive throughout this ecoregion. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Restore forest and aquatic integrity to the region by protecting all remaining late-seral forests, native grassland/shrub communities, aquatic strongholds, roadless areas, and biodiversity hot spots. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Potential natural vegetation includes subalpine fir and Engelmann spruce, with lodgepole pine as a seral species. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Late-seral forests in general are of national and global importance because they provide some of the last refugia for dependent species, and perform vital ecological services, including sequestration of carbon, cleansing of atmospheric pollutants, and maintenance of hydrological regimes. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Late-seral forests in general have experienced sharp declines in many other ecoregions within the temperate coniferous forest major habitat type and are therefore a national as well as ecoregional priority. ❋ Unknown (2009)