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CEGL005866 Carex scirpoidea - Zigadenus elegans Alpine Meadow
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Northern Single-spike Sedge - Mountain Deathcamas Alpine Meadow
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This is a small-patch herbaceous community found in Glacier National Park, Montana. It is associated with seep conditions providing a mesic to hygric moisture regime. Possibly the strongest determinant of this community is a strongly bimodal moisture regime; saturated and even having overland flow in spring and early summer and by mid to late summer subsurface flow ceases and soils dry rapidly due to warm site exposures. Within-type vegetation differences are explained by differences in water regime (considerable variation in when sites become dry, if ever) and amount of exposed rock. Plant cover is high (90+%) where continuous soils have developed but can be as low as 10% where rock cover exceeds 90%. The documented elevation range is from 1640 to 2190 m (5380-7185 feet). It is found primarily on west- to southwest-facing, moderate to steep slopes, mostly having greater than 45% inclination. This community often occurs in terrain with irregular relief owing to rock outcrops, stabilized fell-fields or talus with appreciable soil, or as a broad zone paralleling rivulets and the most incipient of first-order streams. Microsites of relatively flat outcrops of layered sedimentary rock accumulates organic humus with a high water-retention capacity providing in the aggregate an extensive substrate for this community.
The vascular plant cover is highly variable (8-98%) in this type, and more or less inversely proportional to rock exposure in the drier expressions of the type and on moister sites in inverse proportion to the bryophyte/lichen cover. Dwarf-shrubs are scattered, comprising not much more than 5% cover; the most constant being Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi. On the more lush sites, Carex scirpoidea, the dominant, highly constant and diagnostic sedge, can approach a sward-like aspect, but on the rockier sites its cover may scarcely exceed a few percent. Other graminoids of high constancy but generally of low cover include Danthonia intermedia, Festuca idahoensis, Festuca campestris, and Poa alpina. Alternatively, Carex podocarpa, Carex spectabilis, and Deschampsia cespitosa are present in the moister sites. Though generally typifying moist to hygric sites, this type can range to relatively wet environments as indicated by the presence of Allium schoenoprasum, Triantha glutinosa, Packera streptanthifolia, Dodecatheon pulchellum, Parnassia fimbriata, Symphyotrichum foliaceum, and Suksdorfia ranunculifolia. A number of other mesic, high constancy forbs occur with low cover, including Zigadenus elegans. Forb cover tends to occur in patches and overall it seldom exceeds 30% cover, with individual species very seldom having more than 10% cover.
The vascular plant cover is highly variable (8-98%) in this type, and more or less inversely proportional to rock exposure in the drier expressions of the type and on moister sites in inverse proportion to the bryophyte/lichen cover. Dwarf-shrubs are scattered, comprising not much more than 5% cover; the most constant being Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi. On the more lush sites, Carex scirpoidea, the dominant, highly constant and diagnostic sedge, can approach a sward-like aspect, but on the rockier sites its cover may scarcely exceed a few percent. Other graminoids of high constancy but generally of low cover include Danthonia intermedia, Festuca idahoensis, Festuca campestris, and Poa alpina. Alternatively, Carex podocarpa, Carex spectabilis, and Deschampsia cespitosa are present in the moister sites. Though generally typifying moist to hygric sites, this type can range to relatively wet environments as indicated by the presence of Allium schoenoprasum, Triantha glutinosa, Packera streptanthifolia, Dodecatheon pulchellum, Parnassia fimbriata, Symphyotrichum foliaceum, and Suksdorfia ranunculifolia. A number of other mesic, high constancy forbs occur with low cover, including Zigadenus elegans. Forb cover tends to occur in patches and overall it seldom exceeds 30% cover, with individual species very seldom having more than 10% 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: The vascular plant cover is highly variable (8-98%) in this type, and more or less inversely proportional to rock exposure in the drier expressions of the type and on moister sites in inverse proportion to the bryophyte/lichen cover. Dwarf-shrubs are scattered, comprising not much more than 5% cover; the most constant being Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi. On the more lush sites, Carex scirpoidea, the dominant, highly constant and diagnostic sedge, can approach a sward-like aspect, but on the rockier sites its cover may scarcely exceed a few percent. Other graminoids of high constancy but generally of low cover include Danthonia intermedia, Festuca idahoensis, Festuca campestris (= Festuca scabrella), and Poa alpina. Alternatively, Carex podocarpa, Carex spectabilis, and Deschampsia cespitosa are present in the moister sites. Though generally typifying moist to hygric sites, this type can range to relatively wet environments as indicated by the presence of Allium schoenoprasum, Triantha glutinosa (= Tofieldia glutinosa), Packera streptanthifolia (= Senecio cymbalarioides), Dodecatheon pulchellum, Parnassia fimbriata, Symphyotrichum foliaceum (= Aster foliaceus), and Suksdorfia ranunculifolia. A number of other mesic, high constancy forbs occur with low cover, including Zigadenus elegans. Forb cover tends to occur in patches and overall it seldom exceeds 30% cover, with individual species very seldom having more than 10% cover.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: It is associated with seep conditions providing a mesic to hygric moisture regime. Possibly the strongest determinant of this community is a strongly bimodal moisture regime; saturated and even having overland flow in spring and early summer and by mid to late summer subsurface flow ceases and soils dry rapidly due to warm site exposures. Within-type vegetation differences are explained by differences in water regime (considerable variation in when sites become dry, if ever) and amount of exposed rock. Plant cover is high (90+%) where continuous soils have developed but can be as low as 10% where rock cover exceeds 90%. The documented elevation range is from 1640 to 2190 m (5380-7185 feet). It is found primarily on west- to southwest-facing, moderate to steep slopes, mostly having greater than 45% inclination. This community often occurs in terrain with irregular relief owing to rock outcrops, stabilized fell-fields or talus with appreciable soil, or as a broad zone paralleling rivulets and the most incipient of first-order streams. Microsites of relatively flat outcrops of layered sedimentary rock accumulates organic humus with a high water-retention capacity providing in the aggregate an extensive substrate for this community.
Geographic Range: This is a small-patch herbaceous community found in Glacier National Park, Montana.
Nations: CA?,US
States/Provinces: AB?, MT
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.730682
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4G5
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 | A3155 Blackroot Sedge - Curly Sedge - Bellardi Bog Sedge Rocky Mountain Alpine Turf Alliance | A3155 | 4.B.1.Nb.2.b |
| Association | CEGL005866 Northern Single-spike Sedge - Mountain Deathcamas Alpine Meadow | CEGL005866 | 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 scirpoidea - Zigadenus elegans Herbaceous Vegetation (Hop et al. 2007)
>< Dodecatheo - Suksdorfietum ranunculifoliae Association (Damm 2001)
>< Trollio - Parnassietum fimbriatae Association (Damm 2001)
>< Zigadeno elegantis - Caricetum scirpoideae Association (Damm 2001)
>< Dodecatheo - Suksdorfietum ranunculifoliae Association (Damm 2001)
>< Trollio - Parnassietum fimbriatae Association (Damm 2001)
>< Zigadeno elegantis - Caricetum scirpoideae 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.