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Carex spectabilis - Arnica x diversifolia Alpine Meadow | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Carex spectabilis - Arnica x diversifolia Alpine Meadow Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019 Description: This is a small-patch herbaceous association of the alpine of northwestern Montana, in Glacier National Park. It is characterized as a pioneer chionophilic community of recently deglaciated substrates in glacier-scoured cirque basins or on morainal or other talus slopes. The noted elevation span is from 2000 to 2400 m (6560-7870 feet), and all aspects are represented. Cirque basin margins are usually gently sloping or undulating and the colluvial slopes and newly exposed morainal walls do not much exceed a 20% grade. The community is found on soil patches having minimal development with large barren rock or gravel areas between patches. The total rock cover varies from 90% in earliest successional expressions to less than 40%, in later successional stages. Vegetation is restricted to the soil patches, which are often humus-rich and fine-textured. All sites have a moderate to mostly long-persisting snowpack approaching snowbed conditions and resulting in a mesic to hygric moisture regime. Meltwaters from adjacent snowbanks is virtually constant, supplied well into late summer. Vascular plant cover ranges from 10% to 65%, presumably following a gradient in time since exposure; these presumed younger stages have a low species richness of around 20 whereas older sites have up to 40 species. Prominent clumps of <i>Carex spectabilis</i> are the first vascular species to colonize these gravel barrens and rocky slopes, generating their own humus layers via decomposition of abundant foliage. Other graminoids with at least 50% constancy include <i>Luzula piperi, Phleum alpinum, Poa cusickii, Poa alpina, Juncus drummondii</i>, and <i>Carex nigricans</i>; the last two named species are faithful indicators of snowbed environments, whereas the first four are found on many area moraines as the first pioneering species. Forbs of high constancy and also known as colonizers are <i>Arnica x diversifolia, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Oxyria digyna</i>, and <i>Ranunculus eschscholtzii</i>. Forbs with moderate to high constancy and indicative of high moisture status/snow persistence include <i>Veronica wormskjoldii, Senecio triangularis, Erigeron peregrinus, Hieracium gracile</i>, and <i>Sibbaldia procumbens</i>. Moss and lichen cover is less than 5% regardless of site age.  Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:34521-{8A17BF7D-0D61-492F-A7D1-B900B1D110B3} Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 04-Feb-2004 to: ongoing
	status: accepted Community's Parent: Carex spectabilis Subalpine Meadow Alliance This Community's Level: Association This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.730698 NatureServe Explorer   Code: CEGL005867   Translated: Showy Sedge - Rayless Arnica Alpine Meadow   Scientific: Carex spectabilis - Arnica x diversifolia Alpine Meadow (convergence) and Synonyms: (similar) Carex spectabilis - Arnica x diversifolia Herbaceous Vegetation (similar) Carex spectabilis - Arnica X diversifolia Herbaceous Vegetation