The Alaska US National Vegetation Classification
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Proceedings of the United States National Vegetation Classification The Alaska U.S. National Vegetation Classification: Synopsis of a workshop review of macrogroups, groups, and alliances Don Faber-Langendoen, Patrick J. McIntyre, Torre Jorgenson, Martha K. Raynolds, Lisa Saperstein, Beth K. Schulz & Aaron F. Wells Submitted: July 2020 USNVC-Proc-3 USNVC-Proc-3 Citation Faber-Langendoen, D., P.J. McIntyre, M.T. Jorgenson, M.K. Raynolds, L. Saperstein, B. Schulz, and A. Wells. 2020. The Alaska U.S. National Vegetation Classification: Synopsis of a workshop review of macrogroups, groups, and alliances. USNVC Proc-3. Washington, D.C., Ecological Society of America . 94 pp + Appendices. Authors Faber-Langendoen, Don. ([email protected]) NatureServe, 2550 South Clark Street, Suite 930, Arlington, VA 22202. USA; McIntyre, Patrick J.. ([email protected]) NatureServe, 2550 South Clark Street, Suite 930, Arlington, VA 22202 USA; Jorgenson, Mark Torre. ([email protected]) Alaska Ecoscience, 2332 Cordes Way, Fairbanks, AK 99709. USA; Raynolds, Martha K.. ([email protected]) University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Institute of Arctic Biology, PO Box 757000, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA; Saperstein, Lisa. ([email protected]) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, MS 223, Anchorage AK 99503, USA; Schulz, Beth K.. ([email protected]) U.S. Forest Service, 161 E 1st Ave, Door 8, Anchorage, AK 99501- 1639, USA; Wells, Aaron F.. ([email protected]) ABR, Inc.— Environmental Research & Services, P.O. Box 80410, Fairbanks, AK 99708 USA; USNVC-Proc-3 USNVC PROC-XX PROCEEDINGS OF THE U.S. NATIONAL VEGETATION CLASSIFIATION Ecological Society of America The USNVC Partnership and the Federal Geographic Data Committee Vegetation Subcommittee https://www.fgdc.gov/organization/working-groups-subcommittees/vsc/index_html The USNVC is a partnership through the Federal Geographic Data Committee Vegetation Subcommittee, chaired by the USFS (Carol Spurrier, Linda Spencer Cochairs). Partners include federal agencies, NatureServe and the Ecological Society of America. The USNVC is published on usnvc.org, which is hosted by the U.S. Geological Survey. USNVC Review Board Don Faber-Langendoen Editor-in-Chief Patrick McIntyre Assigning Editor- west WEST Warm Desert Este Muldavin Regional Editor Californian Todd Keeler-Wolf Regional Editor Cool Semi-Desert Marion Reid Regional Editor Vancouverian Joe Rocchio (US) Regional Editor Del Meidinger (CA) Regional Editor Rocky Mountain Jack Triepke Regional Editor Western Wetlands Gwen Kittel Regional Editor GREAT PLAINS Great Plains Bruce Hoagland Regional Editor EAST Laurentian-Acadian Don Faber-Langendoen Regional Editor Appalachian- Lesley Sneddon Regional Editor Northeast South-Central Milo Pyne Regional Editor Southeast Coastal Alan Weakley Regional Editor Plain CARIBBEAN Caribbean - Puerto Humfredo (Fito) Marcano Regional Editor Rico BOREAL Boreal Beth Schulz Regional Editor Kim Chapman (CA) Regional Editor ARCTIC Eastern Arctic Serguei Ponomarenko (CA) Regional Editor Western Arctic TBD The Proceedings of the USNVC are published as peer reviewed reports become available. https://esa.org/vegpanel/usnvc/usnvc-proceedings/ USNVC-Proc-3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee, with Carol Spurrier as chair, has provided consistent leadership in setting standards for federal agency adoption and implementation of the USNVC. We thank the ESA Vegetation Classification Panel and the USNVC Peer Review Board for developing and participating in the peer review process. In particular, we thank Todd Keeler-Wolf for his peer review of the report. We thank LANDFIRE and Bureau of Land Management for providing support for the workshop. (L13AC00286, Supplement 0003). We especially thank Henry Bastian for his commitment to the development of the USNVC through workshops like this one. The U.S. Forest Service graciously hosted the workshop in Anchorage, and we thank Beth Schulz and Tina Boucher for their hospitality. We are grateful for the many professional ecologists from federal, state, and academic institutions and organizations who participated in the workshops. A participants list is provided in the report. When it came to the task of producing a final report that summarized the results of the workshop, we were fortunately to have Erin Lunsford Jones apply her skills to not only copedit the text, but to improve the report’s overall structure and coherence. We are grateful for her work. i USNVC-Proc-3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................................... i Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................... ii Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 3 The Alaska Vegetation Classification ....................................................................................................... 4 The U.S. National Vegetation Classification ................................................................................................ 5 The USNVC Hierarchy ............................................................................................................................. 5 Mid-Level Concepts .................................................................................................................................. 7 Dynamic Peer Review ............................................................................................................................. 11 USNVC and Related Classifications ....................................................................................................... 11 Braun-Blanquet Approach .................................................................................................................. 11 North American Biotic Communities................................................................................................. 12 Ecological Systems ............................................................................................................................ 12 Methods for Development of Mid-Level Types ......................................................................................... 13 Implementation Phases for Developing Alaskan Mid-Level types ......................................................... 13 Phase 1 (2008-2012) and the 2011 Alaska Workshop ....................................................................... 13 Phase 2 (2012-2016) and Macrogroup Concept Review .................................................................... 14 Phase 3 (2017-2020) and the Alaska Workshop 2017 ....................................................................... 14 Results and Discussion ............................................................................................................................... 17 Arctic & Alpine Team ............................................................................................................................. 17 Arctic Uplands Review ...................................................................................................................... 17 Arctic Wetlands Review ..................................................................................................................... 21 Alpine Review .................................................................................................................................... 25 Boreal Team ............................................................................................................................................ 27 Boreal Wet Forest Review ................................................................................................................. 31 Boreal Shrubland & Grassland Review.............................................................................................. 33 Boreal Open Wetlands Review .......................................................................................................... 36 Boreal Open Rock Vegetation Review .............................................................................................. 40 Coastal Team .......................................................................................................................................... 41 Coastal Lowland Pacific Forest Review ............................................................................................ 41 Coastal Montane Forest Review ........................................................................................................ 43 Coastal Ruderal Forest Review .......................................................................................................... 45 Coastal Pacific Flooded & Swamp Forest Review ............................................................................ 45 Coastal Grassland & Shrubland Review ............................................................................................ 47 Coastal Bog & Fen Review ................................................................................................................ 48 Coastal Salt Marsh Review ...............................................................................................................