ECOSYSTEM ASSOCIATIONS OF THE BWBSa1 Fort Nelson Lowland variant of the Boreal White and Black Spruce Biogeoclimatic Zone.

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1 ECOSYSTEM ASSOCIATIONS OF THE BWBSa1 Fort Nelson Lowland variant of the Boreal White and Black Spruce Biogeoclimatic Zone Spring 1984 Lori Jang and Duncan Williams Ecology Section, B.0. Forest Service Prince George Forest Region 1011 Fourth Avenue Prince George, B.C. V2L 3H9

2 Edatopic Grid of Ecological Moisture and Nutrient Regime - BWBSa1 NUTRIENT REGIME Oligo- Submeso- Mesotrophic Permeso- Subeutrophic trophic trophic trophic to Eutrophic A B C E Xeric Subxer ic 2 0 Submesic 3 Li 2 LLI Mesic \ / Subhygric 5 05//MI 0 Hygric 6 0 Subhydric 7 BWBSa1 Associations Aspen - White Spruce Pine - Lichen Pine - Black Spruce Pine - Club-moss Spruce - Horsetail Black Spruce - Horsetail Tamarack - Horsetail 0 Black Spruce - Sphagnum 0 Black Spruce - Willow Tamarack - Buckbean

3 KEY TO ECOSYSTEMS OF THE BWBSa1 la. Site occurs on level to gently sloping river terraces. 2a Canopy dominated by white spruce; high cover of Equisetum spp. (horsetails). 2b Canopy dominated by balsam poplar. BWBSa1/05 lb. Site occurs on level to moderately sloping uplands. BWBSa1/05//M1 3a. Canopy dominated by white spruce and/or trembling aspen; soils moderately fine-textured. 4a.White spruce dominant. 4b. Trembling aspen dominant. BWBSa1/01 3b. Canopy dominated by lodgepole pine. BWBSa1/01//M1 5a.High cover of lichens; soils coarse-textured. BWBSa1/02 5b.moderate cover (.7%) of Lycopodium annotinum (stiff club-moss); soils fine-textured. BWBSa1/04

4 2 5c. Black spruce is present in the canopy and is the dominant regeneration; low cover of lichens; stiff club-moss very low cover (4 1%) or absent). BWBSa1/03 3c. Canopy dominated by black spruce with an admixture of lodgepole pine. 6a.high cover (-, 10%) of horsetails; feather mosses dominant. BWBSa1/06 6b.low cover (c 1%) or lack of horsetails; feather mosses dominant. lc. Site occurs on level to depressional wetlands. 7a. Canopy dominated by black spruce. BWBSa1/03 8a.Shrub layer dominated by Ledum groenlandicum (Labrador tea); moss layer dominated by Sphagnum fuscum (common brown sphagnum). BWBSa1/08 8b.Salix spp. (willows) dominate the shrub layer; moss layer dominated by Aulacomnium palustre (ribbed bog moss). 7b. Canopy dominated by tamarack. 9a. Moderate to high cover ( 10%) of horsetails. BWBSa1/09 BWBSa1/07

5 9b. Shrub layer dominated by Betula glandulosa (scrub birch); horsetails very low cover (4 1%) or absent. BWBSa1/ r

6 BWBSa1/01 ASPEN - WHITE SPRUCE BIOGEOCLIMATIC UNIT: BWBSa1 ECOSYSTEM UNIT: BWBSa1/01; Populus tremuloides - Picea glauca - Viburnum edule - Aralia nudicaulis - Linnaea borealis - Hylocomium splendens; BWBSa1/01: Aspen - white spruce association. ECOLOGICAL MOISTURE REGIME: submesic - mesic ECOLOGICAL NUTRIENT REGIME: submesotrophic - permesotrophic IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES: Slope Position: level, upper to mid Slope Gradient (%): 5 (0-22) Soil Drainage: moderately well DISTRIBUTION: very common

