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ECOLOGICAL SITES FOR THE NORTHERN MIXEDWOOD SUBREGION

First approximation

This publication is the first approximation of the plant communities of the Northern Mixedwood Natural Subregion.

2017

Prepared by:

Amanda JoAnn Miller

Michael G. Willoughby,

Dave J. Downing

and

Margaret Meijer

Environment and Parks Land Policy Branch Policy and Planning

Edmonton

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ISBN No.: 978-1-4601-3359-0 (Printed Edition)

ISBN No.: 978-1-4601-3360-6 (PDF)

For more information regarding this guide contact:

Amanda J. Miller Range Management Alberta Environment and Parks 4th Flr. Great West Life Building Edmonton, Alta. T5K 2M4 email: amanda.j.miller@gov.ab.ca Michael G. Willoughby Range Management Alberta Environment and Parks 4th Flr. Great West Life Building Edmonton, Alta. T5K 2M4 email: mike.willoughby@gov.ab.ca

This publication is the property of the Government of Alberta and is available under the Alberta Open Government Licence (http://open.alberta.ca/licence) and the publication is available online at: http://open.alberta.ca/publications/9781460133606 © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Alberta, as represented by the Minister of Environment and Parks, 2017

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Table of Contents

ECOLOGICAL SITES FOR THE NORTHERN MIXEDWOOD SUBREGION ...................................................................................................................... i Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... iii Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... vi Introduction and Background ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Physiography, Climate and Soils .................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Approach and Methods of Classification ........................................................................................................................................................................ 3 Correlation of Soils and Ecological Sites ........................................................................................................................................................................ 6 Guidelines for Determining Ecological Sites ................................................................................................................................................................... 7 How to use the Guide..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Results ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 General Ecological Descriptions................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Plant Community Keys ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 15 Plant Community Tables .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 17 NM Northern Mixedwood (n=107) .......................................................................................................................................................................... 19

a bearberry/lichen (subxeric/poor) (n=2) ............................................................................................................................................................. 20 a1 bearberry Pj (n=2) ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 21

NME1 Pj/Bearberry/Lichen (n=2) ................................................................................................................................................................. 22 b blueberry (submesic/medium) (n=8)................................................................................................................................................................. 23

b1 grassland (n=1) .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 24 NMA1 Wheatgrass-needlegrass-junegrass (n=1) ......................................................................................................................................... 25

b2 blueberry Pj-Aw (n=7) ................................................................................................................................................................................. 26 NMC1 Aw/bog cranberry-bearberry (n=2) .................................................................................................................................................... 27 NMD1 Aw-Pj/bearberry-bog cranberry (n=1) ................................................................................................................................................ 28 NME2 Pj(Pl)buffaloberry/bearberry (n=4) ..................................................................................................................................................... 29

b3 shrubland (n=0) .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 30 b4 tame/disturbed (n=0) .................................................................................................................................................................................. 31

c labrador tea - mesic (mesic/poor) (n=7) ........................................................................................................................................................... 32 c1 labrador tea Pj-Sb (n=5) ............................................................................................................................................................................. 33

NME3 Pj/bog cranberry/moss (n=4) ............................................................................................................................................................. 34 NME4 Pj-Sb/moss (n=1) .............................................................................................................................................................................. 35

c2 labrador tea Sb-Aw (n=2) ........................................................................................................................................................................... 36 NMD2 Sb-Aw/prickly rose/moss (n=2) ......................................................................................................................................................... 37

d low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry (mesic/medium) (n=47).................................................................................................................................. 38 d1 buffaloberry Aw(Bw) (n=13) ........................................................................................................................................................................ 39

NMC2 Aw/buffaloberry/hairy wildrye (n=12) ................................................................................................................................................. 40 NMC4 Bw/prickly rose (n=1) ........................................................................................................................................................................ 41

d2 buffaloberry Aw-Sw-Pl (n=21) ..................................................................................................................................................................... 42 NMD3 Aw-Px/buffaloberry/bog cranberry (n=1)............................................................................................................................................ 43 NMD4 Aw-Sw/buffaloberry/moss (n=6) ........................................................................................................................................................ 44 NMD5 Aw-Sw/prickly rose (n=5) .................................................................................................................................................................. 45 NMD6 Aw-Sw/moss (n=9)............................................................................................................................................................................ 46

d3 low-bush cranberry Sw (n=13) .................................................................................................................................................................... 47 NME5 Sw/prickly rose/moss (n=13) ............................................................................................................................................................. 48

d4 tame/disturbed (n=0) .................................................................................................................................................................................. 49 e saline lowland (subhygric/saline) (n=2) ............................................................................................................................................................ 50

e1 samphire/saltgrass (n=2) ............................................................................................................................................................................ 51 NMA2 Nuttall's salt-meadow grass-foxtail barley (n=1) ................................................................................................................................ 52 NMA3 Samphire-sea blite (n=1) ................................................................................................................................................................... 53

f labrador tea - subhygric (subhygric/poor) (n=8)................................................................................................................................................. 54

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f1 labrador tea Sb (n=8) .................................................................................................................................................................................. 55 NME10 Sb-Lt/bog birch/moss (n=1) ............................................................................................................................................................. 56 NME6 Sb/labrador tea/moss (n=7) ............................................................................................................................................................... 57

g horsetail (hygric/rich) (n=5) .............................................................................................................................................................................. 58 g1 horsetail Aw-Pb (n=2) ................................................................................................................................................................................. 59

NMC5 Pb/river alder/horsetail (n=2) ............................................................................................................................................................. 60 g2 horsetail Aw-Sw (n=1) ................................................................................................................................................................................ 61

NMD7 Aw-Sw(Sb)/buffaloberry/horsetail (n=1) ............................................................................................................................................ 62 g3 horsetail Sw (n=0) ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 63 g4 horsetail willow (n=2) .................................................................................................................................................................................. 64

NMB1 Willow/horsetail (Aw) (n=1) ............................................................................................................................................................... 65 NMB2 Willow-river alder/horsetail (n=1) ....................................................................................................................................................... 66

g5 tame/disturbed (n=0) .................................................................................................................................................................................. 67 h bog (subhydric/poor) (n=19) ............................................................................................................................................................................. 68

h1 treed bog (n=18)......................................................................................................................................................................................... 69 NME8 Sb/Labrador tea/peat moss (n=18) .................................................................................................................................................... 70

h2 shrubby bog (n=1) ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 71 NMB3 Bog rosemary/peat moss (n=1) ......................................................................................................................................................... 72

h3 graminoid bog (n=0) ................................................................................................................................................................................... 73 i poor fen (subhydric/medium) (n=2) ................................................................................................................................................................... 74

i1 treed poor fen (n=1) ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 75 NME9 Sb/bog birch/moss (n=1) ................................................................................................................................................................... 76

i2 shrubby poor fen (n=1) ................................................................................................................................................................................ 77 NMB4 Dwarf birch-willow/moss (n=1) .......................................................................................................................................................... 78

i3 graminoid poor fen (n=0) ............................................................................................................................................................................. 79 j rich fen (subhydric/rich) (n=6) ........................................................................................................................................................................... 80

j1 treed rich fen (n=0) ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 81 j2 shrubby rich fen (n=2).................................................................................................................................................................................. 82

