Range plant community types and carrying capacity for the upper foothills subregion : second approximation /

Abstract

UFA2. Sedge-Slender wheatgrass/Meadow rue 19 UFA3. Tufted hairgrass-Sedge UFA4. Tufted hairgrass-Sedge-Slender wheatgrass UFA5. Rough fescue-Tufted hairgrass UFA6. Rough fescue-Hairy wildrye UFA7. Rough fescue/Bearberry UFA8. California oatgrass-Sedge UFA9. Junegrass/Sage UFAIO. Early yellow locoweed-Bearberry/Slender wheatgrass UFAl 1. Fireweed/Hairy wildrye(Forb meadow) UFA12. Rough fescue-Bog sedge UFA13. Alpine rough fescue B. Shrublands UFB 1. Willow-Bog birchAVater sedge 1 UFB2. Willow/Slender wheatgrass-Sedge UFB3. Willow/Tufted hairgrass UFB4. Willow/Rough fescue UFB5. Bog birch/Rough fescue/Bearberry iii IJFB6. Willow/California oatgrass-Sedge 36 UFB7. Pussy willow shrubland 37 UFB8. Willow/Hairy wildrye-Sedge 38 UFB9. Bog birch/Sedge-Marsh reedgrass 39 UFB 10. Willow-Bog birch/Sedge 40 UFBll. Willow-Bog birch C. Shrublands and Grasslands modified by grazing 42 UFC 1. Slender wheatgrass-Sedge/Low forbs UFC2. Rocky Mtn. fescue/Graceful cinquefoil 46 UFC3. Kentucky bluegrass/Dandelion 47 UFC4. Kentucky bluegrass-Sedge/Dandelion UFC5. Tufted hairgrass-Kentucky bluegrass UFC6. Sedge-Tufted hairgrass UFC7. Creeping red fescue/Clover D. Deciduous community types UFDl. Aspen-Lodgepole pine/Purple oatgrass UFD2. Balsam poplar-White spruceAVillowAfellow Mtn. avens UFD3. Aspen/Rose/Hairy wildrye IJFD4. Aspen-White spruce/Buffaloberry/Hairy wildrye E. Conifer community types UFEl. Lodgepole pine/Bog cranberry UFE2. Lodgepole pine-White spruce/Bunchberry UFE3. Lodgepole pineAVillowMoss IJFE4. Lodgepole pine/Marsh reedgrass UFE5. Black spruceAVillow UFE6. White spruce/Horsetail/Moss UFE7. White spruceAVillow UFE8. White spruce/Bearberry

Range plant community types and carrying capacity for the montane subregion : fourth approximation /

“…It also appears to be transitional to many of the forested stands in the area. This community type is very similar to the Bog birch/Rough fescue community type described by Willoughby and Smith (1997) in the Upper Foothills subregion. They felt that the lack of fire on this community type allowed bog birch cover to expand, reducing forage productivity for wildlife and domestic livestock.…”

“…As a result, these meadows would be rated as secondary or non-use range. This community type is very similar to the tufted hairgrass-dominated communities described in the Upper foothills and Subalpine subregions of northern Alberta (Willoughby and Smith 1997) and may indicate the transition from the Montane to the Subalpine subregion in southern Alberta. This community is located on moist sites that are better drained and slightly drier than the pure sedge meadows.…”

“…n=l This community type is located on moist sites that are better drained than pure sedge meadows. Willoughby (1992) and Willoughby and Smith (1997), found that tufted hairgrass is a common plant species on these lowland sites throughout the Upper Foothills and lower Subalpine subregions. The presence of this community type in the Ya Ha Tinda indicates that many of the grasslands in this area are transitional to the Upper Foothills and Subalpine subregions.…”

“…These include Thimbleberry brush, Sedge meadows, Tufted hairgrass-Baltic rush and Forb meadows. The Tufted hairgrass-Baltic rush community has plant species that are more characteristic of the Subalpine subregion (Willoughby and Smith 1997) and may represent the transition to the subalpine.…”

“…In contrast yellow mountain avens grows favorably on open, well-drained sites and is typical of dry, gravelly river flats throughout Alberta. Willoughby and Smith (1997) described a Balsam poplar-White spruce/Willow/Yellow mm. avens community type that is similar, but successionally more maturein the Upper Foothills subregion.…”