7 BWBSa1/01 ASPEN - WHITE SPRUCE VEGETATION: Tree Layer: 70% cover Picea glauca Populus tremuloides Picea mariana Shrub Layer: 20% cover; poorly to Viburnum edule Rosa acicularis [Shepherdia canadensis [Alnus viridis ssp. fruiticosa [Ledum groenlandicum (white spruce) (trembling aspen) (black spruce) moderately well developed (highbush-cranberry) (prickly rose) (soopolallie)] (green alder)] (Labrador tea)] Herb Layer: 20% cover; poorly developed Linnaea borealis Cornus canadensis Rubus pubescens Orthilia secunda Mitella Mertensia paniculata nuda Viola renifolia Vaccinium vitis-idaea [Aralia nudicaulis (twinflower) (bunchberry) (trailing raspberry) (one-sided wintergreen) (tall bluebell) (common mitrewort) (kidney-leaved violet) (lingonberry) (false sarsaparilla)] - usually present Moss Layer: 60% cover; moderately well to well developed Hylocomium splendens (step moss) Ptilium crista-castrensis (knight's plume) Pleurozium schreberi (red-stemmed feather moss) SOIL AND SITE: Slope Gradient (%): Parent Material: Soil Classification: Coarse Fragments: Soil Texture: Rooting Depth (cm): Humus Form: Humus Thickness (cm): ph Humus: ph Mineral: 5(0-22) morainal, glaciofluvial, glaciolacustrine Orthic Gray Luvisol, some Eluviated Brunisols few moderately fine 34 Mormoder 10 (4-14)

8 BWBSa1/01//M1 ASPEN - WHITE SPRUCE (aspen sera1 association) VEGETATION: Tree Layer: 60% cover Populus tremuloides Picea glauca [Betula papyrifera [Betula neoalaskana (trembling aspen) (white spruce) (paper birch)] (Alaska paper birch)] )- mostly in lower canopy Shrub Layer: 75% cover; moderately well to well developed Picea Alnusglauca viridis ssp. fruiticosa Viburnum edule Rosa acicularis Salix bebbiana Shepherdia canadensis Cornus sericea Amelanchier alnifolia (white spruce) - regeneration (green alder) (highbush-cranberry) )- usually high cover (prickly rose) ) (Bebb's willow) (soopolallie) (red-osier dogwood) (Saskatoon)] - good indicator Herb Layer: 40% cover; moderately well to well developed Linnaea borealis Cornus canadensis Rubus pubescens Aralia nudicaulis Mertensia paniculata Lathyrus ochroleucus Pyrola asarifolia Maianthemum canadense Epilobium angustifolium Galium boreale [Orthilia secunda [Mitella nuda (twinflower) (bunchberry) (trailing raspberry) (wild sarsaparilla) (tall bluebell) (creamy peavine) (pink wintergreen) (wild lily-of-the-valley) (fireweed) (northern bedstraw) (one-sided wintergreen)] (common mitrewort)] - good indicator Moss Layer: 0-35% cover; poorly developed Hylocomium splendens (step moss) [Ptilium crista-castrensis (knight's plume)]

9 BWBSa1/01//M1 ASPEN - WHITE SPRUCE (aspen sera1 association) SOIL AND SITE: Slope Gradient (%): Parent Material: Soil Classification: Coarse Fragments: Soil Texture: Rooting Depth (cm): Humus Form: Humus Thickness (cm): ph Humus: ph Mineral: 5 (0-22) morainal, glaciofluvial, glaciolacustrine mostly Orthic Gray Luvisol, some Eluviated Brunisols few moderately fine 34 Moder 9 (5-16) 5.6 ( ) 5.7 ( )

10 BIOGEOCLIMATIC UNIT: BWBSa1 BWBSa1/02 PINE - LICHEN ECOSYSTEM UNIT: BWBSa1/02; Pinus contorta - Arctostaphylos uva-ursi - Pleurozium schreberi - Peltigera aphthosa - Cladina mitis BWBSa1/02: Pine - lichen association. ECOLOGICAL MOISTURE REGIME: xeric - subxeric ECOLOGICAL NUTRIENT REGIME: oligotrophic - submesotrophic IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES: Slope Position: shedding Soil Texture: moderately coarse to coarse DISTRIBUTION: rare

