Name:
Arctophila fulva - Carex aquatilis - Eriophorum angustifolium Arctic Marsh & Wet Meadow Macrogroup
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
North American Arctic freshwater marshes, wet meadows and wet shrublands generally occur as small patches, typically on the margins of ponds, lakes and beaded streams (channels with regularly spaced deep pools connected by narrow runs) and along water tracks within permafrost landscapes. They are also found on large to small floodplains where various wetlands form in oxbows, wet depressions, low-lying areas, and in landscapes with permafrost along subsurface water channels known as water tracks and abandoned channels. Occurrences are typically dominated by grasses and sedges, low shrubs, or high forb cover in some instances. This includes freshwater marshes, wet meadows, ribbed fens, and wet shrublands. Dominant species include <i>Arctophila fulva, Carex aquatilis, Eriophorum angustifolium</i>, and/or <i>Salix pulchra</i>. Additional dominants occur in the subarctic including <i>Comarum palustre, Hippuris vulgaris, Lysimachia thyrsiflora, Carex utriculata, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Typha latifolia, Menyanthes trifoliata</i>, and <i>Equisetum fluviatile</i>. Soils are muck or mineral, and water is often nutrient-rich. In floodplains, permafrost is absent. Wet meadows occur in valley bottoms, basins, low-center polygons, oxbows, wet depressions, low-lying areas, abandoned channels, water tracks and adjacent to streams. Sites are typically sedge-dominated, and species include <i>Carex aquatilis, Eriophorum angustifolium, Carex glareosa, Carex rotundata, Carex rariflora, Carex chordorrhiza, Carex rostrata, Carex saxatilis, Carex utriculata, Eriophorum russeolum</i>, and <i>Eriophorum scheuchzeri</i>. More elevated perimeters support low shrubs and tussocks. Common shrubs include <i>Betula nana, Salix fuscescens, Salix pulchra, Ledum palustre ssp. decumbens, Andromeda polifolia, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Vaccinium uliginosum</i>, and <i>Empetrum nigrum</i>. Soils range from acidic to non-acidic, are saturated during the summer, and have an organic horizon over silt with permafrost, although on floodplains, permafrost is absent. Low-statured wet shrublands follow well-developed water tracks in areas with permafrost, and are often dominated by <i>Salix pulchra</i> and <i>Eriophorum angustifolium</i>, with <i>Carex aquatilis</i> and <i>Eriophorum russeolum</i>. Important mosses include <i>Calliergon stramineum, Sphagnum girgensohnii</i>, and <i>Sphagnum warnstorfii</i>. Tall willow shrublands can be found within these landscapes in floodplains and riparian corridors. <i>Salix alaxensis</i> is the dominant shrub with canopy heights often exceeding 2 m.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:41093-{C8C38DE5-95E5-4E7C-9AFA-DB57E6A8DDEE}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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