Table 5. Description of vegetation types (Level IV, Alaska Vegetation Classification) found on Ft. Wainwright, central
Alaska, 1998. For more complete descriptions see Viereck et al. (1992).
Class
Description
Closed White Spruce
Closed (>60% crown cover) stands of Picea glauca, deciduous tree cover is low. In upland areas, the understory
Forest
includes Salix spp., Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Mertensia paniculata, Equisetum sylvaticum, and feather mosses; whereas
Rosa acicularis, Cornus canadensis are more common in riverine areas.
Closed Black Spruce
Dense, mature stands (>60% crown cover) of Picea mariana. In uplands, the understory has Alnus crispa, ericaceous
Forest
shrubs, grasses (Arctagrostis latifolia), and feather mosses. In lowlands, Sphagnum is more common.
Closed Black Spruce
Mixed stands of Picea mariana and P. glauca totaling >60% canopy cover. The understory consists of Alnus crispa,
White Spruce Forest
Ledum groenlandicum, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, and feather mosses.
Closed Spruce
Closed (>60%) stands of Picea mariana and Larix laricina. Ledum groenlandicum, Vaccinium vitis-idaea and other
Tamarack Forest
ericaceous shrubs form the understory, along with lichens and mosses.
Open White Spruce
Open (2560% cover) stands of Picea glauca, with an understory of Salix bebbiana Cornus canadensis, Equisetum arvense,
Forest
Viburnum edule, Goodyera repens, Rosa acicularis, Linnaea borealis, Hylocomium splendens, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, and
other feather mosses.
Open Black Spruce
Open (2560%) stands of Picea mariana with occasional Larix laricina on north-facing slopes and lowlands. The
Forest (other than
understory has low shrubs (Rosa acicularis, Salix spp., Ledum groenlandicum, Empetrum nigrum, Vaccinium vitis-idaea),
south-facing)
Sphagnum spp., and feather mosses.
Open Black Spruce
Picea mariana dominates the open stands (2560% cover). On south-facing slopes scattered tall shrubs (Alnus crispa),
Forest (south-facing
low and dwarf shrubs (Ledum groenlandicum, Empetrum nigrum, Vaccinium vitis-idaea), grasses (Calamagrostis spp.
slopes)
and Arctagrostis latifolia) and feather mosses are common.
Open Black Spruce
Mixed stands of black (Picea mariana) and white (P. glauca) spruce with <60% canopy cover. The understory has
White Spruce Forest
Alnus crispa, Ledum groenlandicum, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, and feather mosses.
Open Spruce
Larix laricina and Picea mariana (occasionally P. glauca) form an open (2560%) canopy. The understory has
Tamarack Forest
ericaceous shrubs, Oxycoccus microcarpus, Rubus chamaemorus and Sphagnum spp.
Black Spruce
Occasional Picea glauca and P. mariana (1025% cover) represent the tree canopy in these stands which are
White Spruce
dominated by low shrubs. Shrubs include Ledum groenlandicum, Betula nana, Vaccinium uliginosum, Vaccinium
Woodland
vitis-idaea, and feather mosses.
Mixed Conifer
Scattered Picea mariana and Larix laricina dominate the very open (1025%) canopy. The understory usually has
Woodland
ericaceous shrubs (including Betula nana, Ledum groenlandicum, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Oxycoccus microcarpus, Rubus
chamaemorus, Sphagnum spp., and Eriophorum vaginatum.
Closed Balsam
Closed (>60%) stands dominated by young to mid-aged Populus balsamifera. The understory includes Picea glauca,
Poplar Forest
Rosa acicularis, Calamagrostis canadensis, and Equisetum arvense.
Closed Paper
Closed stands of Betula papyrifera; spruce may occur in the understory. In the uplands, the understory includes
Birch Forest
Alnus crispa, Rosa acicularis, Viburnum edule, Cornus canadensis, Equisetum arvense, and Calamagrostis spp. In the
lowlands, Ledum groenlandicum and Vaccinium vitis-idaea are common.
Closed Quaking
Small, closed stands of Populus tremuloides are found on south-facing well-drained slopes. The understory has Rosa
Aspen Forest
acicularis, Shepherdia canadensis, Linnaea borealis, and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi.
Closed Paper Birch
Young to mid-aged mixed stands of Betula papyrifera and Populus tremuloides occur on south-facing slopes, and white
Quaking Aspen Forest
spruce often is in the understory. The understory generally has shrubs (Alnus crispa, Rosa acicularis, Shepherdia
canadensis, Vaccinium vitis-idaea), grasses, and club mosses.
Closed Quaking
Closed, mixed stands of Populus tremuloides and Populus balsamifera can be found in isolated pockets and transi-
AspenBalsam
tional areas. Betula papyrifera also may be present in small numbers.
Poplar Forest
Open Paper Birch
Open (<60% canopy cover) of young to mid-aged stands of Betula papyrifera. The understory consists of Alnus crispa,
Forest
or Ledum groenlandicum, Calamagrostis canadensis, and leaf litter.
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