The Alaska Vegetation Classification - Alaska Geobotany Center ...

1.A.2.h. Open Black Spruce-Tamarack ForestDescriptlon-Open forest standsdominated by black spruce and tamarackare known to exist, but descriptions havenot been published (fig. 17). The treesare small and stunted; the understory issimilar to that of open black spruce forestDistribution and site characteristics-Black spruce-tamarack stands are foundon wet lowlands in interior Alaska with ashallow active layer above permafrost.Successional status-The successionalstatus of these stands is unknown, butthey appear to be stable.Closely related types-Open blackspruce-tamarack stands are similar toopen black spruce stands but with asignificant tamarack component.Photographs-Figure 17, thispublication.Primary reference-None.Communities-Picea rnariana-Larix laricina (undescribed).I.A.3. Needleleaf WoodlandFigure 174pen needleleaf forest of tamarackand black spruce with a shrub layer of Befulaglandulosa and Ledum groenlandicum and a mosscover of feathermosses and sphagnum mosses onan old river terrace in interior AlaskaNeedleleaf woodland communities have from 10 to 25 percent total tree canopycoverage (fig. 18, A and B). Needleleaf (coniferous) tree species make up at least75 percent of the total tree canopy.Figure 18-A. Aerial view of needleleaf woodland of black spruce (center of photograph) in interior Alaska.6. Ground view of black spruce needleleaf woodland shown in A.77