The Alaska Vegetation Classification - Alaska Geobotany Center ...

Successlonal status-Successional relations are unknown to us.Closely related types-These communities are quite distinctive. Rarely, Fucuscommunities will border on and intergrade with halophytic herb communities ongravels near river mouths, but even then they usually are distinct.Photographs-Lebednik and Palmisano 1977, several figures; figure 81, thispublication.Primary references-Batten and others 1978, Lebednik and Palrnisano 1977.CommunItles-Many communities occur, but a review of marine ecological literatureis beyond the scope of this vegetation classification, which is terrestrially oriented.Species of Fucus, Gigarfina, Porphyra, and Ulva are important along Alaska coasts(Batten and others 1978, Druehl 1970, Palmer 1942, Stevens 1965).AcknowledgmentsIt is impossible to acknowledge everyone who contributed to the Alaska vegetationclassification over the 15 years of its development. A few individuals and agenciesthat significantly influenced or encouraged our work should be mentioned, though.Agencies and programs that contributed direct funding to the project include theBureau of Land Management, the National Park Service. U.S. Fish and WildlifeService, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, and the US. Man and theBiosphere Program (MAB). William Gabriel (retired), Bureau of Land Management,gave us considerable support over the years through his organization of variousvegetation committees and working groups and his suggestions and encouragementduring the many revisions of the classification. Merlin Wibbenmeyer, AlaskaDepartment of Natural Resources, was untiring in his efforts to coordinate the agencyfunding of the classification efforts during the late 1970s and early 1980s; he alsohas served on our publication committee for the last 5 years. Linda Schandelmeierwas responsible for compiling the extensive bibliography that formed the basisfor the classification and that is presented at the end of this publication. KennethWinterberger, Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Anchorage, provided us with the pairedaerial and ground plot photographs and reviewed several sections of the manuscript.Sage Patton and Joanna Roth, Institute of Northern Forestry, Fairbanks, were helpfulin several aspects of bibliography and manuscript preparation. Richard Driscoll(retired), USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Experiment Station, encouragedus to develop an Alaska classification separate from the national classification beingdeveloped at Fort Collins and was helpful in our efforts to coordinate our systemwith the national system. Finally, we thank the committee that reviewed and offeredsuggestions for revisions to the classification. Members of this committee were DavidMurray, University of Alaska Fairbanks; Peter Scotup, University of Alaska, Palmer;Jon Martin, USDA Forest Sewice, Sitka; Page Spencer, Bureau of Land Management,Anchorage; Stephen Talbot, US. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage; andMerlin Wibbenmeyer, Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Anchorage.