Print Report
CEGL005833 Dasiphora fruticosa / Artemisia michauxiana Alpine Shrub Meadow
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Shrubby-cinquefoil / Michaux''s Wormwood Alpine Shrub Meadow
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This fell-field association is found throughout the uppermost subalpine and alpine of Glacier National Park in Montana and is much less well-documented in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta. This patterned to heterogeneous vegetation type is characteristic of fell-fields, large expanses of steeply sloped (to 70%), unstable colluvium. The defining rocky surface is composed of coarse-textured debris, talus, or small-sized scree; regardless of fragment size, the amount of exposed rock cover is between 80% and 95%, usually composed of green or red argillite, with other rock types (quartzite, arenite) having a minor representation. The sampled elevation range is broad, from the high subalpine at 1940 m (6365 feet) to mid-alpine at 2620 m (8560 feet). Though steeply sloping, well-drained, and with their predominantly south- to southwest-facing slopes exposed to prevailing drying winds, the soil of these sites holds considerable amounts of moisture, even following extensive precipitation-free periods. The physiognomy of this type is not so much that of an alpine vegetated slope but of sparsely distributed shrubs on a rocky substrate. Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda is definitely a subshrub in this environment and its cover is mostly in the range of 3 to 10% with extremes approaching 25%. The graminoid component is very sparse, the aggregate cover seldom exceeding 1-3%, with only Calamagrostis purpurascens and Poa secunda exceeding 50% constancy. Forb cover is also minimal, usually in the 1-10% range, and only Artemisia michauxiana and Potentilla glandulosa are considered characteristic species in this local description of the type, though both species have much wider ecological amplitudes than just the alpine zone, and neither exhibits 100% constancy. Occurring with low cover are groups of alpine generalist species including Potentilla diversifolia, Solidago multiradiata, Minuartia obtusiloba, Besseya wyomingensis, and Oxytropis campestris.
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 physiognomy of this type is not so much that of an alpine vegetated slope but of sparsely distributed shrubs on a rocky substrate. Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda is definitely a subshrub in this environment and its cover is mostly in the range of 3 to 10% with extremes approaching 25%. The graminoid component is very sparse, the aggregate cover seldom exceeding 1-3%, with only Calamagrostis purpurascens and Poa secunda exceeding 50% constancy. Forb cover is also minimal, usually in the 1-10% range, and only Artemisia michauxiana and Potentilla glandulosa are considered characteristic species in this local description of the type, though both species have much wider ecological amplitudes than just the alpine zone, and neither exhibits 100% constancy. Occurring with low cover are groups of alpine generalist species including Potentilla diversifolia, Solidago multiradiata, Minuartia obtusiloba (= Arenaria obtusiloba), Besseya wyomingensis, and Oxytropis campestris.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This patterned to heterogeneous vegetation type is characteristic of fell-fields, large expanses of steeply sloped (to 70%), unstable colluvium. The defining rocky surface is composed of coarse-textured debris, talus, or small-sized scree; regardless of fragment size, the amount of exposed rock cover is between 80% and 95%, usually composed of green or red argillite, with other rock types (quartzite, arenite) having a minor representation. The sampled elevation range is broad, from the high subalpine at 1940 m (6365 feet) to mid-alpine at 2620 m (8560 feet). Though steeply sloping, well-drained, and with their predominantly south- to southwest-facing slopes exposed to prevailing drying winds, the soil of these sites holds considerable amounts of moisture, even following extensive precipitation-free periods.
Geographic Range: This fell-field association is found throughout the uppermost subalpine and alpine of Glacier National Park in Montana and is much less well-documented in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: AB, MT
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.728788
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3G4
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 | A3175 Wax Currant - Gooseberry Currant - Shrubby-cinquefoil Alpine Shrubland Alliance | A3175 | 4.B.1.Nb.2.a |
| Association | CEGL005833 Shrubby-cinquefoil / Michaux''s Wormwood Alpine Shrub Meadow | CEGL005833 | 4.B.1.Nb.2.a |
Concept Lineage: Upgraded to Standard during screening.
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< Artemisio michauxianae - Potentilletum fruticosae Association (Damm 2001)
= Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda / Artemisia michauxiana Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation [Provisional] (Hop et al. 2007)
>< Myosotido alpestris - Caricetum albonigrae Association (Damm 2001)
= Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda / Artemisia michauxiana Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation [Provisional] (Hop et al. 2007)
>< Myosotido alpestris - Caricetum albonigrae Association (Damm 2001)
- 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.