Vegetation Types and Plant Biomass in Tundra

Abstract

An attempt is made to group tundra sites (including the moorland sites of Ireland and the United Kingdom) on the basis of percentage of woody plants, forbs, and monocotyledons related to the total vascular aboveground living biomass, and the percentage of vascular plants, bryophytes, and lichens related to the total aboveground living biomass. The dominating species at several sites, mostly IBP tundra sites, are mentioned, and for the Scandinavian sites an attempt is made to classify the sites according to a joint Scandinavian IBP proposed vegetation classification.The living plant biomass of above- and belowground vascular plants is shown for some tundra sites as well as the living biomass of bryophytes and lichens when measured. The ratio of aboveground: belowground parts is calculated. A higher proportion of belowground biomass is found worldwide at sedge dominated wet sites with slow decomposition of belowground parts.