73 
Vegetation Survey 
of the 
Prudhoe Bay Region 
BONITA J. NEILAND 
Department of Land Resources 
University of Alaska 
Fairbanks, Alaska 99701 
JEROME R. HOK 
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation 
Juneau, Alaska 99801 
Introduction 
In July 1971 a survey was made of the 
tundra in the vicinity of Prudhoe Bay to obtain 
information on distributional patterns of 
species, plant communities, and major environ- 
mental features. The survey was limited to areas 
of ready access from the road system. The 
general area was grossly subdivided into “‘land- 
scape units’’ based on macro- and microtopo- 
graphy, surface material, apparent moisture, and 
vegetational physiognomy and continuity. Three 
such units were recognized: (1) dunes complex; 
(2) pingos and steep banks; and (3) plains. Only 
the gently undulating plains were dealt with at 
more than reconnaissance levels, and it is that 
unit which is discussed here. 
Methods 
The extensive plains landscape unit was sub- 
jectively subdivided into subunits — areas of 
one-half to several hectares in size, each relative- 
ly homogeneous and different in general appear- 
ance from all other subunits. A subunit might be 
fairly uniform throughout (e.g., ‘smooth dry 
plain,” an area of relatively high relief and a 
coarse, springy matted vegetation), or it might 
be a complex (e.g., the low-center polygon 
subunit, composed of polygon centers with vege- 
tation similar to that of the wet smooth plain, 
but separated by ridges having vegetation more 
similar to a smooth dry plain). 
Twenty-three stands were surveyed, and 
presence lists of species were compiled. Quadrat 
frequency sampling was carried out in 14 stands 
(i.e., specific communities). Nine of the pres- 
ence-only stands included sites sampled for fre- 
quency; a total of 28 different stands were 
sampled for presence. ‘’Stand’’ selection was 
based on vegetational appearance within the 
complex subunits (i.e., in a low-center polygon 
subunit, one set of quadrats was placed in the 
centers, another set on the ridges). Quadrat 
placement was systematic, and quadrat number 
and size were largely determined by species 
diversity and uniformity of distribution; an at- 
tempt was made to keep the most frequent 
species in the 70-80% range. Ten to 30 quadrats, 
1/4 m2 or 1/8 m2 in size, were employed per 
stand. 
A one-dimensional ordination of species and 
stands, based on presence, was constructed by 
visual means, with floristically similar stands 
placed as close together as possible, and species 
ranked with other species of similar distribution 
on the stand array (Table 1). Stands sampled for 
frequency were then arrayed in the same order 
as those sampled for presence, and species’ 
percentage frequency was indicated (Table 2). 
