Alaska Arctic Tundra Vegetation Map

Lush lichen growth on Hall Island, St. Matthews group. Dry tundra. 1985. Photo: D. Klein.

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Lush lichen growth on Hall Island, St. Matthews group. Dry tundra. 1985. Photo: D.R. Klein.

$The thick mats of fruticose lichens that dominated much of the landscape in the southern portion of St. Matthew Island prior to the introduction of reindeer had been greatly depleted by reindeer grazing when vegetation plots were established there (Station # 2) in early August 1957. Only fragments of fractured lichens and moss remained on the ground surface in the depressions between the dark green willow hummocks. Photo: 1957. D. Klein.$

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The thick mats of fruticose lichens that dominated much of the landscape in the southern portion of St. Matthew Island prior to the introduction of reindeer had been greatly depleted by reindeer grazing when vegetation plots were established there (Station # 2) in early August 1957. Only fragments of fractured lichens and moss remained on the ground surface in the depressions between the dark green willow hummocks.Photo: 1957. D.R. Klein.

This lichen-dominated plant community with scattered hummocks of willow is on Hall Island that was never reached by the reindeer. It serves as a control for assessing the grazing impact of reindeer on similar communities on St. Matthew Island. Photo: D. Klein.

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This lichen-dominated plant community with scattered hummocks of willow is on Hall Island that was never reached by the reindeer. It serves as a control for assessing the grazing impact of reindeer on similar communities on St. Matthew Island. Photo: D.R. Klein.

Vegetation Units

P2.1 Dry tundra (St Matthew Island)

Prostrate dwarf-shrub lichen communities (comm. 15) on dry flats, slopes and ridges, with large areas of sedge, prostrate dwarf-shrub tundra (comm. 19). St. Matthew Island, Subzone D.

Plant Communities:

Community 15

Dry flats, ridge tops & benches (Klein 1959) (St.Matthew Island).

Prostrate dwarf shrub: Salix ovalifolia, S. fuscescens, Dryas octopetala;
Lichen: Cladina stellaris, Sphaerophorus globosus, Flavocetraria cucullata;
Graminoid: Carex microchaeta ssp. nesophila

Community 19

Moist well-drained meadows (Klein 1959) (St. Matthew Island).

Sedge: Carex microchaeta ssp. nesophila, Alopecurus alpinus, Arctagrostis latifolia;
Prostrate dwarf shrub: Salix rotundifolia, S. reticulata;
Forb


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