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Betula nana / Carex spp. Shrubland | Western Ecology Working Group of...
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Name: Betula nana / Carex spp. Shrubland Reference: Western Ecology Working Group of... Description: This association is found on the west side of Glacier National Park in Montana, and is also known from several low-elevation sites in Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta. This association is found at 1135 to 1540 m (3720-5049 feet) elevation on basin floors. Sites are flat to gently inclined peatlands. Soils are organic (sedge peat), seasonally flooded to saturated, and very poorly drained. Betula nana dominates the shrub canopy in all stands, with up to 70% cover. Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda and Salix serissima occur less frequently with less than 10% cover. Salix drummondiana, along with several other tall shrubs and short Picea engelmannii, occur with very low constancy. Carex species characterize the herbaceous understory, individually having between 20 and 60% constancy. The Carex species with the highest average cover are Carex interior, Carex lasiocarpa, Carex limosa, and Carex aquatilis. Stands can contain a moisture gradient with Betula nana on slightly higher and better drained ground, with a Carex lasiocarpa-dominated fen or other Carex species in the lowest and wettest area. Trichophorum caespitosum is infrequent but can have high cover (55%). Forbs common in peatlands are usually present, such as Menyanthes trifoliata, Comarum palustre, and Petasites frigidus var. sagittatus (= Petasites sagittatus). Most stands are shallowly flooded with an average moss and lichen cover of only 20%, while the drier stands have high ground cover of moss and lichens.  Accession Code: VB.CC.28142.BETULANANACAREX Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 20-Jan-2004 to: 17-Nov-2014
	status: accepted Community's Parent: Betula nana Seasonally Flooded Shrubland Alliance This Community's Level: Association This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   Translated: Swamp Birch / Sedge species Shrubland   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.728694 NatureServe Explorer   Code: CEGL005887   Scientific: Betula nana / Carex spp. Shrubland (convergence) and Synonyms: (undetermined) Betula glandulosa / Carex spp. Shrubland