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In its descriptions
of rangeland cover types the Society for Range Management (Shiflet, 1994)
recognized and described only two alpine grazing types outside of the
Alaska Region: Alpine Rangeland, SRM 410, in the Great Basin Region and
Alpine Grassland, SRM 213, in the Pacific Southwest Region. Beyond doubt,
the alpine types of the Rocky Mountains below the Arctic region are distinct
and deserving of their own designation and description. In absence thereof,
the range vegetation covered in slides below are variants of SRM 213,
SRM 410, and, possibly, SRM 902 (Alaskan Alpine Herb). The alpine biome
is likewise given but brief coverage in Agriculture Handbook 475 (Garrison
et al. 1977) as FRES No. 44, The Alpine Ecosystem. Zwinger and Willard
(1972) is an exceptional readily read reference.
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