NMB5 Willow/marsh reedgrass (bluejoint) (n=1) .......................................................................................................................................... 83 NMB6 Willow/sedge (n=1) ........................................................................................................................................................................... 84

j3 graminoid rich fen (n=4) ............................................................................................................................................................................... 85 NMA4 Marsh reedgrass (bluejoint) (n=2) ..................................................................................................................................................... 86 NMA5 Sedge meadow (n=2) ........................................................................................................................................................................ 87

k marsh (hydric) (n=1)......................................................................................................................................................................................... 88 k1 marsh (n=1) ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 89

NMA6 Cattail (n=1) ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 90 Literature Cited ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 91

List of Figures

Figure 1. Edatope and Ecological Sites for the Northern Mixedwood subregion. .............................................................................................................. 14

List of Tables

Table 1. Northern Mixedwood Communities .................................................................................................................................................................... 17

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Executive Summary The Northern Mixedwood Natural Subregion is the northern most subregion of the Boreal Natural Region, occupying an uneven ribbon adjacent to the Alberta-Northwest Territories border. It encompasses 8% of the Boreal Forest Natural Region (29,513km2), with an average elevation of 350m. It is dominated by low-elevation black spruce bogs and fens, frozen Organic soils, with permafrost occurring over significant areas. It is characterized by short, warm and dry summers, with long very cold winters (Natural Subregions Committee 2006). Black spruce is common both on uplands and in wetlands, deciduous and mixedwood stands are uncommon, restricted to river terraces, valleys and well drained upland areas. Salt flats south of Fort Smith are also considered another distinctive feature of the hydrology of this area (Integrated Resource Survey Wood Buffalo 1979). It is hoped this classification system can be used by field staff to assess the ecology of the sites and develop management prescriptions on lands within this region. This guide represents the analysis of 107 grass, shrubland, conifer and deciduous plots described in the Northern Mixedwood Natural Subregion. The 107 plots represent 32 community types. These types are split into: A. Native grasslands (6 types) B. Native shrublands (6 types) C. Deciduous (4 types) D. Mixedwood (7 types) E. Conifer (9 types) The dominant plant species, canopy cover, soil group and subgroup, and environmental conditions are outlined for each type.

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Acknowledgements Landscape classification is the process of breaking the landscape into definable and manageable pieces through a hierarchical classification. In the early 1990’s the forested landscape of Alberta was classified using a well organized hierarchical system (Archibald/ Beckingham / Klappstein). Unfortunately this left about 50% of the remaining natural landscapes of the province unclassified. Starting in the late 1990’s rangelands undertook efforts to classify the rangelands of Alberta. A need for consistency across the province was recognized. Therefore a hierarchical classification that built on the forested classification was used for all forest dominated subregions in the province. These classifications involve taking large amounts of vegetation, soils and landscape inventory data taken from the ECOSYS database and compiling the data into succinct descriptive summaries for each ecological site, ecological site phase and plant community within a subregion. The creation of this report would not be possible without data collected in other projects. We would like to acknowledge Parks Canada for allowing us to use data from the Wood Buffalo National Park (Integrated Resource Survey of Wood Buffalo National Park 1979). The vegetation data from this study was included in this guide. In 2010 funding was provided by Policy and Planning Division, Alberta Environment and Parks in order to produce hard copy pdf documents from the ECOSYS website.

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Introduction and Background The province of Alberta is covered by a broad spectrum of vegetation regions from prairie in the South, to alpine vegetation in the mountains and dense forests in the Central and Northern parts of the province. These broad vegetation regions have been classified into 6 natural regions and 21 subregions (Natural Regions and Subregions of Alberta 2006). Each of the regions consists of groups of plant communities which are influenced by environmental conditions and human impacts. Intensive management of these regions requires the ability to recognize the vegetative communities that have similar productivities and respond to disturbance in the same way. These vegetative communities are highly regarded by most resource managers for their ability to provide a wide variety of benefits. They are a classic example of multiple use land, providing summer range for livestock, prime habitat for many species of wildlife, productive watersheds and recreational areas. The purpose of this guide was to develop a framework that would easily group the ecological sites and vegetative community types in the Northern Mixedwood Natural Subregion of the province. Ecological site classification helps to organize our current understanding about ecosystem function. This organization is achieved by grouping research plots into similar and functional units that respond to disturbance in a similar and predictable manner. The ecological site classification system outlined in this document organizes ecological information into a format that facilitates understanding and provides a structure for ecologically based management. The system has been developed primarily as a field tool to complement the user's knowledge about ecological site classification, soil description, and plant identification. The objectives of the ecological site classification are: 1. to facilitate the application of ecological information to decisions on a wide variety of activities within the realm of land resource management 2. to facilitate the collection and organization of information to expedite the development of resource management applications and decision support systems 3. to promote communication among resource managers and between managers and the public 4. to provide a common basis for integrated planning, and 5. to reduce resource management costs by integrating ecological information into the decision-making process. This guide builds on the work outlined in the Field guide to Ecosites of Northern Alberta (Beckingham and Archibald 1996) for the Boreal Mixedwood ecological area. The original guide included the Central and Dry Mixedwood, Wetland Mixedwood and Peace River Lowlands into the Boreal Mixedwood area. In 2006 (Natural Regions and Subregions of Alberta 2006) redefined the Wetland Mixedwood subregion into the Northern and Central Mixedwood subregions. This guide outlines the analysis of 107 plots described in the Northern Mixedwood subregion.

