Download Papaver gorodkovii Volcanic Scree Plant Association Arctic Poppy

Papaver gorodkovii Volcanic Scree Plant Association
Arctic Poppy Volcanic Scree Plant Association
Western Alaska
Conservation Status Rank: S3 (vulnerable)
Introduction
The Papaver gorodkovii (Arctic
poppy) Volcanic Scree plant
association occurs on nearly barren
volcanic scree slopes supporting a
sparse vegetation cover dominated
by the rare plant Papaver
gorodkovii (Figure 1). As a species,
Papaver gorodkovii is endemic to
western and northern Alaska and
eastern Siberia where it typically
occurs on sparsely vegetated coastal
back dunes, river gravel bars, and
limestone talus (Nawrocki et al.
2013). Its occurrence on volcanic
scree slopes has only been observed
Figure 1. Papaver gorodkovii growing on volcanic scree, Nunivak Island,
on Nunivak and St. Lawrence Bering Sea, Alaska.
islands.
Distribution
This association is documented from Nunivak and St. Lawrence islands only, but is suspected to occur on
volcanic scree in western mainland Alaska. Papaver gorodkovii is a Beringian species endemic to coastal
areas of western and northern Alaska, Wrangel Island in northeast Siberia, and has been reported but not
confirmed from the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (Nawrocki et al. 2013). The distribution of this
association was developed from the intersection of herbarium records (CPNWH 2016) of Papaver
gorodkovii with the ‘young volcanic scree and shallow intrusive rocks’ group of the Geologic Map of
Alaska (Wilson et al. 2015) (Figure 2).
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Figure 2. Distribution of the Papaver gorodkovii Volcanic Scree Plant Association on the Bering Sea Islands, Alaska.
Note that point occurrences in this map are buffered for greater visibility.
Climate
In western Alaska, the climate is maritime near the coast to subarctic continental away from the coast and
at the higher elevations (NRCS, 2004). In the northern part of the region, the winter climate becomes more
continental as the icepack forms in the Bering Sea. Summers are short and warm and cloudy along the
coast, and winters are long and cold. The annual precipitation ranges from about 33 to 203 cm with the
lowest precipitation in lowland areas and the highest at the higher elevations of the Ahklun and Alaska
Peninsula. The average annual temperature ranges from -4 to 2 oC Frost may occur in any month, strong
winds are common, and snow covers the ground for approximately 7 to 9 months each year.
Environmental Characteristics
This plant association occurs from 100 m to 500 m on moderate to steep (10 to 20 degree) volcanic scree
slopes of the Nunivak and St. Lawrence Islands. Soils are mesic to dry and comprised of gravel or small
volcanic rocks (lapilli) overlying fine-grained mineral soil. Biological crusts often develop on finer-grained
surface soils.
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The central part of St. Lawrence Island is dominated by the Kookooligit Mountains, a large Quaternary
shield volcano with abundant, thin pahoehoe lava flows, smaller alkali basalt lava flows, cinder cones, and
maars (Wood and Kienle 1990, Hoare et al. 1968). Volcanic deposits are underlain by Cretaceous
sedimentary rock. On both Nunivak and St. Lawrence islands, this plant association occurs on eroding
basalt bedrock slopes with fine, loose lapilli. In areas of basalt bedrock, Papaver gorodkovii occurs in
patches of unstable gravel (Figure 3, Figure 4, Figure 5).
Vegetation and Succession
Papaver gorodkovii dominates this sparselyvegetated type, minor associates include
Cassiope
tetragona
ssp.
tetragona,
Chamerion
latifolium,
Chrysosplenium
wrightii, Corydalis arctica, Poa arctica, Poa
pratensis var. colpodea, Ranunculus nivalis,
Racomitrium spp., Salix ovalifolia var.
glacialis, and Thamnolia vermicularis.
Papaver gorodkovii is a perennial forb that is
presumably insect-pollinated, and likely to be
long-lived based on extensive caudexes with
persistent leaf bases.
No vegetation successional studies have been
conducted. Based on observations, the
Papaver gorodkovii plant association is an
early seral colonizer of active volcanic scree surfaces (Bos 1967). Primary succession on volcanic surfaces
may be limited by direct climatic effects rather than by nutrients (Wood & del Moral 1993).
Figure 3. The rare plant Papaver gorodkovii (G3 S2S3) growing
on weathered basalt, Nunivak Island, Alaska.
Conservation Status
Rarity: The Papaver gorodkovii volcanic scree plant association is known from only five locations on
volcanic cones of Nunivak Island (Figure 4) and St. Lawrence Island. Further survey is needed to determine
if it occurs elsewhere in Western Alaska. A few herbarium records of Papaver gorodkovii occur in the
Northern Alaska ecoregion including records from Point Barrow, Prudhoe Bay, Canning River vicinty,
Point Hope, and Cape Lisburne.
Threats: While no nonnative plants are known from regions around this plant association, establishment
of invasive species could pose a threat. Remote areas of other islands in Alaska (e.g. Camp Island on
Kodiak) have been invaded by invasive species, such as orange hawkweed (AKEPIC 2016). Additionally,
the rapidly changing climate poses a potential threat to the persistence of the species composing this plant
association, tracking suitable climate envelopes for insular species is particularly problematic (Carlson and
Cortes-Burns 2013).
Trend: The extent and condition of this association is not expected to change in the short- or long-term.
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Figure 4. View from an alkali basalt cone on Nunivak Island, Alaska.
Figure 5. The Papaver gorodkovii Plant Association on weathered basalt, St. Lawrence Island.
Species of Conservation Concern
Papaver gorodkovii is the only plant species of concern so far identified in this plant association. This plant
is considered globally vulnerable (ranked G3, S2S3) as there are only 20 known locations in eastern Russia
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and northern Alaska. It is also considered a sensitive species requiring special management consideration
to promote its conservation by the BLM in Alaska. Please visit the Alaska Center for Conservation Science
website for a full species description (ACCS 2016). The bird species listed below is designated vulnerable
within Alaska (S1-S3) and is suspected to occur in this plant association (Table 1). Please visit the Alaska
Center for Conservation Science website for species descriptions (ACCS 2016).
Table 1. Bird species of conservation concern within the Papaver gorodkovii Plant Association.
Common Name Scientific Name
Global Rank State Rank Habitat Description
Birds
May use coastal habitat in the Bering Sea
including Nunivak Island during
migration. This species is only known to
breed on St. Matthews and Hall islands in
rocky areas and beaches but could also
McKay’s
Plectrophenax
use rocky areas and crevices within this
Bunting
hyperboreus
GU
S3
plant association on Nunivak Island.
Classification Concept Source
This publication represents the first description of the Papaver gorodkovii volcanic scree plant association.
Literature Cited
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http://aknhp.uaa.alaska.edu/maps-js/rare-vascular-plant-portal.
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http://aknhp.uaa.alaska.edu/maps-js/integrated-map/biotics.php.
AKEPIC
(2016).
Alaska
Exotic
Plant
Information
Clearinghouse
database
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study. Master’s Thesis, University of Alaska. 113 pp.
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Wilson, F.H., C.P. Hults, C.G. Mull, and S.M. Karl. 2015. Geologic map of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey
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