Vegetation Environmental

This plant association is predominantly deciduous, although Picea glauca occurs occasionally in the overstory (5% cover). Picea glauca seedlings occur. Populus balsamifera has a cover value of 25%. Alnus crispa and Salix alaxensis both have cover values of 40%. The major species of the lower shrub layer are Salix arbusculoides (15% cover), Salix barclayi (15% cover) and Salix planifolia ssp. pulchra (10% cover). Salix scouleriana and Potentilla fruticosa are occasional associates. The herbaceous layer contains Arctostaphylos rubra (15% cover), Cornus canadensis (10% cover), Rubus arcticus (15% cover), Calamagrostis inexpansa (15% cover), Anemone richardsonii (5% cover) and Parnassia kotzebuei. The major species of the nonvascular layer is Tomenthypnum nitens with 25% cover. This community is found at a mean altitude of 281 meters on alluvial/colluvial deposits (60% of plots) or eolian deposits (40% of plots).

The range in elevation is 213 to 323 meters. This is also a successional flood plain type of older age than M1, M2, M3, and M4. It is exposed to occasional flooding which accounts for the relative poor development of the herbaceous and nonvascular layer. This type is found in the Tanana lowland.