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Northeastern Alpine Tundra

EVT 7386Acadian-Appalachian Alpine Tundra Shrubland

CES201.567GNRShrubShrubland

Summary

Restricted to the Northern Appalachians and the Gaspe Peninsula, this system encompasses vegetation above treeline on northeastern mountains. In New Hampshire, climatic treeline occurs at 1495 m (4900 feet) or greater in elevation, following the 10-12°C July isotherm, but can also occur at lower elevations with high wind exposure, fire history, or shallow soils. Wind, snow, and cloud-cover fog are prominent environmental factors. Most of the cover is dwarf-shrubland, lichen, or sparse vegetation; islands of taller shrubs may occur in protected spots. The dominant plants are ericads (Vaccinium uliginosum is diagnostic and often dominant, with several other alpine-restricted ericads such as Phyllodoce caerulea and Loiseleuria procumbens) and cushion-plants such as Diapensia lapponica. Carex bigelowii is a characteristic and, in some places, locally dominant sedge. This system includes wetland depressions, small alpine bogs, within the surrounding upland matrix.

Source: NatureServe Explorer

Environment

This system is restricted to high elevations above climatic treeline, ranging from 1460 m (4900 feet) in New Hampshire to 730 m (2400 feet) at Gros Morne National Park in Labrador.

Source: NatureServe Explorer

Dynamics

Low temperature, snow accumulation, atmospheric moisture, topography, aspect, and degree of exposure to wind are the primary agents of disturbance to these systems. The degree of wind exposure and snow accumulation is directly related to topographic position. Summits and steep slopes are exposed to high winds, and receive less snow accumulation than more gentle slopes. Ravines collect abundant snowpack, which serves to protect the underlying plants from extreme weather conditions well into the spring (Sperduto and Kimball 2011). The alpine - treeline ecotone is controlled by a variety of climate variables; exposure as a result of topography and mechanical damage caused by ice and wind appear to be largely responsible for the ecotone (Kimball and Weihrauch 2000).

Source: NatureServe Explorer

Threats

Some subalpine summits were originally denuded by fire of either natural or human origin, resulting in the ecosystem's exceeding the "resiliency threshold." Succession to the forested state would have been greatly impeded by soil loss and exposure. Once devoid of tree cover, however, these systems typically do not contain enough fuel to sustain fire. Other subalpine sites are influenced by extreme exposure, which arrests succession regardless of the origin of the treeless state. Because of the high scenic value of these systems, human activities (i.e., hiking trails) are a localized source of persistent stress and disturbance. Most systems retain significant areas of natural vegetation with localized trampling of vegetation, soil erosion, and unofficial trail development. Some areas have been heavily trampled or reduced to gravel or bedrock with little hope of recovery at current recreational levels (Sperduto and Cogbill 1999). Potential climate change effects may include decreased snowpack and earlier snowmelt and resulting earlier loss of frost hardiness and greater exposure to low-temperature events when frost-sensitive (Wipf et al. 2009). Other threats include construction of communication towers and acid rain deposition (NYNHP 2013i).

Source: NatureServe Explorer

Distribution

This system is found at higher summits of the northern Appalachian Mountains, from northern New England and the Adirondacks into the Canadian maritimes, including Labrador, Nova Scotia and the Gaspé Peninsula.

Source: NatureServe Explorer

Ecologically Associated Plant Species

Plant species that characterize this ecosystem type, organized by vegetation stratum. These are species ecologically associated with the ecosystem, not confirmed present in any specific area.

Short shrub/sapling

Diapensia lapponica, Empetrum nigrum, Harrimanella hypnoides, Kalmia procumbens, Phyllodoce caerulea, Rhododendron lapponicum, Vaccinium uliginosum

Herb (field)

Carex bigelowii ssp. bigelowii, Juncus trifidus

Source: NatureServe Ecological System assessment

Ecologically Associated Animals (5)

Animal species ecologically associated with this ecosystem type based on NatureServe assessment. These are species whose habitat requirements overlap with this ecosystem, not confirmed present in any specific roadless area.

