North American Boreal and Western temperate forest vegetation(Syntaxonomical synopsis of the potential natural plant communities of North America, II)

Resumen

Natural potential vegetation broadly distributed throughout the Boreal and Temperate North American territories is globally studied, basically following the Braun-Blanquet phytosociological methodology. Potential coniferous forests and their respective deciduous secondary woodlands are characterized and systematized according to bioclimatic features, biogeographic distribution, as well as floristic and dynamic patterns. All the potential climactical plant communities are included in a broad, and newly-proposed phytosociological class: Linnaeo americanae-Piceetea marianae, which comprises eight orders, nineteen alliances and sixty-four associations. This monograph also includes a comprehensive compilation of bioclimatic and biogeographic syntheses: The Worldwide Bioclimatic Classification System, the Worldwide Biogeographic Approach at regional level, the Synoptic Biogeographic Approach of America at provincial level and the Synoptic Biogeographic Approach of North America North of Mexico at subsectorial level. Several thematic maps are given (including an attached and newly-proposed biogeographic map of North America), as well as some original vegetation transections (catenas), various original keys to identify the diversity of potential plant communities, a checklist of the characteristic species and plant names used and finally, the bibliographic references. This monograph on North America Boreal and Western Temperate potential natural vegetation follows that previously published (Itinera Geobot. 10: 5-148. 1997) on Mediterranean and Tropical vegetation in Western and South-Western United States North of Mexico (Heteromelo arbutifoliae-Quercetea agrifoliae, Calocedro decurrentis-Pinetea jeffreyi, Prosopido torreyanae-Fouquierietea splendentis and Artemisio tridentatae-Juniperetea osteospermae classes).