Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Unit G2
- CAVM
- Vegetation
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- Bioclimate Subzones
- Floristic Provinces
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- Physiography
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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)
G2. Graminoid, prostrate dwarf-shrub, forb tundra
Moist to dry tundra, with open to continuous plant cover. Sedges are dominant, along with prostrate shrubs <5 cm tall. Subzone C, some Subzone B.
Detailed Description
Moist to dry tundra in Subzone C and warmer parts of Subzone B on fine-grained, often hummocky circumneutral soils with moderate snow. This is the zonal vegetation on nonacidic soils of Subzone C. Plant cover is moderate (40-80%) and 5-15 cm tall. The diversity of plant communities is much greater than in Unit G1 and includes Cassiope tetragona snowbeds, well-developed mires, and streamside plant communities.
Area: 429 x 1000 km2.
Representative Syntaxa
Communities of the class Carici-Kobresietea, e.g., Carici-Dryadetum integrifoliae Dan. 1982 (Greenland).
Dominant Plants
Sedges, rushes, and prostrate dwarf-shrubs are common. Other common plants include grasses, forbs, mosses, liverworts, and lichens.
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- Sedge: Carex misandra; Carex lugens; Carex rupestris; Eriophorum triste; Kobresia myosuroides; Carex aquatilis ssp. stans;
- Rush: Luzula nivalisa; Luzula confusaa;
- Prostrate dwarf shrubs: Salix polaris; Salix rotundifolia; Salix arctica; Salix reticulata; Dryas;
- Grass: Alopecurus alpinus; Puccinellia vahliana; Puccinellia wrightii; Poa arctica;
- Forb: Potentilla hyparcticaa; Cardamine bellidifoliaa; Draba nivalis; Saxifraga cernua; Saxifraga hirculus; Stellaria; Pedicularis capitata; Papaver;
- Moss: Racomitrium lanuginosuma; Oncophorus wahlenbergii; Campylium stellatum; Aulacomnium turgidum; Warnstorfia sarmentosa; Hylocomium splendens; Polytrichum;
- Liverwort: Tetralophozia setiformisa; Anastrophyllum minutuma;
- Lichen: Sphaerophorus globosusa; Cladina rangiferinaa; Cladonia pyxidata; Thamnolia; Dactylina arctica; Flavocetraria; Masonhalea richardsonii;
a=acidic, n=non-acidic