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(Andromeda polifolia var. glaucophylla) / Polytrichum strictum - Cladonia spp. - Sphagnum spp. Acidic Peatland | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: (Andromeda polifolia var. glaucophylla) / Polytrichum strictum - Cladonia spp. - Sphagnum spp. Acidic Peatland Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019 Description: This ombrotrophic late-successional wetland occurs on slightly domed peat deposits in the Allegheny Mountains region of West Virginia, at elevations between 960 and 1030 m. It is characterized by well-developed hummocks of mosses and lichens with occasional dominance by clonal patches of <i>Andromeda polifolia var. glaucophylla</i>. It is a small-patch type (0.05-10 hectares) that occupies flat-lying headwater basins in the center of wetland mosaics, where it is isolated from seepage inputs. Hummock-and-hollow microtopography is well-developed, with rounded peat hummocks ranging from 25-50 cm in height. The substrate is poorly drained peat, with depths ranging from 2 to 3.5 m. According to carbon dating of peat, this community grows on a site that has been characterized by bog vegetation for about 9500 years. The short-shrub stratum ranges from 0 to 60% cover and is almost exclusively composed of <i>Andromeda polifolia var. glaucophylla</i>, with infrequent very low cover by <i>Photinia melanocarpa</i> or <i>Hypericum densiflorum</i>. The dwarf-shrub layer is composed of <i>Rubus hispidus</i> and <i>Vaccinium oxycoccos</i> with an average cover of 12%. The herbaceous layer, with mean 5% cover, is characterized by <i>Eriophorum virginicum</i>, which grows on top of the hummocks. <i>Rhynchospora alba</i> may line the hollows, and very low cover of <i>Carex trisperma var. trisperma</i> or <i>Osmunda cinnamomea var. cinnamomea</i> may be present. Nonvascular plants average 95% cover, with hummocks dominated by <i>Polytrichum strictum</i> and <i>Cladonia</i> spp. (<i>Cladonia arbuscula, Cladonia rangiferina, Cladonia stygia</i>), and hollows lined with <i>Sphagnum</i> spp. (<i>Sphagnum rubellum, Sphagnum flexuosum, Sphagnum magellanicum</i>). Mean species richness of all vascular plants and any nonvascular plants with cover &gt;1% is 13 taxa per 400 m2, with 40% of the diversity in the nonvascular stratum.  Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:35210-{7AE8B2C0-437D-484E-8ABD-A5D535E5AF2A} Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 03-Apr-2007 to: ongoing
	status: accepted Community's Parent: Chamaedaphne calyculata / Carex lasiocarpa Subboreal Acidic Shrub Bog & Fen Alliance This Community's Level: Association This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.800167 NatureServe Explorer   Code: CEGL006589   Translated: (Bog-rosemary) / Bog Haircap Moss - Cup Lichen species - Peatmoss species Acidic Peatland   Common: Bog-rosemary Acidic Peatland   Scientific: (Andromeda polifolia var. glaucophylla) / Polytrichum strictum - Cladonia spp. - Sphagnum spp. Acidic Peatland (convergence) and Synonyms: (similar) (Andromeda polifolia var. glaucophylla) / Polytrichum strictum - Cladina spp. - Sphagnum spp. Nonvascular Vegetation