The Alaska Vegetation Classification - Alaska Geobotany Center ...

Closely related types-Halophytic grass wet meadow communities occur in thesame settings as and are very similar to halophytic herb wet meadows, except thatthe latter lack significant grass cover. Halophytic grass meadows often grade inlandinto halophytic sedge wet meadows, which are generally taller, denser, and moreproductive. The ecotone between the two usually is narrow and abmpt.Photographs-Batten and others 1978, figures 24 and 39; Neiland 1971b, figure 10.Primary references-Crow and Koppen 1977, Jefferies 1977, Meyers 1985, Neiland1971 b, Vince and Snow 1984.Communities-Puccinelia nufkaensis-Spergularia canadensis (Crow 1977b, Crowand Koppen 1977). Puccinellia nutkaensis-Suaeda depressa (Crow and Koppen1977). Puccinellia nufkaensis-Plantago maritima (Crow and Koppen 1977). Puccinellianufkaensis-Glaux maritima (Crow 1977b, Crow and Koppen 1977). Puccinellianutkaensis-Fucus spp. (Crow 1977b, Crow and Koppen 1977). Puccinellianufkaensis-Honckenya peploides (Crow 1977b). Puccinellia nufkaensis (Batten andothers 1978, Cooper 1931, Streveler and others 1973, Vince and Snow 1984).Puccinellia grandis-Triglochin maritimum (McCormick and Pichon 1978, Neiland1971 b. Quimby 1972). Puccinellia grandis-Plantago maritima-Elymus arenarius(Neiland 1971 b). Puccinellia grandis (Batten and others 1978, McCormick and Pichon1978). Puccinellia glabra-Plantago maritima (Hanson 1951). Puccinellia borealis-Potentilla egedii (Hanson 1953). Puccinellia phryganodes (Jefferies 1977, Meyers1985, Rosenberg 1986). Puccinellia phryganodes-Triglochin maritimum (Quirnby1972, Rosenberg 1986, Vince and Snow 1984). Puccinelliaphryganodes-Salicorniaeuropaea (Hanson 1951). Puccinelliaphrvaanodes-Cochlearia . ._officinalis (Thomas1951). Puccinellia andersonii(Meyers 1985).Ill.A.3.i. Halophytic Sedge Wet MeadowDescription-These communities generally form themain body of coastal marshes around the State (fig.67). They can be grouped into two main phases: (1)monotypic stands of coarse sedges near the seawardedges of coastal marshes, and (2) more diverse standsdominated by more delicate sedges farther inland.Communities of the first phase are composed of denseswards of sedges. Carex lyngbyaeigenerally dominatesin southern Alaska, and Carex ramenskii andC. subspafhacea are characteristic dominants ofnorthern sites. Woody plants, mosses, and lichens areabsent. Plant cover is often complete (100 percent)and is usually over 50 percent, though sparse standsdo occur. Reported aerial standing crops range from466 grams per square meter (4,150 Ib/acre) for Carexlyflgbyaeicommunities at Cook Inlet (Vince and Snow1984) to 94 grams per square meter (838 Iblacre) forC. subspafhacea at Barrow (Jefferies 1977). Thedominant sedges range in height from over 1 meter(3 ft) in Carex lyngbyaeicommunities of southernAlaska to a few centimeters in northern Alaska.Figure 67-Halophytic sedge wetmeadow of Carexlyngbyaeiin thetidal zone in south-central Alaska.185