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A.1576 | EcoArt 2002
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Name: A.1576
Reference: EcoArt 2002
Description: This alliance occurs in the alpine tundra in Montana. Stands are found between 2300-2700 m elevation on the eastern side of the Continental Divide on flat to gently sloping ridges and summits, on limestone parent materials. The ridgetops are subject to extremely high winds and are blown free of snow in winter. The vegetation occurs on a number of frost-patterned ground features, such as solifluction lobes and sorted rock polygons. Solifluction lobes result from the mass movement of soil downslope, the movement of a thin layer of saturated soil over solid bedrock or permafrost soils. The vegetation on solifluction lobes grows in long, narrow strips parallel to the slope. Rock polygons are formed when rocks are forced to the soil surface near areas of active frost heaves and roll into adjacent depressions; the vegetation grows in the depressions. These depauperate dwarf-shrub communities are dominated by ~Dryas integrifolia$, and have few forb and graminoid species in the understory. ~Carex rupestris$ may codominate in some stands. Other common herbaceous associates include ~Polygonum viviparum, Oxytropis sericea, Androsace chamaejasme, Lloydia serotina, Saxifraga oppositifolia$, and ~Carex scirpoidea ssp. pseudoscirpoidea (= Carex pseudoscirpoidea)$. 
Accession Code: VB.CC.1331.A1576
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 26-Nov-1997 to: 17-Mar-2005
     
  • status: accepted
  • Community's Parent: V.A.8.N.c
  • This Community's Level: Alliance
  • This Community's Children: [none]
Names:   Code: A.1576
  Scientific: DRYAS INTEGRIFOLIA DWARF-SHRUB HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
  Common: White Mountain-avens Dwarf-shrub Herbaceous Alliance
(convergence) and Synonyms:
(undetermined) Dryas integrifolia Dwarf-shrub Herbaceous Alliance