Print Report
G314 Carex elynoides - Kobresia myosuroides - Phlox pulvinata Alpine Turf & Fell-field Group
Type Concept Sentence: This wide-ranging group includes both wind-scoured fell-fields and dry turf in alpine sites throughout the Rocky Mountains cordillera, high mountain ranges and plateaus in Utah and Nevada, the Sierra Nevada in California, high mountains of eastern Oregon and Washington, and isolated alpine sites in the northeastern Cascades. It is composed of open to moderately dense or dense herbaceous cover dominated by cushion plants (fell-fields), graminoids (turf), or a mixture of forbs and graminoids.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Blackroot Sedge - Bellardi Bog Sedge - Cushion Phlox Alpine Turf & Fell-field Group
Colloquial Name: Rocky Mountain-Sierran Alpine Turf & Fell-field
Hierarchy Level: Group
Type Concept: This wide-ranging, alpine group includes both wind-scoured fell-fields and dry turf in alpine sites throughout the Rocky Mountains cordillera, high mountain ranges and plateaus in Utah and Nevada, the Sierra Nevada in California, high mountains of eastern Oregon and Washington, and isolated alpine sites in the northeastern Cascades. The vegetation is generally composed of low-growing perennial forbs and graminoids. On fell-field sites, total vegetation cover ranges from sparse to moderate cover dominated by cushion plants, whereas on turf sites, it ranges from open to moderately dense or dense cover dominated by graminoids or a mixture of graminoids and forbs (especially cushion plants). The graminoids are typically rhizomatous, sod-forming sedges such as Carex elynoides, Carex helleri, Carex scirpoidea, Carex siccata, Carex nardina, Carex rupestris, Kobresia myosuroides, and Linanthus pungens. Common fell-field species include Arenaria capillaris, Erigeron pygmaeus, Eriogonum incanum, Geum rossii, Hulsea algida, Minuartia obtusiloba, Myosotis asiatica, Paronychia pulvinata, Phacelia hastata var. compacta, Phlox covillei, Phlox pulvinata, Saxifraga tolmiei, Silene acaulis, Trifolium dasyphyllum, and Trifolium parryi. Many other graminoids, forbs, and prostrate shrubs can also be found, including Calamagrostis purpurascens, Deschampsia cespitosa, Dryas octopetala, Ericameria discoidea, Festuca brachyphylla, Festuca idahoensis, Leucopoa kingii, Luzula spicata, Poa arctica, Poa glauca, Poa secunda (Great Basin), Podistera nevadensis, Polygonum bistortoides, Saxifraga spp., Selaginella densa, and Solidago spp. Fell-fields are usually found within or adjacent to alpine dry turf with many of the same prostrate and mat-forming plants found in both, frequently with broad transition zones. Great Basin alpine areas tend to be drier with smaller turf patches and include some species common in desert scrub such as Elymus elymoides and Poa secunda. Vegetation in these areas is controlled by snow retention, wind desiccation, permafrost, and a short growing season. Fell-fields are typically free of snow during the winter as they are found on ridgetops, upper slopes and exposed saddles, whereas dry turf is found on gentle to moderate slopes, flat ridges, valleys, and basins where the soil has become relatively stabilized and the water supply is more-or-less constant. Fell-field substrates are generally shallow, stony, low in organic matter, and poorly developed with wind deflation often resulting in a gravelly pavement. Alpine turf sites have deeper, more developed soils, although there may be moderately high cover of cobbles and boulders present. Although alpine dry turf may form the matrix or large patches of the alpine zone, it typically intermingles with alpine bedrock and scree, ice field, fell-field, alpine dwarf-shrubland, and alpine/subalpine wet meadow systems.
Diagnostic Characteristics: This alpine group is characterized by dominance of low-growing herbaceous perennial plants, including graminoids Carex elynoides, Carex helleri, Carex scirpoidea, Carex siccata, Carex nardina, Carex rupestris, Festuca brachyphylla, Kobresia myosuroides, Linanthus pungens, Luzula spicata, Poa arctica, and Poa glauca, forbs such as Arenaria capillaris, Erigeron pygmaeus, Eriogonum incanum, Geum rossii, Hulsea algida, Minuartia obtusiloba, Myosotis asiatica, Paronychia pulvinata, Phacelia hastata var. compacta, Phlox covillei, Phlox pulvinata, Podistera nevadensis, Polygonum bistortoides, Raillardella argentea, Saxifraga tolmiei, Selaginella densa, Silene acaulis, Solidago spp., Trifolium dasyphyllum, and Trifolium parryi. Scattered low shrubs may be present such as Dryas octopetala and Ericameria discoidea.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Alpine turf and fell-field are included together for several reasons. Although these types can be quite different and can have relatively abrupt boundaries in saddles, there is often a long transition on broad alpine slopes.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: The vegetation is a sparse to dense, low-growing herbaceous layer dominated by perennial forbs and/or graminoids.
