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D187 Puccinellia phryganodes - Carex glareosa - Carex subspathacea Salt Marsh Division
Type Concept Sentence: This division includes arctic vegetation that is influenced by prolonged flooding with tidal or non-tidal brackish/salt water and is dominated by a combination of halophytic species, such as Carex glareosa, Carex mackenziei, Carex maritima, Carex subspathacea, Hippuris lanceolata, Puccinellia phryganodes, and Ranunculus cymbalaria.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Creeping Alkali Grass - Lesser Saltmarsh Sedge - Hoppner''s Sedge Salt Marsh Division
Colloquial Name: Arctic Coastal Salt Marsh
Hierarchy Level: Division
Type Concept: This division includes largely coastal arctic salt marsh vegetation that is affected by tidal or non-tidal brackish/salt water or from aerial salt influx. The vegetation in these marshes is not very diverse and is often dominated by a single herbaceous, perennial species. Most common and often dominant are the following species: Carex glareosa, Carex mackenziei, Carex maritima, Carex subspathacea, Carex ursina, Hippuris lanceolata, Puccinellia phryganodes, Ranunculus cymbalaria, Ranunculus hyperboreus, and Stellaria humifusa. Some others are very common but rarely dominant, including Argentina egedii, Calamagrostis stricta, Cochlearia groenlandica, Honckenya peploides, Juncus arcticus, Mertensia maritima, Puccinellia vaginata, Senecio congestus, Spergularia salina, and Triglochin palustris. All the species are perennial. Many species propagate through asexual reproduction; for some, sexual reproduction is not common or even unknown. Many of these species have circumarctic distribution, because the propagules (seeds, stolons, rhizomes) are freely distributed by the seawater currents and wind. In some salt marsh settings, algae are found, brought in with tidal water, and produce substantial biomass. In most cases, the vegetation occurs along the coast, in areas affected by high tide or storm flooding seawater. In other cases, it includes wetland vegetation that is affected by the aerial saltwater transport or by the marine deposits that contain salts. Finally, there is a group of biogenic salt marshes where the source of salts is the excrements of seabirds, such as under the cliffs of colonial birds or heavily degraded previously freshwater sedge fens with intensive goose browsing. The later sites are also very rich in nitrogen and, in addition to halophytes, they usually contain a suite of nitrophytic species.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Arctic distribution. Soil and water contain salts. The following species can be suggested as diagnostic for this arctic division: Carex glareosa, Carex maritima, Carex subspathacea, Carex ursina, and Puccinellia phryganodes. Stellaria humifusa has its main range in the arctic, slightly entering northern boreal (Aiken et al. 2007). The list of the arctic-specific salt mash species (vs. boreal salt marshes) has to be developed.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: It might be more logical to add subarctic salt marshes to this division rather than to the boreal and temperate ones. The ranges of the salt marsh species can be used for developing further guidance on the limits of this division. In Europe, arctic salt marshes are recognized by Rodwell et al. (2002) as a distinct order (~= group), the Puccinellietalia phryganodis (05E), but placed in the climatically wide ranging Juncetea maritimi class (05) (~= macrogroup), which spans Mediterranean to arctic salt marshes in Europe and perhaps other regions). Here, we suggest a circumarctic division for the salt marshes, containing a single North American macrogroup (~Arctic Tidal Salt Marsh Macrogroup (M403)$$) and group (~Arctic & Subarctic Coastal Salt Marsh Group (G535)$$). If the floristic differences between European and North American temperate and Mediterranean salt marshes are sufficiently strong, such that the Juncus maritimus class is essentially a European unit, then including the wider-ranging Puccinellietalia phryganodis (05E) group within that class seems problematic. Or perhaps a division is needed that encompasses all of the arctic to northern temperate salt marshes in Europe, Asia and North America (i.e., within North America, combining 2.C.5.Nb ~North American Atlantic & Gulf Coastal Salt Marsh Division (D034)$$ and 2.C.5.Nc ~Temperate & Boreal Pacific Coastal Salt Marsh Division (D035)$$, with this arctic salt marsh division (D187), then breaking out arctic, boreal and temperate. A global review of the range of arctic and northern temperate salt marshes is needed.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: The species are herbaceous perennials, with basically one growth form layer. Many species propagate through asexual reproduction; for some, sexual reproduction is not common or even unknown. Many of these species have circumarctic distribution, because the propagules (seeds, stolons, rhizomes) are freely distributed by the seawater currents. In some salt marsh settings, algae are found, brought in with tidal water, and produce substantial biomass.
Floristics: Most common and often dominant are the following species: Carex glareosa, Carex mackenziei, Carex maritima, Carex subspathacea, Carex ursina, Hippuris lanceolata, Puccinellia phryganodes, Ranunculus cymbalaria, Ranunculus hyperboreus, and Stellaria humifusa. Some others are very common but rarely dominant, including Argentina egedii, Calamagrostis stricta (= Calamagrostis neglecta), Cochlearia groenlandica, Honckenya peploides, Juncus arcticus, Mertensia maritime, Puccinellia vaginata, Senecio congestus, Spergularia salina, Stellaria humifusa, and Triglochin palustris.