11 glauca Picea BWBSa1/02 PINE - LICHEN VEGETATION: Tree Layer: 40% cover Pinus contorta Populus tremuloides Pinus banksiana [Picea glauca mariana (lodgepole pine) (trembling aspen) (jackpine) (black spruce)] (white spruce)] Shrub Layer: 30% cover; poorly to moderately well developed Picea mariana Rosa acicularis Ledum groenlandicum Shepherdia canadensis Alnus viridis ssp. fruiticosa Viburnum edule Vaccinium myrtilloides - good indicator Herb Layer: 50% cover; poorly to well developed Vaccinium vitis-idaea Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Linnaea borealis Cornus canadensis Geocaulon lividum Epilobium angustifolium Pyrola asarifolia Equisetum arvense Orthilia secunda Maianthemum canadense Pyrola chlorantha [Lycopodium obscurum - dominant )- regeneration ) (prickly rose) (Labrador tea) (soopolallie) (green alder) (highbush-cranberry) (velvet-leaved blueberry) (lingonberry) (kinnikinnick) (twinflower) (bunchberry) (bastard toad-flax) (fireweed) (pink wintergreen) (common horsetail) (one-sided wintergreen) (wild lily-of-the-valley) (green wintergreen) (ground-pine)] Moss Layer: 50% cover; poorly to well developed Cladina Pleurozium mitis Pleurozium schreberi Hylocomium splendens Cladina alpestris Cladina rangiferina Peltigera aphthosa [Cladonia gracilis] [Cladonia uncialis] [Peltigera canina [Polytrichum juniperinum [Cladina arbuscula] Cephaloziella divaricata] [Cetraria nivalis] [Dicranum polysetum] [Pohlia nutans [Ptilidium pulcherrimum] (red-stemmed feathermoss) (step moss) (reindeer lichen) - good indicator - good indicator )- low cover ) (dog lichen)] ) (juniper hair-cap moss)] - good indicator; low cover )- low cover ) ) )) )

12 BWBSa/02 PINE - LICHEN SOIL AND SITE: Slope Gradient (%): Parent Material: Soil Classification: Soil Drainage: Rooting Depth (cm): Humus Form: Humus Thickness (cm): ph Humus: ph Mineral: 0 (level) fluvial, eolian Eluviated Brunisol well 12 Xeromor 2 (1-3) 4.4 ( ) 5.6 ( )

13 BIOGEOCLIMATIC UNIT: BWBSa1 BWBSa1/03 PINE - BLACK SPRUCE ECOSYSTEM UNIT: BWBSa1/03; Picea mariana - Pleurozium schreberi - Hylocomium splendens - Ptilium crista-casatrensis; BWBSa1/03: Pine - black spruce association. ECOLOGICAL MOISTURE REGIME: submesic - subhygric ECOLOGICAL NUTRIENT REGIME: oligotrophic - mesotrophic IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES: Slope Position: lower, toe Slope Gradient (%): 4 (0-12) Soil Drainage: imperfectly (- moderately well) DISTRIBUTION: very common

14 BWBSa1/03 PINE - BLACK SPRUCE VEGETATION: Tree Layer: 65% cover Picea mariana Pi s contorta (black spruce) (lodgepole pine) Shrub Layer: 8% cover; poorly developed Picea mariana )- regeneration [Abies lasiocarpa (subalpine fir)] ) Ledum groenlandicum (Labrador tea) [Rosa acicularis (prickly rose)] Herb Layer: 15% cover; poorly to moderately well developed Cornus canadensis Vaccinium vitis-idaea (bunchberry) (lingonberry) Moss Layer: 75% cover; well developed Pleurozium schreberi Hylocomium splendens Ptilium crista-castrensis Peltigera aphthosa (red-stemmed feather moss) (step moss) (knight's plume) SOIL AND SITE: Slope Gradient (%): Parent Material: Soil Classification: Soil Texture: Soil Drainage: Rooting Depth (cm): Humus Form: Humus Thickness (cm): ph Humus: ph Mineral: 4 (0-12) morainal, glaciolacustrine, glaciofluvia1 Gleyed Luvisol, Eluviated Dystric Brunisol variable moderately well to imperfectly Hemimor 10 (5-13) 3.9 ( ) 5.7 ( )

