Plant Community Classification for Alpine Vegetation on the Beaverhead NationalForest, Montana

摘要

Twenty-seven mountain ranges in Montana support significant alpine terrain. Morethan half of these ranges are in the southwestern portion of the State, and nine are on Beaverhead National Forest. Southwestern Montana is also the most floristically diverse region of the State (Lesica and others 1984). Knowledge of alpine plant communities in this area would allow a more comprehensive portrayal of Northern Rocky Mountain alpine ecosystems. The authors' study had the following objectives: (1) Develop a classification system for alpine communities on the Beaverhead National Forest; (2) Relate abiotic environmental factors such as climate, soils, and landforms to the occurrence of these communities; (3) Compare the alpine vegetation communities on the Beaverhead National Forest to those described from other areas of Western North America; (4) Consider management implications for alpine vegetation systems.