Phytosociological classification and ecological characterization of high arctic vegetation of Canada with some remarks in relation to vegetation of Svalbard

• Main Author: Satoru Kojima
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Faculty of Arts and Science, Tokyo Woman's Christian University 2006
• Subjects: biogeoclimatic processes; High Arctic Canada; Svalbard; syntaxonomy vegetation classification; Arctic; Canada; Cassiope tetragona; Memoirs of National Institute of Polar Research; polar desert; Polar Research
• Online Access: https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_uri&item_id=2508; http://id.nii.ac.jp/1291/00002508/; https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=2508&item_no=1&attribute_id=18&file_no=1

n attempt was made to classify vegetation of the High Arctic of Canada at the higher level of syntaxonomy. Provisionally, one class, two orders and four alliances in addition to unclassified "polar desert complex" were distinguished. They were: the Salicetea arcticae, incorporating the Saxifragetalia oppositifoliae and the Caricetalia stantis. The Saxifragetalia oppositifoliae comprised of three alliances, i.e., Papaverion lapponici, Dryado-Salicion arcticae, and Cassiopion tetragonae, in addition to the "polar desert complex". Under the Caricetalia stantis, one alliance Caricion stantis was recognized. Vegetation of the Canadian High Arctic was compared with that of Svalbard. The most striking difference between the two regions was a presence/absence of Cassiope tetragona in the zonal phytogeocoenoses. The Cassiope-dominating communities are fairly common in Svalbard whereas they are generally limited in the Canadian High Arctic. Such difference was explained primarily by climatic characteristics and concomitant soil properties in such a manner that a highly continental climate of the Canadian High Arctic decelerates the soil leaching and eluviation to maintain generally high base status of soils. On the other hand, a strongly oceanic climate of Svalbard promotes soil leaching to result in a soil acidifi-cation. Cassiope tetragona is known to be acidophilous and thrives better in acidic soils. In the Canadian High Arctic, development of the Cassiope-dominating communities is rather restricted to the areas where soils are generally acidic. Such a climate-soil-vegetation interaction regulates development of zonal phytogeocoenoses to determine biogeoclimatic characteristics of the respective regions.