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CEGL001934 Silene acaulis Alpine Fell-field
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Moss Campion Alpine Fell-field
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This Rocky Mountain association occurs in alpine fell-fields in southwestern Montana and north-central Colorado. Stands are located on flat to gently sloping ridges and summits. These ridgetops are subject to extremely high winds and are blown free of snow in winter. The ground is covered with rocks that have been stabilized for a long period of time. These fell-field sites differ from talus or scree sites which are located on steeper slopes and are unstable and often moving. Soils are derived from metamorphic or igneous rocks. Vegetation is characterized by an open to dense low herbaceous layer dominated by cushion or mat-forming species that spread horizontally over the ground surface. Silene acaulis is the dominant species. Arenaria fendleri, Carex rupestris, Carex elynoides, Castilleja puberula, Erigeron pinnatisectus, Festuca brachyphylla, Geum rossii, Minuartia obtusiloba, Selaginella densa, Tonestus pygmaeus, and Trifolium dasyphyllum are common associates. Lichens dominate the nonvascular stratum with up to 30% cover. Diagnostic of this fell-field community is the dominance of Silene acaulis with other cushion plants.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: No Data Available
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This fell-field association is characterized by an open to dense low herbaceous layer dominated by cushion or mat-forming species that spread horizontally over the ground surface. Silene acaulis is the dominant species. Arenaria fendleri, Carex rupestris, Carex elynoides, Castilleja puberula, Erigeron pinnatisectus, Festuca brachyphylla, Geum rossii, Minuartia obtusiloba, Phlox pulvinata, Selaginella densa, Tonestus pygmaeus, Trifolium nanum, and Trifolium dasyphyllum are common associates. Lichens dominate the nonvascular stratum with up to 30% cover.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This Rocky Mountain association occurs in alpine fell-fields in southwestern Montana and north-central Colorado. Stands are found between 2600 and 3150 m (8530-10,330 feet) elevation in Montana and 3400 to 3750 m (11,150-12,300 feet) elevation in Colorado. Stands are located on flat to gently sloping ridges and summits. These ridgetops are subject to extremely high winds and are blown free of snow in winter. The ground is covered with rocks that have been stabilized for a long period of time. These fell-field sites differ from talus or scree sites which are located on steeper slopes and are unstable and often moving. Soils are derived from metamorphic or igneous rocks.
Geographic Range: This Rocky Mountain association occurs in alpine fell-fields in southwestern Montana and north-central Colorado, and likely occurs into northwestern Wyoming.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO, MT, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689465
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G5?
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 | A3154 Twin-flower Sandwort - Rocky Mountain Nailwort - Moss Campion Alpine Fell-field Alliance | A3154 | 4.B.1.Nb.2.b |
| Association | CEGL001934 Moss Campion Alpine Fell-field | CEGL001934 | 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: = Association Sileno acaulis - Caricetum perglobosae (Komarkova 1976) (Komarkova 1976)
= Fellfield Stand-Type (Bamberg 1961)
= Fellfield Stand-Type (Bamberg 1961)
- Bamberg, S. A. 1961. Plant ecology of alpine tundra area in Montana and adjacent Wyoming. Unpublished dissertation, University of Colorado, Boulder. 163 pp.
- 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.
- Komarkova, V. 1976. Alpine vegetation of the Indian Peaks Area, Front Range, Colorado Rocky Mountains. Unpublished dissertation, University of Colorado, Boulder. 655 pp.
- MTNHP [Montana Natural Heritage Program]. 2002b. List of ecological communities for Montana. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Montana State Library, Helena, MT.
- 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.).
- 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.