White spruce above and beyond treeline in the Arrigetch Peaks region, Brooks Range, Alaska
Cooper DJ. 1986. White spruce above and beyond treeline in the Arrigetch Peaks region, Brooks Range, Alaska. Arctic. 39(3):247-252
(Adapted from author's abstract.) This paper documents interesting occurrences of white spruce observed in the late 1970s at high elevations north of the Arctic Circle and thus contributes to treeline ecology and distribution. White spruce trees occur in the Arrigetch Creek valley and its tributaries at great distances above and beyond current treeline, which is at 760 m elevation. The highest tree found is at 1465 m elevation on a south-facing limestone slope. Trees also occur up to 5.0 km beyond treeline on granitic parent rock. These trees appear to occur at the highest elevation north of the Arctic Circle in North America that has been reported to date and include some of the highest trees in Alaska. The author notes that in 1985, after this article was submitted for publication, he found white spruce at elevations up to 1495-1510 m on Fireweed Mountain.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Cooper, David
- Units
- GAAR
- Keywords
- Arrigetch Creek Valley , Arrigetch Peaks, Brooks Range, Distribution, Fireweed Mountain, Gates Of The Arctic National Park And Preserve, Picea Glauca, Treeline, Trees, White Spruce