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CEGL005873 Luzula glabrata - Erythronium grandiflorum Meadow
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Smooth Woodrush / Yellow Avalanche-lily Meadow
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This vegetation type has only been documented from Glacier National Park, Montana, but it is highly likely to also occur in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta. This small-patch type is common in the upper subalpine and extends just into the lower alpine exhibiting a relatively narrow elevation range from 1900 to 2120 m (6230-6950 feet). It is a component of a complexly patterned environment representing those positions that accumulate a deep snowload and retain it long into the growing season. It generally occupies gently rolling terrain, particularly depressions within, and extends to gentle slopes and even steep slopes if conditions are conducive to snow accumulation and retention. It often occurs as narrow patches between tree-dominated atolls at the highest elevations of tree development. Parent materials include predominantly calcareous and noncalcareous fine-textured sedimentary rock. Soils are moderately well- to poorly drained. Exposed rock and soil generally do not exceed 10% cover with the great majority of the ground surface covered with litter from the abundant vegetation. There are virtually no shrubs, with the typical expression a lush herbaceous vegetation (average cover 82%) that is usually dominated by a discontinuous sward of Luzula glabrata var. hitchcockii. Other graminoids of high constancy and indicative of various degrees of snowbed conditions include Carex nigricans and Carex spectabilis. More sporadically represented snowbed graminoids include Juncus drummondii and Juncus parryi. Vahlodea atropurpurea, Phleum alpinum, and Poa cusickii also have high constancy. On the more poorly drained sites, a variable suite of forbs associated with mesic to subhygric moisture regimes may exceed the graminoid cover; these forbs include Erigeron peregrinus, Hieracium gracile, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Hypericum scouleri, Arnica x diversifolia, Arnica latifolia, and Valeriana sitchensis. The spring ephemeral Erythronium grandiflorum is dominant (cover to 50+%) immediately following snow departure. Both lichen and bryophyte cover are minimal, seldom exceeding 5%.
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: There are virtually no shrubs, with the typical expression a lush herbaceous vegetation (average cover 82%) that is usually dominated by a discontinuous sward of Luzula glabrata var. hitchcockii. Other graminoids of high constancy and indicative of various degrees of snowbed conditions include Carex nigricans and Carex spectabilis. More sporadically represented snowbed graminoids include Juncus drummondii and Juncus parryi. Vahlodea atropurpurea, Phleum alpinum, and Poa cusickii also have high constancy. On the more poorly drained sites, a variable suite of forbs associated with mesic to subhygric moisture regimes may exceed the graminoid cover; these forbs include Erigeron peregrinus, Hieracium gracile, Epilobium anagallidifolium (= Epilobium alpinum), Hypericum scouleri, Arnica x diversifolia, Arnica latifolia, and Valeriana sitchensis. The spring ephemeral Erythronium grandiflorum is dominant (cover to 50+%) immediately following snow departure. Both lichen and bryophyte cover are minimal, seldom exceeding 5%.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This small-patch type is common in the upper subalpine and extends just into the lower alpine exhibiting a relatively narrow elevation range from 1900 to 2120 m (6230-6950 feet). It is a component of a complexly patterned environment representing those positions that accumulate a deep snowload and retain it long into the growing season. It generally occupies gently rolling terrain, particularly depressions within, and extends to gentle slopes and even steep slopes if conditions are conducive to snow accumulation and retention. It often occurs as narrow patches between tree-dominated atolls at the highest elevations of tree development. Parent materials include predominantly calcareous and noncalcareous fine-textured sedimentary rock. Soils are moderately well- to poorly drained. Exposed rock and soil generally do not exceed 10% cover with the great majority of the ground surface covered with litter from the abundant vegetation.
Geographic Range: This vegetation type has only been documented from Glacier National Park, Montana, but it is highly likely to also occur in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta.
Nations: CA?,US
States/Provinces: AB?, MT
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.730768
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class | C02 | 2 |
| Subclass | 2.B Temperate & Boreal Grassland & Shrubland Subclass | S18 | 2.B |
| Formation | 2.B.2 Temperate Grassland & Shrubland Formation | F012 | 2.B.2 |
| Division | 2.B.2.Nf Western North American Grassland & Shrubland Division | D022 | 2.B.2.Nf |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.2.Nf.3 Tufted Hairgrass - Licorice-root species - Mountain Muhly Subalpine-High Montane Mesic Meadow Macrogroup | M168 | 2.B.2.Nf.3 |
| Group | 2.B.2.Nf.3.b Greenleaf Fescue - Tufted Hairgrass - Licorice-root species Rocky Mountain-Vancouverian Grassland & Meadow Group | G271 | 2.B.2.Nf.3.b |
| Alliance | A3948 Sitka Valerian - Hitchcock''s Smooth Woodrush - Common Beargrass Subalpine Mesic Meadow Alliance | A3948 | 2.B.2.Nf.3.b |
| Association | CEGL005873 Smooth Woodrush / Yellow Avalanche-lily Meadow | CEGL005873 | 2.B.2.Nf.3.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Luzula glabrata var. hitchcockii - Erythronium grandiflorum Herbaceous Vegetation (Hop et al. 2007)
< Luzulo hitchcockii - Erythronietum grandiflorae Association (Damm 2001)
< Luzulo hitchcockii - Erythronietum grandiflorae 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.