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Dryas octopetala - Polygonum viviparum Alpine Dwarf-shrub Meadow | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Dryas octopetala - Polygonum viviparum Alpine Dwarf-shrub Meadow
Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description: This association is a minor type that has been substantiated from throughout the alpine of southwestern, northwestern and central Montana, and is likely to occur as far north as Canada's Jasper National Park and south to Colorado's Front Range. This is an alpine, fell-field association, ranging in elevation from 2070 to over 3000 m (6790-9840 feet). It is found on gentle to steep slopes with all but southerly aspects. Parent materials include a wide range of sedimentary rock with limestone and siltstone (argillite) predominating. Soils are typically sandy clay derived from limestone (or other calcareous substrate) and quartzite. Gravel content of soil ranges from 5-30%. Soil moisture content during the growing season is high. Disturbance from solifluction, slumps, and earthflows is common. This <i>Dryas octopetala</i> type is more mesic than others currently described, which is attributable to exposures with less solar insolation, placements in the landscape receiving less wind and greater snow deposition and duration. A dwarf-shrub layer dominates the vegetation cover of this community. <i>Dryas octopetala</i> forms mats that range from 30-80% in cover. Dwarf <i>Salix</i> spp. can be common to codominant, including <i>Salix reticulata, Salix arctica</i>, or <i>Salix nivalis</i>. The herbaceous layer is sparse (&lt;20% cover) and is dominated by the forbs <i>Polygonum viviparum, Polygonum bistortoides, Zigadenus elegans</i>, and <i>Oxytropis borealis var. viscida</i>. Forb diversity in the Glacier National Park occurrences is high, with over 100 species represented in 30 plots, and its cover generally exceeds that of the graminoids. Graminoid cover is low (&lt;10%) and mostly composed of <i>Carex elynoides, Carex rupestris, Carex albonigra, Kobresia simpliciuscula, Kobresia myosuroides</i>, and <i>Festuca brachyphylla</i>. Moss and lichen cover is high on some plots (&gt;50%). Diagnostic of this alpine association is a dwarf-shrub layer dominated by <i>Dryas octopetala</i> with <i>Polygonum viviparum</i> dominant in the herbaceous layer. 
Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:30803-{91A71CFD-9804-49DD-8043-2152CF8A1961}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 7
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 13-Jan-2004 to: ongoing
      Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685067 NatureServe ExplorerNatureServe Explorer logo
  Code: CEGL001894
  Translated: Eight-petal Mountain-avens - Alpine Bistort Alpine Dwarf-shrub Meadow
  Scientific: Dryas octopetala - Polygonum viviparum Alpine Dwarf-shrub Meadow
(convergence) and Synonyms:
(similar) Dryas octopetala - Polygonum viviparum Dwarf-shrub Herbaceous Vegetation
(similar) CEGL001894
(similar) Dryas octopetala - Polygonum viviparum Dwarf-shrub Herbaceous Vegetation