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Aquilegia flavescens - Senecio megacephalus Sparse Vegetation | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Aquilegia flavescens - Senecio megacephalus Sparse Vegetation
Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description: This community has been documented primarily from subalpine to alpine sites proximal to the Continental Divide in northwestern Montana (Glacier National Park), principally on its western side. This is a tall-forb community typical of steep (45-70%) scree slopes having predominantly west- through southeast-facing exposures (the most wind-impacted by prevailing southwesterlies) with northern exposures completely unrepresented. Snowbank formation at the heads of these slopes may persist into August, providing subirrigation to downslope vegetation via meltwater. Vegetation structure with tall mesophytic forbs dominant is testimony to a favorable moisture status. This community occurs mainly where the most extensive scree fields are concentrated, from the upper limits of continuous vegetation at 1890 m (6200 feet) to the rocky summit region above, the highest elevation sample recorded at 2210 m (7250 feet). Though occurring primarily on green argillite, it also occurs on red argillite, sandstone and limestone. Humus accumulation is restricted to vegetation clumps, and there is essentially no profile development due to ongoing soil action (creep and slides) and congeliturbation. Though rock cover is high (60-100%), it can act to promote mesic conditions by the overlapping of shale/argillite slabs to cover finer mineral soil, thus retarding evaporation. Litter cover is highly variable, mostly less than 5%, but occasionally as high as 30%. Structurally this is a very open (mostly less than 20% canopy cover, as high as 65%), tall-forb community with much visible rock and mineral soil surface. Overtopping the lower growing mats of the woody <i>Penstemon ellipticus</i> and highly constant <i>Phacelia hastata</i> are the considerably taller forbs <i>Senecio megacephalus, Aquilegia flavescens, Chamerion angustifolium</i>, and <i>Symphyotrichum foliaceum</i>. Other tall forbs less consistently present include <i>Cirsium hookerianum, Potentilla diversifolia, Achillea millefolium, Arnica x diversifolia</i>, and <i>Valeriana sitchensis</i>. Shorter forbs occurring in somewhat fewer than half the plots include <i>Epilobium anagallidifolium, Sedum lanceolatum, Castilleja miniata</i>, and <i>Galium boreale</i>. <i>Elymus alaskanus ssp. latiglumis</i> is the only characteristic graminoid. Mosses and lichens usually comprise less than 1% canopy cover. 
Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:34552-{6A7EF73E-3A27-48B0-93AB-DD9843CD3145}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 21-Jan-2004 to: ongoing
      Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.728737 NatureServe ExplorerNatureServe Explorer logo
  Code: CEGL005899
  Translated: Yellow Columbine - Rocky Ragwort Sparse Vegetation
  Scientific: Aquilegia flavescens - Senecio megacephalus Sparse Vegetation
(convergence) and Synonyms:
(similar) Aquilegia flavescens - Senecio megacephalus Sparse Vegetation
(similar) Aquilegia flavescens - Senecio megacephalus Sparse Vegetation