Table 4 (cont'd). Classification and description of ecotypes within Fort Greely. Descriptions include
physiography, geomorphology, soil properties, and vegetation. Plant names in bold are indicator species
that can be used to differentiate ecotypes on the ground.
Class
Description
Riverine
Flat, less-frequently flooded areas on inactive glaciofluvial outwash deposits with vegetation
Gravelly
dominated by dwarf shrubs. Soils are stratified to massive gravel with occasional thin sandy
Dry Dwarf
layers, lacking in organics, excessively drained, dry, and slightly alkaline. Early successional vegetation
Scrub
includes Dryas drummondii, Populus balsamifera saplings, Shepherdia canadensis, Fragaria virginiana,
and Oxytropis campestris.
Riverine
Flat areas on inactive glaciofluvial outwash deposits with vegetation dominated by grasses and forbs.
Gravelly Dry
Flooding is infrequent and soils are gravelly, excessively drained, dry, and neutral. Common plants
Meadow
include Oxytropis campestris, Fragaria virginiana, and Agropyron spp. Uncommon and not
mapped.
Riverine
Flat areas on inactive glaciofluvial outwash deposits with vegetation dominated by broadleaf trees.
Gravelly Dry
Flooding is infrequent. Soils have interbedded gravel, sand and silt, lack organics, and are
Broadleaf
excessively drained, dry, and neutral. The open to closed canopy is dominated by Populus balsamifera
Forest
and the understory includes Picea glauca, Shepherdia canadensis, P. fruticosa, Dryas drummondii,
Fragaria virginiana, and Elymus innovatus.
Riverine
Flat areas on inactive glaciofluvial outwash deposits with vegetation dominated by mixed broadleaf
Gravelly
and needleleaf trees. Flooding is infrequent. Soils have interbedded gravel, sand and silt, lack organics,
Dry Mixed
and are excessively drained, dry, and neutral. This intermediate successional stage between
Forest
broadleaf and needleleaf forest has a closed canopy dominated by Populus balsamifera and Picea
glauca, and the understory includes Shepherdia canadensis, Dryas drummondii, Fragaria virginiana,
and Ceratodon purpureus. Not mapped.
Riverine
Flat areas on inactive glaciofluvial outwash deposits with vegetation dominated by needleleaf trees.
Gravelly
Deposits have interbedded gravel, sand and silt layers, with thin surface organic layers, indicative of
Needleleaf
frequent flooding. Soils are excessively drained, dry, and slightly acidic. This late-successional
Forest
vegetation type has an open to closed canopy dominated by Picea glauca, and the understory includes
Shepherdia canadensis, Solidago canadensis, Geocaulon lividum and Hylocomium splendens
Riverine Moist Flat areas on inactive floodplains of meandering and headwater streams with vegetation
Low and Tall
dominated by low and tall shrubs. Soils have interbedded silts and sands with thin surface organic
Scrub
layers, and are well drained, moist, and slightly acidic. Common species include Alnus tenuifolia, Salix
planifolia, Betula nana, and Calamagrostis canadensis.
Riverine Moist Flat areas on inactive floodplains of meandering and headwater streams with vegetation
Broadleaf
dominated by broadleaf trees. Soils have interbedded silts and sands with thin surface organic layers,
Forest
and are well drained, moist, and slightly acidic. Vegetation is dominated by Populus balsamifera
(occasionally mixed with P. tremuloides) and the understory includes Dryas drummondii, Astragalus spp.,
Geocaulon lividum, and Linnaea borealis.
Riverine Moist Flat areas on inactive floodplains of meandering and headwater streams with vegetation
Mixed Forest
dominated by broadleaf trees. Soils have interbedded silts and sands with thin surface organic layers,
and are well drained, moist, and slightly acidic. The closed canopy is dominated by Betula papyrifera or
P. balsamifera and Picea glauca, and the understory has Alnus tenuifolia, Rosa acicularis, G. lividum,
L. borealis, and Hylocomium splendens.
Riverine Moist Flat areas on inactive floodplains of meandering and headwater streams with vegetation
Needleleaf
dominated by needleleaf trees. Soils have interbedded silts and sands with thin surface organic layers,
Forest
and are well drained, moist, and slightly acidic. The open to closed canopy is dominated by Picea
glauca and the understory includes Rosa acicularis, Ledum groenlandicum, Calamagrostis canadensis,
and Hylocomium splendens.
Riverine Wet
Flat areas on inactive floodplains of headwater streams with vegetation dominated by sedges. Soils have
Meadow
interbedded silts and sands with a thick surface organic layer, and are saturated near the surface.
Vegetation is dominated by Carex aquatilis and Eriophorum angustifolium, and also includes Myrica
gale, Salix planifolia, and Chamaedaphne calyculata. Uncommon and not mapped.
Upper
Braided and meander rivers relatively close to the headwaters. Includes both glacial, nonglacial
Perennial River clearwater, and nonglacial blackwater (high in humics and tannins) rivers and streams. In larger rivers,
water flows throughout the year in deep channels. Water body types are differentiated by geomorphic
units on ecosection map. All mapped rivers on the ecotype map are glacial.
Human
Revegetated clearings or areas where vegetation is managed by human activity. Human manage-
Disturbed
ment includes brush cutting to maintain vegetation height and landscaping; areas include drop zones,
Scrub
roadsides, and landscaped portions of the cantonment area. Vegetation varies from species found in
undisturbed low scrub communities to introduced grasses and weedy species.
Human
Barren or partially (<30% cover) vegetated areas that have been disturbed by human activity.
Disturbed
Clearings, airstrips and roads, and buildings are included in this class. Partially vegetated areas have
Barrens
pioneering indigenous species or introduced weedy species.
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