Ecological types of the eastern slope of the Wind River Range, Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming

Abstract

This guide presents a classification of the Ecological Types of the eastern slope of the Wind River Range (WRR) on the Shoshone National Forest in westcentral Wyoming. Ecological Types integrate vegetation and environmental characteristics, including climate, geology, landform, and soils, into a comprehensive ecosystem classification. The three objectives are: (1) complete field data collection, (2) simultaneously develop soil map unit components and Ecological Types, and (3) publish the ecological type classification such that it is compatible with the National Cooperative Soil Survey spatial and tabular data. Fifty-eight Ecological Types were organized into 3 ecosystems, 3 physiognomic groups, and 12 vegetation series.

Riparian and groundwater-dependent ecosystems of the Bridger-Teton National Forest: An assessment of resources and current conditions

“…The geologic units of the BTNF are igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Granitic and metamorphic rocks are dominant in the Wind River Range, sedimentary rocks are dominant in the ranges of the Kemmerer and Wyoming units, and a mix of volcanic, granitic, and sedimentary rocks form the ranges of the Gros Ventre unit (BTNF 2001(BTNF , 2004Gruell 1980;Wells et al 2015). Mountain ranges of the BTNF originated through various geological processes, with subsequent glacial periods crafting the landforms that currently exist in the landscape (Cooper and Andrus 1994).…”