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Layer: Level IV EcoRegions (ID: 85)

Parent Layer: Ecological Areas

Name: Level IV EcoRegions

Display Field: ECO1_NAM_1

Type: Feature Layer

Geometry Type: esriGeometryPolygon

Description: Please refer to the following website for additional information including the reports for each Level II Ecoregion (i.e. Taiga Plains, Taiga Shield, Cordillera, Southern Arctic, Northern Arctic (coming soon)).http://www.enr.gov.nt.ca/_live/pages/wpPages/Ecosystem_Classification.aspxATTRIBUTESOne set of variables aggregated under climate data was derived from Level III ecoregion descriptions; the remainder of the attribute list information was derived from Level IV ecoregion descriptions. For non-climate information, the entire ecoregion description and all photos and captions were reviewed to develop the best abstraction of each attribute. Attribute abstraction was completed by the D.Downing (2013) who prepared all of the Level IV ecoregion descriptions and is familiar with the landscapes. There is a certain amount of repetition between some of the categories e.g. glaciers may be represented under surficial geology and surface materials as ice and under permafrost as glaciers. Climate dataClimate information is derived from Level III ecoregion descriptions, specifically the descriptive section titled “Climate”,and assigned to all Level IV ecoregions nested within a Level III ecoregion. For example, the Taiga Plains Low Subarctic Level III ecoregion includes 14 Level IV ecoregions. All 14 of these ecoregions are assigned the same value or value range for mean annual temperature, precipitation and the other climatic variables listed below. Climate attributes are assigned in this manner because there is insufficient climatic information to describe individual climatic parameters for Level IV ecoregions. The information presented for Level III ecoregions in the above-listed reports was largely derived from models produced at the national ecodistrict level by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, which are generalizations derived from very sparsely distributed long-term weather station data.Attribute values included under this general category are typically expressed as numeric ranges, reflecting the degree of inherent variability (geographic and year-to-year) within Level III ecoregions. Attributes include the following:CLIMATE ATTRIBUTESATTRIBUTEDESCRIPTIONMATMean annual temperature, expressed as degrees CelsiusMAPMean annual precipitation, expressed as mm of total rain and snowM_JANMean temperature in the coldest month, typically January (or February where designated by a value followed by (Feb)), expressed as degrees CelsiusM_JULMean temperature in the warmest month (July), expressed as degrees CelsiusSRAnnAverage annual solar radiation, expressed as megajoules per square metre per daySRJunSolar radiation in June (longest days), expressed as megajoules per square metre per daySRDecSolar radiation in December (shortest days), expressed as megajoules per square metre per day Surficial geologyThree dataset attributes (Surfgeo1, Surfgeo2, Surfgeo3) are included under the general category of surficial geology. The attribute values and their definitions are provided below and in the worksheet titled “surficial geology” in the Excel® workbook titled “NWT_ecoregion_searchable_attributes.xls”.Most of the attribute values and their definitions are as presented by Agriculture and Agri-foods Canada (website: http://sis.agr.gc.ca/cansis/nsdb/ecostrat/1999report/data_tables.html. Attribute value definitions for colluvium were augmented by adding a reference to highly weathered tills, mostly related to areas in the Northern and Southern Arctic considered by some researchers to be recently unglaciated. A variable referencing weathered rock (RW) was also added as it is a significant component in some areas. Changes are shown in italics and coloured red in the table below. The first and second variables (Surfgeo1, Surfgeo2) may be codominant or the second subordinate to the first. In most cases, Surfgeo3was a minor component of the ecoregion but some ecoregions were highly complex and all three variables were judged to be of equal importance. The written descriptions should be consulted in cases where analysis requires a more specific assessment of proportion.SURFICIAL GEOLOGYAttribute ValueDESCRIPTIONIGlaciers: Ice and minor morainal debris.AAlluvial Deposits: stratified