Moss and lichen tundra
Description (English)
Tundras of the middle tundra belt, characterized by a thick cover of mosses, formed notably by Hylocomium splendens, Aulacomnium turgidum, Tomentypnum nitens, Ptilidium ciliare, with dwarf shrubs, particularly Dryas octopetala, Cassiope tetragona, Salix reptans, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, sedges, among which the often dominant Carex ensifolia. Drier stands alternate in mosaic fashion with wetter areas dominated by sedges, in particular, Carex stans, Eriophorum angustifolium, Eriophorum scheuchzeri, and grasses, notably Arctophila fulva, Dupontia fischeri.
Source: EUNIS habitat classification
Quick facts
| EUNIS habitat type | code F1.2 |
|---|
Vegetation types
Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)
| Name | Definition | Other names | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loiseleurio-Arctostaphylion Kalliola ex Nordhagen 1943 | Arcti and-boreo-alpine tundra scrub of wind-exposed habitats of Scandinavia, northern Russia, Svalbard, Iceland and Greenland | Arctostaphylo-Cetrarion nivalis Dahl 1957; Juncion trifidi scandinavicum Nordhagen 1936; Juncion trifidi scandinavicum Nordhagen 1943; Loiseleurio-Arctostaphylion Kalliola 1939; Loiseleurio-Diapension Daniëls 1982 | Schaminee et al, 2012 |
| Dryadion integrifoliae Ohba ex Daniëls 1982 | Wind-exposed dwarf shrub heath and graminoid vegetation on non acidic substrates of Greenland and Arctic North America | Dryadion integrifoliae Ohba 1974 | Schaminee et al, 2012 |
Species mentioned in habitat description
Flowering Plants
Arctophila fulva
Flowering Plants
Dryas octopetala
Flowering Plants
Eriophorum angustifolium
Flowering Plants
Eriophorum scheuchzeri
Flowering Plants
Vaccinium vitis-idaea
Mosses & Liverworts
Hylocomium splendens
Mosses & Liverworts
Tomentypnum nitens
| Species scientific name | English common name | Species group |
|---|---|---|
| Arctophila fulva | Flowering Plants | |
| Dryas octopetala | Flowering Plants | |
| Eriophorum angustifolium | Flowering Plants | |
| Eriophorum scheuchzeri | Flowering Plants | |
| Vaccinium vitis-idaea | Flowering Plants | |
| Hylocomium splendens | Mosses & Liverworts | |
| Tomentypnum nitens | Mosses & Liverworts |
Other classifications
| Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 200112 | 39.2 | Moss and lichen tundra | same |
| CORINE Land Cover | 3.3.3. | Sparsely vegetated areas | n/a |
History
| Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | F1.2 | Moss and lichen tundra | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | F1.2 | Moss and lichen tundra | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | F1.2 | Moss and lichen tundra | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 | F1.2 | Moss and lichen tundra | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811 | E5.2 | Moss and lichen tundra | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712 | E5.2 | Moss and lichen tundra | same |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905 | 39.2 | Moss and lichen tundra | same |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997 | 39.2 | Moss and lichen tundra | same |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996 | 39.2 | same | |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1993 | 39.2 | same |
