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CEGL005865 Carex paysonis - Sibbaldia procumbens Alpine Snowbed
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Payson''s Sedge - Creeping Sibbaldia Alpine Snowbed
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This is a small-patch herbaceous association found in Glacier National Park, Montana, and Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. It occurs on relatively exposed alpine ridgelines and flats from 2180 to 3120 m (7150-10,236 feet) elevation. Surface relief is smooth to moderately rolling with slopes not exceeding 18% and no particular slope aspect being preferred; however, sites are apparently aligned with microtopographic depressions, such as lee slopes, otherwise disposed to accumulate deep snowdrifts. Despite the high to very high wind exposure of the landscape, the drifted snow has a moderately long duration into summer. Meltwaters create an early-season soil saturation which is rapidly dried out due to well-drained soils and desiccating winds. This community is found on red and green argillite and quartzite. The ground surface is blanketed by a dense cover of mosses (10-50% cover) and lichens (10-35% cover) with the remainder being litter. Being relatively stressful sites, the vascular cover is relatively low, ranging from 15 to 45%. Salix arctica and Salix petrophila are dwarf-shrubs present. Carex paysonis, ranging in cover from 10 to 25%, is the dominant herb; other graminoids of high constancy include Carex phaeocephala, Carex pyrenaica, Agrostis variabilis, Juncus parryi, Luzula piperi, and Luzula spicata. The forb component is relatively depauperate in species richness and cover; those with greater than 50% constancy include the chionophilous (snow-loving) species Antennaria umbrinella, Arenaria capillaris, Sibbaldia procumbens, and Antennaria alpina, and the high-elevation generalists Erigeron peregrinus, Hieracium gracile, and Polygonum bistortoides. Moss cover, ranging up to 45%, is important for soil formation and is dominated by Polytrichum piliferum followed by Polytrichastrum alpinum and Tortula ruralis. Snow cover persisting long into summer favors lichen development (10-30% cover), among which are the circumpolar species Cladonia ecmocyna and Cladonia borealis, and Solorina crocea, a colorful foliose soil lichen.
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: Carex paysonis, ranging in cover from 10 to 25%, is the dominant graminoid. The ground surface is blanketed by a dense cover of mosses (10-50% cover) and lichens (10-35% cover) with the remainder being litter. Being relatively stressful sites, the vascular cover is relatively low, ranging from 15 to 45%. Salix arctica and Salix petrophila are dwarf-shrubs present. Other graminoids of high constancy include Carex phaeocephala, Carex pyrenaica, Agrostis variabilis, Juncus parryi, Luzula piperi, and Luzula spicata. The forb component is relatively depauperate in species richness and cover and includes the chionophilous (snow-loving) species Antennaria umbrinella, Arenaria capillaris, Sibbaldia procumbens, and Antennaria alpina, and the high-elevation generalists Erigeron peregrinus, Hieracium gracile, Artemisia scopulorum, Hieracium gracile, Polygonum bistortoides, Potentilla diversifolia, Silene acaulis, and Polygonum bistortoides. Moss cover, ranging up to 45%, is important for soil formation and is dominated by Polytrichum piliferum followed by Polytrichastrum alpinum and Tortula ruralis. Snow cover persisting long into summer favors lichen development (10-30% cover), among which are the circumpolar species Cladonia ecmocyna and Cladonia borealis, and Solorina crocea, a colorful foliose soil lichen.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: It occurs on relatively exposed alpine ridgelines and flats from 2180 to 3120 m (7150-10,236 feet) elevation. Surface relief is smooth to moderately rolling with slopes not exceeding 18% and no particular slope aspect being preferred; however, sites are apparently aligned with microtopographic depressions, such as lee slopes, otherwise disposed to accumulate deep snowdrifts. Despite the high to very high wind exposure of the landscape, the drifted snow has a moderately long duration into summer. Meltwaters create an early-season soil saturation which is rapidly dried out due to well-drained soils and desiccating winds. This community is found on red and green argillite and quartzite.
Geographic Range: This alpine association is known from Glacier National Park in Montana and Grand Teton National Park in northwestern Wyoming.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: MT, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.729675
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.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 | CEGL005865 Payson''s Sedge - Creeping Sibbaldia Alpine Snowbed | CEGL005865 | 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: = Carex paysonis - Sibbaldia procumbens Herbaceous Vegetation (Hop et al. 2007)
= Polytrichum piliferum - Carex paysonis snow drift community (Damm 2001)
= Polytrichum piliferum - Carex paysonis snow drift community (Damm 2001)
- Cogan, D., K. Varga, and G. Kittel. 2005. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: Grand Teton National Park and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. Final Project Report 2002-2005 Vegetation Mapping Project. Technical Memorandum 8260-06-02. USDI Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO. 87 pp. plus Appendixes A-F.
- 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.