silt, sand, clay, and gravel; floodplain, delta, and fan deposits; in places overlies and includes glaciofluvial deposits.mMMarine Mud: Fluid silty clay and clayey silt: deposited as quiet water sediments.sMMarine Sand: Sand and locally gravel; deposited as sheet sands, lags, and beaches.mLLacustrine Mud: Fluid silty clay and clayey silt: deposited as quiet water sediments.sLLacustrine Sand: Sand and locally gravel; deposited as sheet sands, lags, and beaches.EEolian Deposits: sand and minor silt: dunes, blowouts, and undulating plains: In most places overlies deltaic sediments, coarse lacustrine sediments, or glaciofluvial deposits.OOrganic deposits: peat, muck and minor inorganic sediments; large bog, fen, and swamp areas where organic fill masks underlying surficial materials; generally >2 m thickbCColluvial Blocks: Blocks, and rubble with sand and silt; derived from crystalline bedrock, medium grade metamorphic substrate, and cemented sandstone.rCColluvial Rubble:Rubble and silt; derived from carbonate and consolidated fine classic sedimentary rock substrate. Includes highly weathered tillsfCColluvial Fines: Silt, clay, and fine sand: derived from substrate weakly consolidated shale and siltstone substrate. Includes highly weathered tillssCColluvial Sand: Sand and gravel; derived from poorly lithified sandstone and conglomerate substrate. Includes highly weathered tills.L:fMLacustrine Fine Grained: Fine grained silt and clay, locally containing stones: deposited as quiet water sediments.L:cLLacustrine Coarse Grained: sand, silt, and gravel: deposited as deltas, sheet sands and lag deposits.M:fMMarine Fine Grained: Dominantly silt and clay, locally containing stones; deposited as a quiet water sediment.M:cMMarine Coarse Grained: Sand and gravel: deposited as sheet sands, deltas, and extensive flights of beaches.M:MvLag: Sand, gravel, and pockets of fine sediment; thin to discontinued sediment veneer and residual lag developed during marine submergence; includes areas of washed till and rock.GpGlaciofluvial Plain: Sand and gravel: deposited as outwash sheets, valley trains, and terrace deposits.GxGlaciofluvial Complex: Sand and gravel and locally diamicton: undifferentiated ice contact stratified drift, and outwash; locally includes till and rock.TbTill Blanket: Thick and continuous till.TvTill Veneer: Thin and discontinuous till: may include areas of rock outcrop.TvbTill veneer and blanket complex:VQuarternary Volcanics: consolidated lava, breccia and tephra: dominantly basaltic and andesitic in composition; includes flows, volcanic piles and cinder conesRaAlpine Complexes: rock, colluvium, and till: rock and Quarternary deposits complex in an area, characterized by alpine and glacial landforms.RUndivided: rock with minor Quaternary deposits. Includes unweathered and weathered rock.RWWeathered bedrock – usually shales and sandstones.Surface materialsTwo attribute fields (Surfmat1, Surfmat2) are included under the general category of surface materials. This category is very general and reflects surficial geology categories. Refer to the table below.SURFACE MATERIALSAttribute ValueDESCRIPTIONICICE and SNOWGlacial ice and permanent snowORORGANIC SOILContains > 30% organic matter as measured by weightROROCKRock undifferentiatedSOMINERAL SOILPredominantly mineral particles: contains < 30% organic matter as measured by weightURURBANUrban areas. Note that only a few major urban area polygons are included on SLC source maps, therefore, do not use for tabulating total urban coverage. Not used in NWT attribute list. LandformOne attribute field (Landform) is included. This is the only attribute field that exceeds 8 alphanumeric characters (it is 10 characters in length). The landform reflects the predominant landscape feature within the ecoregion and is taken directly from the three-part name for the ecoregion, which reflects its geographic location, its major landform, and its affinity with climate(e.g., KellerPlainLSEcoregion). The attribute values used for this project are more comprehensive than the options provided under the CanSIS classification system. landformAttribute ValueDESCRIPTIONCoastlandsnarrow linear areas parallel to the seacoast that are influenced by both oceanic and terrestrial processes and that include a variety of landforms.Cst PlainCoastal Plain: see plain.Deltaan alluvial sediment deposit at the mouth of a river, often somewhat triangular in form, frequently flooded and nearly level. High water tables, abandoned