Mountain Meadows and Snowglades - Mountains and Plains: The Ecology of Wyoming Landscapes - page 221

Chapter 13 Mountain Meadows
and Snowglades

Sometimes referred to as parks, meadows add diversity to
the mountain landscape (fig. 13.1). the plants are highly
variable due to differences in elevation, wind exposure,
water availability, and soil characteristics, but often they
include such colorful species as arrowleaf balsamroot,
indian paintbrush, and lupine (table 13.1). Such plants
attract numerous butterflies, along with other animals
that benefit from herbaceous plant s. 1 At lower elevations,
the plants are similar to those in dry foothill grasslands,
with bluebunch wheatgrass a characteristic species.

Higher on the mountain, idaho fescue and tufted hair-
grass are more common (see chapter 10). Wet meadows
are found at all elevations along streams and in depres-
sions, where melting snow provides a source of water
sufficient to support shrubby cinquefoil and mountain
silver sagebrush in addition to various sedges and grasses
(see chapter 5). 2 Meadows with intermediate moisture
availability support the greatest diversity of plants.
A frequently asked question about mountain mead-
ows is why they have no trees. the answer depends on

Fig. 13.1. Mountain meadow
in the Wyoming Range west
of Big Piney. Mountain big
sagebrush and idaho fescue
are common, with willow-
dominated shrublands in
the riparian zone. Arrowleaf
balsamroot and lupine are
abundant in the foreground.
the forests in this area are
dominated by engelmann
spruce, lodgepole pine, and
subalpine fir, with whitebark
pine near the alpine treeline.
elevation 8,600 feet.

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