Butterflies & Moths (4)

Common Name	Scientific Name	G-Rank
Arctic Fritillary	Boloria chariclea	G5
Dissonant Dart Moth	Euxoa dissona	G5
Melissa Arctic	Oeneis melissa	G5
Polixenes Arctic	Oeneis polixenes	G5?

Other (1)

Common Name	Scientific Name	G-Rank
American Pipit	Anthus rubescens	G5

Source: NatureServe Ecological System assessment

Component Associations (11)

Plant community associations that occur within this ecological system. Associations are the finest level of the U.S. National Vegetation Classification (USNVC) and describe specific, repeating assemblages of plant species. Each association represents a distinct community type that may be found where this ecosystem occurs.

Name	G-Rank
Arctoparmelia centrifuga - Rhizocarpon geographicum Nonvascular Vegetation		NatureServe
Carex bigelowii Alpine Meadow		NatureServe
Diapensia lapponica Dwarf-shrubland		NatureServe
Empetrum nigrum - Vaccinium uliginosum - Vaccinium oxycoccos / Rubus chamaemorus Dwarf-shrubland	GNR	NatureServe
Kalmia angustifolia - Chamaedaphne calyculata / Rubus chamaemorus / Cladonia spp. Dwarf-shrubland	GNR	NatureServe
Trichophorum cespitosum - Calamagrostis pickeringii Alpine Snowbed		NatureServe
Trichophorum cespitosum - Carex scirpoidea - Carex bigelowii Alpine Snowbed		NatureServe
Trichophorum cespitosum - Saxifraga (foliolosa, paniculata, rivularis) Alpine Cliff		NatureServe
Vaccinium uliginosum - Harrimanella hypnoides - Loiseleuria procumbens Dwarf-shrubland		NatureServe
Vaccinium uliginosum - Rhododendron lapponicum / Juncus trifidus Dwarf-shrubland		NatureServe
Vaccinium uliginosum / Sibbaldiopsis tridentata Subalpine Rock Bald	GNR	NatureServe

State Conservation Ranks (4)

Subnational conservation status ranks (S-ranks) assigned by Natural Heritage Programs in each state where this ecosystem occurs. S1 indicates critically imperiled at the state level, S2 imperiled, S3 vulnerable, S4 apparently secure, and S5 secure. An ecosystem may be globally secure but imperiled in specific states at the edge of its range.

State	S-Rank
ME	SNR
NH	SNR
NY	SNR
VT	SNR

Roadless Areas (3)

Inventoried Roadless Areas where this ecosystem is present, identified from LANDFIRE 2024 Existing Vegetation Type spatial analysis. Coverage indicates the proportion of each area occupied by this ecosystem type.

New Hampshire (3)

Area	Forest	Coverage	Hectares
Great Gulf Ext.	White Mountain National Forest	4.4%	271.44
Presidential - Dry River Ext	White Mountain National Forest	2.5%	108.09
Pemigewasset	White Mountain National Forest	0.5%	59.22

Methodology and Data Sources

Ecosystem classification: Ecosystems are classified using the LANDFIRE 2024 Existing Vegetation Type (EVT) layer, mapped to NatureServe Terrestrial Ecological Systems via a curated crosswalk. Each EVT is linked to the USNVC (U.S. National Vegetation Classification) hierarchy through pixel-level co-occurrence analysis of LANDFIRE EVT and NatureServe IVC Group rasters across all roadless areas.

Vegetation coverage: Coverage percentages and hectares are derived from zonal statistics of the LANDFIRE 2024 EVT raster intersected with roadless area boundaries.

Ecosystem narratives and community species: Sourced from the NatureServe Explorer API, representing professional ecological assessments of vegetation composition, environmental setting, dynamics, threats, and characteristic species assemblages.

IVC hierarchy: The International Vegetation Classification hierarchy is sourced from the USNVC v3.0 Catalog, providing the full classification from Biome through Association levels.

Component associations: Plant community associations listed as components of each NatureServe Ecological System. Association data from the NatureServe Explorer API.

State ranks: Conservation status ranks assigned by NatureServe member programs in each state where the ecosystem occurs.