Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Geyer''s Sedge Meadow

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This small-patch vegetation type is found at lower alpine and mid to upper subalpine zones from 1770 to 2301 m (5800-7550 feet) elevation in Glacier National Park, Montana, and Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. It occurs on gentle to steep slopes (1-65%) having predominantly southerly exposures. It is often found on gully slopes where streambeds are deeply incised in colluvium, resulting in unstable surfaces. In winter these gullies can fill with snow, which persists long into the growing season, assuring ample soil moisture well into August. Though the vegetation pattern can be regular, these sites are most often heterogeneous with patches of vegetation interspersed with bare gravel, scattered talus, as well as exposed bedrock. Because of persistent sheet erosion, soil development is restricted to the clumps or patches of grass and sedge. Vascular plant cover ranges from around 10% on the rockiest of southerly exposures to over 75% where soil is more extensive and litter mantles the surface. Shrubs may be absent or may include scattered individuals of Spiraea betulifolia, Mahonia repens, Artemisia tridentata ssp. spiciformis, Amelanchier alnifolia, Symphoricarpos oreophilus, and Rubus parviflorus, none with more than 5% cover. The diverse graminoid component is dominated by Carex geyeri; other common species include Poa cusickii, Pseudoroegneria spicata, Elymus elymoides, Koeleria macrantha, and Festuca idahoensis. The forb component is also diverse but often has low cover. In Glacier National Park, the forbs grow in tall clumps dominated by Hieracium scouleri var. albertinum, Senecio megacephalus, Arnica rydbergii, Lomatium dissectum, Aquilegia flavescens, Potentilla diversifolia, Cirsium hookerianum, and Symphyotrichum foliaceum. Shorter and less conspicuous, but occurring with as much cover and constancy, are Arenaria capillaris, Eriogonum flavum, Galium boreale, Antennaria rosea, Sedum stenopetalum, and Campanula rotundifolia. In Grand Teton National Park, Balsamorhiza sagittata and Eriogonum umbellatum are the only species that occur regularly with more than trace cover. Combined moss and lichen cover does not exceed 20% and usually is less than 5%.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Damm (2001) is the first to describe a vegetation type (Hieracio albertini - Caricetum geyeri Association) characterized by the dominance of Carex geyeri in the tallest layer; Carex geyeri has been employed as an indicator species many times in forest and woodland communities. Hieracium cynoglossoides has been dropped as an epithet as it has a very broad distribution, is only 70% constant, and not even the most abundant forb (equally good name might have been Lomatium dissectum or Senecio megacephalus). Should more Carex geyeri types from a wider geographic range be described, then a more appropriate and broadly considered forb component name could be considered. Two plots assigned by Damm (2001) to this type had bunchgrass cover considerably greater than that of Carex geyeri, which had less than 5% cover, and were reallocated to bunchgrass-dominated types.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available

note: No Data Available