15 BIOGEOCLIMATIC UNIT: BWBSa1 BWBSa1/04 PINE - CLUBMOSS ECOSYSTEM UNIT: BWBSa1/04; Pinus contorta - (Picea glauca) - (Picea mariana) - Ledum groenlandicum - Lycopodium annotinum - Hylocomium splendens - Pleurozium schreberi; BWBSa1/04: Pine - clubmoss association. ECOLOGICAL MOISTURE REGIME: ECOLOGICAL NUTRIENT REGIME: mesic - subhygric submesotrophic - mesotrophic IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES: Slope Position: crest to upper, level Slope Gradient (%): 3 (0-5) Soil Texture: fine to moderately fine Soil Drainage: imperfectly DISTRIBUTION: uncommon

16 BWBSa/04 PINE - CLUBMOSS VEGETATION: Tree Layer: 40% cover Pinus contorta Populus tremuloides Picea glauca [Betula neoalaskana (lodgepole pine) (trembling aspen) (white spruce)] (Alaska paper birch)] Shrub Layer: 50% cover; moderately Picea mariana Picea glauca Ledum groenlandicum Viburnum edule Rosa acicularis Populus tremuloides Salix bebbiana Salix scouleriana Shepherdia canadensis [Alms viridis ssp. fruiticosa to well developed (black spruce) (Labrador tea) (highbush-cranberry) (prickly rose) (trembling aspen) (Bebb's willow) (Scouler's willow) (soopolallie) (green alder)] - regeneration - good indicator Herb Layer: 60% cover Cornus canadensis Vaccinium vitis-idaea Epilobium angustifolium Lycopodium annotinum Elymus innovatus Linnaea borealis Lathyrus ochroleucus Orthilia secunda Maianthemum canadense Equisetum sylvaticum Viola renifolia Lycopodium complanatum Pyrola asarifolia Equisetum arvense Galium boreale Equisetum pratense [Geocaulon lividum [Petasites palmatus Moss Layer: 70% cover Hylocomium splendens Pleurozium schreberi Peltigera aphthosa [Ptilium crista-castrensis (bunchberry) (lingonberry) (fireweed) (stiff club-moss) )- good indicator (fuzzy-spiked wild rye) ) (twinflower) (creamy peavine) (one-sided wintergreen) (wild lily-of-the-valley) (wood horsetail) (kidney-leaved violet) (ground-cedar) (pink wintergreen) (common horsetail) (northern bedstraw) (meadow horsetail) (bastard toad-flax)] - low cover (palmate colt's-foot)] - high cover when present (step moss) (red-stemmed feather moss) (knight's plume)]

17 BWBSa/04 PINE - CLUBMOSS SOIL AND SITE: Slope Gradient (%): Parent Material: Soil Classification: Rooting Depth (cm): Humus Form: Humus Thickness (cm): ph Humus: ph Mineral: 3 (0-5) morainal, some eolian Gleyed Luvisol 30 Mor (7-18) 5.1 ( ) 4.6 ( )

18 BIOGEOCLIMATIC UNIT: BWBSa1 BWBSa1/05 SPRUCE - HORSETAIL ECOSYSTEM UNIT: BWBSa1/05; Picea glauca - Viburnum edule - Equisetum pratense - Mitella nuda - Hylocomium splendens; BWBSa1/05: BWBSa1/05: Spruce - horsetail association. ECOLOGICAL MOISTURE REGIME: mesic - subhygric ECOLOGICAL NUTRIENT REGIME: subeutrophic - eutrophic IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES: Slope Position: Slope Gradient (%): Soil Texture: Parent Material upper 1 (1-2), level medium (moderately fine to moderately coarse) fluvial terrace DISTRIBUTION: common along the major rivers

