Vegetation Environmental

This low shrub community is dominated by 1 meter Betula nana in the shrub overstory (65% cover). Salix barrattiana (20% cover), Salix planifolia ssp. pulchra (10% cover) and Potentilla fruticosa (10% cover) are important understory species. The herbaceous layer contains the following major species: Festuca rubra (15% cover), Dryas integrifolia ssp. sylvatica (8% cover), Empetrum nigrum (5% cover), Saussurea angustifolia (5% cover), Poa arctica (5% cover), Arctostaphylos rubra (5% cover), and Senecio lugens (5% cover). The major species of the nonvascular layer are Hylocomium splendens (60% cover), Stereocaulon species (8% cover), Cetraria islandica (6% cover), Peltigera aphthosa var. typica (2% cover), Cladonia amaurocrea (2% cover), Dactylina ramulosa (1% cover) and Polytrichium juniperum (2% cover).

This low shrub community is a gravel bar community with an average vegetated cover value of 90%. The average altitude is 1,038 meters, and the type is found on alluvial deposits. There is zero range in elevation. This type is found at higher altitude and appears to be better drained than the previous vegetation type (S4). Five percent of the ground surface is unvegetated and covered with humus.