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Physiography, Climate and Soils Please note this summary of Natural Subregion characteristics is extracted directly from the Natural Subregions guide (Natural Regions Committee 2006) and is presented here for the reader's convenience. The Northern Mixedwood Natural Subregion occurs in the far north, occupying the lowlands adjacent to the Alberta–Northwest Territories border and a smaller, higher elevation area in the northwestern Cameron Hills. Its main border is with the Central Mixedwood Natural Subregion, but it also borders the Kazan Upland Natural Subregion to the east and the Lower Boreal Highland Natural Subregion to the west around the northern base of the Caribou Mountains. Elevations range from 150 m along the Hay River in the northwest to 650 m in the Cameron Hills. Gently undulating plains are the dominant topographic feature (Natural Subregions Committee 2006). There are a few hummocky sandy inclusions and areas of karst topography in the eastern portion. Disappearing streams and sinks are found in this landscape (Integrated Resource Survey Wood Buffalo 1979). Organic deposits cover extensive areas in the western and central plains, with fine textured glaciolacustrine materials at lower elevations and till deposits in the Cameron Hills portion. Fine textured glaciolacustrine and sandy eolian materials are common in the eastern third where organic deposits are less extensive. The Northern Mixedwood Natural Subregion is characterized by short, warm, and on average dry summers and long, very cold winters. It is much drier than its neighbors, receiving only about 80 percent of the mean annual precipitation that falls on the Central Mixedwood and Lower Boreal Highlands Natural Subregions (Natural Regions Committee 2006). Moisture deficits may be significant in summer, especially on south-facing sites with coarse textured soils. The Northern Mixedwood Natural Subregion has the coldest winters of any boreal Natural Subregion. Even the higher elevation Boreal Subarctic Natural Subregion has slightly warmer average minimum temperatures, possibly because the coldest air associated with continental arctic and continental polar outbreaks tends to pool at lower elevations. On upland areas, white and black spruce stands are typical, with mixedwood aspen–white spruce–black spruce stands on better drained soils along rivers and on local well-drained elevated areas. Much of the Natural Subregion is wetland, and is vegetated by open, stunted black spruce stands, often with permanently frozen Organic soils. The conventional reference site concept of deep, medium textured, well drained soils and their associated vegetation does not adequately fit most of the Northern Mixedwood Natural Subregion, where typical sites are wet and poorly drained, and soils are often permanently frozen. Fine textured mineral deposits cover about 30 percent of the area and are a complex of weakly developed Orthic and Gleyed Gray Luvisols (20%) and Gleyed Eutric Brunisols (10%). Sandy deposits, primarily in the eastern third, are a mix of Eluviated Dystric and Eutric Brunisols. Organic Cryosols and Mesisols are associated with bogs over about 30 percent of the total land area, and Typic, Terric and Fibric Mesisols are associated with fens over about 20 percent of the area. Orthic and Peaty Gleysols have developed on wet mineral soils on the remaining 10 percent of the area. Saline flats with a unique assemblage of vegetation and soils are locally extensive landscape type occurring mostly in Wood Buffalo National Park. They have soils that were described as Solonetzic Humic Gleysols with calcium and magnesium salts seeping from the Cretaceous marine shales (Integrated Resource Survey Wood Buffalo National Park 1979).

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Approach and Methods of Classification Approach: Ecological classification hierarchy and terminology The system of classification in this guide was initially based on the community type approach of Mueggler (1988). Mueggler's system was chosen over the habitat type approach (Daubenmire 1952) or ecosystem association approach (Corns and Annas 1986) because it could classify plant communities irregardless of their successional status. However, as the philosophy of proper functioning condition of a site evolved, it became apparent (through data analysis) that there was a need to also organize the various plant communities based on their response to disturbance (i.e. disturbance vs. natural succession) within an area under similar environmental influences. It was determined that the ecosystem classification system developed by Corns and Annas (1986) and Beckingham et al. (1996) could accommodate this additional requirement. Thus, this classification system is a combination of Mueggler (1988) and Beckingham et al. (1996). Consequently, this guide adopts a similar ecological unit classification hierarchy (ecodistrict, ecosection, ecological site, ecological site phase, plant community). The ecological classification system is nested within Alberta's geographically based natural region and subregion classification system (Natural Regions Committee 2006). Ecodistrict

The ecodistrict level is a unique pattern of slope, landform, soils and vegetation. Mapping of this unit is usually done at a scale of 1:1,000,000 to 1: 250,000 within the whole province (Strong and Anderson 1980). This level of the classification hierarchy is spatially defined and may or may not be unique to a subregion. Ecosection The natural subregion used by the Alberta Government is equivalent to the ecoregion defined by the Canada Committee on Ecological Land Classification (CCELC) as part of a multi-level national mapping system for Canada and that was used for integrated resource planning in Alberta (Marshall et al. 1996). Similarly, the ecodistrict as presently used and its associated scale of mapping is equivalent to the ecodistrict defined by the CCELC. However, the ecosection has a somewhat different meaning in the current context than it did in the national system or than it did when it was applied to integrated planning maps in Alberta in the 1980's and 1990's. For those mapping projects, the ecosection was a subdivision of the ecodistrict and was mapped at 1:20 000 to 1:50 000 as a more specific delineation of recurring landform and vegetation patterns, usually with reference to major community type groups or soil subgroups. In the current scheme, the ecosection is a term used to define one ecodistrict or an aggregation of ecodistricts that represent one or more climatic variants within a natural subregion; therefore, its mapping scale is flexible. This level of the classification system is not spatially defined. The ecosection is a unique pattern of slope, landform, soils and vegetation and may also represent a slight change in the climate of a subregion. Mapping of this unit is usually done at a scale of 1:1,000,000 to 1:100,000 and can be a grouping of ecodistricts or at smaller scales outliers in a subregion. For example the Lower Boreal Highlands subregion is split into the foothills and boreal ecosections which are influenced by their proximity and location within the Boreal and Foothills Natural Regions. Spatially these two ecosections are split by grouping ecodistricts. In contrast an example of a smaller scale ecosection (1:100,000) is the Cypress Hills outlier of the Montane subregion. Subregion ecosections have a characteristic sequence of ecological sites according to soil moisture regime (SMR) and, to a lesser degree, soil nutrient regime (SNR). Currently there is no ecosection described for this subregion.

