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CEGL005877 Phyllodoce glanduliflora / Sibbaldia procumbens Dwarf-shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Yellow Mountain-heath / Creeping Sibbaldia Dwarf-shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: Documented from Glacier National Park, Montana. This community is found as small patches from the upper subalpine to alpine environments, its documented elevation range being from 1930 to 2320 m (6330-7610 feet). It is a moderately chionophilous type often noted as a dark green ericaceous border around long-persisting snowbed depressions. It also occurs on somewhat exposed ridges of terraced landscapes on positions where the ericaceous dwarf-shrubs are projecting through the snow in late June and July and the lower, less exposed positions in the landscape are still snow covered. It occurs on gentle terrain with slopes mostly less than 15% and noted to not exceed 35%. The accumulated peat layer is hypothesized to isolate the ericaceous root mat from differences in rock chemistry; therefore the community is found on both calcareous limestones and non-calcareous siltstones and argillites. The amount of exposed rock (which is frost-heaved to the surface) and soil is generally less than 5%, whereas litter in combination with moss and lichen cover form a nearly continuous cover. The heath species Phyllodoce glanduliflora, Phyllodoce empetriformis, and/or their hybrid Phyllodoce x intermedia, having at least 10% cover, are diagnostic for this community. In general the cover of these dwarf-shrubs exceeds 25% and they form a discontinuous layer about 0.15 m high. Salix arctica and Kalmia microphylla are the only other dwarf-shrubs of note. Carex nigricans is the one graminoid consistently present, though cover seldom exceeds 10%. Other high constancy graminoids include Phleum alpinum, Luzula glabrata, and a variable combination of Juncus species, Juncus mertensianus, Juncus drummondii, and Juncus parryi. Though its cover seldom exceeds 5%, Sibbaldia procumbens is diagnostic of the chionophilous nature of this community; other high-constancy forbs include Erigeron peregrinus, Packera streptanthifolia, Hieracium gracile, Arenaria capillaris, Hypericum scouleri, and Veronica wormskjoldii.
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: The heath species Phyllodoce glanduliflora, Phyllodoce empetriformis, and/or their hybrid Phyllodoce x intermedia, having at least 10% cover, are diagnostic for this community. In general the cover of these dwarf-shrubs exceeds 25% and they form a discontinuous layer about 0.15 m high. Salix arctica and Kalmia microphylla are the only other dwarf-shrubs of note. Carex nigricans is the one graminoid consistently present, though cover seldom exceeds 10%. Other high constancy graminoids include Phleum alpinum, Luzula glabrata, and a variable combination of Juncus species, Juncus mertensianus, Juncus drummondii, and Juncus parryi. Though its cover seldom exceeds 5%, Sibbaldia procumbens is diagnostic of the chionophilous nature of this community; other high-constancy forbs include Erigeron peregrinus, Packera streptanthifolia (= Senecio cymbalarioides), Hieracium gracile, Arenaria capillaris, Hypericum scouleri (= Hypericum formosum), and Veronica wormskjoldii.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This community is found as small patches from the upper subalpine to alpine environments, its documented elevation range being from 1930 to 2320 m (6330-7610 feet). It is a moderately chionophilous type often noted as a dark green ericaceous border around long-persisting snowbed depressions. It also occurs on somewhat exposed ridges of terraced landscapes on positions where the ericaceous dwarf-shrubs are projecting through the snow in late June and July and the lower, less exposed positions in the landscape are still snow covered. It occurs on gentle terrain with slopes mostly less than 15% and noted to not exceed 35%. The accumulated peat layer is hypothesized to isolate the ericaceous root mat from differences in rock chemistry; therefore the community is found on both calcareous limestones and non-calcareous siltstones and argillites. The amount of exposed rock (which is frost-heaved to the surface) and soil is generally less than 5%, whereas litter in combination with moss and lichen cover form a nearly continuous cover.
Geographic Range: Documented from Glacier National Park, Montana.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: AB, MT
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.728621
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2G3
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.a Eight-petal Mountain-avens - Mountain-heath species - Arctic Willow Alpine Dwarf-shrubland & Krummholz Group | G316 | 4.B.1.Nb.2.a |
| Alliance | A3177 Pink Mountain-heath - Yellow Mountain-heath / Creeping Sibbaldia Alpine Snowbed Dwarf-shrubland Alliance | A3177 | 4.B.1.Nb.2.a |
| Association | CEGL005877 Yellow Mountain-heath / Creeping Sibbaldia Dwarf-shrubland | CEGL005877 | 4.B.1.Nb.2.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Phyllodoce glanduliflora / Sibbaldia procumbens (Allen 2005)
= Phyllodoce glanduliflora / Sibbaldia procumbens Dwarf-shrubland (Hop et al. 2007)
< Sibbaldio procumbentis - Phyllodocetum glanduliflorae Association (Damm 2001)
= Phyllodoce glanduliflora / Sibbaldia procumbens Dwarf-shrubland (Hop et al. 2007)
< Sibbaldio procumbentis - Phyllodocetum glanduliflorae Association (Damm 2001)
- Allen, L. 2005. Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre Preliminary Plant Community Tracking List. Alberta Community Development, Edmonton, Alberta. 94 pp.
- Allen, L. 2012-2013. Alberta Conservation Information Management System Ecological Community Tracking List. Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation, Edmonton, AB. [http://tpr.alberta.ca/parks/heritageinfocentre/default.aspx]
- Damm, C. 2001. A phytosociological study of Glacier National Park, Montana, U. S. A., with notes on the syntaxonomy of alpine vegetation in western North America. Dissertation from Georg - August University, Germany. 297 pp. plus appendices.
- Hop, K., M. Reid, J. Dieck, S. Lubinski, and S. Cooper. 2007. U.S. Geological Survey-National Park Service Vegetation Mapping Program: Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, WI. 131 pp. plus Appendices A-L.
- Reid, M. S., S. V. Cooper, and G. Kittel. 2004. Vegetation classification of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. Final report for USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, International Peace Park Mapping Project. NatureServe, Arlington VA.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.