Name:
North Pacific Acidic Open Bog & Fen Group
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This wetland group consists of acidic (pH <5.5) peatlands along the Pacific coast from the Aleutian Islands, Alaska Peninsula, Kodiak Islands, southern and southeastern coastal Alaska, coastal British Columbia south to northern California, west of the coastal mountain summits and including the Puget Sound lowlands. Mosses such as <i>Sphagnum</i> spp. or liverworts characterize the ground cover. Vegetation can be stunted conifer trees, dwarf-shrubs or herbaceous (vascular or nonvascular) plants or a mosaic; nearly all have a moss-dominated ground layer. Peatlands are often interspersed with small lakes and ponds and can be a mosaic with non-peat wetlands such as wet meadows. Shrub species include <i>Andromeda polifolia, Betula nana, Empetrum nigrum, Kalmia polifolia, Ledum</i> spp., <i>Myrica gale, Salix pulchra</i>, and <i>Vaccinium</i> spp. Herbaceous species include <i>Carex anthoxanthea, Carex aquatilis var. dives, Carex livida, Carex pauciflora, Carex pluriflora, Comarum palustre, Drosera rotundifolia, Equisetum fluviatile, Eriophorum angustifolium, Geum calthifolium, Nephrophyllidium crista-galli, Parnassia kotzebuei, Rubus chamaemorus, Sanguisorba menziesii</i>, and <i>Trichophorum cespitosum</i>. Mosses include <i>Philonotis fontana var. americana, Sphagnum fuscum</i>, and other <i>Sphagnum</i> spp. Liverworts include <i>Marsupella</i> spp., <i>Nardia</i> spp., <i>Scapania</i> spp., and <i>Siphula</i> spp. Tree species include stunted <i>Callitropsis nootkatensis, Picea sitchensis, Pinus contorta var. contorta</i>, or <i>Tsuga mertensiana</i>. Elevation ranges from sea level to higher than 500 m (1650 feet), and most stands are found under 457 m (1500 feet). The annual precipitation ranges from 890-3050 mm (35-120 inches). These wetlands are relatively abundant in Alaska and British Columbia but diminish rapidly in size and number farther south. They occur in river valleys, in basins, around lakes and marshes, or on gentle to steep slopes. The group includes well-developed bogs, raised bogs and poor fens. Soils are deep (>40 cm), organic, acidic (pH <5.5) and are usually saturated throughout the growing season.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:40047-{8022F65C-A94D-40A7-800E-D86C71EB0F46}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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