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CEGL001860 Carex pyrenaica ssp. micropoda Alpine Snowbed
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Pyrenean sedge Alpine Snowbed
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association is found in alpine areas of late-melting snowpatches that are located on lee sides of saddles, hills and knolls, and rock outcrops in the alpine zone of Colorado. Stands occur on sites where heavy snow accumulates during the winter, typically on eastern to southeastern slopes. Sites are cool and moist from late-melting snow. Rock and bare soil may cover up to half the ground surface. Soils are well-drained, poorly developed and rocky. The vegetation is characterized by a relatively open to moderately dense herbaceous layer that is dominated by Carex pyrenaica often with Erigeron melanocephalus. Other important herbaceous species include Antennaria spp., Polygonum bistortoides, Castilleja occidentalis, Carex phaeocephala, Geum rossii, Juncus drummondii, Luzula spicata, Poa arctica, Potentilla spp., and Sibbaldia procumbens. Mosses such as Polytrichum piliferum and Pohlia obtusifolia are often present and may form a moderately dense nonvascular layer.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association is similar in total species composition to other snowbed communities such as those dominated by Juncus drummondii or Sibbaldia procumbens.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The vegetation is characterized by a relatively open to moderately dense herbaceous layer that is dominated by Carex pyrenaica often with Erigeron melanocephalus. Other important herbaceous species include Antennaria alpina, Antennaria media, Polygonum bistortoides (= Bistorta bistortoides), Castilleja occidentalis, Carex phaeocephala, Geum rossii, Juncus drummondii, Luzula spicata, Poa arctica, Potentilla diversifolia, Potentilla rubricaulis, and Sibbaldia procumbens. Dwarf-shrubs Salix nivalis and Vaccinium cespitosum may be common in some stands. Mosses such as Polytrichum piliferum and Pohlia obtusifolia are often present and may form a moderately dense nonvascular layer (Komarkova 1976).
Dynamics: Kiener (1967) states that dominance of Carex pyrenaica indicates a pioneer community within a snowpatch habitat. Sibbaldia procumbens and Erigeron are also indicators of snowpatch habits and are often present to codominant. Carex pyrenaica requires the longest snow cover; therefore, occurrences are located next to places where snow lasts the longest (mid July to mid August) (Kierner 1967).
Environmental Description: This association is found in alpine areas of late-melting snowpatches that are located on lee sides of saddles, hills and knolls, and rock outcrops in the alpine zone of Colorado. Elevations range from 3355-3760 m (11,000-12,320 feet). Stands occur on sites where heavy snow accumulates during the winter, typically on eastern to southeastern slopes that range from 2-49%(Willard 1963, Komarkova 1976, 1986). Sites are cool and moist from late-melting snow. The snow-free period is usually less than 75 days (May 1973). Rock and bare soil may cover half the ground surface Soils are well-drained, poorly developed and rocky (Komarkova 1976). Soils are poorly developed, with thin A horizons classified as rocky Cryorthent. Average pH is 5.9 for stands in the Front Range of Colorado (Komarkova 1976). Parent materials include colluvium derived from quartz monzonite and granite.
Geographic Range: This alpine snowbed community is found in scattered locations in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689156
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GU
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.1 Temperate & Boreal Alpine Tundra Formation | F037 | 4.B.1 |
| Division | 4.B.1.Nb Western North American Alpine Tundra Division | D043 | 4.B.1.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 4.B.1.Nb.2 Eight-petal Mountain-avens - Blackroot Sedge - Moss Campion Alpine Tundra Macrogroup | M099 | 4.B.1.Nb.2 |
| Group | 4.B.1.Nb.2.b Blackroot Sedge - Bellardi Bog Sedge - Cushion Phlox Alpine Turf & Fell-field Group | G314 | 4.B.1.Nb.2.b |
| Alliance | A3172 Drummond''s Rush - Parry''s Rush - Creeping Sibbaldia Rocky Mountain Alpine Snowbed Alliance | A3172 | 4.B.1.Nb.2.b |
| Association | CEGL001860 Pyrenean sedge Alpine Snowbed | CEGL001860 | 4.B.1.Nb.2.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Carex crandellii - Erigeron melanocephalus Habitat Type/Association (Komarkova 1986) [late-melting snowpatches.]
= Carex pyrenaica / Erigeron melanocephalus Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
> Carex pyrenaica / moss Plant Association (Johnston 1987) [Johnston refers to Association Caricetum pyrenaicae Webber (1976) in part.]
= Carex pyrenaica community (Scott-Williams 1965) [reported on solifluction terraces with abundant soil moisture. Snow duration is 9.5 10.5 months.]
