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CEGL001848 Artemisia arctica Alpine Snowbed
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Boreal Sagebrush Alpine Snowbed
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association is found in the upper alpine tundra of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Sites are dry to mesic and cold, occurring on gentle to steep (5-50%) typically southeast-facing slopes (lee slopes), but may be found on any aspects. A shallow, early-melting snowpack is present during most of the winter, which results in moist, but not water-logged, soils during the growing season. Soils are typically skeletal, rapidly to moderately well-drained sandy loam to sandy clay. The soil surface is often stripped of fine-textured soil particles, leaving a pavement of gravel and larger rocks. Soils are classified as Pergelic Cryochrepts with very thin surface horizon. The vegetation is characterized by a moderately dense to dense herbaceous layer dominated by Artemisia arctica ssp. arctica, which ranges from 25-70% cover. Constant and abundant (5-20% cover or more) species include Erigeron simplex, Geum rossii, Minuartia obtusiloba, Polygonum bistortoides, and Trisetum spicatum. Salix brachycarpa or Vaccinium scoparium may be present with up to 10% cover. Selaginella densa and mosses are important on some sites.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Artemisia arctica ssp. arctica may occur as either a dwarf-shrub or herbaceous species, but it is treated as an herbaceous species in this classification (Kartesz 1999).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The vegetation is characterized by a moderately dense to dense herbaceous layer dominated by Artemisia arctica ssp. arctica, which ranges from 25-70% cover. Constant and abundant (5-20% cover or more) species include Erigeron simplex, Geum rossii, Minuartia obtusiloba, Polygonum bistortoides, Trifolium parryi, and Trisetum spicatum. Associated forbs such as Artemisia scopulorum, Cerastium arvense, Draba crassifolia, Lewisia pygmaea, Minuartia biflora (= Lidia biflora), Phlox multiflora, Potentilla diversifolia, Ranunculus adoneus, Sibbaldia procumbens, Solidago simplex var. spathulata (= Solidago spathulata), Trifolium dasyphyllum, and graminoids Carex brunnescens, Carex rupestris var. drummondiana, Carex siccata (= Carex foenea), Festuca brachyphylla, Luzula spicata, Poa alpina, and Poa arctica are frequently present. Salix brachycarpa or Vaccinium scoparium may be present with up to 10% cover. Selaginella densa and mosses are important on some sites.
Dynamics: Willard (1960) considered this association a zootic association, because it will occupy shallow snowbed sites once dominated by Deschampsia cespitosa, which, after repeated digging by pocket gophers that will disturb the sod and permit wind to remove much of the soil, will result in a gravel pavement. This "gopher garden" will then be colonized by Artemisia arctica ssp. arctica, Artemisia scopulorum, Festuca brachyphylla, Lewisia pygmaea, Luzula spicata, Minuartia obtusiloba, Polygonum bistortoides, Trifolium parryi, and other fellfield species and lichens that are able to invade disturbed sites. Over time, Deschampsia cespitosa will invade and eventually dominated the site again.
Environmental Description: This association is found in the upper alpine tundra of the Colorado Rocky Mountains between 3300 and 3780 m (10,8000-12,400 feet) in elevation. The climate is exceptionally harsh, with snow cover for the majority of the year, abrasion from wind-driven snow, frequent growing-season frost, and extreme solar radiation. Sites are dry to mesic and cold, occurring on gentle to steep (5-50%) typically southeastern facing slopes (lee slopes), but may be found on any aspects. A shallow, early-melting snowpack is present during most of the winter, which results in moist, but not water-logged, soils during the growing season. Soils are typically skeletal, rapidly to moderately well-drained sandy loam to sandy clay derived from granitic or gneiss and other igneous or metamorphic rocks. Average soil pH is 5.1 (Komarkova 1986). The soil surface is often stripped of fine-textured soil particles, leaving a pavement of gravel and larger rocks. Soils are classified as Pergelic Cryochrepts with very thin surface horizon (Komarkova 1986).
Geographic Range: This association is found in the alpine tundra of the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689953
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 | CEGL001848 Boreal Sagebrush Alpine Snowbed | CEGL001848 | 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: = Artemisia arctica - Erigeron melanocephalus Habitat Type / Association (Komarkova 1986)
= Artemisia arctica / Trifolium parryi - Lidia biflora Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Artemisietuma arcticae saxicolae Association (Willard 1960)
= Association Artemisietuma arcticae saxicolae (Willard 1963) (Komarkova 1976)
= Association: Artemisietuma arcticae saxicolae (Willard 1963)
= Association: Artemisietuma arcticae saxicolae (Willard 1963) (Willard 1979)
= Artemisia arctica / Trifolium parryi - Lidia biflora Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Artemisietuma arcticae saxicolae Association (Willard 1960)
= Association Artemisietuma arcticae saxicolae (Willard 1963) (Komarkova 1976)
= Association: Artemisietuma arcticae saxicolae (Willard 1963)
= Association: Artemisietuma arcticae saxicolae (Willard 1963) (Willard 1979)
- 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 Ecology Team [Colorado Natural Heritage Program Ecology Team]. 2001. A classification of the native vegetation of Colorado. Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins.
- 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/]
- 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.
- 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.
- Kartesz, J. T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: J. T. Kartesz and C. A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, NC.
- 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. 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.
- 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.).
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.
- Willard, B. E. 1960. The ecology and phytosociology of the Tundra Curves, Trail Ridge, Colorado. Unpublished thesis, University of Colorado, Boulder. 144 pp.
- 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.