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Ecological Site Ecological sites are ecological units that develop under similar environmental influences (climate, moisture, nutrient regime). They are groups of one or more ecological site phases that occur within the same portion of the edatope (moisture/nutrient grid). Each ecological site is designated with a small letter. These letters range from "a" the driest ecological site and the last letter being the wettest. Each ecological site has been given a name that conveys some information about the ecology of the unit. Ecological sites are typically named after plant species that are common or typical of the site (eg. e low-bush cranberry). The plant that the ecological site is named after, however, may not be present in every plot or stand belonging to the site. Ecological site in this classification system, is a functional unit defined by moisture and nutrients. It is based on the combined interaction of biophysical factors which together dictate the availability of moisture and nutrients for plant growth. Thus, different ecological sites vary in their moisture and nutrient regime and have similar characteristic plants and soils. Ecological site phase An ecological site phase is a subdivision of the ecological site based on the dominant species in the canopy. On lowland, meadow or grassland sites where tree canopy is not present the tallest structural vegetation layer with greater than 5% cover determines the ecological site phase. Generally, ecological site phases are mappable units and spatial ecological site phase land cover datasets have been developed from AVI (Alberta Vegetation Inventory) (Derived Ecosite Phase (DEP)) and PLVI (Primary Land Vegetation Inventory). Ecological site phases are identified by the ecological site letter "a" along with a number "a1" representing the phase within the ecological site. Ecological site phases have a distinct range in canopy composition, lower strata plant species and pedogenic processes. The ecological site phase has a strong ecological basis and correlates well with forest cover on forest inventory maps. Plant community type Ecological site phases may be subdivided into plant community types, which are the lowest taxonomic unit in the classification system. While plant community types of the same ecological site phase share vegetational similarities they differ in their understory species composition and abundance. Generally the plant community types are named by combining the name of the dominant plant species in each structural layer (eg. White spruce/Horsetail/Moss) Methods: Plant community classification Data used to create this guide were collected from field plots within the Kazan Upland subregion. Seventy three plots were used to create the classification for this subregion. Field inventory for these plots generally followed the Ecological Land Survey Site Description Manual (2003) and uses various site, vegetation and soils forms. Plot data was analyzed using the multivariate analysis techniques of classification and ordination. Classification is the assignment of plots to classes or groups based on the similarity of species within each plot. A polythetic agglomerative approach was used to group the samples. This technique assigns each plot to a cluster which has a single measure. It then agglomerates these clusters into a hierarchy of larger and larger clusters until finally a single cluster contains all the plots (Gauch 1982). The cluster analysis was performed in SAS with Euclidean distance used as the Cluster Distance Measure and Ward's method was used in the Group Linkage Method. The groupings generated in cluster analysis were overlain on the site ordination to determine final groupings. Ordination was used to find relationships among species, communities and environmental variables. Ordination reduces the dimensionality of the data to 1-3 most important axes to which environmental gradients can be assigned. The ordination technique used in the analysis of the data was DECORANA (Detrended Correspondence Analysis). Once final groupings were determined on the ordination specific environmental variables can be assigned to the variation outlined on the ordination axes.

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Plant community summaries were generated by averaging plant species composition, range in composition, and percent constancy of occurrence, among vegetation inventory plots which were part of a community type. Environmental data was sorted into the same plant community groupings to create the plant community descriptions outlined in this guide. The number of sample plots on which the description was based is also provided (e.g. n=16). Ecological Health and Ecological Status Score Ecological health is determined by comparing the functioning of ecological processes on an area (e.g. plant community polygon) of to a standard (i.e. Reference Plant Community) described within an ecological site description. An ecological site is defined by the Task Group on Unity and Concepts (1995) as, “a distinctive kind of land with specific physical characteristics that differs from other kinds of land in its in its ability to produce a distinctive kind and amount of vegetation”. This guide can be used to determine the appropriate reference plant community, within an ecological site, for a health assessment. We use health terminology (healthy, healthy with problems, or unhealthy), to rank the ability of the land to perform certain ecological functions. These functions include: net primary production, maintenance of soil/site stability, capture and beneficial release of water, nutrient and energy cycling and plant species functional diversity. For a detailed description on how to assess health for various plant communities please refer to “Rangeland Health Assessment for Grassland, Forest and Tame Pasture” (Adams et al. 2009). An ecological status score (i.e. the integrity of the plant community composition compared to the reference plant community) has been added to each community type description. These values are based on what is currently known about how a reference plant community (RPC) responds to various kinds and levels of disturbance or successional processes. The values indicate how a particular plant community fits in the state and transition model relative to the RPC. If an experienced observer wishes to estimate the health of a plant community without completing a health form, (e.g. a small riparian area), these values can be used as a guide. Occasionally there are 2 options provided for the ecological status score. This was done for two reasons: 1) to express the range of divergence from the RPC possible for a particular plant community; or 2) to allow for different health forms to be used in communities with variable shrub or tree cover (e.g. on sites with high woody cover and/or an obvious LFH layer use the forest rangeland health form and the corresponding ecological status score; on sites dominated by herbaceous cover and/or an obvious herbaceous litter layer use the native grassland form). Late seral plant communities tend to be superior in the efficient capture of solar energy, in cycling of organic matter and nutrients, in retaining moisture, in supporting wildlife habitat values and in providing the highest potential productivity for the site (Adams et al. 2009). In contrast, early seral disturbed stages ability to produce a distinctive kind and amount of vegetation”represent plant communities with diminished ecological processes, which are less stable and more vulnerable to erosion and invasion by weeds and non-native species. In most cases these late seral plant communities are used as the RPC, but sometimes management goals influence the choice of RPC (e.g. a cut block to be maintained as untimbered rangeland).

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Correlation of Soils and Ecological Sites Please note this summary of Natural Subregion characteristics is extracted directly from the Natural Subregions guide (Natural Regions Committee 2006) and is presented here for the reader's convenience. Characteristic sites in the Northern Mixedwood Natural Subregion are vegetated by closed and open growth black spruce with some tamarack on extensive areas of poorly drained organic and mineral soils. Over the western two thirds of the area, aspen and black and white spruce forests often occur as islands on elevated areas and in linear forests that parallel stream channels. In the eastern portion, jack pine stands are common. Black spruce is a persistent seral species on upland sites, and are an edaphic climax on poorly drained organic and mineral soils. Jack pine stands with lichen and bearberry understories are associated with very dry, coarse textured glaciofluvial or eolian deposits. On coarse textured deposits with increased water supply, jack pine, aspen and white spruce occur in pure or mixed stands. Understories include bearberry, buffaloberry, bog-cranberry, common blueberry, prickly rose, wild lily-of-the-valley and hairy wild rye. Nutrient-poor sites are dominated by jack pine and black spruce overstories, with understories of common Labrador tea, bog cranberry and feathermosses. Soils are typically Brunisols or weakly developed Gray Luvisols. These stand types occur most commonly in the eastern third of the Natural Subregion where there are eolian deposits. Aspen stands and mixed stands of aspen, white and black spruce with understories of low bush cranberry, bog cranberry, rose, buffaloberry, hairy wild rye, bunchberry, and dewberry occur on sites that are moderately moist and well drained. Aspen stands and mixed stands of aspen, white and black spruce with understories of low bush cranberry, rose, buffaloberry, hairy wild rye, bunchberry and dewberry occur on sites that are moderately moist and well drained. These sites are usually associated with slight elevations or river terraces and valley walls and are considered reference sites for this Natural Subregion because they have medium moisture and nutrient regimes. Typical soils are fine textured Gray Luvisols, Brunisols and gleyed subgroups. White spruce and black spruce occur as pure and mixed forests with carpets of feathermoss. These develop on upland sites if stand-replacing fires do not occur for a sufficiently long period (Natural Regions Committee 2006). Balsam poplar, aspen, white and black spruce occur as pure or mixed stands with understories of buffaloberry, willow, prickly rose, and a diverse array of herbaceous species in deciduous and mixedwood stands or a carpet of feathermosses and horsetails in coniferous stands. These stands are typically restricted to fluvial terraces. Soil textures are variable, and soils are Luvisols, Regosols or Gleysols. Characteristic and widespread sites in the Northern Mixedwood Natural Subregion are species-poor black spruce fens and bogs with common and northern Labrador tea, peat mosses, feathermosses and lichens. Willow–dwarf birch shrublands with sedges and marsh reedgrass, and treed, often patterned fens with tamarack, golden moss, and forbs and sedges associated with richer nutrient regimes. Organic soils are dominant, and permafrost is common under bogs. Species with a subarctic distribution such as northern Labrador tea become more common near the Alberta–Northwest Territories border, and species diversity tends to decline.

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Guidelines for Determining Ecological Sites Alberta currently uses two ecological classification methods to determine ecological sites. In the agricultural settlement area of the Province, resource managers can determine site soil conditions using AGRASID (Agricultural Region of Alberta Soil Inventory Database). In the Rocky Mountain, Foothills and Boreal Natural Regions, the Ecological Landscape Classification approach incorporates both vegetation and site conditions (climate, soils and geology) into a hierarchical ecological unit classification (e.g. subregion, ecodistrict, ecosection, ecological site, ecological site phase, plant community) (Strong and Thompson 1995). Ecological sites are areas of similar climate, moisture and nutrient regimes. The combination of moisture and nutrient regimes can be represented on a two-dimensional grid called the edatope grid. The edatope grid is a two-dimensional table with soil moisture regime increasing from bottom to top along the vertical axis and soil nutrient regime increasing from left to right on the horizontal axis. Soil moisture regime (SMR) is defined as the average amount of soil water available annually for evapotranspiration by vascular plants (Meidinger and Pojar 1991). The SMR uses nine classes to define the available soil moisture, which range from the driest (very xeric) to the wettest (hydric). Soil nutrient regime (SNR) is defined as the amount of essential soil nutrients that are available to vascular plants over a period of several years (Meidinger and Pojar 1991). SNR is broken down into five classes that range from A (very poor) to E (very rich). Generally ecological sites are named from low moisture/low nutrient to high moisture/high nutrient. Ecological sites within a Natural subregion are defined unique combinations of soil moisture and nutrients. These conditions, in addition to climate, terrain, and elevations create conditions favourable to specific suite of plants referred to as Indicator species. For example a site with a subxeric moisture regime and poor nutrient regime site is characterized by the "a" [bearberry (subxeric/poor)] ecological site. A resource manager can review the indicator plant species of the ecological site, plant community types, soils and site conditions to see if the plant community in question fits the general descriptions. The following steps provide a framework for determining ecological sites. Step 1 Review background information and pre-stratify the area to be classified Review information about the area of interest to learn what you can about the landscape and ecology. Consult the natural subregions and Derived Ecosite Phase (DEP) or Primary Land Vegetation Inventory (PLVI) maps to ensure you are using the correct subregion guide. DEP and PLVI classification will also give you the common ecological site phase for a particular forest polygon. Step 2 Carry out a quick reconnaissance of the site to be classified Take note of the variability and relationship between topography and position on the landscape and the general plant species distribution including trees and understory. Check the DEP and PLVI ecological site phase maps. Step 3 Choose a location that appears to be representative of the area to be classified Locate an area for your assessment that appears to be representative of the site to be classified, and is homogeneous in slope, plant cover, and overstory canopy conditions as possible. Avoid locating the sample in areas that have received significant natural or artificial disturbance. Also avoid ecotone areas or relatively small areas that are transitional between homogenous ecological units such as slope breaks. Step 4 Determine the plant species composition and abundance Determine the plant species composition and abundance within a 10x10 m plot. Also record any species that appear to be representative of the ecological unit but occur outside the plot within the same slope position and on the same parent materials. Abundance is estimated by determining the amount of ground area that is covered by the plant species when its canopy is projected onto the ground surface (Ecological Land Survey Site Description Manual 2003). Step 5 Determine the important soil properties

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To collect soils data, a soil pit must be dug or augered. In most cases a soil pit 60 cm deep will be adequate. A deeper pit is required when the soil has a coarse to moderately coarse texture. In these cases the pit is dug deeper to see if there are finer-textured layers that are influencing ecological function below the 60 cm of coarse material. A deeper pit is also required when the plant community on the site cannot be explained by the site conditions and soil conditions above 60 cm. The minimum soils data that should be collected within a plot to classify it correctly are organic matter thickness, humus form, Ah horizon thickness, surface texture, effective texture, presence of seepage, depth to mottles, depth to gley, coarse fragment content, parent material/landform and drainage. Step 6 Determine important site properties Important site variables that should be collected include topographic position, slope, aspect, moisture regime, and nutrient regime. Step 7 Determine the natural subregion, ecological site, ecological site phase and plant community type. There are several ways to determine the ecological site, ecological site phase and plant community type. The first way is to assign an ecological classification to a site is to use the field data collected and go through the various subregion guides to identify the ecological site. You can also use the dichotomous keys to ecological site and ecological site phase. Once you find a potentially correct plant community type, check the soil, site and vegetational characteristics of your site to make sure it matches the ecological site, ecological site phase and plant community type on the various fact sheets. To consider all ecological site choices, you must compare the characteristics of your site, with the descriptions on the fact sheets for all ellipses that overlap the moisture and nutrient classes of your site on the edatope grid for the subregion and adjacent subregions within the area (Ecological Land Survey Site Description Manual 2003).

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How to use the Guide Organization of the guide This guide is an expansion of the Ecosites of Northern Alberta guide (Beckingham and Archibald 1996). It contains new information and it is recommended that the reader has access to relevant information from both guides. The community types in this guide are closely related to the ecosites and ecosite phases outlined in Ecosites of Northern Alberta (Beckingham and Archibald 1996), and are similarly arranged (e.g. Table 1). Table 1 is a reproduction of Figure 11 in Ecosites of Northern Alberta with community types in this guide further separated into reference range plant communities, successional communities and harvesting and fire communities. The "Successional community types" or "Harvesting and Fire succession" categories outline the successional sequence the community types undergo with heavy grazing pressure, harvesting or fire disturbance. The bulk of this guide is community descriptions which include information on the dominant plant species, canopy cover and environmental conditions. When available, we have included plant community successional information to help us determine ecological health and the successional relationships on an ecological site. Generally, in both guides, ecological units within a subregion are classified by their position on the edatopic grid [a specific combination of soil moisture and soil nutrient regime]. The information in this guide is presented and named by: 1. Subregion/Ecological area a. Northern Mixedwood [NM] 2. Dominant cover type a. Native grasslands [A] b. Shrublands [B] c. Deciduous forest [C] d. Mixedwood forest [D] e. Conifer forest [E] NOTE: Each dominant cover type may overlay several ecological sites and ecological site phases. For example NME (Northern Mixedwood Conifer) community types occur in 7 ecological sites. 3. Community types are presented and named by: a. Subregion/Ecological area and dominant cover type [e.g. NME]. b. Position on the edatopic grid. Generally, communities are named/numbered from low moisture/poor nutrient status to high moisture/rich nutrient status. For example, NME1 is a Jack pine/bearberry/lichen community on the xeric/poor ecological site, while NME10 is a black spruce-Tamarack/bog birch/moss community type on the subhygric/medium ecological site. NOTE: As additional information is collected and new ecological units are identified and described, an attempt is made to fit them into the pre-existing ones. How to read the fact sheets The field guide contains 4 types of fact sheets: One for ecosection, one for ecological site, one for ecological site phase and one for plant community type. Ecosection There is an identification code at the top of the ecosection fact sheet and a name followed by the number of sample sites (pg 20). Each ecosection has been given a name that conveys information about the location of the unit and are frequently named after a general location within the subregion (Ecosection: Cypress Hills (Mc)

