Toolik Lake Grid Vegetation

Unvegetated natural and anthropogenic barrens.
Barren (901).
0.16 ha, 0.1% of map

Lichen communities on rocks. Xeric blockfields, glacial erratics.
Cetraria nigricans-Rhizocarpon geographicum (902).
0.11 ha, 0.1% of map

Partially revegetated areas. Gravel pads (903), river gravels (904, 905) and nonsorted circles (no code).
Festuca rubra (903); Salix alaxensis (904); Epilobium latifolium (905); Juncus biglumis-Luzula arctica (no code).
0.23 ha, 0.2% of map

Eriophorum vaginatum-Sphagnum (406,407); Carex bigelowii-Sphagnum (404, 405).
Tussock sedge, dwarf-shrub, moss tundra (tussock tundra, moist acidic tundra). Mesic to subhygric, acidic, shallow to moderate snow, stable. This unit is the zonal vegetation on fine-grained substrates with ice-rich permafrost (406, 407). Some areas on steeper slopes with solifluction are dominated by Bigelow sedge (Carex bigelowii) (404, 405).
65.92 ha, 54.2% of map

Carex bigelowii-Dryas integrifolia, typical subtype (401, 403); Tomentypnum nitens-Carex bigelowii, Salix glauca subtype (320).
Nontussock sedge, dwarf-shrub, moss tundra (moist nonacidic tundra). Mesic to subhygric, nonacidic (pH > 5.5), shallow to moderate snow. Solifluction areas and somewhat unstable slopes (401,403). Some south-facing slopes have scattered glaucous willow (Salix glauca) (320).
7.04 ha, 5.8% of map

Carex bigelowii-Dryas integrifolia, Equisetum arvense subtype (402); Tomentypnum nitens-Carex bigelowii, Carex aquatilis subtype (410).
Nontussock sedge, prostrate dwarf-shrub, horsetail, moss tundra (wetter subtypes of moist nonacidic tundra, often with abundant horsetails). Mesic to subhygric, nonacidic, moderate snow. Seepage areas below snowbeds with abundant horsetails (Equisetum arvense) (402) or aquatic sedge (C. aquatilis) in wetter areas (410).
2.22 ha, 1.8% of map

Carex bigelowii-Dryas integrifolia, Cassiope tetragona subtype (208); or other miscellaneous graminoid plant communities, including Ranunculus pedatifidus-Poa glauca (106); Salix chamissonis-Carex podocarpa (408); Festuca altaica-Artemisia arctica (412); Poa glauca-Epilobium latifolium (109).
Sedge, hemi-prostrate dwarf shrub, moss tundra (moist nonacidic tundra in snow accumulation areas). Mesic to subhygric, mostly nonacidic, moderate to deep snow. Inter-stripe areas in nonsorted stripe complexes on upper hill-slopes with moderate to deep snow and abundant Lapland heather (Cassiope tetragona). This unit also includes several miscellaneous graminoid, dwarf-shrub, forb communities that cover small areas, including animal dens (106), deep-snow stream and lake margins (106), dry snow accumulation areas (412) and stream banks (109).
1.64 ha, 1.3% of map

Tricophorum caespitosum-Tomentypnum nitens (409), Salix fuscescens-Sphagnum lenense (411,508), Carex aquatilis-Sphagnum warnstorfii (506).
Sedge, prostrate dwarf-shrub, moss tundra. Hygric to subhydric. Hummocks, strangs and raised microsites in fens (409) and poor fens in wet meadows and colluvial-basins (411, 508) and mossy colluvial basin margins (506).
0.32 ha, 0.3% of map

Eriophorum angustifolium-Carex aquatilis, typical subtype (501), Carex chodorrhiza subtype (502, 505), Drepanocladus revolvens subtype (503); Carex saxatilis-Carex aquatilis (504) and Calliergon giganteum-Drepanocladus revolvens (507).
Sedge, moss tundra in fens with flowing water. Subhydric to hydric. Lower microsites in colluvial basins, water tracks and stream margins (501, 502, 503, 505), wet pools on solifluction slopes (507).
2.30 ha, 1.9% of map

Unvegetated water (602).
Hydric. Streams, lakes, ponds.
5.34 ha, 4.4% of map

Sparganium hyperboreum-Hippuris vulgaris (603, 604); Arctophila fulva (601).
Herbaceous marsh. Hydric. Water to 1-m deep in lakes and ponds.
0.33 ha, 0.3% of map

Arctous alpina-Hierochloe alpina, typical subtype (105), Salix phlebophylla subtype or Vaccinium vitis-idaea subtype (103).
Prostrate dwarf-shrub, fruticose-lichen tundra. Xeric, acidic, shallow snow. Dry acidic tundra on well-drained glacial till, outwash and exposed sites.
5.14 ha, 4.2% of map

