2.4 Vegetation

Management Plan

2.4 Vegetation

The park landscape is sparsely vegetated with dwarf willows, grasses and forbs. The dominant vegetation types are classified as upland barrens and rocky barrens. Plant species composition, distribution and abundance are a reflection of the harsh Arctic conditions, which has an eight week growing season, soils that are poor in essential nutrients, constant drying winds, and minimal water supply.

Camping on the Thomsen River
© Parcs Canada

Within the predominantly grey and brown landscape there are green oases of lush sedge and grass growth. Wet sedge meadows develop because of increased moisture available from melting snow banks or from streams or lakes. The meadows are critical wildlife habitat, supporting many muskox herds, small mammals and birds. The wildlife in turn fertilize these oases with their droppings and contribute to the maintenance of meadows. This is a symbiotic relationship between plant and animal species.

The flora has both high Arctic and low Arctic elements. Along the north coast and on upland ridges the vegetation is similar to that found on the high Arctic islands to the north.

Sheltered valleys and south-facing slopes have plants that grow a thousand kilometres further south. Part of the park has never been glaciated and in this area there are unusual plant species.

There are six main vegetation types in Aulavik National Park:

• Rocky and stony barrens have less than 10% of the ground covered by plant growth. This type occurs in 12% of the park and can be found on windblown ridges and high rocky uplands. Mountain aven, dry sedges and hardy forbs are among the few plants that survive here.
• Dry tundra dominates a quarter of the park on upper slopes, plateaus, ridges and large plains in the dry interior. The vegetation covers between 10 and 50% of the ground and is dominated by mountain aven, arctic dwarf willow, poppies and forbs.
• Dwarf shrub tundra grows on moderate, moist but well drained slopes in 13% of the park area. Most commonly, mountain aven and arctic dwarf willow can be found growing with a variety of herbs, small sedges and grasses. Plants cover between 50 and 90% of the ground.
• Hummock tundra is found on moderate to steep slopes with relatively stone free soil, where round, vegetated clumps of 20-40 cm height develop. Over a quarter of the park is dominated by these hummocks. Vegetation covers between 30 and 70% of the surface and is dominated by arctic dwarf willow, arctic heather and mountain avens.
• Mesic meadows have a plant cover of between 75 and 100%. The soil is wet but not waterlogged and the vegetation is dominated by graminoids. These meadows occur in humid depressions, on slopes with some seepage or near ponds in a total of 15 % of the park.
• Wet sedge meadows occur in 7% of the park area in wet lowlands or slopes. The soil is waterlogged or under water. Sedges cover usually 100% of the soil and only a few forbs grow in between.