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of the Montane subregion). A short text description of the site is given under the General Description (pg 20), this is followed by a picture or a cross section diagram and map of the ecosection(pg 20). The section on successional relationships gives a brief note about the spatial locations and differences in ecosections (pg 20). This is followed by a list of envrionmental variables (elevation), ecodistricts and ecological sites associated with the ecosection (pg 20). Ecological site There is an identification letter at the top of the ecological site fact sheet and a name, moisture and nutrients followed by the number of sample sites (pg 21). Each ecological site has been given a name that conveys information about the ecology of the unit and are frequently named after a common plant species. A short text description of the site is given under the General Description (pg 21), this is followed by a picture or a cross section diagram of the ecological site (pg 21). The section on successional relationships gives a brief note about the temporal development of the ecological site (pg 21). It generally describes the successional relationships among the ecological site phases and plant community types. Plant species that are indicators of the ecological conditions on the site are listed (pg 21). Site index at 50 years of age at breast height (1.3 m) is presented next. The mean site index is presented in meters followed by the standard error and the number of trees used to calculate the mean (pg 21). Environment and soil variables are then listed and represent a roll-up from the plant community and ecological site phase descriptions (pg 21). Variables that represent environment and soils have a number (1) that indicates the number of the samples in which each variable class occurred. Data has been collected and analyzed from many sources over 40 years and data gaps may exist for many variables. The frequency of occurrence value indicates the number of sampled plots for which data was collected for that variable at the Ecological site, Ecological site phase and plant community fact sheets. Optional variables such as soil exposure, LFH thickness, forage production and stocking rate for livestock may also be listed and represent a roll-up for the plant community and ecological site phase. Ecological site phase There is an identification code at the top of the ecological site phase fact sheet and a name followed by the number of sample sites (pg 22). Each ecological site phase has been given a name that conveys information about the dominant tree species or lifeform (shrubland, grassland, tame/disturbance) of the unit and are frequently named after a common plant species. A short text description of the site and successional information maybe given under the General Description or Successional relationships (pg 22) if it is provides more detail than is available on the ecological site fact sheet. Plant species that are indicators of the ecological conditions on the site are listed with the average cover summarized from the various plant communities (pg 22). Indicator species for the ecological site phase are identified with an asterix "*" and are rolled-up to develop the indicator species list for the ecological site fact sheet. Environment and soil variables are then listed and represent a roll-up from the plant community (pg 22). Optional variables such as soil exposure, LFH thickness, forage production and stocking rate for livestock may also be listed and represent a roll-up for the plant communities. Plant community There is an identification code at the top of the plant community fact sheet and a name followed by the number of sample sites (pg 23). The name of the plant community is generally the common name of the indicator plant species within the various lifeform layers (tree, shrub, forb, grass, lichen, moss). This is followed by the latin name of each indicator species and a general description of the community type describing its unique ecology. Plant species that are indicators of the ecological conditions on the site are listed with the mean cover summarized, range in cover and overall constancy (frequency of plots that the species was described (pg 23)). Environment and soil variables are then listed and represent a roll-up from the various plots and assessements (pg 23). Optional variables such as soil exposure, LFH thickness, forage production and stocking rate for livestock may also be listed and represent a roll-up for various plots.

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Results This guide represents the analysis of 107 grass, shrubland, conifer and deciduous plots described in the Northern Mixedwood Natural Subregion. The 107 plots represent 32 community types. These community types are split into: A. Native grasslands (includes graminiod fens and saline lowlands) (6 types) B. Native shrublands (6 types) C. Deciduous forest (4 types) D. Mixedwood forest (7 types) E. Conifer forest (9 types) The dominant plant species, canopy cover, soil group and subgroup, and environmental conditions are outlined for each type.

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General Ecological Descriptions Please note this summary of Natural Subregion characteristics is largely extracted directly from the Natural Subregions guide (Natural Regions Committee 2006) and is presented here for the reader's convenience. The dominant plant communities in the Northern Mixedwood Natural Subregion are: 1. Dry Jack pine forests 2. White spruce forests 2. Deciduous (Aw/Bw) forests 3. Mixedwood forests 4. Black spruce bogs 5. Sedge marshes in wet depressions 6. Fens of willow, larch, and black spruce Forest Communities Dry sites of the Northern Mixedwood are characterized primarily by Jack pine forest complexes with isolated pockets of grassland communities. Pj/bearberry/lichen communities are found in the subxeric/poor sites, while submesic/medium sites are dominated by Jack pine and aspen stands with bearberry understories. Mesic sites with poor nutrient regimes are dominated by Jack pine/black spruce and white spruce/aspen forests with poorly developed understories typified by Labrador tea, bog cranberry and feathermosses. The mesic/medium sites have a broader diversity of forest cover and understory species. Sites may be dominated by white spruce, aspen, white birch, hybrid pine or any combination of these species. Understory vegetation may include low bush cranberry, rose, buffaloberry, hairy wild rye, bunchberry, bog cranberry, and dewberry. Generally pioneer deciduous species are replaced with white spruce as these sites develop successionally. With succession shade tolerant plants take over the herbaceous layer as conifers dominate the canopy. Subhygric/rich sites are characterized by a horsetail dominated understory, with a primarily deciduous overstory succeeding to white and black spruce over time. These communities are mainly found along water courses, alluvial floodplains and fluvial terraces. Black spruce and larch communities generally dominate on wetter sites with subhygric to subhydric moisture regimes and poor to medium nutrient regimes to form the Sb/labrador tea/peat moss and Sb/bog birch/moss community types. Larch is more tolerant of excessive moisture and is indicative of an enriched nutrient status, while black spruce is typical in areas of stagnating ground water with poor nutrient status (Hay et al. 1985). Shrublands Upland shrub types develop when soil conditions are too poor for tree growth or tree canopy has been removed mechanically or by fire. Upland forest sites disturbed by fire will often have a early successional shrub phase. Labrador tea, lichen and feather moss tend to dominate the poorer sites and rose, Saskatoon, green alder and Bebb's willow the more mesic sites. Shrub communities dominated by willow, water birch and bog birch dominate the moister and richer sites. Sedges and reed grasses (Calamagrostis spp) dominate the drier edges of marshes or areas that have standing water only during spring runoff (i.e. fens). Willow will invade into these fens to form the Willow/Sedge and Willow/Reed grass plant communities and bog birch and Labrador tea tend to dominate the poorer nutrient sites. Grasslands Saline lowlands are present in the Northern Mixedwood, with edaphic climax communities of Nuttall's salt-meadow grass/foxtail barley and samphire/sea blite. The saline deposits occur because ground water

