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Dasiphora fruticosa / Artemisia michauxiana Alpine Shrub Meadow | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Dasiphora fruticosa / Artemisia michauxiana Alpine Shrub Meadow Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019 Description: This fell-field association is found throughout the uppermost subalpine and alpine of Glacier National Park in Montana and is much less well-documented in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta. This patterned to heterogeneous vegetation type is characteristic of fell-fields, large expanses of steeply sloped (to 70%), unstable colluvium. The defining rocky surface is composed of coarse-textured debris, talus, or small-sized scree; regardless of fragment size, the amount of exposed rock cover is between 80% and 95%, usually composed of green or red argillite, with other rock types (quartzite, arenite) having a minor representation. The sampled elevation range is broad, from the high subalpine at 1940 m (6365 feet) to mid-alpine at 2620 m (8560 feet). Though steeply sloping, well-drained, and with their predominantly south- to southwest-facing slopes exposed to prevailing drying winds, the soil of these sites holds considerable amounts of moisture, even following extensive precipitation-free periods. The physiognomy of this type is not so much that of an alpine vegetated slope but of sparsely distributed shrubs on a rocky substrate. <i>Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda </i>is definitely a subshrub in this environment and its cover is mostly in the range of 3 to 10% with extremes approaching 25%. The graminoid component is very sparse, the aggregate cover seldom exceeding 1-3%, with only <i>Calamagrostis purpurascens</i> and <i>Poa secunda</i> exceeding 50% constancy. Forb cover is also minimal, usually in the 1-10% range, and only <i>Artemisia michauxiana</i> and <i>Potentilla glandulosa</i> are considered characteristic species in this local description of the type, though both species have much wider ecological amplitudes than just the alpine zone, and neither exhibits 100% constancy. Occurring with low cover are groups of alpine generalist species including <i>Potentilla diversifolia, Solidago multiradiata, Minuartia obtusiloba, Besseya wyomingensis</i>, and <i>Oxytropis campestris</i>.  Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:34489-{B2D0659C-C6B2-485B-9B27-9D118CD0AA41} Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 06-Apr-2012 to: ongoing
	status: accepted Community's Parent: Ribes cereum - Ribes montigenum - Dasiphora fruticosa Alpine Shrubland Alliance This Community's Level: Association This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.728788 NatureServe Explorer   Code: CEGL005833   Translated: Shrubby-cinquefoil / Michaux's Wormwood Alpine Shrub Meadow   Scientific: Dasiphora fruticosa / Artemisia michauxiana Alpine Shrub Meadow (convergence) and Synonyms: (similar) Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda / Artemisia michauxiana Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation