Print Report
CEGL005939 Trifolium nanum Alpine Fell-field
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Dwarf Clover Alpine Fell-field
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This fell-field cushion plant association occurs among the patchwork of tundra associations in large areas of the high alpine in the southern Rocky Mountains. Stands generally occur on wind-exposed ridges and gentle to steep upper slopes (8-100%) with convex surface relief. Aspects are southwestern, western, northern and northeastern. These areas are snow-free and windswept by strong seasonal winds during the winter. The surficial geology is generally bedrock granite or other igneous or metamorphic rocks, but the community may occur on loose talus slopes. Sites are typically xeric and rocky, with the ground surface largely covered in large and small rocks and gravel. Soil types are shallow, poorly developed, well-drained or rapidly drained, cobbly or gravelly, sandy loam to sand. Mosses and lichens can also cover up to 20% of the stand. The vegetation is characterized by dense patches of matted tundra species interspersed with exposed rocks and cobbles. The moderately dense herbaceous layer (40-60% cover) is dominated by Trifolium nanum with 20-50% cover. Paronychia pulvinata or Minuartia biflora may codominate some stands. Several other species are consistently found within stands, some with relatively high cover such as Geum rossii, Silene acaulis, and Tonestus pygmaeus. Other constant forbs with lower cover include Arenaria fendleri, Artemisia scopulorum, Castilleja occidentalis, Erigeron pinnatisectus, Eritrichium nanum, Minuartia obtusiloba, Polygonum bistortoides, Saxifraga bronchialis, Selaginella densa, and Trifolium dasyphyllum. Graminoids are also present with low cover and commonly include Carex rupestris var. drummondiana, Festuca brachyphylla, Luzula spicata, Poa alpina, and Poa glauca. Diagnostic of this alpine fell-field is the dominance of Trifolium nanum with other cushion plants.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This fell-field association is floristically, vegetatively and environmentally similar to Paronychia pulvinata - Silene acaulis - Minuartia obtusiloba plant communities reported from the Colorado Front Range (Hess 1981, Hess and Wasser 1982, Komarkova 1986).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The association is characterized by dense patches of matted tundra species interspersed with exposed rocks and cobbles. The moderately dense herbaceous layer (40-60% cover) is dominated by Trifolium nanum with 20-50% cover. Paronychia pulvinata or Minuartia biflora (= Lidia biflora) may codominate some stands. Several other species are consistently found within stands, some with relatively high cover such as Geum rossii, Silene acaulis, and Tonestus pygmaeus. Other constant forbs with lower cover include Arenaria fendleri, Artemisia spp., Castilleja occidentalis, Erigeron pinnatisectus, Eritrichium nanum, Minuartia obtusiloba, Polygonum spp., Saxifraga bronchialis, Selaginella densa, and Trifolium dasyphyllum. Graminoids are also present with low cover and commonly include Carex rupestris var. drummondiana, Festuca brachyphylla, Luzula spicata, Poa alpina and Poa glauca (Hess 1981, Hess and Wasser 1982, Komarkova 1986).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This fell-field cushion plant association occurs among the patchwork of tundra associations in large areas of high alpine in the southern Rocky Mountain between 3450 and 4250 m (11,300-13,950 feet) elevation. Stands generally occur on wind-exposed ridges and gentle to steep upper slopes (8-100%) with convex surface relief. Aspects are southwestern, western, northern and northeastern. These areas are snow-free and windswept by strong seasonal winds during the winter. The surficial geology is generally bedrock granite or other igneous or metamorphic rocks, but the community may occur on loose talus slopes. Stands are typically rocky, with the ground surface largely covered in large and small rocks and gravel. Soil types are shallow, poorly developed, well-drained or rapidly drained, cobbly or gravelly, sandy loam, loamy sand, or sand (Hess 1981, Hess and Wasser 1982, Komarkova 1986). Soils are classified as loamy to sandy-skeletal mixed Lithic or Typic Cryorthents (Wasser and Hess 1982). Mosses and lichens can also cover up to 20% of the stand.