Floristics: On fell-field sites, total vegetation cover ranges from sparse to moderate cover (15-50%) and is dominated by cushion plants, whereas on turf sites, it ranges from open to moderately dense or dense cover dominated by graminoids or a mixture of graminoids and forbs (especially cushion plants). The graminoids are typically rhizomatous, sod-forming sedges such as Carex elynoides, Carex helleri, Carex scirpoidea, Carex siccata, Carex nardina, Carex rupestris, Kobresia myosuroides, and Linanthus pungens (= Leptodactylon pungens). Most fell-field plants are cushioned or matted, frequently succulent, flat to the ground in rosettes, and often densely haired and thickly cutinized. Common species include Arenaria capillaris, Erigeron pygmaeus, Eriogonum incanum, Geum rossii, Hulsea algida, Minuartia obtusiloba, Myosotis asiatica, Paronychia pulvinata, Phacelia hastata var. compacta, Phlox covillei, Phlox pulvinata, Saxifraga tolmiei, Silene acaulis, Trifolium dasyphyllum, and Trifolium parryi. Many other graminoids, forbs, and prostrate shrubs can also be found, including Calamagrostis purpurascens, Deschampsia cespitosa, Dryas octopetala, Ericameria discoidea, Festuca brachyphylla, Festuca idahoensis, Leucopoa kingii, Luzula spicata, Poa arctica, Poa glauca, Poa secunda (Great Basin), Podistera nevadensis, Polygonum bistortoides, Raillardella argentea, Saxifraga spp., Selaginella densa, and Solidago spp. Fell-fields are usually found within or adjacent to alpine dry turf with many of the same prostrate and mat-forming plants found in both, frequently with broad transition zones. Great Basin alpine areas tend to be drier with smaller turf patches and include some species common in desert scrub such as Elymus elymoides and Poa secunda. Although alpine dry tundra is the matrix of the alpine zone, it typically intermingles with alpine bedrock and scree, ice field, fell-field, alpine dwarf-shrubland, and alpine/subalpine wet meadow systems. Floristic information was compiled from Bamberg (1961), Willard (1963), Bamberg and Major (1968), Komarkova (1976, 1980), Baker (1980a), Zwinger and Willard (1996), Cooper et al. (1997), and Billings (2000).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This widespread group occurs at and above upper treeline throughout the Rocky Mountains cordillera and alpine areas of mountain ranges in Utah and Nevada, Sierra Nevada in California, and in isolated alpine sites in the northeastern Cascades. It includes both wind-scoured fell-fields and dry turf. Fell-fields are typically free of snow during the winter as they are found on ridgetops, upper slopes and exposed saddles, whereas dry turf is found on gentle to moderate slopes, flat ridges, valleys, and basins where the soil has become relatively stabilized and the water supply is more-or-less constant. Vegetation in these areas is controlled by snow retention, wind desiccation, permafrost, and a short growing season. Fell-field substrates are generally shallow, stony, low in organic matter, and poorly developed with wind deflation often resulting in a gravelly pavement. Alpine turf sites have deeper, more developed soils, although there may be moderately high cover of cobbles and boulders present.
Geographic Range: This group occurs above upper treeline throughout the North American Rocky Mountain cordillera, including alpine areas of ranges in the Great Basin, and isolated alpine sites in the northeastern Cascades, and high mountains of eastern Oregon and Washington.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: AB, AZ, BC, CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.857556
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < AT Alpine Tundra (mesic to dry sites) (Ecosystems Working Group 1998)
< Alpine Rangeland (410) (Shiflet 1994)
< Alpine Rangeland (410) (Shiflet 1994)
- Baker, W. L. 1980a. Alpine vegetation of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains, New Mexico: Gradient analysis and classification. Unpublished thesis, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 55 pp.
- Bamberg, S. A. 1961. Plant ecology of alpine tundra area in Montana and adjacent Wyoming. Unpublished dissertation, University of Colorado, Boulder. 163 pp.
- Bamberg, S. A., and J. Major. 1968. Ecology of the vegetation and soils associated with calcareous parent materials in three alpine regions of Montana. Ecological Monographs 38(2):127-167.
- Billings, W. D. 2000. Alpine vegetation of North America. Pages 537-572 in: M. G. Barbour and W. D. Billings, editors. North American terrestrial vegetation. Second edition. Cambridge University Press, New York. 434 pp.
- Cooper, S. V., P. Lesica, and D. Page-Dumroese. 1997. Plant community classification for alpine vegetation on Beaverhead National Forest, Montana. Report INT-GTR-362. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station, Ogden, UT. 61 pp.
- Ecosystems Working Group. 1998. Standards for broad terrestrial ecosystem classification and mapping for British Columbia. Prepared by the Ecosystems Working Group, Terrestrial Ecosystem Task Force, Resources Inventory Committee, for the Province of British Columbia. 174 pp. plus appendices. [http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/risc/pubs/teecolo/tem/indextem.htm]
- Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, S. Gawler, M. Hall, C. Josse, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, L. Sneddon, K. Schulz, J. Teague, M. Russo, K. Snow, and P. Comer, editors. 2010-2019a. Divisions, Macrogroups and Groups for the Revised U.S. National Vegetation Classification. NatureServe, Arlington, VA. plus appendices. [in preparation]
- Komarkova, V. 1976. Alpine vegetation of the Indian Peaks Area, Front Range, Colorado Rocky Mountains. Unpublished dissertation, University of Colorado, Boulder. 655 pp.
- Komarkova, V. 1980. Classification and ordination in the Indian Peaks area, Colorado Rocky Mountains. Vegetatio 42:149-163.
- Shiflet, T. N., editor. 1994. Rangeland cover types of the United States. Society for Range Management. Denver, CO. 152 pp.
- Willard, B. E. 1963. Phytosociology of the alpine tundra of Trail Ridge, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Unpublished dissertation, University of Colorado, Boulder.
- Zwinger, A. H., and B. E. Willard. 1996. Land above the trees: A guide to American alpine tundra. Johnson Books, Boulder, CO. 425 pp.