Print Report
CEGL001936 Trifolium parryi Alpine Snowbed
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Parry''s Clover Alpine Snowbed
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This vegetation association has been described from the alpine meadows and fell-field turfs of the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado and may extend into Wyoming. Stands are generally found in the upper alpine zone on broad, flat to gently sloping (0-25%) ridges that are covered with moderate to heavy snow during the winter, with southeasterly to southwesterly or northerly aspects. Sites are generally early-melting snowbeds but include later-melting snowbeds on southerly aspects. Substrates are variable and range from deep to shallow, rocky loam and sandy loam soils derived from granite or other igneous or metamorphic rock. Rocks are often exposed at the ground surface. There is usually moderate cover of bare ground and litter (25-50% cover). Mosses and lichens are often present. The vegetation is characterized by an open to dense (to 90% cover) herbaceous layer dominated by Trifolium parryi (>25% cover) and combination of cushion plants, upright forbs and graminoids. Associated forbs species include Artemisia norvegica, Artemisia scopulorum, Caltha leptosepala, Castilleja occidentalis, Erigeron melanocephalus, Erigeron simplex, Geum rossii, Minuartia biflora, Oreoxis bakeri, Podistera eastwoodiae, Polygonum bistortoides, Potentilla diversifolia, Ranunculus adoneus, Silene acaulis, and Sibbaldia procumbens. Graminoids are codominant in some stands. Carex albonigra, Carex illota, Carex nardina, Carex phaeocephala, Carex scopulorum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca brachyphylla, and Trisetum spicatum are the most common graminoids. Some stands have an open dwarf-shrub layer of Salix petrophila, Dryas octopetala ssp. hookeriana, Artemisia norvegica, or Vaccinium spp. Selaginella densa is present to abundant in many stands. Diagnostic of this snowbed association is the dominance of Trifolium parryi in the herbaceous layer.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association occurs as high-mountain scree slopes and alpine fell-fields.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This alpine plant association is characterized by an open to dense (to 90% cover) herbaceous layer dominated by Trifolium parryi (>25% cover) and combination of cushion plants, upright forbs and graminoids. Associated forbs species include Artemisia norvegica, Artemisia scopulorum, Caltha leptosepala, Castilleja occidentalis, Erigeron melanocephalus, Erigeron simplex, Geum rossii, Minuartia biflora (= Lidia biflora), Oreoxis bakeri, Podistera eastwoodiae, Polygonum bistortoides, Potentilla diversifolia, Ranunculus adoneus, Silene acaulis, and Sibbaldia procumbens. Graminoids are codominant in some stands. Carex albonigra, Carex illota, Carex nardina, Carex phaeocephala, Carex scopulorum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca brachyphylla, and Trisetum spicatum are the most common graminoids. Some stands have an open dwarf-shrub layer of Salix petrophila, Dryas octopetala ssp. hookeriana, Artemisia norvegica, or Vaccinium spp. Selaginella densa is present to abundant in many stands (Komarkova 1979).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This vegetation association has been described from the alpine meadows and fell-field turfs of the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado and may extend into Wyoming. Stands are generally found in the upper alpine zone between 3325 and 4060 m (10,900-13,310 feet) elevation on broad, flat to gently sloping (0-25%) ridges that are covered with moderate to heavy snow during the winter, with southeasterly to southwesterly or northerly aspects. Sites are generally mesic, early-melting snowbeds but include later-melting snowbeds on southerly aspects. Substrates are variable and range from deep to shallow, rocky loam and sandy loam soils derived from granite or other igneous or metamorphic rock. Soils are classified as Cryoborolls, Cryochrepts, Cryorthents and Cryumbrepts (Komarkova 1986, Johnston 1987). Rocks are often exposed at the ground surface. There is usually a moderate cover of bare ground and litter (25-50% cover). Mosses and lichens are often present.
Geographic Range: This vegetation association occurs in the alpine tundra of the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado and may extend into Wyoming.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689163
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 | CEGL001936 Parry''s Clover Alpine Snowbed | CEGL001936 | 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: > Trifolium - Poa - Salix Alpine Meadow, C-5 (Braun 1969) [rock <25%, codominated by 5-25% each of the nominals, slope 10%, lichen cover to 25%.]
>< Trifolium parryi - Acomastylis rossii Habitat Type/Association - Plot # 1 (Komarkova 1986)
= Trifolium parryi - Acomastylis rossii Habitat Type/Association - Plot # 9 (Komarkova 1986)
> Trifolium parryi / Acomastylis rossii Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
> Trifolium parryi / Deschampsia cespitosa Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
> Trifolium parryi / Ranunculus adoneus Plant Association (Johnston 1987) [late-melting snowbeds community.]
= Association Deschampsio caespitosae - Trifolietum parryi (Komarkova 1976) (Komarkova 1979)
= Association: Deschampsio caespitosae - Trifolietum parryi (Komarkova 1976) (Komarkova 1976)
< Parry''s Clover Meadow Stand-Type (Marr 1967)
>< Plot # 14, Nodum IIIA - Salix planifolia - Trifolium parryi; Moist Shrub Tundra (May 1973) [One of the four stands is dominated by Trifolium parryi (36% cover) with low cover of Salix planifolia (4%). Other stands are dominated or codominated by Salix planifolia.]
>< Plot # 19, Nodum IV - Sibbaldia procumbens - Carex pyrenaica; Snow Bed (May 1973) [One of the five stands is dominated by Trifolium parryi (54% cover), Sibbaldia procumbens (28%), and Minuartia biflora (11%).]
= Snow-Patch Vegetation (Helm 1982)
>< Trifolium parryi - Acomastylis rossii Habitat Type/Association - Plot # 1 (Komarkova 1986)
= Trifolium parryi - Acomastylis rossii Habitat Type/Association - Plot # 9 (Komarkova 1986)
> Trifolium parryi / Acomastylis rossii Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
> Trifolium parryi / Deschampsia cespitosa Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
> Trifolium parryi / Ranunculus adoneus Plant Association (Johnston 1987) [late-melting snowbeds community.]
= Association Deschampsio caespitosae - Trifolietum parryi (Komarkova 1976) (Komarkova 1979)
= Association: Deschampsio caespitosae - Trifolietum parryi (Komarkova 1976) (Komarkova 1976)
< Parry''s Clover Meadow Stand-Type (Marr 1967)
>< Plot # 14, Nodum IIIA - Salix planifolia - Trifolium parryi; Moist Shrub Tundra (May 1973) [One of the four stands is dominated by Trifolium parryi (36% cover) with low cover of Salix planifolia (4%). Other stands are dominated or codominated by Salix planifolia.]
>< Plot # 19, Nodum IV - Sibbaldia procumbens - Carex pyrenaica; Snow Bed (May 1973) [One of the five stands is dominated by Trifolium parryi (54% cover), Sibbaldia procumbens (28%), and Minuartia biflora (11%).]
= Snow-Patch Vegetation (Helm 1982)
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- Braun, C. E. 1969. Population dynamics, habitat, and movements of white-tailed ptarmigan in Colorado. Unpublished dissertation, Colorado State University, Fort Collins. 189 pp.
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- Fritz, R. J. 1981. Alpine vegetational patterns around isolated tree islands on the eastern and western slopes of the Tenmile Range, Summit County, Colorado. Unpublished thesis, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. 233 pp.
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- WNDD [Wyoming Natural Diversity Database]. No date. Unpublished data on file. Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.
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