Figure 15. Typical bog lake on FWA that provides habitat for aquatic plant species. Note the aquatic
community of yellow water-lily (Nuphar polysepala). A shrub birch (Betula nana)sweet gale
(Myrica gale) low-shrub bog community is visible on a floating mat in the lower foreground.
4. Alpine/subalpine plant communities--The
Selection of inventory sites by vegetation and
Alpine units in YMA;
habitat type
5. Riverine processes--The Tanana Floodplain
Within a floristic collection unit, it was desir-
unit of FF;
able to search for as many different vegetation
6. Artificially cleared or disturbed areas--The
types and specialized habitats as possible given
cantonment area;
the constraints of field logistics, time, resources,
7. Bog lakes, burned forest, and foothills spe-
and accessibility. Therefore, specific inventory sites
cies--The Blair Lakes unit of Tanana Flats.
were selected by habitat and vegetation type. All
of the vegetation types and specialized habitats
within each floristic inventory unit were not nec-
Site access and location
Plant inventories were conducted between 12
essarily sampled.
June and 15 September, 1995. The road and trail
Special attention was given to those vegetation
systems near Fairbanks, in the YMA, and on the
types and habitats that were considered unique
cantonment provided relatively easy access by
or significant to a specific collection unit. Within
truck, all-terrain vehicle, and foot and allowed us
the Buttes unit, for example, widespread forest
to revisit areas to obtain vascular plant specimens
types of FWA were surveyed less intensively than
in full flower. Helicopter support provided access
the south-facing grassland communities, which
to Tanana Flats throughout the field season. Much
were considered unique to this unit. The special-
of the Flats was searched for specific and unique
ized habitats of each unit included, but were not
habitats while traveling by helicopter to predeter-
necessarily limited to
mined sampling sites.
1. Aquatic and bog communities--Lowlands
Access to various parts of the base was limited
units in YMA and Tanana Flats (Fig. 15);
by field logistics and helicopter availability. Vari-
2. Dry, south-facing, nonforested slopes
ous portions of the installation were also closed to
(steppe-like communities)--The Buttes unit of
entry due to training maneuvers, unexploded ord-
Tanana Flats and in the cantonment;
nance, and communications installations. In these
3. Forests over slope, elevation, and aspect gra-
instances, specialized habitats were visited in
dients--The Slope Forests unit of YMA;
12
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