channels and oxbow lakes and periodic nutrient-rich sediment deposition are important ecological factors.Foothillslow hills at the base of mountains. For purposes of delineation in the Northwest Territories, an arbitrary elevation range of 200-800 m ASL is used and is reasonably well correlated with breaks in slope between the valleys and the foothills and between the foothills and the mountains. Incised stream channels, uneven topography that creates variable microenvironments, and steeper slopes than the surrounding lowlands and plains are typical. Hillsprominences rising generally no more than about 500 m above the surrounding areas. They may have gentle to abrupt slopes; slope steepness and aspect along with bedrock substrates near or at the mineral soil surface can strongly influence vegetation development. Drainage patterns are well developed relative to those of the surrounding lower-lying areas. In the Northern Arctic, this term and highlands are used to name ecoregions with variable topography that are markedly higher than the surrounding terrain and that often have distinctive bedrock and surficial geology features. Islandsland masses completely surrounded by water.Lowlandan area of low relief at the lower ranges of regional elevation; it receives water inputs from adjacent higher terrain. It is typically imperfectly- to poorly-drained, has a higher proportion of wetlands than other landscape types and is nearly level. Drainage patterns are poorly defined.Mountainsareas that display large differences in relief, usually over 600 m. Bedrock exposures, steep slopes and deeply incised parallel river channels are characteristic, climatic zonation occurs as a result of elevation changes, and microenvironments are highly variable. A range is a row or chain of mountains separated from other mountain ranges by passes or rivers; a ridge is an elongate crest or a linear series of crests. Peninsulaa land mass surrounded on three sides by waterPlainan extensive area that is typically level, gently sloping or hummocky and that can occur at low to high elevations, the latter often as part of high elevation plateaus. It is referred to as a coastal plainwhen it borders the coastline and is influenced by marine and terrestrial factors.Plateauan extensive level to gently sloping upland area at a higher elevation than its surroundings, often underlain by horizontally-oriented bedrock strata. They can be deeply eroded by streams.Rangesee mountains.LANDFORM(cont.)Attribute ValueDESCRIPTIONSlopesareas with variable local relief underlain by a regionally inclined surfaceUplandgeneral term for an area that is higher than the surrounding area, sometimes several hundred metres higher, that are not plateaus or hills. Uplands usually have undulating to hummocky terrain, a higher proportion of moderately well- to well-drained sites than lowlands or plains and a lower proportion of wetlands. Drainage patterns tend to be dendritic (resembling tree roots).Valleyany low-lying area bounded by plateaus, mountains, foothills or plains and traversed by a river.Surface formTwo attribute fields (Surffrm1, Surffrm2) are provided. The table below summarizes 31 classes provided by Agriculture and Agri-foods Canada at the website address referenced above under Surficial Geology. As for surficial geology, the first and second attributes reflect the dominant surface forms referenced in the written descriptions. A one-to-one correspondence between the ecoregion description and the supplied list of surface forms was not always possible; these decisions were most challenging in mountainous areas, where the value for “ridged”was often used to capture the concept of rugged bedrock-controlled terrain in addition to the provided definition that mostly references glacial features. Wetland forms were sometimes included as the second component (Surffrm2) even if they did not cover a majority of the ecoregion because of their significance or uniqueness. For example, one wetland form (snowpatch fens) was added to the list of attributes provided by Agriculture and Agri-foods Canada and referenced in two High Arctic-oceanic ecoregions. The changes are shown in italics and coloured red in the table below. Many of the wetland forms (B04 and most of the entries below that value) were not present in the NWT, but are included here for completeness. SURFACE FORMAttribute ValueDESCRIPTIONDDissectedA dissected (or gullied) pattern providing external drainage for an area.HHummocky (or irregular)A very complex sequence of slopes extending from somewhat rounded concavities (or swales) of various sizes to irregular conical knolls (or knobs) and short discontinuous ridges; there is a general lack of concordance between knolls and swales. Slopes are generally 4-70%. Examples are hummocky moraines and hummocky fluvioglacial landforms.IInclinedA sloping, unidirectional surface with a generally constant slope unbroken by marked irregularity or gullies; a weakly developed dissected pattern provides external drainage for the local area. Slopes are 2-70%; the form of inclined slopes is not related to the initial mode of origin of the underlying material.KKnoll and kettleA chaotic sequence of knolls and kettles (or sloughs), which occupies 15-20% of an area and has no external drainage. Slopes are generally >3%. Examples are morainal plains and hill lands.LLevelA flat or very gently sloping, unidirectional surface with a generally constant slope unbroken by marked elevations and depressions. Slopes are generally <2%. Examples are floodplains and lake plains.MRollingA very regular sequence of moderate slopes extending from rounded and, in some places, confined concave depressions to broad, rounded convexities producing a wavelike pattern of moderate relief. Slope gradients are generally >5% but may be less. This surface form is usually controlled by the underlying bedrock.RRidgedA long, narrow elevation of the surface, usually sharp crested with steep sides; ridges may be parallel, subparallel, or intersecting. Examples are eskers, crevasse fillings, washboard moraines and some drumlins. Includes pronounced terrain associated with rugged bedrock-controlled hill and mountain systems.SSteepErosional slopes of greater than 70% (35°), present on both consolidated and unconsolidated materials. The form of a steep erosional slope on unconsolidated materials is not related to the initial mode of origin of the underlying material. An example is an escarpment.TTerracedScarp face and the horizontal or gently inclined surface (or tread) above it. An example is an alluvial terrace.SURFACE FORM(cont.)Attribute ValueDESCRIPTIONUUndulatingA very regular sequence of gentle slopes that extends from rounded and, in some places, confined concavities to broad, rounded convexities producing a wavelike pattern of low local relief. Slope length is generally less than 0.8 km and the dominant gradient of slopes is usually 2-5%. The terrain lacks an external drainage pattern. Examples are some ground moraines and lacustrine material of varying textures.B04Domed bogA large bog (diameter usually >500 m) with a convex surface rising several metres above the surrounding terrain. The centre usually drains in all directions; small crescentic pools commonly form around the highest point; a concentric pattern is formed if the highest point is in the centre, while an eccentric pattern is formed if the highest point is off-centre. Peat development is usually >3 m.B05Polygonal peat plateau bogA perennially frozen bog rising approximately 1 m above the surrounding fen. The surface is relatively flat, scored by a polygonal pattern of trenches that developed over ice wedges. The permafrost and ice wedges developed in peat originally deposited in a nonpermafrost environment.B07Peat plateau bogA bog composed of perennially frozen peat rising abruptly about 1 m from the surrounding unfrozen fen. The surface is relatively flat and even, and commonly covers large areas. The peat was originally deposited in a nonpermafrost environment and is associated in many places with collapse scar bogs or fens.B09Atlantic plateau bogA bog with a flat to undulating surface raised above the surrounding terrain. The bog edges commonly slope steeply downwards to the mineral soil terrain. Large pools scattered on the bog reach depths of 2-4 m.B13Basin bogA bog situated in a basin with essentially closed drainage which receives water from precipitation and runoff from the immediate surroundings. The surface of the bog is flat with peat generally deepest at the centre.B14Flat bogA bog having a flat, featureless surface and occurring in broad, poorly defined depressions. The depth of peat is generally uniform.B15String bogA pattern of narrow (2-3 m wide), low (<1 m high) ridges oriented at right angles to the direction of drainage; wet depressions or pools occur between the ridges. The water and peat are very low in nutrients because the water has been derived from other