19 BWBSa1/05 SPRUCE - HORSETAIL VEGETATION: Tree Layer: 45% cover Picea glauca (white spruce) Betula papyrifera (paper birch) - usually in lower canopy Shrub Layer: 35% cover; moderately to well developed Picea glauca Alnus incana Rosa acicularis Viburnum edule Ribes oxyacanthoides Cornus sericea Ribes triste (mountain alder) (prickly rose) (highbush-cranberry) (northern smooth gooseberry) (red-osier dogwood) (red swamp currant) - regeneration Herb Layer: 70% cover Cornus canadensis Timm nuda Equisetum pratense Rubus pubescens Goodyera repens P'rola asarifolia Linnaea borealis Mertensia paniculata Equisetum scirpoides Viola Calgrostis canadensis 111 [Matteuccia struthiopteris [Circa latifolia (bunchberry) (common mitrewort) (meadow horsetail) (trailing raspberry) (dwarf rattlesnake orchid) (pink wintergreen) (twinf lower) (tall bluebell) (dwarf scouring-rush) (kidney-leaved violet) (sweet-scented bedstraw) (bluejoint) (enchanter's nightshade)] (ostrich fern)] (nodding wood-reed)] - usually high cover Moss Layer: 3-75% cover; poorly to well developed depending on time since last flooding. Hylocomium splendens Ptilium crista-castrensis Mnium spp. Pleurozium schreberi [Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus (step moss) (knight's plume) (leafy mosses) (red-stemmed feather moss)] (electrified cat's-tail moss)] - dominant

20 BWBSa1/05 SPRUCE - HORSETAIL SOIL AND SITE: Slope Gradient (%): 1 (1-2), level Parent Material: fluvial Soil Classification: Cumulic Regosol or Rego Gleysol Soil Drainage: imperfectly Rooting Depth (cm): 61 Humus Form: Moder Humus Thickness (cm): 0-30, depending on time since last flood ph Humus: 6.1 ( ) ph Mineral: 7.0 ( )

21 BWBSa1/05//M1 BALSAM POPLAR - HORSETAIL (seral association) BIOGEOCLIMATIC UNIT: BWBSa1 ECOSYSTEM UNIT: BWBSa1/05//M1; Populus balsamifera - Alnus incana - Cornus sericea - Pyrola asarifolia - Equisetum pratense; BWBSa1/05//M1: Balsam poplar - horsetail association. ECOLOGICAL MOISTURE REGIME: subhygric - hygric ECOLOGICAL NUTRIENT REGIME: eutrophic IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES: Slope Position: Slope Gradient (%): Soil Texture: middle terrace 0 (0-1), level medium to moderately coarse DISTRIBUTION: common along the major rivers

22 BWBSa1/05//M1 BALSAM POPLAR - HORSETAIL VEGETATION: Tree Layer: 75% cover Populus balsamifera (balsam poplar) Picea glauca (white spruce) Shrub Layer: 50% cover; moderately well developed Picea Cornus glauca sericea (red-osier dogwood) Viburnum edule (highbush-cranberry) Alnus incana (mountain alder) Rosa acicularis (prickly rose) Herb Layer: 10% cover; poorly developed Pyrola asarifolia Equisetum pratense Equisetum hyemalee Rubus pubescens Vicia americana [Equisetum arvense Moss Layer: usually absent SOIL AND SITE: Slope Gradient (%) Parent Material: Soil Classification: Soil Drainage: Rooting Depth (cm): Humus Form: Humus Thickness (cm): ph Humus: ph Mineral: (pink wintergreen) (meadow horsetail) (common scouring-rush) (trailing raspberry) (American vetch) (common horsetail)] - lower canopy - regeneration - dominant 0-1 fluvial Cumulic Regosol moderately well drained 60 Mor (slightly decomposed litter of leaves and horsetail) ( )

23 BWBSa1/06 BLACK SPRUCE - HORSETAIL BIOGEOCLIMATIC UNIT: BWBSa1 ECOSYSTEM UNIT: BWBSa1/06; Picea mariana - Equisetum sylvaticum - Pleurozium schreberi - Hylocomium splendens; BWBSa1/06: Black spruce - horsetail -association. ECOLOGICAL MOISTURE REGIME: ECOLOGICAL NUTRIENT REGIME: subhygric - hygric submesotrophic - mesotrophic IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES: Slope Position: lower Slope Gradient (%): 3 (0-12) Soil Texture: fine to moderately fine; fibric (organic soil) Soil Drainage: imperfectly to poorly DISTRIBUTION: common

