Vegetation studies at Polar Bear Pass, Bathurst Island, N.W.T. I. Classification of plant communities

摘要

Vegetation communities at Polar Bear Pass, Bathurst Island, are described with the aid of agglomerative classification using chord distance and the minimum variance criterion. Two classification levels were determined, one of 15 clusters and the other at the more generalized seven-community level. These community types are described in terms of statistically defined diagnostic species. The boundaries between the communities are identifiable on color mosaic aerial photographs, allowing the preparation of vegetation maps. The community types identified in this study are compared with previous studies in the high arctic.