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Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R237XY270AK
Boreal Alpine Dwarf Scrub Mountain Summits and Shoulders, Convex
Last updated: 4/13/2021
Accessed: 08/17/2024
General information
Provisional. A provisional ecological site description has undergone quality control and quality assurance review. It contains a working state and transition model and enough information to identify the ecological site.
MLRA notes
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 237X–Ahklun Mountains
The Ahklun Mountains Major Land Resource Area (MLRA 237) is in western Alaska. This MLRA covers approximately 14,555 square miles, and it includes the mountains, hills, and valleys of the Kilbuck Mountains in the north and the Ahklun Mountains in the south. Except for the Kilbuck Mountains and the highest ridges of the Ahklun Mountains, the MLRA was extensively glaciated during the Pleistocene (Kautz et al., 2004). Today, a few small glaciers persist in mountainous cirques (Gallant et al., 1995). The present-day landscape and landforms reflect this glacial history; glacial moraines and glacial drift cover much of the area (USDA-NRCS, 2006). The landscape of the MLRA is primarily defined by low, steep, rugged mountains cut by narrow-to-broad valleys. Flood plains and terraces of varying sizes are common at the lower elevations in the valley bottoms. Glacially carved valleys host many lakes. Togiak Lake is one of the largest lakes in the region. It is 13 miles long and about 9,500 acres in size. Major rivers include the Goodnews, Togiak, Kanektok, Osviak, Eek, and Arolik Rivers. Where the Goodnews and Togiak Rivers reach the coast, the nearly level to rolling deltas support numerous small lakes.
This MLRA has two distinct climatic zones: subarctic continental and maritime continental. The high-elevation areas are in the subarctic continental zone. The mean annual precipitation is more than 75 inches, and the mean annual air temperature is below about 27 degrees F (-3 degrees C) in extreme locations. The warmer, drier areas at the lower elevations are in the maritime continental zone. The mean annual precipitation is 20 to 50 inches, and the mean annual air temperature is about 30 to 32 degrees F (-0.2 to 1.2 degrees C) (PRISM). This climatic zone is influenced by both maritime and continental factors. The temperatures in summer are moderated by the open waters of the Bering Sea, and the temperatures in winter are more continental due to the presence of ice in the sea (Western Regional Climate Center, 2017). The seasonal ice reaches its southernmost extent off the coast of Alaska in Bristol Bay (Alaska Climate Research Center, 2017). The western coast of Alaska is also influenced by high winds from strong storms and airmasses in the Interior Region of Alaska (Hartmann, 2002).
The Ahklun Mountains MLRA is principally undeveloped wilderness. Federally managed lands include the Togiak and Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuges. The MLRA is sparsely populated, but it has several communities, including Togiak, Manokotak, Twin Hills, and Goodnews Bay. Togiak is the largest village. It has a population of approximately 855, most of whom are Yup’ik Alaska Natives (U.S. Census Bureau, 2016). Major land uses include subsistence activities (fishing, hunting, and gathering) and wildlife recreation (USDA-NRCS, 2006; Kautz et al., 2004).
Ecological site concept
This proposed ecological concept is correlated to the STATSGO soil component E37-Boreal alpine dwarf scrub-gravelly colluvial slopes. Site R237XY270AK is the basis for the ecological site group ESG19X2237X00X. This ecological site description (ESD) will be revised when field data are collected that can be used to confirm or update the following information.
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Hypothesized Reference Plant Community
The reference plant community likely is comprised of dwarf alpine shrubs. A high diversity of graminoid and forb species that have low individual cover also is likely.
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Classification Crosswalk (community descriptions of similar landscapes and landforms in other vegetation classification systems)
*LANDFIRE Biophysical Settings: Alaska Arctic Lichen Tundra (7616870) [Alaska Arctic Acidic Sparse Tundra] (USDA et al., 2007)
*Alaska Vegetation Classification system: III.C.2.a (Viereck et al., 1992)
*Circumboreal Vegetation Mapping (CBVM) Project: South Alaska-Yukon Alpine Dwarf Scrub and Meadows (Jorgensen and Meidinger, 2015)
*Alaska Arctic Tundra Vegetation: B3e.3–Acid Mountain Complex (Raynolds et al., 2006)
*U.S. National Vegetation Classification Database 2.03: G613–Western Boreal Alpine Dwarf-Shrubland Group (USNVC, 2019)
Similar sites
R237XY217AK |
Western Alaska Maritime Dwarf Scrubland Gravelly Slopes, High Elevation Sites R237XY217AK and R237XY270AK are on similar landforms in areas of MLRA 237 that have a maritime climate. Field data are required to determine whether these sites have the same communities and natural processes and may be correlated into a single site. |
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R237XY219AK |
Western Alaska Maritime Dwarf Scrubland Gravelly Slopes, Very Steep Sites R237XY219AK and R237XY270AK are on similar landforms in areas of MLRA 237 that have a maritime climate. Field data are required to determine whether these sites have the same communities and natural processes and may be correlated into a single site. |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
Not specified |
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Shrub |
(1) Dryas octopetala |
Herbaceous |
(1) Anthoxanthum monticola ssp. alpinum |
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