Floristic and ecological phytogeography of the southeastern Wrangell Mountains, Alaska
Scott RW. 1974. Floristic and ecological phytogeography of the southeastern Wrangell Mountains, Alaska. Pages 339-353. In Bushnell VC and Marcus MG. Icefield Ranges Research Project : scientific results Vol 4. American Geographical Society and Arctic Institute of North America. New York City
(Author's abstract.) The Hultin Theory of Equiformal Progressive Areas was examined on the basis of floristic and ecological information from the southeastern Wrangell Mountains. Equiformal progressive groups were combined into floristic elements for the purpose of comparison with three other areas of northwestern North America. The elements represented in the flora reflected proximity to glacial refugia and the modern macroclimatic regimes of each. Ecologically, it was found that species radiating from the most proximal refugia had the widest distribution in the plant communities. Those species on the periphery of their equiformal patterns were most poorly represented in the vegetation. The distribution of rigid and plastic species in the Wrangell Mountains appeared to be consistent with the Hultin concept. It was concluded that the theory has remarkable predictive value for the size of a flora. However, the disposition of progressive elements within the flora varies according to environmental restrictions imposed by the macroclimate. Equiformal groups are merely floristic assemblages of species with similar macrodistributional patterns and do not form ecological units at the local scale.
- Type
- Book Chapter
- Authors
- Scott, Richard
- Units
- WRST
- Keywords
- Distribution, Ecology, Hulten Theory, Phytogeography, Plants, Vegetation, Wrangell Mountains, Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park and Preserve, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park And Preserve