Vegetation Environmental

The major shrub species of this type are Vaccinium uliginosum (0.08 meters height, 15% cover) and Rhododendron lapponicum (0.05 meters height, 5% cover). Species that occur occasionally in the shrub layer are Salix glauca (0.4 meters height, 2% cover), Salix barrattiana (0.1 meters height, 2% cover), Salix planifolia ssp. pulchra (0.4 meters height, 2% cover), Potentilla fruticosa (0.1 meters height, 1% cover), and Betula nana (0.1 meters height, 2% cover). The major species of the herbaceous layer are Cassiope tetragona (25% cover), Salix reticulata (10% cover), Salix arctica (10% cover), Dryas octopetala ssp. octopetala (25% cover), Carex microchaeta (5% cover), Anemone parviflora (5% cover), Festuca altaica (8% cover) and Silene acaulis (2% cover). Important species that occur frequently in this type are Arctostaphylos rubra (5% cover), Astragalus umbellatus (5% cover), Pedicularis capitata (2% cover), Hierochloe alpina (5% cover), Poa arctica (5% cover), Diapensia lapponica (2% cover), Lupinus arcticus (3% cover), Minuartia arctica (2% cover) and Polygonum bistorta (2% cover). The major species of the nonvascular layer are Hylocomium splendens (10% cover), Cetraria cucullata (3% cover), Stereocaulon species (5% cover), Thamnolia vermicularis (2% cover), Aulacomnium turgidum, Polytrichium juniperinum, Distichium capillaceum, Rhytidium rugosum, Aulacomium palustre, Lobaria linita, Cetraria islandica, Dactylina ramulosa, Peltigera aphthosa var. leucophlebia, Cornicularia divergens, Cetraria nivalis, Sphaerophorus globosus and Cladonia species.

This type is found at an average altitude of 1,135 meters on a 15% slope with an average aspect of 183 degrees. The range in elevation is 823 to 1,341 meters, the range in slope is 1% to 33%, and the range in aspect is 026 to 306 degrees. The bedrock geology in 50% of the plots is sedimentary/metasedimentary, in 20% of the plots is basalt/gabbroic, in 10% of the plots is volcanic, in 10% of the plots is schist/gneiss and in 10% of the plots is unknown. The surficial geology in 90% of the plots is bedrock and in 10% of the plots is older glacial moraines. The ground surface is 12% unvegetated. This type is found at a lower altitude than T4-T7. It is a moister type than T5, T6, and T7.