Vegetation Environmental

This plant association has an overstory of Picea glauca with a cover value of 10% to 25%. Seedlings of Picea glauca are evident, and the mean age of this type is 120.4 years. The shrub cover is composed of Salix alaxensis (10% cover), Salix glauca (10% cover), Salix planifolia ssp. pulchra (10% cover), Betula nana (10% cover), Ledum palustre (15% cover), Shepherdia canadensis (5% cover) and Vaccinium uliginosum (10% cover). The herbaceous cover is composed of Salix reticulata (25% cover), Arctagrostis latifolia (30% cover), Equisetum arvense (10% cover), Equisetum scirpoides, Empetrum nigrum (10% cover), Festuca rubra (5% cover), Lupinus arcticus (10% cover), Sausserea angustifolia (5% cover), Arctostaphylos rubra (5% cover), Senecio lugens (5% cover), Hedysarum alpinum (5% cover), Dryas integrifolia (5% cover) and Cassiope tetragona (5% cover). The nonvascular layer contained the feathermosses, Holycomium splendens, Rhytidium rugosum, Drepanocladus uncinatus and Aulacomnium acuminatum with a cumulative cover of 15%. Cladonia rangiferina, Cladonia amaurocrea, Cladonia pyxidata var. pocillum and Peltigera canina var. rufescens were also contributors to the nonvascular layer.

This type was found at an average altitude of 695 meters with a 9% slope and a south exposure. The range in elevation is 236 to 892 meters, and the range in slope is 0% to 28%. The communities were usually disturbed with drainage gullies contributing to the variability of this type. The mean age of this type was 120.4 years, but the range in stand age was 210 years.