Alaska Arctic Tundra Vegetation Map
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Nonacidic mountain complex, Philip Smith Mountains, Brooks Range, Alaska. (Photo: D.A. Walker.)
Vegetation Units
Introduction
Barren Complexes:
B2.1B2.1 Lichens on Lava (Seward Peninsula) -
B3d.1B3d.1 Acidic mountain complexes (St. Lawrence Is.) -
B3e.1B3e.1 Acidic mountain complexes (Brooks Range) -
B3e.2B3e.2 Acidic mountain complexes (NW Alaska) -
B3e.3B3e.3 Acidic mountain complexes (Kuskokwim Mtns.) -
B4d.1B4d.1 Nonacidic mountain complexes (Seward Peninsula) -
B4d.2B4d.2 Nonacidic mountain complexes (St. Lawrence Is.) -
B4e.1B4e.1 Nonacidic mountain complexes (Brooks Range) -
B4e.2B4e.2 Nonacidic mountain complexes (NW Alaska)
Non-Tussock Graminoid Tundras:
G3.1G3.1 Moist nonacidic tundra (N. Arctic Coastal Plain) -
G3.2G3.2 Moist nonacidic tundra (St. Lawrence Is.) -
G3.3G3.3 Moist nonacidic tundra (Arctic Foothills, Seward Peninsula)
Tussock Graminoid Tundras:
G4.1G4.1 Tussock tundra (entire map) -
G4.2G4.2 Lichen-rich tussock tundra (Seward Peninsula) -
G4.3G4.3 Tussock tundra on sands (Arctic Coastal Plain)
Prostrate Dwarf-Shrub Tundras:
P2.1P2.1 Dry tundra (St. Matthew Is.)
Erect Dwarf-Shrub Tundras:
S1.1S1.1 Shrubby, tussock tundra (NE Alaska) -
S1.2S1.2 Dwarf-shrub, lichen tundra (NW Alaska) -
S1.3S1.3 Dwarf-shrub tundra on volcanic rock (Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta) -
S1.4S1.4 Dwarf-shrub, lichen tundra (Kuskokwim Mtns.)
Low-Shrub Tundras:
S2.1S2.1 Willow-birch tundra (entire map) -
S2.2S2.2 Alder shrublands (entire map)
Wetlands:
W1.1W1.1 Wet acidic coastal complex (N Alaska) -
W1.2W1.2 Wet nonacidic coastal complex (N Alaska) -
W2.1W2.1 Wet acidic complex (N Alaska, Seward Peninsula) -
W2.2W2.2 Wet nonacidic complex (Subzone D, N Alaska) -
W3.1W3.1 Wet acidic complex with tussock tundra (W Alaska) -
W3.2W3.2 Wet acidic complex with dwarf-shrub tundra (lower parts of Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta) -
W3.3W3.3 Wet acidic complex with low-shrub tundra (Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta) -
W3.4W3.4 Wet acidic complex with dwarf-shrub tundra (inland parts of Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta) -
W3.5W3.5 Wet acidic complex (Nunivak Is.) -
W3.6W3.6 Wet nonacidic complex (warmer parts of NW Alaska) -
W3.7W3.7 Wet coastal saline tundra (Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta)
B4e.1 Nonacidic mountain complexes (Brooks Range)
Prostrate dwarf-shrub, sedge communities (comm. 72) in complex with snowbeds (comm. 79, 80), talus slopes and meadow communities, on dry limestone slopes. Brooks Range, Subzone E.
Plant Communities:
Community 72:
Caricetum scirpoideo-rupestris, Assoc.30, limestone slopes (Cooper 1986) (Arrigetch Mtns.).
Prostrate dwarf shrub:
Dryas octopetala, Saxifraga oppositifolia;
Sedge:
Carex scirpoidea, Carex rupestris;
Lichen:
Thamnolia subuliformis, Dactylina beringica, Vulpicida tilesii, Flavocetraria nivalis, Flavocetraria cucullata, Cetraria islandica;
Moss:
Ditrichum flexicaule
Community 79:
Dryas integrifolia-Cassiope tetragona comm., early-melting nonacidic snow beds (Walker et al. 1994) (Toolik Lake).
Hemiprostrate dwarf shrub:
Cassiope tetragona; Prostrate dwarf shrub:
Dryas integrifolia, Salix reticulata, S. arctica;
Sedge:
Carex scirpoidea;
Forb:
Geum glaciale, Pedicularis lanata, Pedicularis oederi, Parrya nudicaulis, Papaver macounii spp. discolor, Silene acaulis, Bistorta plumosa;
Moss:
Rhytidium rugosum, Aulacomnium turgidum, Tomentypnum nitens, Ptilidium ciliare;
Lichen:
Flavocetraria cucullata, Flavocetraria nivalis, Cladonia amaurocraea, Dactylina arctica
Community 80:
Salix rotundifolia-Saxifraga nivalis comm., late-melting snow beds (Walker et al. 1989) (Toolik Lake).
Prostrate dwarf shrub:
Salix rotundifolia;
Sedge:
Carex aquatilis, Eriophorum angustifolium ssp. triste;
Horsetail:
Equisetum scirpoides, Equisetum variegatum;
Moss:
Distichium capillaceum, Ditrichum flexicaule