Upper Kuparuk River Region Vegetation

 

Upper Kuparuk River Region Vegetation

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The vegetation of the region was studied and mapped as part of the Arctic Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) project at Toolik Lake and the Department of Energy R4D (Response, Resistance, Resilience and Recovery of vegetation from Disturbance) project at Imnavait Creek (Walker et al. 1994, Walker and Walker 1996). Fifty-seven plant communities and land-cover types were recognized during the mapping of the upper Kuparuk River region and are designated by the numeric GIS codes in the second column of the legend. These were grouped into the 14 physiognomic map units shown on Map A, which are compatible with the Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Map (CAVM Team 2003) and the Alaska Arctic Tundra Vegetation Map (Raynolds et al. 2005, Raynolds et al. 2006).

  1. Barren
    1. map legend color for unit1 1. Anthropogenic barren.


      Barren roads, gravel construction pads, airstrips and gravel mines.
      270 ha, 0.4% of map

    2. map legend color for unit2 2. Lichens on rock.


      Bedrock and xeric blockfields.
      1,009 ha, 1.3% of map

    3. map legend color for unit3 3. Partially vegetated barren.


      Partially vegetated barrens.
      1,805 ha, 2.4% of map

  2. Moist Graminoid Tundra
    1. map legend color for unit4 4. Tussock-sedge, dwarf-shrub, moss tundra.


      Mesic to subhygric, stable, acidic (pH < 5.5) sites with shallow to moderate snow. Flat areas and gentle slopes.
      29,020 ha, 38.7% of map

    2. map legend color for unit5 5. Nontussock-sedge, dwarf-shrub, moss tundra.


      Mesic to subhygric, nonacidic (pH > 5.5) sites with shallow to moderate snow. Flat areas and gentle slopes. Also miscellaneous graminoid-dominated sites including deep-snow stream margins, landslides and some rocky drained-lake basins.
      13,153 ha, 17.5% of map

  3. Wet Graminoid Tundra and Water
    1. map legend color for unit6 6. Sedge-moss tundra (poor fens).


      Subhydric to hydric, acidic (pH < 4.5). Poor fens, meadows in colluvial basins.
      1,934 ha, 2.6% of map

    2. map legend color for unit7 7. Sedge-moss tundra (fens).


      Subhydric to hydric, nonacidic (pH > 4.5). Water tracks, stream margins, fens, flarks on solifuluction slopes.
      1,160 ha, 1.5% of map

    3. map legend color for unit8 8. Water and herbaceous marsh.


      Hydric. Lakes, ponds and streams.
      1,593 ha, 2.1% of map

  4. Prostrate-shrub tundra
    1. map legend color for unit9 9. Prostrate dwarf-shrub, forb, fruticose-lichen tundra (acidic).


      Xeric to xeromesic, acidic, wind blown to shallow winter snow cover. Ridge tops, exposed slopes, dry river terraces.
      5,818 ha, 7.8% of map

    2. map legend color for unit10 10. Prostrate dwarf-shrub, sedge, forb, fruticose-lichen tundra (nonacidic).


      Xeromesic to mesic, nonacidic. Includes a wide variety of drier nonacidic habitats, including stable river terraces and nonsorted stripes on slopes.
      895 ha, 1.2% of map

    3. map legend color for unit11 11. Hemi-prostrate dwarf-shrub, fruticose-lichen tundra.


      Subxeric to mesic, acidic to nonacidic, with deep snow. Snowbeds.
      2,164 ha, 2.9% of map

    4. map legend color for unit12 12. Hemi-prostrate and prostrate dwarf-shrub, forb, moss, fruticose-lichen tundra.


      Subxeric to mesic, acidic to nonacidic, somewhat-deeper-snow areas. Depressions on acidic ridge crests, dry glacial till and outwash; nonsorted stripes.
      2,116 ha, 2.8% of map

  5. Erect-shrub tundra
    1. map legend color for unit13 13. Dwarf- to low-shrub, sedge, moss tundra.


      Mesic to subhygric, moderate snow. Includes a wide variety of habitats with dwarf shrubs, including wet lower slopes, margins of upland water tracks, palsas and high-centered polygons.
      9,045 ha, 12.1% of map

    2. map legend color for unit14 14. Low to tall shrublands.


      Mesic to subhydric, often with deep snow. Stream margins, upland water tracks and south-facing slopes.
      5,344 ha, 7.1% of map