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saturated with salts emerges as underground springs from the base of the escarpment in Wood Buffalo National Park. Typical saline lowland vegetation consists of marshes and meadows interspersed with forest stands. Salt marsh vegetation generally occupies undrained depressions which contain shallow pools of salt water. In some areas evaporation so contentrates the salts that vegetation cannot develop. Adjacent to the salt pools is a band of samphire, alkali grass, sea blite, sand spurry and plantain. Around this is a second zone of alkali grass with salt grass, sea milkwort, sea side arrow-grass and less tolerant species. A third zone is marked by the addition of foxtail barley, bluejoint, Baltic rush and tufted hairgrass (Integrated Resource Survey of Wood Buffalo National Park 1979). Meadows of slender wheatgrass and junegrass develop on the least saline soils. Drier grassland communities are composed of wheatgrasses, needlegrasses, and junegrass, and are found on coarser textured soils, on slopes that are well drained. Wetlands The Alberta Wetland Classification System (2015) recognizes the hydrological, biogeochemical and biotic processes that affect differing characteristics that can be used to define a wetland. The AWCS recognizes five classes of wetlands in Alberta: bogs, fens, marshes, shallow open water and swamps. Wetlands can be divided into two broad groups: peatlands and mineral wetlands. In general the AWCS considers bogs and fens to be peatlands and all other wetland classes (i.e. swamps, marshes and shallow open waters) are considered to be mineral wetlands. For the most part the ecological sites align with AWCS five classes of wetlands (Table A), however some willow, bog birch, sedge, marsh reedgrass and tufted hairgrass dominated ecological sites because of their moisture regime and species composition are classified as meadows and fens and have mineral soils but in the AWCS classification these sites are mineral wetlands which are considered marshes or swamps. Table A. Cross walk of broad AWCS classes to general Ecological site AWCS Ecological Sites Bog Bog Fen Poor fen (Organic soils) Fen Rich fen (Organic soils) Marsh Poor fen, Rich fen (Mineral soils) Marsh Meadows Marsh Marsh Swamp Red osier dogwood, Honeysuckle, Horsetail and wetter Labrador tea, black spruce dominated ecological sites. Wetlands are a major component of the western two thirds of the subregion, where they cover 60 to 80 percent of the area. The wetlands tend to be dominated by treed bogs that often occur as peat plateaus underlain by permafrost. In the eastern third, wetlands cover 20 to 60% of the area and are dominated by open fens with minor treed fen, bog and wet mineral soil components. Marsh type communities are found in and around fresh water bodies. Cattail and rush communities are found along the edge of lake shores or saturated wet depressions, while marsh reedgrass (bluejoint) and sedge meadow communities are found slightly upland in areas where the water table is at or near the surface. Many small lakes, of which Bistcho Lake is the largest, account for about 3 percent of the total area. The Hay and Slave Rivers drain to the MacKenzie River system.

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Figure 1. Edatope and Ecological Sites for the Northern Mixedwood subregion.

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Plant Community Keys

1. Northern Mixedwood ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 2

2. a. (subxeric/poor) hill crests, sand ridges and dry south facing slopes dominated by bearberry (ecosite a bearberry) ................................................ 3 b. (submesic/medium) coarse textured soils dominated by blueberry in understory (ecosite b blueberry) .................................................................. 5 c. (mesic/poor) mesic sites with poor nutrient regimes dominated by black spruce, pine and Labrador tea (ecosite c Labrador tea - mesic) .............. 8 d. (mesic/medium) mesic site with medium nutrient regimes dominated by aspen, pine, white spruce and an understory of buffaloberry, low-bush cranberry, alder and feather mosses (ecosite d low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry) ............................................................................................................ 11 e. (subhygric/poor) saline lowlands with salt crusts, saltgrass, samphire, sea blite and arrowgrass (ecosite e saline lowlands) ............................... 14 f. (subhygric/poor) moist sites with poor nutrient regimes, black spruce and Labrador tea present (ecosite f Labrador tea - subhygric) ................... 16 g. (hygric/rich) moist, rich site dominated by balsam poplar, aspen, white spruce, willow and horsetail species (ecosite g horsetail) ....................... 18 h. (subhydric/poor) bog dominated by black spruce, Labrador tea and Sphagnum (ecosite h bog) .......................................................................... 22 i. (subhydric/medium) poor fen site co-dominated by larch and black spruce, understory has bog birch and some sphagnum and golden moss (ecosite i poor fen) ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 25 j. (subhydric/rich) rich fen dominated by larch, willows and bog birch with little sphagnum (ecosite j rich fen) .......................................................... 28 k. (hydric/rich) aquatic sites with open standing water, dominated by cattails, rush species and pond weed (ecosite k marsh) ................................ 31

3. Jack pine dominated ecosite phase (ecosite phase a1) ............................................................................................................................................. 4

4. Pj/Bearberry/Lichen (NME1) ................................................................................................................................................................................. p 22

5. grassland dominated phase (ecosite phase b1) ......................................................................................................................................................... 6 Jack pine and aspen dominated site (ecosite phase b2) ............................................................................................................................................ 7 shrub dominated site no trees (blueberry) (ecosite phase b3) site dominated by tame forage species (timothy, Kentucky bluegrass) (ecosite phase b4)

6. Wheatgrass-needlegrass-junegrass (NMA1) ........................................................................................................................................................ p 25

7. Aw/bog cranberry-bearberry (NMC1) .................................................................................................................................................................... p 27 Aw-Pj/bearberry-bog cranberry (NMD1) ................................................................................................................................................................ p 28 Pj(Pl)buffaloberry/bearberry (NME2) ..................................................................................................................................................................... p 29

8. site dominated by a mixture of black spruce and jack pine (ecosite phase c1) ........................................................................................................... 9 site dominated by a mixture of black spruce and aspen (ecosite phase c2) ............................................................................................................. 10

9. Pj/bog cranberry/moss (NME3) ............................................................................................................................................................................. p 34 Pj-Sb/moss (NME4) .............................................................................................................................................................................................. p 35

10. Sb-Aw/prickly rose/moss (NMD2) ......................................................................................................................................................................... p 37

11. site dominated by a mixture of deciduous tree species (ecosite phase d1) .............................................................................................................. 12 site dominated by a mixture of deciduous and conifer tree species (ecosite phase d2) ............................................................................................ 13 site dominated by a conifer tree species (ecosite phase d3) site dominated by tame forage species (ecosite phase d4)

