SOUTH COAST MIXED DECIDUOUS (77)
(formerly termed South Coast Mixed Forest)

Geographic Distribution. Low to middle elevation deciduous forest restricted to the western side of the Coast Range from Coos Bay south to the California border. This type is most prevalent in coastal northwestern California.

Structure and Appearance. Multi-story canopy composed of well-spaced large bole conifers (primarily Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)), over a densely stocked evergreen deciduous and deciduous sub-canopy. Understory is diverse and dominated by the shrub layer.

Composition. Overstory conifer is usually Douglas fir although western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), and Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) can be important. Sub-canopy deciduous trees are tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus), California laurel (Umbellaria californica), Pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii), golden chinquapin (Castanopsis chrysophylla) and to a lesser extent, big leaf maple (Acer macrophyllum).

Representative shrubs are evergreen huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum), Pacific rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum), Oregon grapeOregon-grape (Mahonia nervosa), salal (Gaultheria shallon), California hazelnut (Corylus cornuta), and red huckleberry (Vaccinium parvifolium).

Western sword fern (Polystichum munitum) dominates the herb layer and often is the only prominent herbaceous species due to the dense cover of shrubs.

Landscape Setting. The south coast mixed deciduous cover type is common in the southwestern Coast Range where frost, drought and fire are less likely to occur, namely the coastal margin and low elevation forests. Tanoak, California laurel, and Pacific dogwood are susceptible to frost and cannot compete with higher elevation forest types when they are continually set by frost damage. Similarly, the Coast Range north of Coos Bay is too cold for this cover type to thrive.

References. Atzet and Wheeler 1984, Atzet .et al. 1996, Jimerson et al. 1996, Frenkel and Kiilsgaard 1984.