ombrotrophic wetlands. The peat thickness is >1 m.B16Blanket bogA bog consisting of extensive peat deposits that occur more or less uniformly over gently sloping hills and valleys. The peat thickness is usually < 2 m.B18Slope bogA bog occurring in areas of high rainfall on appreciably sloping land surfaces. The bog is fed by rainwater and by water draining from other nutrient-poor peatlands. The peat may exceed 1 m in thickness.B19Veneer bogA bog occurring on gently sloping terrain underlain by generally discontinuous permafrost. Although drainage is predominantly below the surface, overland flow occurs in poorly defined drainways during peak runoff. Peat thickness is usually <1.5 m.B20Lowland polygon bogA bog with flat-topped or convex peat surfaces (often referred to as 'high-centre polygons') separated by trenches over ice wedges that form a polygonal pattern when viewed from above. The peat was deposited in a permafrost environment as shown by internal structures.F01Northern ribbed fenA fen with parallel, low peat ridges ('strings') alternating with wet hollows or shallow pools, oriented across the major slope at right angles to water movement. The depth of peat is >1 m.F07Shore fenA fen with an anchored surface mat that forms the shore of a pond or lake. The rooting zone is affected by the water of the lake at both normal and flood levels.F11Slope fenA fen occurring mainly on slow-draining, nutrient-enriched seepage slopes. Pools are usually absent, but wet seepage tracks may occur. Peat thickness is usually <2 m.F13Horizontal fenA fen with a gently sloping, featureless surface. This fen occupies broad, often ill-defined depressions and may interconnect with other fens. Peat accumulation is generally uniform.F14Snowpatch fenFens that form below melting snowbanks in the Arctic or Alpine. Peat accumulation is very limited and thicknesses are usually less than 20 cm.SURFACE FORM(cont.)Attribute ValueDESCRIPTIONS01Stream swampA swamp occurring along the banks of permanent or semipermanent streams. The high water table is maintained by the level of water in the stream. The swamp is seasonally inundated with subsequent sediment deposition.S04Basin swampA swamp developed in a topographically defined basin where water derived locally may be augmented by drainage from other parts of the watershed. Accumulation of well-decomposed peat is shallow (< 0.5 m) at the edge but may reach 2 m at the centre.M06Stream marshA marsh occupying shorelines, bars, stream beds, or islands in continuously flowing watercourses. The marsh is subject to prolonged annual flooding and is commonly covered by thick layers of sediments.M11Shallow basin marshA marsh occurring in a uniformly shallow marsh depression or swale, having a gradual gradient from the edge to the deepest portion; the marsh edge may be poorly defined. Water levels fluctuate rapidly.M14Shore marshA marsh occupying the contact zone between high and low water marks bordering semipermanent or permanent lakes. The marsh, usually found along protected shorelines, behind barrier beaches in lagoons, on islands, or in embayments, is subject to flooding by a rise in lake levels, wind waves, or surface runoff.Permafrost formTwo attribute fields (Prmfrst1, Prmfrst2) capture the primary and secondary permafrost forms in each ecoregion. The documents were reviewed for all permafrost types and a list was compiled that is more comprehensive than that provided by Agriculture and Agri-foods Canada. The attribute values and definitions are provided below.Permafrost FORMAttribute ValueDESCRIPTIONEHEarth hummocks -A hummock having a core of silty and clayey mineral soil which may show evidence of cryoturbation. Earth hummocks are a type of non-sorted circle (see also patterned ground and turf hummock) commonly found in the zone of continuous permafrost. They develop in materials of a high silt and clay content and/or of high ice content.FRFrost heaved/shattered rock -rock that has been pushed to the surface or broken by freeze-thaw cyclesGIGround ice - Layers of segregated ice or ice-organic mixes or ice-mineral soil mixes that do not melt.GLGlacier - A mass of ice that develops as a result of snow and ice accumulation over a long period of time and that moves laterally from the centre of accumulation.HCHigh centre polygons (with low-centre polygons as subdominant) - see low-centre polygonIWIce wedge polygonsLCLow centre polygons (with high-centre polygons as subdominant): A feature of continuous