Print Report
CEGL005899 Aquilegia flavescens - Senecio megacephalus Sparse Vegetation
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Yellow Columbine - Rocky Ragwort Sparse Vegetation
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This community has been documented primarily from subalpine to alpine sites proximal to the Continental Divide in northwestern Montana (Glacier National Park), principally on its western side. This is a tall-forb community typical of steep (45-70%) scree slopes having predominantly west- through southeast-facing exposures (the most wind-impacted by prevailing southwesterlies) with northern exposures completely unrepresented. Snowbank formation at the heads of these slopes may persist into August, providing subirrigation to downslope vegetation via meltwater. Vegetation structure with tall mesophytic forbs dominant is testimony to a favorable moisture status. This community occurs mainly where the most extensive scree fields are concentrated, from the upper limits of continuous vegetation at 1890 m (6200 feet) to the rocky summit region above, the highest elevation sample recorded at 2210 m (7250 feet). Though occurring primarily on green argillite, it also occurs on red argillite, sandstone and limestone. Humus accumulation is restricted to vegetation clumps, and there is essentially no profile development due to ongoing soil action (creep and slides) and congeliturbation. Though rock cover is high (60-100%), it can act to promote mesic conditions by the overlapping of shale/argillite slabs to cover finer mineral soil, thus retarding evaporation. Litter cover is highly variable, mostly less than 5%, but occasionally as high as 30%. Structurally this is a very open (mostly less than 20% canopy cover, as high as 65%), tall-forb community with much visible rock and mineral soil surface. Overtopping the lower growing mats of the woody Penstemon ellipticus and highly constant Phacelia hastata are the considerably taller forbs Senecio megacephalus, Aquilegia flavescens, Chamerion angustifolium, and Symphyotrichum foliaceum. Other tall forbs less consistently present include Cirsium hookerianum, Potentilla diversifolia, Achillea millefolium, Arnica x diversifolia, and Valeriana sitchensis. Shorter forbs occurring in somewhat fewer than half the plots include Epilobium anagallidifolium, Sedum lanceolatum, Castilleja miniata, and Galium boreale. Elymus alaskanus ssp. latiglumis is the only characteristic graminoid. Mosses and lichens usually comprise less than 1% canopy cover.
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: Structurally this is a very open (mostly less than 20% canopy cover, as high as 65%), tall-forb community with much visible rock and mineral soil surface. Overtopping the lower growing mats of the woody Penstemon ellipticus and highly constant Phacelia hastata are the considerably taller forbs Senecio megacephalus, Aquilegia flavescens, Chamerion angustifolium (= Epilobium angustifolium), and Symphyotrichum foliaceum (= Aster foliaceus). Other tall forbs less consistently present include Cirsium hookerianum, Potentilla diversifolia, Achillea millefolium, Arnica x diversifolia, and Valeriana sitchensis. Shorter forbs occurring in somewhat fewer than half the plots include Epilobium anagallidifolium (= Epilobium alpinum), Sedum lanceolatum, Castilleja miniata, and Galium boreale. Elymus alaskanus ssp. latiglumis (= Agropyron latiglume) is the only characteristic graminoid. Mosses and lichens usually comprise less than 1% canopy cover.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This is a tall-forb community typical of steep (45-70%) scree slopes having predominantly west- through southeast-facing exposures (the most wind-impacted by prevailing southwesterlies) with northern exposures completely unrepresented. Snowbank formation at the heads of these slopes may persist into August, providing subirrigation to downslope vegetation via meltwater. Vegetation structure with tall mesophytic forbs dominant is testimony to a favorable moisture status. This community occurs mainly where the most extensive scree fields are concentrated, from the upper limits of continuous vegetation at 1890 m (6200 feet) to the rocky summit region above, the highest elevation sample recorded at 2210 m (7250 feet). Though occurring primarily on green argillite, it also occurs on red argillite, sandstone and limestone. Humus accumulation is restricted to vegetation clumps, and there is essentially no profile development due to ongoing soil action (creep and slides) and congeliturbation. Though rock cover is high (60-100%), it can act to promote mesic conditions by the overlapping of shale/argillite slabs to cover finer mineral soil, thus retarding evaporation. Litter cover is highly variable, mostly less than 5%, but occasionally as high as 30%.
Geographic Range: This community has been documented primarily from subalpine to alpine sites proximal to the Continental Divide in northwestern Montana (Glacier National Park), principally on its western side.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: AB?, MT
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.728737
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2G3
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 6 Open Rock Vegetation Class | C06 | 6 |
| Subclass | 6.B Temperate & Boreal Open Rock Vegetation Subclass | S04 | 6.B |
| Formation | 6.B.1 Temperate & Boreal Cliff, Scree & Other Rock Vegetation Formation | F034 | 6.B.1 |
| Division | 6.B.1.Nb Western North American Temperate Cliff, Scree & Rock Vegetation Division | D052 | 6.B.1.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 6.B.1.Nb.1 Douglas-fir - Ponderosa Pine / Moss Western North American Cliff, Scree & Rock Vegetation Macrogroup | M887 | 6.B.1.Nb.1 |
| Group | 6.B.1.Nb.1.b Nonvascular Rocky Mountain Cliff, Scree & Rock Vegetation Group | G565 | 6.B.1.Nb.1.b |
| Alliance | A3741 Yellow Columbine - Silverleaf Phacelia Cliff, Scree & Rock Alliance | A3741 | 6.B.1.Nb.1.b |
| Association | CEGL005899 Yellow Columbine - Rocky Ragwort Sparse Vegetation | CEGL005899 | 6.B.1.Nb.1.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Aquilegia flavescens - Senecio megacephalus Sparse Vegetation (Hop et al. 2007)
> Aquilegio flavescentis - Sencecietum megacephali Association (Damm 2001)
> Phacelia hastata - Penstemon ellipticus basal community (Damm 2001)
> Aquilegio flavescentis - Sencecietum megacephali Association (Damm 2001)
> Phacelia hastata - Penstemon ellipticus basal community (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.