Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Unit W3

Barrens: B1B1. Cryptogam, herb barren - B2B2. Cryptogam barren complex (bedrock) - B3B3. Noncarbonate mountain complex - B4B4. Carbonate mountain complex || Graminoid Tundras: G1G1. Rush/grass, forb, cryptogam tundra - G2G2. Graminoid, prostrate dwarf-shrub, forb tundra - G3G3. Non-tussock sedge, dwarf-shrub, moss tundra - G4G4. Tussock-sedge, dwarf-shrub, moss tundra || Prostrate-shrub Tundras: P1P1. Prostrate dwarf-shrub, herb tundra - P2P2. Prostrate/hemiprostrate dwarf-shrub tundra || Erect-shrub Tundras: S1S1. Erect dwarf-shrub tundra - S2S2. Low-shrub tundra || Wetlands: W1W1. Sedge/grass, moss wetland - W2W2. Sedge, moss, dwarf-shrub wetland - W3W3. Sedge, moss, low-shrub wetland

Hierarchy of Geobotanical Vegetation Map Units (Walker DA 2002)

Enlarge image

W3. Sedge, moss, low-shrub wetland

Wetland complexes in the warmer areas of the Arctic, dominated by sedges and low shrubs >40 cm tall. Subzone E.

Detailed Description

Wetlands in Subzone E, often bog/fen complexes with deep organic soils. Large components of dwarf-shrub tundra (Unit S1) or tussock tundra (Unit G4) are usually present in slightly elevated microsites such as peat plateaus, and palsas.
Area: 159 x 1000 km².

Representative Syntaxa

Plant communities of the classes Oxycocco-Sphagnetea Br. -Bl. et Tx. 1943 and Scheuchzerio-Caricetea (Nordh. 1936) Tx. 1937 (cf. Ledo decumbentis-Betuletalia glandulosae Rivas-Martinez et al. 1999).

Dominant Plants

Wet sites are dominated by sedges and mosses. The main plant communities on elevated microsites are shrublands with prostrate and erect dwarf-shrubs and mosses.

1. Sedge: Eriophorum vaginatum; Carex chordorrhiza; Carex rotundata; Carex rariflora;
2. Moss: Sphagnum; Calliergon stramineum;
3. Prostrate and erect dwarf-shrubs: Ledum palustre spp. decumbens; Vaccinium; Empetrum; Rubus chamaemorus; Oxycoccus microphyllum; Salix richardsoniiⁿ; Salix fuscescens; Salix myrtilloides; Salix pulchra; Betula nana s.l.;

^a=acidic, ⁿ=non-acidic


The University of Alaska Fairbanks is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educational institution.
Loading