Description
The Subalpine Natural Subregion is a Rocky Mountain altitudinal vegetation zone extending from an elevation of 1575 m to 2175 m at its southernmost occurrence and 1365 m to 2000 m near Grande Cache. This approximation of the guide represents the analysis of over 3400 plots described in the Subalpine subregion. In this subregion it was found there were distinct differences between the community types and ecological sites between the Central and Northern Foothills and Mountains (west of Sundre, Hinton, Grande Cache and Jasper national park), and the Southern Rocky Mountains (south and west of Calgary and Banff national park). As a result the Subalpine plant communities are identified into two ecosections (south and north). The dominant plant species, canopy cover, environmental conditions and response to grazing, are outlined for each plant community type for each ecosection.