24 BWBSa1/06 BLACK SPRUCE - HORSETAIL VEGETATION: Tree Layer: 50% cover Picea mariana (black spruce) - dominant [Larix laricina (tamarack)] Shrub Layer: 35% cover; poorly to moderately well developed Picea mariana etula neoalaskana Rosa acicularis Ledum groenlandicum (Alaska paper birch) (prickly rose) (Labrador tea) - regeneration Herb Layer: 40% cover; moderately well developed Equisetum sylvaticum Cornus canadensis Vaccinium vitis-idaea Rubus chamaemorus Orthilia secunda Petasites almatus Smilacina tri o ia Equisetum arvense Listera [Carex disperma (wood horsetail) (bunchberry) (lingonberry) (cloudberry) (one- sided wintergreen) (palmate colt's-foot) (three-leaved false Solomon's-seal) (common horsetail) (heart-leaved twayblade) (soft-leaved sedge)] Moss Layer: 90% cover; well developed Pleurozium schreberi Hylocomium splendens Ptilium crista-castrensis Sphagnum girgensohnii [Peltigera aphthosa] [Aulacomnium palustre] [Philonotis fontana] [Pohlia nutans] (red-stemmed feather moss) (step moss) (knight's plume) (common green sphagnum) (ribbed bog moss) )- low cover SOIL AND SITE: Slope Gradient (%): Parent Material: Soil Classification: Rooting Depth (cm): Humus Form: Humus Thickness (cm): ph Humus: ph Mineral: 3 (0-12) morainal, lacustrine, organic Gleyed Luvisol, Gleysol, Organic Mor (6-66) 4.6 ( ) 5.0 ( )

25 BIOGEOCLIMATIC UNIT: BWBSa1 BWBSa1/07 TAMARACK - HORSETAIL ECOSYSTEM UNIT: BWBSa1/07; Larix laricina - Picea mariana - Ledum groenlandicum - Equisetum arvense - Pleurozium schreberi - Ptilium crista-castrensis - Hylocomium splendens; BWBSa1/07: Tamarack - horsetail association. ECOLOGICAL MOISTURE REGIME: hygric ECOLOGICAL NUTRIENT REGIME: subeutrophic IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES: Slope Position: level Slope Gradient (%): 1 (0-3) Soil Texture: medium to coarse (mineral soil), mesic to humic (organic soil) DISTRIBUTION: common

26 BWBSa1/07 TAMARACK - HORSETAIL VEGETATION: Tree Layer: 65% cover Picea mariana (black spruce) Larix laricina (tamarack) Picea g auca (white spruce) Shrub Layer: 25% cover Picea mariana Salix bebbiana Alnus incana Ledum groenlandicum Viburnum edule Rosa acicularis fib s triste Ribes oxyacanthoides Herb Layer: 75% cover; well developed Equisetum arvense Cornus canadensis Mitella nuda Carex disperma Vaccinium vitis-idaea Smilacina trifolia Moneses uniflora Orthilia secunda Equisetum pratense Equisetum sylvaticum Linnaea borealis Rubus pubescens Mertensia paniculata Equisetum scirpoides Calamagrostis canadensis Aralia nudicaulis Petasites saggitatus Viola renifolia Rubus chamaemorus Epilobium angustifolium Pyrola chlorantha [Goodyera repens [Platanthera orbiculata Moss Layer: 80% cover Hylocomium splendens Ptilium crista-castrensis Pleurozium schreberi Aulacomnium palustre Peltigera aphthosa [(Dicranum acutifolium)] [(Sphagnum capillaceum) (Bebb's willow) (mountain alder) (Labrador tea) (highbush-cranberry) (prickly rose) (red swamp currant) (northern gooseberry) - regeneration (common horsetail) (bunchberry) (common mitrewort) (soft-leaved sedge) (lingonberry (three-leaved false Solomon's-seal) (single delight) (one-sided wintergreen) (meadow horsetail) (wood horsetail) (twinflower) (trailing raspberry) (tall bluebell) (dwarf scouring-rush) (bluejoint) (wild sarsaparilla) (arrow-leaved colt's-foot) (kidney-leaved violet) (cloudberry) (fireweed) (green wintergreen) (dwarf rattlesnake orchid)] )- low cover (round-leaved rein-orchid)] ) (step moss) (knight's plume) (red-stemmed feather moss) (ribbed bog moss) (common red sphagnum)]

