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Alaska-St. Elias Range tundra (WWF ecoregion NA1101)


Mt. McKinley, Denali National Park, Alaska (c) 2005 Carol and Steve Baskauf

Source of bioregions data: Olson, D. M. and E. Dinerstein. The Global 200: Priority ecoregions for global conservation. (PDF file) Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 89:125-126.

Distinctiveness (1=highest,4=lowest): 2 (regionally outstanding)
This ecoregion has an entirely intact ecosystem including top-level predators including brown bears.*

Conservation Status (1=most endangered, 5=most intact): 5 (relatively intact)
There is little habitat loss or fragmentation.*

Characteristic species*
 

Alpine tundra:

Dryas octopetala (mountain avens)

Dryas integrifolia (mountain avens)

Vaccinium vitis-idaea

Cassiope tetragona

lichens  (c) 2005 Carol and Steve Baskauf   hires

 

Slope scrub communities:

Betula glandulosa (dwarf birch)

Betula nana (dwarf birch)

Salix spp. (willows)

Alnus sinuata (alder)

Alnus crispa (alder)

 

Lower valleys:

Picea glauca (white spruce)

Picea mariana (black spruce)

Betula papyrifera (paper birch)

Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen)

 

Animals:

Ovis dali dali (Dall sheep)  (c) 2005 Carol and Steve Baskauf  

Alopex lagopus (arctic fox) (c) 2005 Carol and Steve Baskauf  

Rangifer tarandus (caribou) (c) 2005 Carol and Steve Baskauf   

Ursus acrtos (brown bear) (c) 2005 Carol and Steve Baskauf   

Lagopus lagopus (willow ptarmigan)  (c) 2005 Carol and Steve Baskauf  

Some views from the ecoregion

Denali National Park, Alaska (c) 2005 Carol and Steve Baskauf   hires

* Ricketts, T.H., E. Dinerstein, D.M. Olson, C.J. Loucks, et al.  (1999) Terrestrial Ecoregions of North America: A Conservation Assessment.  World Wildlife Fund - United States and Canada.  Island Press, Washington, D.C. pp. 337-340.

Except as noted, images copyright 2002-2005 Steve Baskauf - Terms of use