permafrost in wet terrain (e.g., drained lakes). Ice wedges develop in cracks, pushing up soil ridges adjacent to the wedges and creating dams that trap water inside the resulting polygons. The features appear as high-rimmed ridges surrounding wet shallow central pools of water. Over hundreds or thousands of years, peat deposits build up and eventually create a dome-shaped surface; these features are referred to as high-centre polygons.NCNon-sorted circles, stripes - a non-sorted circle is a patterned ground form that is equidimensional in several directions, with a dominantly circular outline which lacks a well-defined border of stones and has a centre composed of a mixture of textures from fine through coarse mixed with gravels, cobbles and boulders. A network of non-sorted circles that meet is referred to as a non-sorted net. Non-sorted stripes form under the same influence of frost action as non-sorted circles, but because they form on slopes, they flow and elongate perpendicular to contour.PAPalsa -A peaty permafrost mound possessing a core of alternating layers of segregated ice and peat or mineral soil material. Palsas are typically between 1 and 7 metres in height and a few metres to 100 metres in diameter. PGPatterned ground - A general term for circles, polygons, stripes, nets and steps created by frost action.Permafrost FORM (cont.)Attribute ValueDESCRIPTIONPIPingo - A mound of earth-covered ice found in the Arctic, Subarctic and Antarctica that can reach up to 70 metres in height and up to 2 kilometres in diameter. The term originated as the Inuit word for a small hill. They are most common in Canada along the coastal plains of the Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula. They form in the former basins of drained lakes. PPPeat plateau - A bog composed of perennially frozen peat, rising abruptly about 1 m from the surrounding unfrozen fen. The surface is relatively flat and even and often covers very large areas. The peat was originally deposited in a non-permafrost environment and is often associated with collapse scars or fens.PPPPolygonal peat plateau - A perennially frozen bog, rising about 1 m above the surrounding fen. The surface is relatively flat, scored by a polygonal pattern of trenches that developed over ice wedges. The permafrost and ice wedges developed in peat originally deposited in a non-permafrost environment. Polygonal peat plateaus are commonly found near the boundary between the zones of discontinuous and continuous permafrost.RRunnels - A pattern of alternating flow channels and interchannel uplands perpendicular to contour. In permafrost-affected areas, light and dark-striped patterns on hill slopes are runnels; the light stripes are usually sparsely treed, lichen covered interchannel areas with permafrost close to the surface and the dark stripes are shallow drainage channels vegetated by dwarf birch, willow and other shrubs with a thicker active layer.RGRock glaciers - ice-cored, often lobe-shaped landforms covered by soil and rock.RTRetrogressive thaw (or flow) slides - A slide that consists of a headwall containing ice or ice-rich sediment, which retreats in a retrogressive fashion through melting, and a debris flow formed by the mixture of thawed sediment and ice that has slid down the failure surface to the base of the slope and frequently into a thermokarst depression, lake, or pond. SCSorted circles, stripes - a sorted circle is permafrost-related patterned ground that forms under extremely cold conditions when frost action pushes parent materials to the surface; the centre of the circle is occupied by sparsely vegetated finer-textured materials, with a ring of gravels, cobbles and boulders around the outside. A network of sorted circles that meet is referred to as a sorted net. Sorted stripes form under the same influence of frost action as sorted circles, but because they form on slopes, they flow and elongate perpendicular to contour.SOSolifluction - the downslope movement of water-saturated soil in a viscous or plastic state over an impermeable layer, often permafrost. The presence of an impermeable permafrost layer prevents the internal drainage of the soil, forcing the soil to flow down the slope. During warm periods the surface layer thaws and slides across the frozen layer, slowly moving downslope due to frost heave.TKThermokarst -The process by which characteristic landforms result from the thawing of ice-rich permafrost or the melting of massive ice. TUTurf