Dryas octopetala-Selaginella sibirica (101), Dryas octopetala-Salix glauca (102).
Prostrate dwarf-shrub, forb, fruticose-lichen tundra. Xeric, acidic, wind blown or shallow winter snow cover, stony or with considerable bare soil. Ridge crests, dry river terraces. Dominated by Dryas octopetala (101), occasionally with Salix glauca (102).
3.71 ha, 3.1% of map

Dryas integrifolia-Oxytropis maydelliana (108).
Prostrate dwarf-shrub, forb, fruticose-lichen tundra. Xeromesic to mesic, nonacidic, wind-blown to shallow winter snow cover. Dry slopes, river terraces, drier microsites in nonsorted stripe complexes, dominated by Dryas integrifolia.
0.72 ha, 0.6% of map

Cassiope tetragona-Carex microchaeta, typical subtype (202), Salix glauca subtype (203).
Hemi-prostrate dwarf-shrub, fruticose-lichen tundra. Subxeric to mesic, acidic, moderately deep snow. Acidic snowbeds (50-150 cm snow).
2.35 ha, 1.9% of map

Cassiope tetragona-Calamagrostis inexpansa, typical subtype (104) or Vaccinium vitis-idaea subtype (111); Cassiope tetragona-Racomitrium lanuginosum (112).
Hemi-prostrate and prostrate dwarf-shrub, forb, moss, fruticose-lichen tundra. Subxeric to mesic, acidic, shallow to moderately deep snow (<1 m deep). Nonsorted stripe complexes with shallow to moderately deep snow (104, 111).
3.54 ha, 2.9% of map

Cassiope tetragona-Dryas integrifolia, typical subtype (113, 204, 205) or Boykinia richardsonii subtype (206). Includes Salix rotundifolia-Sanionia uncinata (207).
Hemi-prostrate dwarf-shrub, fruticose-lichen tundra. Subxeric to mesic, nonacidic, moderately deep snow. Nonacidic snowbeds (50-150 cm snow) (113, 204, 205). Also includes deep (>3 m snow) well-drained snow-beds with Salix rotundifolia (207).
1.39 ha, 1.1% of map

Betula nana-Hierochloe alpina (302, 303), Vaccinium uliginosum-Arctous alpina (110); or Ledum palustre ssp. decumbens-Empetrum nigrum (201).
Hemi-prostrate dwarf-shrub, fruticose-lichen tundra. Subxeric to mesic, acidic, moderately deep snow. Depressions on glacial till or outwash (302, 303); warm snowbeds (201). Very low-growing hemi-prostrate dwarf-birch (Betula nana) (302, 303) or erect dwarf blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum ssp. microphyllum) (110) or Labrador tea (Ledum palustre ssp. decumbens) (201).
7.47 ha, 6.1% of map

Betula nana-Eriophorum vaginatum (308).
Dwarf-shrub, sedge, moss tundra (shrubby tussock tundra dominated by dwarf birch, Betula nana). Mesic to subhygric, acidic, moderate snow. Lower slopes and water-track margins. Mostly on Itkillik I surfaces.
3.75 ha, 3.1% of map

Salix pulchra-Carex bigelowii (312, 325).
Dwarf-shrub, sedge, moss tundra (shrubby tussock tundra dominated by diamond-leaf willow, Salix pulchra). Subhygric, moderate snow, lower slopes with solifluction.
3.59 ha, 3.0% of map

Betula nana-Rubus chamaemorus, dwarf-shrub variant (306, 307) and Cladonia arbuscula variant (304).
Dwarf-shrub, moss tundra dominated by dwarf birch (Betula nana). Subhygric to hygric, acidic, moderate to moderately deep snow. Upland water tracks, margins of water tracks and lower slope areas (306, 307). Somewhat drier areas have abundant lichens (304).
2.08 ha, 1.7% of map

Salix pulchra-Sphagnum warnstorfii (310, 311).
Dwarf-shrub or low-shrub tundra dominated by willows (Salix pulchra). Subhygric, acidic, moderate to moderately deep snow. Margins of upland water tracks, palsas and high-centered polygons.
1.36 ha, 1.1% of map

Salix pulchra-Eriophorum angustifolium (314, 315, 318); or Salix pulchra-Calamagrostis canadensis (316).
Low shrublands (generally 40-100 cm tall). Subhydric to mesic, moderate to deep snow. Deeper upland water tracks with flowing water (314, 315) or riparian areas along major streams (316).
0.74 ha, 0.6% of map

Salix alaxensis (323, 324) or S. richardsonii (319) (tall shrubs).
Tall shrublands (> 2 m tall). Subhydric to mesic, nonacidic, moderate to deep snow. Stream margins dominated by tall willows, Salix alaxensis (323, 324) and/or S. richardsonii (319).
0.21 ha, 0.2% of map