Floristic sectors characterize the considerable east-west floristic variation within the subzones. The more northern Arctic bioclimate subzones have a relatively consistent core of Arctic plant species that occur around the circumpolar region. Further south, local east-west variation is related to a variety of factors, including different paleohistories and the greater climatic heterogeneity. Large north-south trending mountain ranges, primarily in Asia, have also restricted the exchange of species between parts of the Arctic. Yurtsev (1994) delineated six floristic provinces and 20 subprovinces and discussed their characteristics. The Pan-Arctic Flora project (Elvebakk et al. 1999) has accepted Yurtsev's division in principle, but PAF uses the term "sectors" to replace Yurtsev's "subprovinces" and has grouped the sectors somewhat differently. The main change is a new North Atlantic group and the inclusion of Yurtsev's Baffin-Labrador Province as part of the North Atlantic group. The sectors described here are based on Elvebakk et al. (1999). Readers interested in panarctic floristic variation within the subprovinces should read Yurtsev (1994) (highly recommended).
Back to Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Map
Go to Website Link :: Toolik Arctic Geobotanical Atlas below for details on legend units, photos of map units and plant species, glossary, bibliography and links to ground data.
Map Themes:
AVHRR Biomass 2010, AVHRR Biomass Trend 1982-2010, AVHRR False Color-Infrared 1993-1995, AVHRR NDVI 1993-1995, AVHRR NDVI Trend 1982-2010, AVHRR Summer Warmth Index 1982-2003, Bioclimate Subzone, Coastline and Treeline, Elevation, Floristic Provinces, Lake Cover, Landscape, Landscape Age,
Substrate pH, Vegetation Layer
References
Elvebakk, A. 1999. Bioclimate delimitation and subdivisions of the Arctic. Pages 81-112 in I. Nordal and V. Y. Razzhivin, editors. The Species Concept in the High North - A Panarctic Flora Initiative. The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, Oslo.
Yurtsev, B. A. 1994. Floristic divisions of the Arctic. Journal of Vegetation Science 5:765-776.