27 BWBSa/07 TAMARACK - HORSETAIL SOIL AND SITE: Slope Gradient (%): Parent Material: Soil Classification: Soil Drainage: Rooting Depth: Humus Form: Humus Thickness (cm): ph Humus: ph Mineral: 1 (0-3) morainal, fluvial, organic Rego Humic Gleysol, Terric Humisol, Terric Mesisol very poor in humus only Mor 55 (38-85) 5.7 ( ) 6.2 ( ) COMMENTS: These sites are reasonably productive due to nutrient rich water rapidly flowing through these sites,

28 BIOGEOCLIMATIC UNIT: BWBSa1 BWBSa1/08 BLACK SPRUCE - SPHAGNUM ECOSYSTEM UNIT: BWBSa1/08; Picea mariana - Ledum groenlandicum - Vaccinium microcarpum - Rubus chamaemorus - Sphagnum fuscum; BWBSa1/08: Black spruce - sphagnum association. ECOLOGICAL MOISTURE REGIME: hygric ECOLOGICAL NUTRIENT REGIME: oligotrophic (- submesotrophic) IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES: Slope Position level Soil Texture: fibric Soil Drainage: very poor DISTRIBUTION: very common

29 Ledum BWBSa1/08 BLACK SPRUCE - SPHAGNUM VEGETATION: Tree Layer:.0-20% cover; poorly developed Picea mariana (black spruce) [Larix laricina (tamarack)] Shrub Layer: 65% cover; poorly to well developed Picea mariana Larix laricina groenlandicum (Labrador tea) Chamaedaphne calyculata (leatherleaf) Herb Layer: 25% cover Vaccinium vitis-idaea Rubus chamaemorus Vaccinium microcarpum Drosera rotundifolia Andromeda polifolia Moss Layer: 95% cover; well developed Sphagnum fuscum Cladina mitis Pleurozium schreberi Cladonia cornuta Dicranum undulatum Icmadophila ericetorum Cladina rangiferina Mylia anomala Peltigera canina Calypogeja sphagnicola Cephalozia connivens Cladonia gonecha Hylocomium splendens Aulacomnium palustre Cetraria nivalis Polytrichum strictum SOIL AND SITE: Slope Gradient (%): Parent Material: Soil Classification: Rooting Depth (cm): Humus Form: Humus Thickness (cm): ph Humus: ph Mineral: (lingonberry) (cloudberry) (dwarf bog cranberry) (round-leaved sundew) (bog rosemary) (common brown sphagnum) (red-stemmed feather moss) (reindeer lichen) (dog lichen) (step moss) 0 Organic Fibric Organic Cryosol, Fibrisol Histomor ( ) 6.6 ( ) - dominant - minor component

30 BIOGEOCLIMATIC UNIT: BWBSa1 BWBSa1/09 BLACK SPRUCE - WILLOW ECOSYSTEM UNIT: BWBSa1/09; Picea mariana - Salix novae-angliae - Ledum groenlandicum - Equisetum scirpoides -Aulacomnium palustre - Tomenthypnum nitens; BWBSa1/09: Black spruce - willow association. ECOLOGICAL MOISTURE REGIME: hygric ECOLOGICAL NUTRIENT REGIME: mesotrophic - subeutrophic IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES: Slope Position: level Slope Gradient (%): 0 Soil Texture: moderately fine to coarse (mineral soil), fibric to mesic (organic soil) DISTRIBUTION: uncommon

