Name:
Deschampsia cespitosa - Caltha leptosepala Wet Meadow
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This alpine to upper subalpine mesic to wet meadow association occurs in the southern and central Rocky Mountains. Stands are found in broad alpine and subalpine valley bottoms, on concave benches and in small openings in spruce-fir forest generally where moisture accumulates. Sites have moderate to heavy snow accumulation or occur in areas of moisture accumulation, such as areas near late-melting snowpatches located on lee sides of saddles, ridges and knolls. Sites are generally flat or concave to gently sloping (<15%) but occur on steeper slopes where they receive moisture from late-melting snowbanks. Aspects are often northerly, but this association may occur on any aspect where subirrigated. Substrates are saturated during spring snowmelt and have a high water table throughout the growing season. Surface layers may dry out in late summer. Soils are moderately deep to deep, poorly drained mineral soils with high organic content derived from alluvium, basalt, gneiss, granite, or sandstone. Soil texture ranges from silt loam to sandy clay to clay. Cover of gravel and rock is low, cover of bare ground is low to moderate, and cover of litter and duff is generally high. The vegetation is characterized by a dense herbaceous layer and may be dominated by <i>Deschampsia cespitosa</i> and <i>Caltha leptosepala</i>. Either graminoids or forbs may dominate the herbaceous layer. Other important herbaceous species include graminoids <i>Agrostis humilis, Calamagrostis canadensis, Carex aquatilis, Carex heteroneura var. chalciolepis, Carex microptera, Carex haydenii, Carex illota, Carex nigricans, Carex paysonis, Carex phaeocephala, Carex scopulorum, Carex utriculata, Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis, Juncus drummondii, Poa reflexa, Phleum alpinum, Trisetum wolfii</i>, and forbs <i>Achillea millefolium, Symphyotrichum foliaceum, Claytonia lanceolata, Erigeron eximius, Erigeron peregrinus, Epilobium ciliatum, Galium trifidum, Packera crocata, Pedicularis groenlandica, Polygonum bistortoides, Polygonum viviparum, Ranunculus alismifolius, Rhodiola rhodantha, Senecio crassulus, Packera streptanthifolia, Stellaria umbellata, Rhodiola rhodantha</i>, and <i>Veronica wormskjoldii</i>. If <i>Geum rossii</i> is present, it does not codominate. Widely scattered <i>Salix planifolia</i> shrubs may be present.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:30791-{B5403216-5C79-4B63-96F7-70605B00BE4F}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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