< Salicetum petrophilae: The Snowpatch Association (Kiener 1967) [Carex pyrenaica-dominated pioneer community.]
= Association Caricetum pyrenaicae (Willard 1963)
= Association Caricetum pyrenaicae (Willard 1963) (Komarkova 1979)
= Association Caricetum pyrenaicae (Willard 1963) (Willard 1979)
< IV Snowbed (May and Webber 1982)
< IV Snowbed (May and Webber 1982) (May 1973)
= Stand type V (Osburn 1963) [stands 3, 7, and 27 snowbank ecosystem.]
= Carex pyrenaica / Erigeron melanocephalus Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
> Carex pyrenaica / moss Plant Association (Johnston 1987) [Johnston refers to Association Caricetum pyrenaicae Webber (1976) in part.]
= Carex pyrenaica community (Scott-Williams 1965) [reported on solifluction terraces with abundant soil moisture. Snow duration is 9.5 10.5 months.]
< Salicetum petrophilae: The Snowpatch Association (Kiener 1967) [Carex pyrenaica-dominated pioneer community.]
= Association Caricetum pyrenaicae (Willard 1963)
= Association Caricetum pyrenaicae (Willard 1963) (Komarkova 1979)
= Association Caricetum pyrenaicae (Willard 1963) (Willard 1979)
< IV Snowbed (May and Webber 1982)
< IV Snowbed (May and Webber 1982) (May 1973)
= Stand type V (Osburn 1963) [stands 3, 7, and 27 snowbank ecosystem.]
- Bourgeron, P. S., and L. D. Engelking, editors. 1994. A preliminary vegetation classification of the western United States. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Western Heritage Task Force, Boulder, CO. 175 pp. plus appendix.
- CNHP [Colorado Natural Heritage Program]. 2006-2017. Tracked natural plant communities. Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins. [https://cnhp.colostate.edu/ourdata/trackinglist/plant_communities/]
- Johnston, B. C. 1987. Plant associations of Region Two: Potential plant communities of Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas. R2-ECOL-87-2. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Lakewood, CO. 429 pp.
- Kiener, W. 1967. Sociological studies of the alpine vegetation on Longs Peak. University of Nebraska Studies: New Series 34. University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE.
- Komarkova, V. 1976. Alpine vegetation of the Indian Peaks Area, Front Range, Colorado Rocky Mountains. Unpublished dissertation, University of Colorado, Boulder. 655 pp.
- Komarkova, V. 1979. Alpine vegetation of the Indian Peaks area, Front Range, Colorado Rocky Mountains. Flora et vegetatio mundi 7, R. Tuxen, editor, 2 volumes, Vaduz: J. Cramer. 591 pp.
- Komarkova, V. 1986. Habitat types on selected parts of the Gunnison and Uncompahgre national forests. Unpublished final report prepared for USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. Fort Collins, CO. 270 pp. plus appendices.
- Komarkova, V., and P. J. Webber. 1978. An alpine vegetation map of Niwot Ridge, Colorado. Arctic and Alpine Research 10:1-29.
- May, D. E. 1973. Models for predicting composition and production of alpine tundra vegetation from Niwot Ridge, Colorado. Unpublished thesis, University of Colorado, Boulder. 99 pp.
- May, D. E., and P. J. Webber. 1982. Spatial and temporal variation of the vegetation and its productivity, Niwot Ridge, Colorado. Pages 35-62 in: Ecological studies in the Colorado alpine. University of Colorado Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research. Occasional Paper 37, Boulder, CO.
- Osburn, W. S., Jr. 1963. The dynamics of fallout distribution in a Colorado alpine tundra snow accumulation ecosystem. Pages 51-71 in: S. Vincent and A. W. Klement, Jr., editors. Radioecology: Selected papers from the Symposium. Reinhold Publishing Company, New York, and American Institute of Biological Science.
- Salas, D., J. Stevens, and K. Schulz. 2005. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Technical Memorandum No. 8260-05-02. USDI Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO. 161 pp. plus Appendices A-L (733 pp.).
- Scott-Williams, B. W. 1965. The ecology of the alpine tundra on Trail Ridge. Pages 13-16 in: C. B. Schulz and H. T. Smith, editors. Guidebook for one-day field conferences -- Boulder area, Colorado. VIIth International Association for Quaternary Research Congress, Nebraska Academy of Science, Lincoln, NE.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.
- Willard, B. E. 1963. Phytosociology of the alpine tundra of Trail Ridge, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Unpublished dissertation, University of Colorado, Boulder.
- Willard, B. E. 1979. Plant sociology of alpine tundra, Trail Ridge, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Colorado School of Mines Quarterly 74(4):1-119.