Geographic Range: This fell-field cushion plant association is found in the high alpine of the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado and may extend elsewhere in the Rocky Mountains.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.735338
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
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 | A3154 Twin-flower Sandwort - Rocky Mountain Nailwort - Moss Campion Alpine Fell-field Alliance | A3154 | 4.B.1.Nb.2.b |
| Association | CEGL005939 Dwarf Clover Alpine Fell-field | CEGL005939 | 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: > Trifolium nanum / Erigeron pinnatisectus Plant Association (Johnston 1987) [described by Keammerer and Stoecker (1980).]
> Trifolium nanum / Lidia biflora Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Trifolium nanum / Paronychia pulvinata Habitat Type (Wasser and Hess 1982)
= Trifolium nanum / Paronychia pulvinata Habitat Type (Hess 1981)
= Trifolium nanum / Paronychia pulvinata Habitat Type (Hess and Wasser 1982)
= Trifolium nanum / Paronychia pulvinata Habitat Type/Association (Komarkova 1986)
< Trifolium nanum Fellfield Community (Johnson 1970a)
= Trifolium nanum Herbaceous Vegetation (Salas et al. 2005)
>< Trifolium nanum Plant Association (Johnson and Billings 1962) [Plots # 19 and #32 from Geum Turf type are dominated by Trifolium nanum.]
> Trifolium nanum / Lidia biflora Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Trifolium nanum / Paronychia pulvinata Habitat Type (Wasser and Hess 1982)
= Trifolium nanum / Paronychia pulvinata Habitat Type (Hess 1981)
= Trifolium nanum / Paronychia pulvinata Habitat Type (Hess and Wasser 1982)
= Trifolium nanum / Paronychia pulvinata Habitat Type/Association (Komarkova 1986)
< Trifolium nanum Fellfield Community (Johnson 1970a)
= Trifolium nanum Herbaceous Vegetation (Salas et al. 2005)
>< Trifolium nanum Plant Association (Johnson and Billings 1962) [Plots # 19 and #32 from Geum Turf type are dominated by Trifolium nanum.]
- Hess, K. 1981. Phyto-edaphic study of habitat types of the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest, Colorado. Unpublished dissertation, Colorado State University, Fort Collins. 558 pp.
- Hess, K., and C. H. Wasser. 1982. Grassland, shrubland, and forest habitat types of the White River-Arapaho National Forest. Unpublished final report 53-82 FT-1-19. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 335 pp.
- Johnson, K. L. 1970a. Alpine vegetation and soils of Mesa Seco Plateau, San Juan Mountains, Colorado. Unpublished dissertation, University of Illinois, Urbana. 217 pp.
- Johnson, P. L., and W. D. Billings. 1962. The alpine vegetation of the Beartooth Plateau in relation to cryopedogenic processes and patterns. Ecological Monographs 32(2):105-133.
- Johnston, B. C. 1987. Plant associations of Region Two: Potential plant communities of Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas. R2-ECOL-87-2. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Lakewood, CO. 429 pp.
- Komarkova, V. 1986. Habitat types on selected parts of the Gunnison and Uncompahgre national forests. Unpublished final report prepared for USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. Fort Collins, CO. 270 pp. plus appendices.
- Salas, D. E., J. Stevens, K. Schulz, M. Artmann, B. Friesen, S. Blauer, E. W. Schweiger, and A. Valdez. 2010b. Vegetation classification and mapping project report: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Natural Resource Report NPS/ROMN/NRR--2010/179. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- Salas, D., J. Stevens, and K. Schulz. 2005. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Technical Memorandum No. 8260-05-02. USDI Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO. 161 pp. plus Appendices A-L (733 pp.).
- Wasser, C. H., and K. Hess. 1982. The habitat types of Region II. USDA Forest Service: A synthesis. Final report prepared for USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 140 pp.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.