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Wetland Classification and Mapping of the Kenai Lowland, Alaska
Map Unit Descriptions Ecosystem: Relict Glacial Lakebed
Map Unit: LB36; LB63; LB3-6
Extent: LB63: 36 wetland polygons; 431.9 ha; 0.30% of wetland area; 0.22% of wetland polygons. LB36: 36 wetland polygons; 375.3 ha; 0.26% of wetland area; 0.22% of wetland polygons. LB3-6: 12 wetland polygons; 290.8 ha; 0.21% of wetland area; 0.07% of wetland polygons. |
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 A segregated LB36 unit adjacent to a large complex south of Ninilchik (polygon 2165).
An LB63 unit adjacent to a small pond in the large fen complex east of Anchor Point (polygon 77).
A mixed LB3-6 unit in the large fen complex south of Ninilchick (polygon 2103). |
Wetland Indicators Type: Peat Average depth to water table: LB3: 9.9 cm; n=13 LB4: 19.5 cm; n=50 LB5: 57.0 cm; n=2 LB6: 31.4 cm; n=46 Organic layer thickness: LB3: 119.2 cm; n=13 LB4: 116.0 cm; n=52 LB5: 78.5 cm; n=2 LB6: 70.2 cm; n=62 Average depth to redoximorphic features: LB3: n/a LB4: 79.0 cm; n=3 LB5: n/a LB6: 51.0; n=14 Common Soils: LB3: STARICHKOF, DOROSHIN LB4: STARICHKOF, DOROSHIN, SALAMATOF, NIKOLAI LB6: STARICHKOF, KALIFONSKY, DOROSHIN, NIKOLAI Common Plant communities: LB3 component: Sphagnum moss - Ericaceous shrub Sphagnum moss / Tall cottongrass Sphagnum moss - Manyflower sedge Tufted bulrush – Fewflower sedge Fewflower sedge – Tall cottongrass LB4 component: Sweetgale - Shrubby cinquefoil Sphagnum moss - Ericaceous shrub Bog blueberry – Dwarf birch – Tufted hairgrass
LB5 component:
LB6 component: Black spruce / Woodland horsetail - Labrador tea Black Spruce / Crowberry - Lingonberry Lutz spruce / Barclay's willow / Field horsetail / Crowberry |
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Accuracy assessment: 5 polygons interpreted as LB36 on
aerial photographs were field checked. All remained LB36. 4 polygons interpreted as LB63 on aerial photographs were field checked. 2 remained LB63, 1 each was revised to LB43 and LB4-6. 2 polygons interpreted as LB3-6 on aerial photographs were field checked. All 3 remained LB3-6. |
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LB36 and LB63 are infrequent complexes contain the sphagnum moss-dominated LB3 component and the woodland-to-forested LB6 component. If sphagnum is more abundant the wetland is named LB36, if the woodland to forest dominates then it is named LB63.
The components typically segregate into a sphagnum dominated area fringed by a forest or woodland. The forest usually abuts a Discharge Slope Ecosystem, or upland. Black spruce (Picea mariana) is the dominant forest type; Lutz spruce (P. X lutzii) is uncommon adjacent to sphagnum-dominated components.
The LB3-6 unit is atypical and scattered in the project area. It consists of all the drier Relict Glacial Lakebed ecosystem map components from the sphagnum (LB3), through the shrub (LB4), bluejoint grass (Calamagrostis canadensis; LB5), and woodland to forested (LB6) components mixed in a mosaic too fine-grained to map at a scale of 1:125,000.
