The Alaska Vegetation Classification - Alaska Geobotany Center ...

FueC(1) Any combustible material that will support a forest or range fire; (2) deadand down woody material in a forest.Glacial drift-Rock debris transported by a glacier and deposited either directly fromthe ice or from the melt water.Glacial outwash-Gravel, sand, and silt, commonly stratified, deposited by meltwater as it flows from glacial ice.Glacial till-Unsorted, nonstratified glacial drift consisting of clay, silt, sand, andstones transported and deposited by glacial ice.Gradient-A more or less continuous change of some property in space. Gradientsof environmental properties are ordinarily reflected in gradients of biota.GraminolbGrasslike in appearance with leaves mostly very narrow or linear.Grass-A member of the family Gramineae and characterized by hollow stems thatare circular in cross section and bladelike leaves arranged on the culm or stem intwo ranks.GraSSlanbA landscape in which the existing plant cover is dominated by grasses.Gravel-Rounded or angular fragments of rock 2 millimeters to 7.5 centimeters(0.08-3 in) in diameter.Groundwater-Water that moves downward from the upper soil layers intopermanently saturated soil and geologic zones.Growth form-The characteristic shape or appearance of a plant as a result of itsdevelopment in response to environmental conditions within its genetic constitution.Habitat-The natural abode of a plant or animal; refers to the kind of environment aplant or animal normally lives in as opposed to the range or geographical distribution.Half-shrub-A perennial plant with a woody base whose annually produced stemsdie back each year; for example, Artemisia frigida.Halophyte-A plant adapted to existence in a saline environment and more or lessrestricted to saline or alkaline soils or to sites influenced by salt water.Halophytic-Refers to halophyte.HardwoobGenerally, a colloquial term for trees having broad leaves, in contrast tothe needleleaf conifers. Inaccurate. in that the wood of many conifers is harder thanthat of many "hardwoods."Heath-Community of grasslike plants and shrubs of one or more of the heathfamilies Ericaceae, Empetraceae, or Diapensiaceae found on infertile sites.Frequently found on bogs in Alaska.HeathlanbLandscape dominated by evergreen sclerophyllous shlubs growing onsoils very low in plant nutrients. The vegetation always contains members of theheath families-Ericaceae, Empetraceae, and Diapensiaceae.Herb-Flowering plant with no significant woody tissue above the ground; incl J desforbs and grasses.