Alaska Arctic Tundra Vegetation Map

AVHRR false-color composite image - Vegetation Units - Bioclimate Subzones - Floristic Provinces
Substrate Chemistry - Elevation - Lake Cover - Maximum NDVI and Phytomass

Vegetation Units

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See PDF for scale and unit identification.

The AATVM provides a great deal of detailed information on the vegetation in each map polygon including dominant plant growth forms, plant species, names of plant associations, and the key literature sources. The color of the units and the first letter and number of the labels indicate the dominant vegetation physiognomy, and are the same as those on the Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Map (CAVM) (CAVM Team 2003). The numeric suffixes following the decimal point differentiate the 33 vegetation map units appearing on the Alaska tundra vegetation map. The names of the map units on the map-server version of the map (listed below) are shorter labels that fit within the map-server window and are easier to remember than names on the published map.

• Barren Complexes
  • B2.1 Lichens on lava (Seward Peninsula)
  • B3d.1 Acidic mountain complexes (St. Lawrence Is.)
  • B3e.1 Acidic mountain complexes (Brooks Range)
  • B3e.2 Acidic mountain complexes (NW Alaska)
  • B3e.3 Acidic mountain complexes (Kuskokwim Mtns.)
  • B4d.1 Nonacidic mountain complexes (Seward Peninsula)
  • B4d.2 Nonacidic mountain complexes (St. Lawrence Is.)
  • B4e.1 Nonacidic mountain complexes (Brooks Range)
  • B4e.2 Nonacidic mountain complexes (NW Alaska)
• Non-Tussock Graminoid Tundras
  • G3.1 Moist nonacidic tundra (N. Arctic Coastal Plain)
  • G3.2 Moist nonacidic tundra (St. Lawrence Is.)
  • G3.3 Moist nonacidic tundra (Arctic Foothills, Seward Peninsula)
• Tussock Graminoid Tundras
  • G4.1 Tussock tundra (entire map)
  • G4.2 Lichen-rich tussock tundra (Seward Peninsula)
  • G4.3 Tussock tundra on sands (Arctic Coastal Plain)
• Prostrate Dwarf-Shrub Tundras
  • P2.1 Dry tundra (St. Matthew Is.)
• Erect Dwarf-Shrub Tundras
  • S1.1 Shrubby, tussock tundra (NE Alaska)
  • S1.2 Dwarf-shrub, lichen tundra (NW Alaska)
  • S1.3 Dwarf-shrub tundra on volcanic rock (Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta)
  • S1.4 Dwarf-shrub, lichen tundra (Kuskokwim Mtns.)
• Low-Shrub Tundras
  • S2.1 Willow-birch tundra (entire map)
  • S2.2 Alder shrublands (entire map)
• Wetlands
  • W1.1 Wet acidic coastal complex (N Alaska)
  • W1.2 Wet nonacidic coastal complex (N Alaska)
  • W2.1 Wet acidic complex (N Alaska, Seward Peninsula)
  • W2.2 Wet nonacidic complex (Subzone D, N Alaska)
  • W3.1 Wet acidic complex with tussock tundra (W Alaska)
  • W3.2 Wet acidic complex with dwarf-shrub tundra (lower parts of Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta)
  • W3.3 Wet acidic complex with low-shrub tundra (Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta)
  • W3.4 Wet acidic complex with dwarf-shrub tundra (inland parts of Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta)
  • W3.5 Wet acidic complex (Nunivak Is.)
  • W3.6 Wet nonacidic complex (warmer parts of NW Alaska)
  • W3.7 Wet coastal saline tundra (Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta)