Alaska Arctic Tundra Vegetation Map

Bioclimate Subzone C

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Introduction - Subzone C - Subzone D - Subzone E

The subzone description below lists Alaska plant communities along a toposequence on acidic and non-acidic substrates; in subzones C, D and E; in the three floristic provinces of Northern Alaska ( Northern Alaska, floristic province ), Beringian Alaska ( Beringian Alaska, floristic province ) and Northern Beringian Island ( Northern Beringian Island, floristic province ). Blocks of rows are positions along a mesotopographic gradient (see Mesotopographic gradient). Dominant plant functional types and species are listed where data were available. Literature citations (in small font) include unit names, habitat, citation and location.

See the Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Map Subzone C for a complete subzone description.

Subzone C (Northern part of Arctic Coastal Plain)

Floristic provinces:

Northern Alaska
Beringian Alaska
Northern Beringian Islands

Habitat along the meso-topographic gradient	Acidic substrates (community # 1-7)	Non-acidic substrates (community # 8-12)
Dry exposed sites	1. Nodum II (Webber 1978); Sphaerophorus globosus-Luzula confusa comm., subtype Salix rotundifolia (Elias et al. 1995) (Barrow, dry beach and river terrace). Prostrate dwarf-shrub Salix rotundifolia Lichen Alectoria nigricans Bryocaulon divergens Dactylina arctica Rush Luzula confusa Luzula arctica Grass Arctagrostis latifolia Forb Potentilla nana Pedicularis kanei Bryophyte Polytrichum strictum Dicranum elongatum Gymnomitrion corallioides	8. Type B12, coastal dry nonacidic gravelly sites (Walker 1985) (North Slope, Alaska). Prostrate dwarf-shrub Dryas integrifolia Sedge Carex rupestris Lichen Lecanora epibryon Thamnolia subuliformis
Moist sites	2. Nodum IV (Webber 1978); Type 6 and 7 (Walker 1977); Saxifraga cernua-Carex aquatilis comm. (Elias et al. 1995) (Barrow, moist, fine-grained soils). Sedge Carex aquatilis Eriophorum angustifolium Grass Poa arctica Dupontia fisheri Rush Luzula arctica Prostrate dwarf-shrub Salix rotundifolia Forb Saxifraga cernua Saxifraga hieraciifolia Saxifraga hirculus Cardamine pratensis Petasites frigidus Ranunculus nivalis Moss Oncophorus wahlenbergii Sarmenthypnum sarmentosum Aulacomnium turgidum	9. Type U12, moist calcareous coastal meadows (Walker 1985) (North Slope, Alaska) Sedge Carex aquatilis Prostrate dwarf-shrub Salix pulchra S. reticulata Dryas integrifolia Moss Tomentypnum nitens Oncophorus wahlenbergii Campylium stellatum Distichium capillaceum
	3. Nodum 1 (Webber 1978); Type 5 (Walker 1977); Sphaerophorus globosus-Luzula confusa comm., subtype Saxifraga foliolosa (Elias et al. 1995) (mesic high-centered polygons, zonal vegetation in Barrow area). Rush Luzula confusa Luzula arctica Grass Poa arctica Forb Potentilla nana Pedicularis kanei Lichen Alectoria nigricans Sphaerophorus globosus Dactylina arctica Cladonia spp. Ochrolechia frigida spp. Moss Polytrichastrum alpinum Polytrichum strictum Sarmenthypnum sarmentosum
Wet sites	4. Noda V and VI (Webber 1978); Types 9, 10, 12 and 13 (Walker 1977); Eriophorum angustifolium-Carex aquatilis comm. (Elias et al. 1995) (Barrow, wet sites without standing water). Sedge Eriophorum angustifolium spp. Carex aquatilis Grass Dupontia fisheri Arctophila fulva Moss Sarmenthypnum sarmentosum Limprichtia revolvens	10. Type M10 , wet calcareous coastal meadows (Walker 1985) (North Slope, Alaska). Sedge Carex aquatilis Eriophorum angustifolium spp. Grass Dupontia fisheri Moss Drepanocladus brevifolius
Snow beds	5. Salix rotundifolia-Cetraria delisei comm. (Elias et al. 1995) (Barrow, early-melting snow beds). Prostrate dwarf shrub Salix rotundifolia Lichen Cetrariella delisei	11. No data. Probably similar to snowbeds in Subzone D.
	6. Nodum VIII (Webber 1978); Type 15 (Walker 1977) (Barrow, late-melting snow beds). Grass Phippsia algida Alopecurus alpinus Forb Cochlearia groenlandica Ranunculus pygmaeus Stellaria humifusa Saxifraga rivularis
Riparian areas	7. Nodum VIII (Webber 1978); Type 15 (Walker 1977) (Barrow, unstable stream margins). Grass Phippsia algida Alopecurus alpinus Forb Cochlearia officinalis Ranunculus pygmaeus Stellaria humifusa Saxifraga rivularis	12. Epilobio latifolii-Salicetum alaxensis ass. prov. (Schickhoff et al. 2002) (North Slope, coastal active floodplains). Forb Epilobium latifolium Artemisia arctica Artemisia campestris ssp. borealis Papaver lapponicum Polemonium boreale Astragalus alpinus Wilhelmsia physodes Parrya nudicaulis

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