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Brooks-British Range tundra (WWF ecoregion NA1108)  

Tundra, Brooks Range, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
Tundra near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska (c) 2006 Dallas Smith


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): 3 (bioregionally outstanding)
Due to the harsh mountain climate, vegetation is sparse.  Caribou herds migrate through the region via valleys.  Top level predators are present.*

Conservation Status (1=most endangered, 5=most intact): 5 (relatively intact)
The ecoregion is almost entirely intact except for two major highway corridors that cross it.*

Characteristic species*
 Picea glauca (white spruce)
Abies lasiocarpa  (subalpine fir)
Pinus contorta  (lodgepole pine)
Betula spp. (dwarf birch)
Salix spp. (willows)
Ledum decumbens (Labrador-tea)
Dryas hookeriana (mountain avens)
Carex spp. (sedges)
Eriophorum spp. (cottongrass)
Carex aquatilis (water sedge)
Carex bigelowii (Bigelow's sedge)
Salix planifolia (diamondleaf willow)
Salix lanata (woolly wollow)
Arctostaphylos alpina (alpine bearberry)
Vaccinium spp. (blueberries)
Dryas octopetala (mountain avens)
Dryas integrifolia (entireleaf mountain avens)

Some views from the ecoregion

near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska

Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska scattered spruce near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska scattered spruce near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska animal trails near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
(left) Mancha Creek, (2nd and 3rd from left) scattered black spruce near the northern limit of trees, (4th from left) animal (caribou?) trails up slope.
Photos taken on a trip described in Tennes-Sierran 38:3 (March 2007), 38:4, and 38:5 that involved removal of a cabin at approximately 68.676913,-141.209679 and ended on Joe Creek at approximately 68.974164,-141.459961 (c) 2006 Dallas Smith  hires  hires  hires  hires  hires  hires  hires

rock formations, near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska

rock formations near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska rock formations near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska rock formations near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska rock formations near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska rock formations near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
 (c) 2006 Dallas Smith  hires  hires  hires  hires  hires

tundra, near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska

tundra near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska tundra near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska rock formations near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska rock formations near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska rock formations near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
 (c) 2006 Dallas Smith  hires  hires  hires  hires  hires

near Joe's Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska

Joe's Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska tundra wildflowers, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska arctic ground squirrel, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
(left) Joe's Creek, (center) tundra wildflowers, (right) arctic ground squirrel (c) 2006 Dallas Smith  hires  hires  hires

caribou, near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska

caribou, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska caribou, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska caribou, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska caribou, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska caribou, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska  caribou, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
(lel (c) 2006 Dallas Smith  hires  hires  hires  hires  hires  hires

animals, near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska

arctic ground squirrel, near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska arctic ground squirrel, near Mancha Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska Dall sheep, near Mancha Creekl, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
(left and center) arctic ground squirrel, (right) Dall sheep (c) 2006 Dallas Smith  hires  hires  hires

Peaks, Brooks Range, Alaska

peaks, Brooks Range, Alaska
Tundra can be seen in the valleys below the unvegetated peaks (c) 2006 Dallas Smith  hires

South of treeline, Brooks Range, Alaska

Permafrost heaves, south slope of Brooks Range, Alaska Furthest north spruce tree on Dalton Hwy., Brooks Range, Alaska
Left: The southern slopes of the Brooks Range lie at the northern limit of trees.  In this area, permafrost lies near the surface and disturbances in it can cause tree-toppling and crevasses. Right: "The furthest north spruce tree on the Alaska pipline.  Do not cut." (c) 2005 Scott and Ruth Bassett  hires  hires

North of treeline, Brooks Range, Alaska

Bear and shrubs, Brooks Range, Alaska Treeless tundra, north slope of Brooks Range, Alaska Treeless tundra, north slope of Brooks Range, Alaska
Left: Shrubs with brown bear in distance (visible in hires version). Center and Right: Few woody plants are present on the north slope of the Brooks Range. (c) 2005 Scott and Ruth Bassett  hires  hires  hires

Unvegetated peaks, Brooks Range, Alaska

Rocky peaks, Brooks Range, Alaska
At the highest elevation, there is little or no vegetation on the rocky peaks.  (c) 2005 Scott and Ruth Bassett  hires

Snow covered peaks, Brooks Range, Alaska

Snow in the Brooks Range, Alaska Snow in the Brooks Range, Alaska
(c) 2005 Natasha Sherman  hires  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 2002-2011 Steve Baskauf - Terms of use