Dynamics: Goose feeding, especially by snow geese (Chen caerulescens), and seawater substrate erosion/deposition are the most common disturbance factors.
Environmental Description: All sites in this division experience periodical flooding. The water regime varies from semipermanently flooded to (and more often) periodically flooded sites, some of which may have aerated soil for a significant portion of the growing season. Most of the sites in this division are along the seashore and experience the influence of tidal waters. In other cases, sites are affected by aerial saltwater transport or by marine deposits that contain salts. Finally, there is a group of biogenic salt marshes where the source of salts is the excrements of seabirds, such as under the cliffs of colonial birds or heavily degraded previously freshwater sedge fens or meadows with intensive goose browsing, especially by snow geese (Chen caerulescens). The later sites are also very rich in nitrogen and, in addition to halophytes, they usually contain a suite of nitrophytic species (Kershaw 1976, Jeffries 1977). Permafrost is another condition that is present in many arctic salt marshes, although towards the end of the growing season, it might not be measurable in the upper 1.5 m.
Climate: Although this vegetation is influenced by the arctic climate, which prohibits many more southern salt marsh species, presence of seawater mitigates the temperature fluctuations, making the summer even cooler than on the sites in the first half of the growing season but longer and warmer in the second half.
Soils/substrate: Permafrost in these sites might or might not be developed.
Biogeography: This division is floristically and physiognomically more uniform than ~Arctic Tundra & Barrens Division (D044)$$.
Climate: Although this vegetation is influenced by the arctic climate, which prohibits many more southern salt marsh species, presence of seawater mitigates the temperature fluctuations, making the summer even cooler than on the sites in the first half of the growing season but longer and warmer in the second half.
Soils/substrate: Permafrost in these sites might or might not be developed.
Biogeography: This division is floristically and physiognomically more uniform than ~Arctic Tundra & Barrens Division (D044)$$.
Geographic Range: This division is circumarctic, including all coastal zones of the Arctic Ocean, northern Atlantic and northern Pacific. Its range into the subarctic is not well defined.
Nations: CA,DK,GL,IS,NO,RU,US
States/Provinces: AK, LB, MB, NF, NT?, NU, QC, YT?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.861675
Confidence Level: High
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.C Shrub & Herb Wetland Subclass | S44 | 2.C |
| Formation | 2.C.5 Salt Marsh Formation | F035 | 2.C.5 |
| Division | 2.C.5.Nk Arctic Coastal Salt Marsh Division | D187 | 2.C.5.Nk |
| Macrogroup | 2.C.5.Nk.1 Arctic Tidal Salt Marsh Macrogroup | M403 | 2.C.5.Nk.1 |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Carici-Puccinellietea phryganodis (arctic) (Knapp 1976)
? Puccinellietalia phryganodis (05E) (Rodwell et al. 2002)
? Puccinellietalia phryganodis (05E) (Rodwell et al. 2002)
- Aiken, S. G., M. J. Dallwitz, L. L. Consaul, , C. L. McJannet, R. L. Boles, G. W. Argus, J. M. Gillett, P. J. Scott, R. Elven, M. C. LeBlanc, L. J. Gillespie, A. K. Brysting, H. Solstad, and J. G. Harris. 2007. Flora of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago: Descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval. NRC Research Press, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa. [http://nature.ca/aaflora/data/www/pophal.htm] (accessed on February 4, 2014).
- 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]
- Jeffries, R. L. 1977. The vegetation of salt marshes at some coastal sites in Arctic North America. Journal of Ecology 65:661-672.
- Kershaw, K. A. 1976. The vegetational zonation of the East Pen Island salt marshes, Hudson Bay. Canadian Journal of Botany 54:5-13.
- Knapp, R. 1976. Mehrjiihrige supralitorale Salzmarsch-Gesellschaften an den Kusten von Nord-Amerika. Coll. Phytosos IV:181-191.
- Nordhagern, R. 1954. Studies on the vegetation of salt and brackish marshes in Finnmark (Norway). Vegetatio 5:381-394.
- Rodwell, J. S., J. H. J. Schamineé, L. Mucian, S. Pignatti, J. Dring, and D. Moss. 2002. The diversity of European vegetation. An overview of phytosociological alliances and their relationships to EUNIS habitats. Report EC-LNV nr. 2002/054. National Reference Centre for Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries, Wageningen,The Netherlands.
- Steindorsson, S. 1954. The coastline vegetation at Gasar in Eyjafjordur in the north of Iceland. Nytt. Mag. Bot. 3:203-212.
- Taylor, R. T. 1981. Shoreline vegetation of the arctic Alaska coast. Arctic 34(1):37-42.
- Vestergaard, P. 1978. Studies in vegetation and soil of coastal salt marshes in the Disko area, west Greenland. Medd. om Gronland 204(2):1-51.
- Vince, S. W., and A. A. Snow. 1984. Plant zonation in an Alaskan salt marsh. Ecology 72:651-667.
- Walton, J. 1922. A Spitsbergen salt marsh with observations on the ecological phenomena attendant on the emergence of land from the sea. Journal of Ecology 10:109-121.