Rocky Mountain Subalpine Meadow

This Rocky Mountain ecological system is restricted to sites from lower montane to subalpine where finely textured soils, snow deposition, or windswept dry conditions limit tree establishment. Many occurrences are small patch in spatial character, and are often found in mosaics with woodlands, more dense shrublands, or just below alpine communities. It is typically found above 2000 m in elevation in the southern part of its range and above 600 m in the northern part. These upland communities occur on gentle to moderate-gradient slopes and relatively moist habitats. The soils are typically seasonally moist to saturated in the spring, but if so will dry out later in the growing season. These sites are not as wet as those found in Rocky Mountain Alpine-Montane Wet Meadow (CES306.812). Vegetation is typically forb-rich, with forbs often contributing more to overall herbaceous cover than graminoids. Some stands are composed of dense grasslands, these often being taxa with relatively broad and soft blades, but where the moist habitat promotes a rich forb component. Important taxa include Erigeron spp., Asteraceae spp., Mertensia spp., Penstemon spp., Campanula spp., Lupinus spp., Solidago spp., Ligusticum spp., Thalictrum occidentale, Valeriana sitchensis, Rudbeckia occidentalis, Balsamorhiza sagittata, and Wyethia spp. Important grasses include Deschampsia cespitosa, Koeleria macrantha, perennial Bromus spp., and a number of Carex species. Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda and Symphoricarpos spp. are occasional but not abundant. Burrowing mammals can increase the forb diversity.

Vegetation is typically forb-rich, with forbs often contributing more to overall herbaceous cover than graminoids. Some stands are composed of dense grasslands, these often being taxa with relatively broad and soft blades, but where the moist habitat promotes a rich forb component. Important taxa include Erigeron spp., Asteraceae spp., Mertensia spp., Penstemon spp., Campanula spp., Lupinus spp., Solidago spp., Ligusticum spp., Thalictrum occidentale, Valeriana sitchensis, Rudbeckia occidentalis, Balsamorhiza sagittata, and Wyethia spp. Important grasses include Deschampsia cespitosa, Koeleria macrantha, perennial Bromus spp., and a number of Carex species. Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda and Symphoricarpos spp. are occasional but not abundant. Burrowing mammals can increase the forb diversity.

This Rocky Mountain ecological system is restricted to sites from lower montane to subalpine where finely textured soils, snow deposition, or windswept dry conditions limit tree establishment. Many occurrences are small patch in spatial character, and are often found in mosaics with woodlands, more dense shrublands, or just below alpine communities. It is typically found above 2000 m in elevation in the southern part of its range and above 600 m in the northern part. These upland communities occur on gentle to moderate-gradient slopes and relatively moist habitats. The soils are typically seasonally moist to saturated in the spring, but if so will dry out later in the growing season. These sites are not as wet as those found in Rocky Mountain Alpine-Montane Wet Meadow (CES306.812).

This system is very widespread in the Rocky Mountain cordillera from New Mexico north into Canada. It probably occurs in the Black Hills region, as well as the "island ranges" of central Montana.