The vegetation distribution in the Kärkevagge valley

Sammanfattning: A medium scale map of the vegetation-types and their distribution in the Kärkevagge valley, located in the northern Lapland has been made based on photo-interpretation of aerial infra-red colour photographs (scale l : 60 000). Following vegetation types have been identified: High altitude vegetation, two types of wind heaths: Dryas octopetala and Empetrum hermaphroditum respectively. Three main types of heath: Dryas octopetala, Empetrum hermaphroditum and Vaccinium myrtillus, low herbs meadows, willow, two types of snow patch vegetation, birch forest and three types of fens. The vegetation is divided into four different vegetation belts, the sub-alpine belt (birch forest belt), the low-alpine belt, the middle-alpine belt and the high-alpine belt (after Du Rietz (1942). The sub-alpine belt reach an altitude of 550 m.a.s.l.. The vegetation is dominated by Betula pubescens var. turtuosa and a bush layer of herbs and grass. The low-alpine belt extends to an altitude of 1050 m.a.s.l.. All vegetation types identified in the valley are found within this belt. Heaths and low herbs meadows are dominant. The upper limit of the middle alpine belt is at 1200 m.a.s.l.. Dryas octopetala-heath and snow patch vegetation dominates. The high-altitude belt extends from about 1200 m.a.s.l. to the mountain peaks. The snow patch vegetation occurs in the lower parts ofthe belt. Differences in the distribution of the vegetation-types are seen both between the two valley sides and with an increase of altitude. The differences are mainly due to local differences in the climatic-, hydrologic-and morphologic conditions within the valley. The vegetation pattern has been digitised into a vector based Geographic Information System (GIS).