Canadian Boreal Open Jack Pine-Lichen Forest
These forests are characteristic of the sandy soils of northern Saskatchewan and northeastern Alberta. They have a simple structure and mostly composed of almost monospecfic stands of even-aged jack pine (Pinus banksiana). Their height is also very uniform. Other trees are limited to a few individuals of species such as Betula papyrifera and Picea mariana. A shrub layer is largely absent and, in fact, Ledum groenlandicum has been described as the only ‘true shrub’ of these forests with much of the sporadic shrub layer being composed of conifer seedlings. The ground layer, on the other hand, can be quite rich. Lichens are the main components but a variety of bryophytes, herbs and dwarf shrubs also occur. The typical lichens are Cladina mitis, C. rangiferina, C. stellaris, Cladonia coccifera, C. gracilis, C. uncialis, Cetraria ericetorum, C. nivalis and Stereocaulon paschale. Among the herbaceous species, pteridophytes are poorly represented - Lycopodium tristachyum and Selaginella dense being the main ones. Herbaceous flowering plants are much more diverse with species such as Anemone canadensis, Galium boreale, Hudsonia tomentosa, Maianthemum canadensis, Oryzopsis pungens, Pyrola secunda, Saxifraga bronchialis and Solidago gigantea. The dwarf shrubs mainly comprise the ericaceous species Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Vaccinium myrtilloides and V. vitis-idaea, but V. myrtilloides is the most constant species.
Canadian Boreal Spruce Forest
Forest dominated by spruce is one of the most extensive forest formations in Canada but mostly confined to moist, continental areas. These forests are mainly characterized by Picea glauca (white spruce), Picea mariana (black spruce), Abies balsamea (balsam fir) with some Betula papyrifera (white birch), Pinus banksiana (jack pine) and species of Populus, but there are many variation of species composition depending on humidity and precipitation.
Canadian Boreal Jack Pine Forest
Pine forest largely dominated by Pinus banksiana (jack pine) also covers vast areas of Canada.
Canadian Boreal White Pine Forest.
Forests dominated by Picea strobus (white pine) together with Pinus resinosa (red pine), Abies balsamea (balsam fir) and Betula papyrifera (white birch) originally extended in a belt from Lake Superior to the St Lawrence River. In the old-growth white pine forest south of Greenwood Lake the under storey shrub layer is largely composed of Acer rubrum (red maple) while less common shrubs include Corylus cornuta and Lonicera canadensis. The most frequent herbaceous species are Clintonia borealis, Maiaenthemum canadensis and Trientalis borealis. Among lower plants, the lycopod Lycopodium annotinum is the most abundant species. Ferns include Osmunda claytoniana and Thelypteris phegopteris. Less common herbaceous species include Cypripedium acaule, Pyrola secunda and Viola selkirki.
Canadian Athabasca Sand Dunes
In northwestern Saskatchewan and adjacent parts of Alberta there is an active dune system known as Athabasca Dunes with species derived from Arctic, Boreal and Great Plains elements. A number of these are endemic and yet this part of Canada is not noted for endemism. This small pocket of endemics in a region otherwise devoid of them is of considerable evolutionary interest. Endemism in the Lake Michigan and Kobuk River dunes is far less pronounced. At the latter there is just one endemic species, Oxytropis kobukensis (Fabaceae) and an ecotype of Astragalus alpinus, while at Lake Michigan dunes the only endemic is Salix syrticola (Salicaceae). In the areas of active sand at Athabasca there is a sparse distribution of sand trapping species forming hillocks and cushions. These are mainly grasses such as Bromus pumpellianus, Calamagrostis stricta, Elymus mollis, Festuca rubra subsp. richardsonii and the endemic Deschampsia mackenzieana (Poaceae). Scattered among the grass, other species such as Artemisia borealis, Stellaria longipes and the endemic Achillea lanulosa susp. megacephala (Asteraceae), Stellaria arenicola (Caryophyllaceae) and Tanecetum huronense var. floccosum (Asteraceae) may be present. The vegetation of rolling dunes also include the above mentioned species together with the endemic willow shrubs Salix brachycarpa var. psammophila, S. silicicola, and S. turnorii (Salicaceae). The latter, with its requirement for permanent ground water, is also an important feature of Athabasca’s dune slacks where seasonal flooding occurs and the water table is generally close to the surface. Here graminoids such as Juncus arcticus and the endemic Deschampsia mackenzieana (Poaceae) are also important. Other species include Carex abdita, Juncus alpinus and the endemic Stellaria arenicola (Caryophyllaceae). In wet depressions, mosses may also be present together with the rare endemic Silene acaulis f. athabascensis (Caryophyllaceae). On areas of stabilized sand, trees such as Larix laricina, Picea mariana and Pinus banksiana (jack pine) can become established, but the most common forest type in the area is open jack pine - lichen forests. In places the ground layer of these can be almost exclusively dominated by fruticose lichens such as Cladina arbuscula, C. mitis, C. rangiferina, C. stellaris, Cladonia amaurocraea and C. gracilis and jack pine may be the only vascular plant. But in general other species are present such as xerophytic mosses, various herbs and trailing shrubs. In fact, the initial appearance of meagerness is deceptive and overall many vascular plants can be found. Amongst these are Apocynum androsaemifolia, Aralia nudicaulis, Comandra umbellata, Dicanthelium acuminatum, Geocaulon lividum, Hudsonia tomentosa, Ledum groenlandicum, Oryzopsis pungens and the endemic Lechea intermedia var. depauperata (Cistaceae) to name but a few.
Further information required.
References
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