hummocks - a permafrost-related northern Arctic landform generally less than 1m across and 50cm in height that is often associated with aeolian materials (sands, silts). It is more or less circular and is initially forced upward by frost action. It receives solar energy from all sides during the 24-hour days of the brief growing season, promoting plant growth which traps windborne silt and sand particles, resulting in the gradual accretion of materials and growth of the hummock.VBVeneer bog - A bog occurring on gently sloping terrain underlain by generally discontinuous permafrost. Although drainage is predominantly below the surface, overland flow occurs in poorly defined drainage ways during peak runoff. Peat thickness is generally less than 1.5 metres.Soil developmentThree dataset attribute fields (Soil1, Soil2, Soil3) capture soil information from the written ecoregion descriptions. A subset of the soil table provided by Agriculture and Agri-food Canada was used, as many of the soil types in the full table do not occur in the NWT. As for surficial geology, the first and second variables (Soil1, Soil2) may be codominant or the second subordinate to the first. In some cases, a value for Soil1and Soil3was provided, with no value for Soil2. This indicates that Soil1is dominant, and Soil3is only present over minor areas within the ecoregion. The written descriptions should be consulted in cases where analysis requires a more specific assessment of proportion.Attribute ValueDESCRIPTIONFGray LuvisolHGHumic GleysolHRHumic RegosolIBrunisol Gray LuvisolLGLuvic GleysolMEutric BrunisolOOrganic CryosolPDystric BrunisolRRegosolSStatic CryosolTTurbic CryosolUGleysolXFibrisolYMesisolZHumisol#Water, Rock or IceLand CoverThree attribute fields (Landcov1, Landcov2, Landcov3) capture vegetation information from the written descriptions. Because vegetation patterns are in part how ecoregions are described, there is considerable variation from one Level II ecoregion to another, and the 17 classes provided by Agriculture and Agri-food Canada were considered inadequate to represent significant vegetation trends. A review of all five documents consequently resulted in the establishment of specific attribute values for major vegetation types within the Taiga Plains, Taiga Shield, and Cordillera. The Southern Arctic and Northern Arctic classifications are based mainly upon the Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Map community types (CAVM Team 2003) and are more consistently defined and described, but also had some unique values. Attribute values specific to each area are presented in tables below; to identify the types uniquely, they are prefaced with TP:(Taiga Plains), TS:(Taiga Shield), CO:(Cordillera), SA:(Southern Arctic) and NA:(Northern Arctic).Landcov1and Landcov2were generally used to capture the major vegetation types; if there was a significant vegetation type that did not occur over large areas but was considered diagnostic (e.g. alpine fir types in the southern mountains), it was included as Landcov3even if there were other vegetation communities that covered larger areas. The written descriptions should be consulted in cases where analysis requires a more specific assessment of proportion.LAND COVER (VEGETATION): TAIGA PLAINSAttribute ValueDESCRIPTIONTP:F1Fen: SedgeTP:F2Fen: shrub-sedgeTP:F3Fen or bog: Black spruce - shrub - mossTP:F4Fen: Black spruce - larchTP:FC1Forest: Jackpine - shrub - lichenTP:FC2Forest: Jackpine - tall shrub - lichenTP:FC3Forest: Lodgepole and jackpine X lodgepole hybridTP:FC4Forest: White spruce - jack pineTP:FC5Forest: Spruce - lichenTP:FC6Forest: spruce-shrub (includes both black and white spruce)TP:FC7Forest: white spruceTP:FC8Forest: black spruce - shrub - lichenTP:FD1Forest: Deciduous (aspen, balsam poplar, paper birch)TP:FD2Forest: Paper birchTP:FM1Forest: Mixedwood jackpine - aspenTP:FM2Forest: Spruce - paper birch (includes white and black spruce)TP:FM3Forest: Mixedwood aspen - paper birch - spruce - jackpineTP:M1Marsh: bulrush - sedgeTP:M2Meadow: herb-grass-shrubTP:S1Shrubland: dwarf birch - dryland sedge - lichenTP:S2Shrubland: dwarf birch - Labrador tea - peat moss TP:S3Shrubland: dwarf birch - paper birch (post-fire regeneration). May include white spruce and black spruce regeneration, and may be one or both deciduous species.TP:S4Shrubland: dwarf birch - willowTP:S5Shrubland: lichen - Labrador tea - dwarf birch (polygonal peat plateaus)TP:S6Shrubland: willow-alderTP:S6Shrubland: willowTP:S7Shrubland: dryTP:TSTundra: ShrubTP:W1Woodland: White spruce - shrub-lichen woodlandTP:W2Woodland: Black spruce - low shrub- lichenLAND COVER (VEGETATION): TAIGA SHELDAttribute ValueDESCRIPTIONTS:F1Fen: sedge (including a minor component of shrubs)TS:F2Fen: shrub (including a minor component of sedges)TS:FC1Forest: Jackpine (may include minor paper birch, white spruce, black spruce)TS:FC2Forest: Spruce - moss (undifferentiated white and black spruce)TS:FC3Forest: Spruce - shrub - lichen (undifferentiated white and black spruce)TS:FD1Forest: DeciduousTS:FM1Forest: Mixedwood (any combination of aspen, balsam poplar, and birch with white spruce, black spruce, and jackpine)TS:FM2Forest: Mixedwood white spruce - paper birchTS:FM3Forest: Mixedwood jackpine - paper birchTS:NFLLichen on rockTS:S1Shrubland: Dwarf birch - paper birch (post-fire regeneration)TS:S2Shrubland: lichen - Labrador tea - dwarf birch (peat plateaus)TS:T1Tundra: lichen - grass heathTS:T2Tundra: sedgeTS:T3Tundra: shrub heathTS:T4Tundra: lichen-sedge-shrub complexTS:W1Woodland: White spruce - shrub - lichen TS:W2Woodland: Spruce - shrub - lichenTS:W3Woodland: Black spruce - lichenLAND COVER (VEGETATION): CORDILLERAAttribute ValueDESCRIPTIONCO:F1Fen: Black spruce - (larch) - shrubCO:F2Fen: Sedge - cottongrass tussockCO:F3Fen: Shrub - sedgeCO:FC1Forest: JackpineCO:FC2Forest: lodgepole pineCO:FC3Forest: Spruce - shrubCO:FC4Forest: White spruceCO:FC5Forest: White spruce - alpine firCO:FD1Forest: Deciduous (aspen, balsam poplar, paper birch)CO:FM1Forest: Mixedwood (white spruce, aspen, jackpine, lodgepole pine)CO:FM2Forest: Mixedwood (spruce, balsam poplar, birch, tall shrub)CO:NFL1Lichen - RockCO:Rrock barrensCO:S1Shrubland: dwarf birch - willow - paper birch (post-fire regeneration)CO:S2Shrublands: Tall (alder, willow, birch)CO:S3Shrublands: DryCO:S4Shrublands: dwarf birch - willowCO:T1Tundra: herb (rich, diverse, Pacific-Cordilleran species)CO:T2Tundra: LichenLAND COVER (VEGETATION): CORDILLERA (cont.)Attribute ValueDESCRIPTIONCO:T3Tundra: Sedge - cottongrassCO:T4Tundra: sedge-shrubCO:T5Tundra: shrubCO:W1Woodland: alpine firCO:W2Woodland: black spruce - larch - mossCO:W3Woodland: black spruce - shrub - moss - lichenCO:W4Woodland: White spruce - alpine firCO:W5Woodland: White (black) spruce - shrub - lichenLAND COVER (VEGETATION): SOUTHERN ARCTIC*Attribute ValueDESCRIPTIONSA:B1Cryptogam –herb barren SA:B2Cryptogam –barren complex (bedrock) SA:CMCoastal MarshSA:G2Graminoid –prostrate dwarf-shrub –forb tundraSA:G3Nontussock sedge –dwarf-shrub –moss tundraSA:G4Tussock-sedge –dwarf-shrub –moss tundra SA:P1Prostrate dwarf-shrub –herb tundraSA:S1Erect dwarf-shrub tundra SA:S2Low-shrub tundraSA:T1Tundra: lichen - grass heath (continuation of Taiga Shield)SA:T2Tundra: sedge (continuation of Taiga Shield)SA:T3Tundra: shrub heath (continuation of Taiga Shield)SA:TGTree groves / sparse tree growthSA:W2Sedge –moss –dwarf-shrub wetland SA:W3Sedge –moss –low-shrub wetland LAND COVER (VEGETATION): NORTHERN ARCTIC*Attribute ValueDESCRIPTIONNA:B1Cryptogam –herb barren NA:B2Cryptogam –barren complex (bedrock) NA:B3b-cNon-carbonate mountain complex NA:B4bCarbonate mountain complex NA:G1Rush –grass–forb –cryptogam tundra NA:G2Graminoid –prostrate dwarf-shrub –forb tundra NA:G3Nontussock sedge –moss –dwarf-shrub tundraNA:P1Prostrate dwarf-shrub –herb tundra NA:P2Prostrate/hemiprostrate dwarf-shrub tundraNA:S2Low-shrub tundra NA:W1Sedge –grass –moss wetland * the code values following SA: and NA: are those defined by the Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Map (CAVM Team 2003), except for SA:T1, SA:T2, SA:T3 (continuation of Taiga Shield vegetation to the north) and SA:CM (coastal marshes of Mackenzie Delta, too small to address in the circumpolarmap survey.REFERENCES CITEDCAVM Team. 2003. Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Map. (1:7,500,000 scale), Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Map No. 1. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska.

Copyright Text: Primary funding was provided by the Forest Management & Wildlife Divisions of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the NWT. Project work was completed primarily by the Ecosystem Classification Group, as detailed in the reports. For specific information or questions regarding the dataset, please contact Kathleen Groenewegen, GIS Specialist, at kathleen_groenewegen@gov.nt.ca or 867-874-2009.

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