31 BWBSa1/09 BLACK SPRUCE - WILLOW VEGETATION: Tree Layer: very poorly developed [Picea mariana (black spruce)] - only occasionally present Shrub Layer: 75% cover; moderately well to well developed Picea mariana Ledum groenlandicum Salix novae-angliae Salix myrtillifolia Salix arbusculoides Herb Layer: 65% cover Vaccinium vitis-idaea Equisetum scirpoides Equisetum arvense Pedicularis labradorica Epilobium angustifolium Arctostaphylos rubra Rubus pubescens Mertensia paniculata Senecio lugens Cornus canadensis Vaccinium microcarpum Carex dioica Geocaulon Iividum Petasites palmatus Parnassia palustris [Achillea millefolium (Linnaea borealis [Smilacina trifolia Moss Layer: 90% cover Aulacomnium palustre Hylocomium splendens Tomenthypnum nitens Peltigera aphthosa Cladina mitis Cladonia racilis Cladina arbuscula Dicranum undulatum Pleurozium schreberi [Cladonia cornuta [Pohlia nutans Peltigera polydactyla] [Cephaloziella subdentata] [Cladina rangiferina (Labrador tea) (New England willow) (bilberry willow) (northern bush willow) - good indicator (lingonberry) (dwarf scouring rush) (common horsetail) (Labrador lousewort) (fireweed) (red bearberry) good indicator (trailing raspberry) (tall bluebell) (black-tipped groundsel) good indicator (bunchberry) (dwarf bog cranberry) (yellow bog sedge) (bastard toad-flax) (palmate colt's-foot) (northern grass-of -Parnassus) - good indicator (yarrow)] ) - low cover (twinflower)] ) (three-leaved false Solomon's -seal)] - low cover (ribbed bog moss) (step moss) (golden fuzzy fen moss) (red-stemmed feather moss) ) (reindeer lichen)] ) )- low cover ) )

32 BWBSa1/09 BLACK SPRUCE - WILLOW SOIL AND SITE: Slope Gradient (%): Parent Material: Soil Classification: Soil Drainage: Rooting Depth (cm): Humus Form: Humus Thickness (cm): ph Humus: ph Mineral: 0 fluvial, organic/fluvia1 Rego Gleysol, Organic Cryosol poor ( ) 6.8 ( )

33 BIOGEOCLIMATIC UNIT: BWBSa1 BWBSa1/10 TAMARACK - BUCKBEAN ECOSYSTEM UNIT: BWBSa1/10; Larix laricina - Betula glandulosa - Vaccinium oxycoccus - Menyanthes trifoliata - Sphagnum (capillaceum, recurvum); BWBSa1/10: Tamarack - buckbean association. ECOLOGICAL MOISTURE REGIME: hygric - (subhydric) ECOLOGICAL NUTRIENT REGIME: subeutrophic IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES: Slope Position: level Soil Texture: mesic Soil Drainage very poorly DISTRIBUTION: common

34 BWBSa1/10 TAMARACK - BUCKBEAN VEGETATION: Tree Layer: 25% cover; open canopy, poorly developed Larix laricina (tamarack) Shrub Layer: 85% cover; well developed Larix laricina Picea mariana Betula glandulosa Chamaedaphne calyculata Ledum groenlandicum Myrica gale (black spruce) (scrub birch) (leatherleaf) (Labrador tea) (sweet gale) - dominant - low cover Herb Layer: 70% cover Menyanthes trifoliata Vaccinium oxycoccus Pyrola asarifolia Carex paupercula Carex dioica Carex aquatilis Drosera rotundifolia Carex interior Smilacina trifolia Vaccinium vitis-idaea Utricularia intermedia Platanthera dilatata (buckbean) - dominant (bog cranberry) (pink wintergreen) (poor sedge) (yellow bog sedge) (water sedge) (round-leaved sundew) (inland sedge) (three-leaved false Solomon's-seal) (lingonberry) (flat-leaved bladderwort) - good indicator (white bog-orchid) Moss Layer: 90% cover Sphagnum capillaceum Aulacomnium palustre Calliergon stramineum Sphagnum recurvum Calliergon giganteum Paludella squarrosa Drepanocladus revolvens Bryum pseudotriquetrum Meesia triquetra Tomenthypnum nitens (common red sphagnum) (ribbed bog moss) (straw-colored fen moss) (large fen moss) (golden fuzzy fen moss) - low cover - good indicator )- good indicator

35 BWBSa1/10 TAMARACK - BUCKBEAN SOIL AND SITE: Slope Gradient (%): 0 Parent Material: organic Soil Classification: Typic Mésisol Soil Drainage: very poor Humus Form: Mor Humus Thickness (cm): 60+ ph Humus: 6.2 ( )