A Phytosociological Survey of the Chionophilous Communities of Western North America. Part II: Boreal Associations

To continue our study on the chionophilous communities of western North America, this report presents a phytosociological survey of communities growing in a boreal macroclimate. Combining the Braun-Blanquet approach with numerical analysis, 378 releves were ordered and classified by tabular and average linkage cluster analyses, revealing 11 associations in the classes Salicetea herbaceae, Loiseleurio–Vaccinietea, and Carici rupestris–Kobresietea bellardii. The following new syntaxa are described and typified: Carici podocarpae–Anemonetalia parviflorae, Solidagini arcticae–Dryadion alaskensis, Taraxaco alaskani–Salicion rotundifoliae, Vaccinio mini–Betuletalia exilis, Polygono plumosi–Cassiopion tetragonae, Arnico lessingii–Cassiopetum tetragonae, and Carici podocarpae–Betuletum exilis.