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A4340 Arctic Herb Tundra Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: This group represents mesic herbaceous vegetation dominated by perennial sedges, grasses and/or broad-leaved herbaceous species found throughout the arctic and subarctic regions of Alaska and Canada, possibly extending to Greenland.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Arctic Herb Tundra Alliance
Colloquial Name: Arctic Herb Tundra
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: This mesic herbaceous group is most common in western Alaska but occurs throughout arctic and subarctic Alaska, and Canada, possibly extending to Greenland. It occurs as small patches in the alpine zones of hill and mountain slopes, upper drainages, and lowlands including drained lake basins. This group occurs on mesic sites with >25% cover of herbaceous species. Species include Carex microchaeta ssp. nesophila (the dominant sedge in higher elevations), Alopecurus magellanicus, Artemisia arctica, Polygonum bistorta, Valeriana capitata, Pedicularis spp., Polemonium acutiflorum, Salix rotundifolia, and Salix reticulata. Collapsed acidic lowland snowbeds that support Phippsia algida and Alopecurus magellanicus and drained lake basins dominated by Calamagrostis canadensis (western Alaska) are also included in this group.
Diagnostic Characteristics: This group represents mesic herbaceous vegetation found throughout the arctic and subarctic regions of Alaska, and possibly Canada and Greenland.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Similar to CAVM G3. - Non-tussock sedge, dwarf-shrub, moss tundra. The applicability of this group concept in Canada needs critical review. This group occurs on the Arctic Coastal Plain and Seward Peninsula, and is common in the Canadian Arctic (M. Raynolds pers. comm. 2012).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This group is defined as a herbaceous type of vegetation dominated by perennial graminoids and/or broad-leaved herbaceous species.
Floristics: This group typically has >25% cover of herbaceous species, including Carex microchaeta ssp. nesophila, Carex bigelowii, Carex membranacea, Eriophorum angustifolium ssp. triste, Alopecurus magellanicus (= Alopecurus alpinus), Arctagrostis latifolia, Lupinus arcticus, and Oxytropis maydelliana in the Arctic. Calamagrostis canadensis, Carex bigelowii, Heracleum maximum, Veratrum viride, Angelica lucida, Festuca altaica, Artemisia arctica, Polygonum bistorta, and Pedicularis spp. typically occur above treeline in the boreal forests. Mesic sites supporting Carex aquatilis and Eriophorum angustifolium are also common and support low and dwarf-shrubs with <25% cover, including Dryas integrifolia, Salix pulchra, Salix reticulata, Rhododendron lapponicum, Betula nana, and Vaccinium uliginosum.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This mesic herbaceous group occurs on the coastal plain, arctic foothills, and typically above treeline in the boreal forests. It is thought to be associated with areas of late-lying snow and streamsides.
Geographic Range: This group occurs throughout arctic and subarctic Alaska and Canada, possibly extending to Greenland.
Nations: CA,GL?,IS,NO,RU,US
States/Provinces: AK, LB?, MB, NT?, NU?, QC?, YT?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1042143
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 4 Polar & High Montane Scrub, Grassland & Barrens Class | C04 | 4 |
| Subclass | 4.B Temperate to Polar Alpine & Tundra Vegetation Subclass | S12 | 4.B |
| Formation | 4.B.2 Polar Tundra & Barrens Formation | F031 | 4.B.2 |
| Division | 4.B.2.Xa Arctic Tundra & Barrens Division | D044 | 4.B.2.Xa |
| Macrogroup | 4.B.2.Xa.2 Feltleaf Willow - Eight-petal Mountain-avens - Tussock Cottongrass Tundra Macrogroup | M173 | 4.B.2.Xa.2 |
| Group | 4.B.2.Xa.2.c Arctic Herbaceous Tundra Group | G898 | 4.B.2.Xa.2.c |
| Alliance | A4340 Arctic Herb Tundra Alliance | A4340 | 4.B.2.Xa.2.c |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: > Bromus inermis var. arcticus (Pumpelly''s brome) (Boggs and Sturdy 2005)
> Calamagrostis purpurascens - Artemisia frigida (Purple reedgrass - fringed sagebrush) (Hanson 1951)
> Carex microchaeta - Poa arctica (Smallawned sedge - arctic bluegrass) (Batten 1977)
> III.A.1.d - Midgrass-herb (Viereck et al. 1992)
> III.A.2.e - Mesic sedge-grass meadow tundra (Viereck et al. 1992)
> III.A.2.f - Mesic sedge-herb meadow tundra (Viereck et al. 1992)
> III.A.2.g - Mesic grass-herb meadow tundra (Viereck et al. 1992)
> III.A.2.h - Sedge-willow tundra? (Viereck et al. 1992)
> III.A.2.i - Sedge-birch tundra? (Viereck et al. 1992)
> III.A.2.j - Sedge-dryas tundra? (Viereck et al. 1992)
> Calamagrostis purpurascens - Artemisia frigida (Purple reedgrass - fringed sagebrush) (Hanson 1951)
> Carex microchaeta - Poa arctica (Smallawned sedge - arctic bluegrass) (Batten 1977)
> III.A.1.d - Midgrass-herb (Viereck et al. 1992)
> III.A.2.e - Mesic sedge-grass meadow tundra (Viereck et al. 1992)
> III.A.2.f - Mesic sedge-herb meadow tundra (Viereck et al. 1992)
> III.A.2.g - Mesic grass-herb meadow tundra (Viereck et al. 1992)
> III.A.2.h - Sedge-willow tundra? (Viereck et al. 1992)
> III.A.2.i - Sedge-birch tundra? (Viereck et al. 1992)
> III.A.2.j - Sedge-dryas tundra? (Viereck et al. 1992)
- Batten, A. R. 1977. The vascular floristics, major vegetation units, and phytogeography of the Lake Peters area, northeastern Alaska. M.S. thesis, University of Alaska, Fairbanks. 330 pp.
- Boggs, K., and M. Sturdy. 2005. Plant associations and post-fire vegetation succession in Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/YUCH/NRTR--2005/001. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 204 pp.
- Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, M. Hall, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, M. Russo, K. Schulz, L. Sneddon, K. Snow, and J. Teague. 2013-2019b. Screening alliances for induction into the U.S. National Vegetation Classification: Part 1 - Alliance concept review. NatureServe, Arlington, VA.
- Hanson, H. C. 1951. Characteristics of some grassland, marsh and other plant communities in western Alaska. Ecological Monographs 21(4):318-373.
- Raynolds, Martha. Personal communication. Research Biologist, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK.
- Viereck, L. A., C. T. Dyrness, A. R. Batten, and K. J. Wenzlick. 1992. The Alaska vegetation classification. General Technical Report PNW-GTR286. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, OR. 278 pp.