Vegetation Environmental

The major species of the shrub layer are Betula nana (0.5 meters height, 25% cover), Vaccinium uliginosum (0.3 meters height, 10% cover) and Ledum palustre (0.2 meters height, 10% cover). Species occasionally occurring with the shrub layer of this type are Salix planifolia ssp. pulchra (0.8 meters height, 10% cover) and Salix glauca (0.8 meters height, 10% cover). The major species of the herbaceous layer are Empetrum nigrum (10% cover), Vaccinium vitis-idaea (10% cover), Salix arctica (10% cover), Salix reticulata (10% cover), Carex microchaeta (5% cover), Festuca altaica (10% cover), Dryas octopetala ssp. octopetala (20% cover), Artemisia arctica (10% cover) and Arctostaphylos arctica (5% cover). Important species that occur frequently in this type are Diapensia lapponica (5% cover), Poa arctica (5% cover), Tofieldia coccinea (3% cover), Arctagrostis latifolia (5% cover), Epilobium latifolium (5% cover), Petasites hyperboreus (5% cover) and Polygonum bistorta (5% cover). The major species of the nonvascular layer are Hylocomium splendens (10% cover), Polytrichium juniperinum (4% cover), Rhytidium rugosum (4% cover), Pleurozium schreberi (4% cover), Rhacomitrium lanuginosum (3% cover), Drepanocladus uncinatus, Cetraria nivalis, Cladonia arbuscula, Cladonia rangiferina, Cladonia species Stereocaulon species, Dactylina ramulosa, Thamnolia vermicularis, Peltigera aphthosa var. leucophlebia, Nephroma arcticum, Cetraria islandica, Lobaria linita and Asahinea chrysantha.

This type is found at an average altitude of 939 meters with a 10% slope and an average aspect of 162 degrees. The range in elevation is 579 to 1,167 meters, the range in slope is 0% to 39%, and the range in aspect is 16 to 356 degrees. The bedrock geology in 60% of the plots is sedimentary/metasedimentary, in 10% of the plots is volcanic/metavolcanic, in 10% of the plots is schist/gneiss, in 6% of the plots is basalt/gabbroic and in 5% of the plots is unknown. The surficial geology in 35% of the plots is glacial moraines, in 44% of the plots is bedrock, in 18% of the plots is alluvial and in 2% of the plots is unknown. This type is 5% unvegetated weathered rock and mineral soil. Frost boils and patterned (pyramidal formation) ground due to solifluction are evident in this type.