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Brooks-British Range tundra (WWF ecoregion NA1108) View National Geographic WildWorld profile,(WildWorld home), View  WWF Wildfinder animal species list (WildFinder home)


Tundra, Brooks Range, Alaska (c) 2005 Scott and Ruth Bassett

Source of bioregions data: Olson, D. M. and E. Dinerstein. The Global 200: Priority ecoregions for global conservation. (PDF file) Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 89:125-126.

Distinctiveness (1=highest,4=lowest): 3 (bioregionally outstanding)
Due to the harsh mountain climate, vegetation is sparse.  Caribou herds migrate through the region via valleys.  Top level predators are present.*

Conservation Status (1=most endangered, 5=most intact): 5 (relatively intact)
The ecoregion is almost entirely intact except for two major highway corridors that cross it.*

Characteristic species*
Picea glauca (white spruce)

Abies lasiocarpa

(subalpine fir)

Pinus contorta

(lodgepole pine)

Betula spp. (dwarf birch)

Salix spp. (willows)

Ledum decumbens (Labrador-tea)

Dryas hookeriana (mountain avens)

Carex spp. (sedges)

Eriophorum spp. (cottongrass)

Carex aquatilis (water sedge)

Carex bigelowii (Bigelow's sedge)

Salix planifolia (diamondleaf willow)

Salix lanata (woolly wollow)

Arctostaphylos alpina (alpine bearberry)

Vaccinium spp. (blueberries)

Dryas octopetala (mountain avens)

Dryas integrifolia (entireleaf mountain avens)

Some views from the ecoregion

South of treeline, Brooks Range, Alaska

Left: The southern slopes of the Brooks Range lie at the northern limit of trees.  In this area, permafrost lies near the surface and disturbances in it can cause tree-toppling and crevasses. Right: "The furthest north spruce tree on the Alaska pipline.  Do not cut." (c) 2005 Scott and Ruth Bassett  hires  hires

North of treeline, Brooks Range, Alaska

Left: Shrubs with brown bear in distance (visible in hires version). Right: Few woody plants are present on the north slope of the Brooks Range. (c) 2005 Scott and Ruth Bassett  hires  hires

Unvegetated peaks, Brooks Range, Alaska

At the highest elevation, there is little or no vegetation on the rocky peaks.  (c) 2005 Scott and Ruth Bassett  hires

Snow covered peaks, Brooks Range, Alaska

(c) 2005 Natasha Sherman  hires  hires

* Ricketts, T.H., E. Dinerstein, D.M. Olson, C.J. Loucks, et al.  (1999) Terrestrial Ecoregions of North America: A Conservation Assessment.  World Wildlife Fund - United States and Canada.  Island Press, Washington, D.C. pp. 337-340.

Except as noted, images copyright 2002-2005 Steve Baskauf - Terms of use