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Barclay's willow / Bluejoint - Field horsetail |
Salix barclayi / Calamagrostis canadensis – Equisetum arvense | |
n = 39 | |
II.C.2.g. Open Low Scrub - Willow | |
Ecosystem: Riparian, Discharge Slope |
The
Barclay's willow / bluejoint - field horsetail community probably occurs in other
parts of Alaska, though not at the abundance found on the Kenai Lowlands. It is
therefore usually lumped with other types such as the Barclay's willow (Salix barclayi)
/ bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis) type
(Ritchie, et.al., 1981; DeVelice, et.
al., 1999; Boggs, 2000), and the
Barclay's willow – mixed herb type (DeVelice et. al., 1999; Boggs, 2000; Shephard, 1995).
Barclay's willow / bluejoint – field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) is common along southern peninsula riparian corridors, and adjacent discharge slopes, but also occurs on groundwater discharge slopes above relict glacial lakebeds. It is similar to the Barclay's willow / bluejoint association, but with a significant field horsetail component, and more diversity.
In this community, an open patchy thicket of Barclay's willow (rarely other willows, such as undergreen (Salix commutata) and tealeaf willow (S. pulchra), replace Barclay's willow) is interspersed with dense bluejoint grass, and an open, uniform field horsetail understory. Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium acutiflorum), arctic blackberry (Rubus arcticus) and open water are present. The open water frequently occurs as groundwater discharge springs and seeps.
These palnts occupy a wide range of sites. Soils at about a third of the sites visited had at least a histic epipedon (organic layer greater than 20 cm thick), and three were histosols (>40 cm organic layer). Another third had shallow water tables, while another third are probably not jurisdictional wetlands. The pH at the two sites measured was strongly acid (5.5) and slightly acid (6.1).
Table 1. Frequency of soil series occurrence and hydric
status at NRCS holes. Bold type indicates soils on the NRCS Alaska hydric
soils list.
Soil Series | n | |
KILLEY | 12 | 2B3 |
MOOSE RIVER | 4 | 2B3 |
TRUULI1 | 3 | |
DOROSHIN | 2 | 1 |
FORELAND | 2 | 2B3 |
SLIKOK | 2 | 2B3, 3 |
SPENARD | 2 | 2B3 |
STARICHKOF | 2 | 1, 2B2, 3 |
CHUNILNA | 1 | 2B3 |
COAL CREEK | 1 | 2B3 |
KLISKON | 1 | |
NIKOLAI | 1 | 1 |
SNOWDANCE | 1 | 2B3 |
TLIKAKILA1 | 1 | |
1Proposed series, definitely hydric |
Table 2. Summary of plant frequency and average cover for plants occurring
in more than 50% of plots
Wetland Indicator Status | |||||
f |
Average Cover |
Alaska | National | ||
Shrub | |||||
Salix1 barclayi | 1.0 | 52.6 | FAC | FAC, FACW |
|
Herbs/Graminoid | |||||
Calamagrostis canadensis | 1.0 | 63.2 | FAC | FAC, OBL | |
Equisetum arvense | 1.0 | 23.8 | FAC* | FAC*, FACW- | |
Polemonium acutiflorum | 0.9 | 1.4 | FAC | FAC | |
Rubus arcticus | 0.8 | 1.1 | FAC | FAC | |
Chamerion angustifolium | 0.6 | 4.2 | FACU | FACU, FAC | |
Trientalis europaea | 0.6 | 0.3 | FAC | FAC*, FAC |
|
Comarum palustre | 0.6 | 8.3 | OBL | OBL | |
Sanguisorba canadensis | 0.6 | 6.8 | FACW | FACW | |
Swertia perennis | 0.5 | 0.6 | FACW | FAC+, FACW+ | |
Moss | 1.0 | 22.2 | |||
Open water |
0.7 |
3.2 |
|||
1 Plant with known morphological adaptation for
occurrence in wetlands (USACE, 1987)
|
Introduction and Key to Plant Communities |
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Contact: Mike Gracz Kenai Watershed Forum PO Box 15301 Fritz Creek, AK 99603 907-235-2218 |
The
Alaska Natural Heritage Program
Environment
and Natural Resource Institute
University of
Alaska, Anchorage
707 A Street, Suite 101
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
04 May 2007 10:01 |