Papaver gorodkovii Volcanic Scree Plant Association Arctic Poppy Volcanic Scree Plant Association Western Alaska

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1 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 on Nunivak and St. Lawrence islands. Figure 1. Papaver gorodkovii growing on volcanic scree, Nunivak Island, Bering Sea, Alaska. 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). 1

2 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 o C 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. 2

3 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). Figure 3. The rare plant Papaver gorodkovii (G3 S2S3) growing on weathered basalt, Nunivak Island, Alaska. 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). 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. 3

4 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 4

5 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 McKay s Bunting Plectrophenax hyperboreus GU S3 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 use rocky areas and crevices within this plant association on Nunivak Island. Classification Concept Source This publication represents the first description of the Papaver gorodkovii volcanic scree plant association. Literature Cited ACCS (Alaska Center for Conservation Science) Rare Plant Data Portal. April 28, ACCS (Alaska Center for Conservation Science) BIOTICS Animal Data Portal. April 28, AKEPIC (2016). Alaska Exotic Plant Information Clearinghouse database ( Alaska Center for Conservation Science, University of Alaska, Anchorage. Accessed (April, 30, 2016). Bos, G. N Range types and their utilization by muskox on Nunivak Island, Alaska: A reconnaissance study. Master s Thesis, University of Alaska. 113 pp. Carlson, M. L., and H. Cortes-Burns Rare Vascular Plant Distributions in Alaska: Evaluating Patterns of Habitat Suitability in the Face of Climate Change. In: Gibble, W., J. Combs, and S. Reichard. (eds.) Conserving Plant Biodiversity in a Changing World: a View from Northwestern North America. University of Washington Botanic Gardens. Conference Proceedings, 106 pp. Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria (CPNWH). Burke Museum, University of Washington. Herbarium specimen data provided by: University of Alaska, Fairbanks Museum of the North, University of Alaska Anchorage Herbarium. Herbarium specimen data accessed February 2016 from: Hoare, J. M., W. H. Condon, A. Cox, and G. B. Dalrymple Geology, paleomagnetism, and potassium-argon ages of basalts from Nunivak Island, Alaska. Pages in R. R. Coats, R. L. Hay, and C. A. Anderson, eds. Studies in volcanology, Geological Society of America Memoir MWR National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Land resource regions and major land resource areas of Alaska. United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. Palmer, Alaska. Nawrocki, T., J. Fulkerson, and M. Carlson Alaska Rare Plant Field Guide. Alaska Natural Heritage Program, University of Alaska Anchorage. 352 pp. 5

6 Wilson, F.H., C.P. Hults, C.G. Mull, and S.M. Karl Geologic map of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3340, pamphlet 196 p., 2 sheets, scale 1:1,584,000, Wood, C. A., and J. Kienle, eds Volcanoes of North America: United States and Canada: New York, Cambridge University Press, 354 pp. Wood, D. M. and Roger del Moral Primary succession at the volcano Mt. St. Helens. Journal of Vegetation Ecology. Volume 4:2 pp