DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Sequoiadendron giganteum | Giant Sequoia 



GENERAL DISTRIBUTION : 
The natural distribution of giant sequoia is restricted to about 75
groves, comprising a total area of only 35,607 acres (14,416 ha) along a
limited area of the western Sierra Nevada, California.  The northern
two-thirds of its range, from the American River in Placer County
southward to the Kings River has only eight disjunct groves.  The
remaining groves are concentrated between the Kings River and the Deer
Creek Grove in southern Tulare County [10,28].  Groves range in size
from approximately 2,470 acres (1,000 ha) with 20,000 giant sequioas to
small groves with only six living trees [24].



ECOSYSTEMS : 
   FRES21  Ponderosa pine
   FRES23  Fir - spruce
   FRES28  Western hardwoods


STATES : 
     CA  HI


ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS : 
     KICA  SEQU  YOSE


BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS : 
   4  Sierra Mountains


KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS : 
   K005  Mixed conifer forest


SAF COVER TYPES : 
   243  Sierra Nevada mixed conifer


SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES : 
NO-ENTRY


HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES : 
Giant sequoia principally occurs in scattered groves.  Nowhere does it
grow in pure stands, although in a few small areas stands do approach a
pure condition [28].  Although the giant sequoia groves of the central
and southern Sierra Nevada represent only a specific mesic segregate of
typical white fir (Abies concolor) forest communities, these groves are
often given special community recognition.  Only giant sequoia is
restricted to the groves [24].

Typically, giant sequoia is found in a mixed conifer type dominated by
California white fir (A. concolor var. lowiana).  Characteristic
associates include sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana), Jeffrey pine (P.
jeffreyi), ponderosa pine (P. ponderosa), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga
menziesii), incense-cedar (Calocedrus decurrens), and California black
oak (Quercus kelloggii).  Shrub types include bush chinkapin
(Castanopsis sempervirens) and mountain whitethorn (Ceanothus
cordulatus) [10,14,28].

Giant sequoia as a dominant species in the following typings:

Terrestrial natural communitites of California [29]
Montane and subalpine vegetation of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Ranges [24]

Related categories for Species: Sequoiadendron giganteum | Giant Sequoia