A Preliminary Classification of Plant Communities in the Central Parkland Natural Sub-Region of Alberta. Prepared for: Alberta Sustainable Resource Development Public Lands Division Resource Data Branch Edmonton, Alberta Prepared by: Matthew Wheatley and Jerry Bentz Geowest Environmental Consultants Ltd. Suite 203 4208 – 97th Street Edmonton, Alberta, T5K 2J6 February 2002 Plant Communities of Alberta’s Central Parkland TABLE OF CONTENTS Objectives ............................................................................................................................1 Study Area Background......................................................................................................1 Methods ...............................................................................................................................2 Results..................................................................................................................................5 Dwarf Shrubland.............................................................................................................5 Evergreen.....................................................................................................................5 Broad-leaved ............................................................................................................5 Evergreen dwarf-shrubland ................................................................................5 ARCTOSTAPHYLOS UVA-URSI DWARF-SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE............5 Arctostaphylos uva-ursi..................................................................................5 Scale-leaved..............................................................................................................6 Xeric evergreen dwarf-shrubland .......................................................................6 JUNIPERUS HORIZONTALIS DWARF-SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE ...............6 Juniperus horizontalis ....................................................................................6 Juniperus horizontalis - Selaginella densa - Calamovilfa longifolia................7 Forest/Woodland .............................................................................................................7 Deciduous.....................................................................................................................7 Broad-leaved ............................................................................................................7 Intermittently flooded cold-deciduous forest/woodland.....................................7 ALUNUS TENUIFOLIA FOREST/WOODLAND ALLIANCE..........................8 Alnus tenuifolia - Salix discolor / Lonicera involucrata - Cornus stolonifera - Ribes hudsonianum / Plagiomnium cuspidatum..............................................8 Cold-deciduous forest/woodland .........................................................................8 ACER NEGUNDO FOREST/WOODLAND ALLIANCE ..................................8 Acer negundo / Prunus virginiana ..................................................................8 BETULA NEOALASKANA – POPULUS BALSAMIFERA FOREST/WOODLAND ALLIANCE ................................................................9 Betula neoalaskana - Populus balsamifera / Cornus stolonifera / Calamagrostis canadensis..............................................................................9 POPULUS BALSAMIFERA FOREST/WOODLAND ALLIANCE ..................10 Populus balsamifera / Salix discolor - (Betula occidentalis) .........................10 Populus balsamifera / Salix petiolaris ..........................................................10 Populus balsamifera / Viburnum opulus - Cornus stolonifera / Aralia nudicaulis.....................................................................................................11 POPULUS TREMULIODES FOREST/WOODLAND ALLIANCE .................11 Populus tremuloides / (sparse understory) ....................................................11 Populus tremuloides / Corylus cornuta / Low Shrubs and Herbs ..................12 Populus tremuloides / Prunus virginiana – (Shrub) / Low Herb....................13 Populus tremuloides / Prunus virginiana / Solidago canadensis ...................14 Populus tremuloides / Rosa acicularis - Rubus idaeus..................................15 Populus tremuloides / Symphoricarpos occidentalis / Herbs.........................16 Populus tremuloides / Viola adunca - Orthilia secunda ................................16 Geowest Environmental Consultants i Plant Communities of Alberta’s Central Parkland POPULUS TREMULOIDES – POPULUS BALSAMIFERA FOREST/WOODLAND ALLIANCE ..............................................................17 Populus tremuloides - Populus balsamifera - Betula papyrifera / Symphoricarpos occidentalis........................................................................17 Populus tremuloides - Populus balsamifera / Amelanchier alnifolia.............17 Populus tremuloides - Populus balsamifera / Cornus stolonifera - Rosa acicularis - Viburnum edule / Aralia nudicaulis............................................18 Evergreen...................................................................................................................18 Needle-leaved .........................................................................................................18 Saturated evergreen forest/woodland ...............................................................18 PICEA GLAUCA SATURATED FOREST/WOODLAND ALLIANCE...........18 Picea glauca / Cornus stolonifera / Climacium dendroides...........................18 PICEA MARIANA SATURATED FOREST/WOODLAND ALLIANCE .........19 Picea mariana / Ledum groenlandicum / Low Shrubs and Moss...................19 PINUS BANKSIANA FOREST/WOODLAND ALLIANCE .............................20 Pinus banksiana / Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ...................................................20 Mixed Evergreen-deciduous......................................................................................20 Broad-leaved ..........................................................................................................20 Mixed-evergreen-deciduous cold-deciduous forest/woodland..........................20 PICEA GLAUCA MIXED-EVERGREEN DECIDUOUS FOREST/WOODLAND ALLIANCE ..............................................................20 Picea glauca - Populus tremuloides - Populus balsamifera / (shrubs and herbs) ...........................................................................................................20 POPULUS TREMULOIDES MIXED-EVERGREEN DECIDUOUS FOREST/WOODLAND ALLIANCE ..............................................................21 Populus tremuloides - Populus balsamifera - Picea glauca / Rubus idaeus...21 Populus tremuloides (Picea glauca) / Aralia nudicaulis / Cornus canadensis .....................................................................................................................22 Herbaceous ....................................................................................................................22 Annual........................................................................................................................22 Narrow-leaved........................................................................................................22 Riparian herbaceous vegetation ........................................................................22 SENECIO CONGESTUS HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE ...................................22 Senecio congestus.........................................................................................22 Herb ...........................................................................................................................23 Thread-like leaved .................................................................................................23 Intermittently flooded brackish herbaceous vegetation ...................................23 RUPPIA MARITIMA INTERMITTENTLY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE .....................................................................................................23 Ruppia maritima ..........................................................................................23 Toothed, broad leaves............................................................................................24 Brackish herbaceous vegetation ........................................................................24 POTENTILLA ANSERINA HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE.................................24 Potentilla anserina - Distichlis stricta ..........................................................24 Sedges and Rushes.....................................................................................................24 Spiked Sedges.........................................................................................................24 Geowest Environmental Consultants ii Plant Communities of Alberta’s Central Parkland Marl fen herbaceous vegetation.........................................................................24 ELEOCHARIS QUINQUEFOLIA HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE......................24 Eleocharis quinquefolia................................................................................24 Temperate or subpolar sedge grassland............................................................25 CAREX SPP. SEDGE GRASSLAND ALLIANCE...........................................25 Carex group - Calamovilfa longifolia ...........................................................25 Carex group - Koeleria macrantha...............................................................26