Vegetation Environmental

The shrub overstory of this community is dominated by Salix alaxensis (4 meters in height, 10% cover). The shrub understory was also dominated by Salix species averaging 1.2 meters in height with an average cover value of 35%. The Salix species are most frequently Salix planifolia ssp. pulchra, Salix glauca, and Salix barclayi. Other species of the shrub layer are Shepherdia canadensis (5% cover), and occasionally Vaccinium uliginosum (1% cover). The herbaceous cover is composed of Festuca altaica (20% cover), Mertensia paniculata (6% cover), Parnassia kotzebui (5% cover), Anemone parviflora (5% cover), Artemisia tilesii (5% cover), and Dryas octopetala (5% cover). Important occasional associates in the herbaceous layer are Arctostaphylos rubra (10% cover), Aconitum delphinifolium (5% cover), Senecio lugens (5% cover), Carex species (5% cover), Aster sibiricus (2% cover), Salix arctica (2% cover), Cnidium cnidifolium (1% cover) and Vaccinium vitis-idaea (2% cover). The major species of the nonvascular layer are Hylocomium splendens (25% cover), Pleurozium schreberi (5% cover), Peltigera aphthosa (2% cover) and Polytrichium species (1% cover). Occasional associates are Peltigera venosa, Lobaria linita, Thamnolia vermicularis, Stereocaulon species, Dactylina ramulosa, Drepanocladus uncinatus, and Dicranum species.

This type is found at an average altitude of 970 meters, with an average slope of 9% and an average aspect of 117 degrees. The range in elevation is 728 to 1,059 meters, the range in slope is 0% to 17%, and the range in aspect is 26 to 176 degrees. The bedrock geology in 82% of the plots is sedimentary/metasedimentary, in 9% of the plots is schist/gneiss and in 9% of the plots is unknown. The surficial geology in 55% of the plots is bedrock, in 27% of the plots is alluvial, in 9% of the plots is glacial/fluvial and in 9% of the plots is lacustrine deposits. The ground surface is 10% unvegetated and covered with humus or mineral soil.