12. Aw/buffaloberry/hairy wildrye (NMC2) ................................................................................................................................................................... p 40 Bw/prickly rose (NMC4) ........................................................................................................................................................................................ p 41

13. Aw-Px/buffaloberry/bog cranberry (NMD3) ........................................................................................................................................................... p 43 Aw-Sw/buffaloberry/moss (NMD4) ........................................................................................................................................................................ p 44 Aw-Sw/prickly rose (NMD5) .................................................................................................................................................................................. p 45 Aw-Sw/moss (NMD6) ........................................................................................................................................................................................... p 46

14. salt meadows (ecosite phase e1)............................................................................................................................................................................. 15

15. Nuttall's salt-meadow grass-foxtail barley (NMA2) ................................................................................................................................................ p 52 Samphire-sea blite (NMA3)................................................................................................................................................................................... p 53

16. moist upland sites dominated by black spruce (ecosite phase f1) ............................................................................................................................ 17

17. Sb/labrador tea/moss (NME6) .............................................................................................................................................................................. p 57

18. moist rich sites dominated by deciduous tree species (ecosite phase g1) ................................................................................................................ 19 moist rich sites dominated by a mixture of deciduous and conifer tree species (ecosite phase g2) .......................................................................... 20 moist sites dominated by willows and river alder (ecosite phase g4) ........................................................................................................................ 21 moist sites dominated by conifer tree species (ecosite phase g3) moist sites dominated by tame forage species (ecosite phase g5)

19. Pb/river alder/horsetail (NMC5) ............................................................................................................................................................................ p 60

20. Aw-Sw(Sb)/buffaloberry/horsetail (NMD7) ............................................................................................................................................................ p 62

21. Willow/horsetail (Aw) (NMB1) ............................................................................................................................................................................... p 65 Willow-river alder/horsetail (NMB2) ....................................................................................................................................................................... p 66

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22. site dominated by black spruce (ecosite phase h1) .................................................................................................................................................. 23 site dominated by shrubby species (ecosite phase h2) ............................................................................................................................................ 24 site dominated by graminoid species (ecosite phase h3)

23. Sb/Labrador tea/peat moss (NME8) ..................................................................................................................................................................... p 70

24. Bog rosemary/peat moss (NMB3) ......................................................................................................................................................................... p 72

25. site dominated by tree species (ecosite phase i1) .................................................................................................................................................... 26 site dominated by shrubby species (ecosite phase i2) ............................................................................................................................................. 27 site dominated by graminoid species (ecosite phase i3)

26. Sb-Lt/bog birch/moss (NME10) ............................................................................................................................................................................. p 56 Sb/bog birch/moss (NME9) ................................................................................................................................................................................... p 76

27. Dwarf birch-willow/moss (NMB4) .......................................................................................................................................................................... p 78

28. site dominated by shrub species (ecosite phase j2) ................................................................................................................................................. 29 site dominated by graminoid species (ecosite phase j3) .......................................................................................................................................... 30 site dominated by trees (ecosite phase j1)

29. Willow/marsh reedgrass (bluejoint) (NMB5) .......................................................................................................................................................... p 83 Willow/sedge (NMB6) ........................................................................................................................................................................................... p 84

30. Marsh reedgrass (bluejoint) (NMA4) ..................................................................................................................................................................... p 86 Sedge meadow (NMA5) ....................................................................................................................................................................................... p 87

31. aquatic sites with standing water (ecosite phase k1) ................................................................................................................................................ 32

32. Cattail (NMA6) ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... p 90

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Plant Community Tables Table 1. Northern Mixedwood Communities

Ecological Site / Range Site

Ecosite Phase / Ecological Range Site

Reference Plant Community

Grazing Succession

Modified Plant Community

Harvesting Succession

a bearberry/lichen (subxeric/poor)

a1 bearberry Pj NME1 Pj/Bearberry/Lichen

b blueberry (submesic/medium)

b1 grassland NMA1 Wheatgrass-needlegrass-junegrass

b2 blueberry Pj-Aw NMC1 Aw/bog cranberry-bearberry

NMD1 Aw-Pj/bearberry-bog cranberry

NME2 Pj(Pl)buffaloberry/bearberry

b3 shrubland

b4 tame/disturbed

c labrador tea - mesic (mesic/poor)

c1 labrador tea Pj-Sb NME3 Pj/bog cranberry/moss

NME4 Pj-Sb/moss

c2 labrador tea Sb-Aw NMD2 Sb-Aw/prickly rose/moss

d low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry (mesic/medium)

d1 buffaloberry Aw(Bw) NMC2 Aw/buffaloberry/hairy wildrye

NMC4 Bw/prickly rose

d2 buffaloberry Aw-Sw-Pl NMD3 Aw-Px/buffaloberry/bog cranberry

NMD4 Aw-Sw/buffaloberry/moss

NMD5 Aw-Sw/prickly rose

NMD6 Aw-Sw/moss

d3 low-bush cranberry Sw

NME5 Sw/prickly rose/moss

d4 tame/disturbed

e saline lowland (subhygric/saline)

e1 samphire/saltgrass NMA2 Nuttall's salt-meadow grass-foxtail barley

NMA3 Samphire-sea blite

f labrador tea - subhygric (subhygric/poor)

f1 labrador tea Sb NME10 Sb-Lt/bog birch/moss

NME6 Sb/labrador tea/moss

g horsetail (hygric/rich) g1 horsetail Aw-Pb NMC5 Pb/river alder/horsetail

g2 horsetail Aw-Sw NMD7 Aw-Sw(Sb)/buffaloberry/horsetail

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Ecological Site / Range Site

Ecosite Phase / Ecological Range Site

Reference Plant Community

Grazing Succession

Modified Plant Community

Harvesting Succession

g3 horsetail Sw

g4 horsetail willow NMB1 Willow/horsetail (Aw)

NMB2 Willow-river alder/horsetail

g5 tame/disturbed

h bog (subhydric/poor) h1 treed bog NME8 Sb/Labrador tea/peat moss

h2 shrubby bog NMB3 Bog rosemary/peat moss

h3 graminoid bog

i poor fen (subhydric/medium)

i1 treed poor fen NME9 Sb/bog birch/moss

i2 shrubby poor fen NMB4 Dwarf birch-willow/moss

i3 graminoid poor fen

j rich fen (subhydric/rich) j1 treed rich fen

j2 shrubby rich fen NMB5 Willow/marsh reedgrass (bluejoint)

NMB6 Willow/sedge

j3 graminoid rich fen NMA4 Marsh reedgrass (bluejoint)

NMA5 Sedge meadow

k marsh (hydric) k1 marsh NMA6 Cattail

18

NM Northern Mixedwood (n=107)

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood General Description This subregion has not been split into ecosections. It includes the Salt River Plain, Yates River Plain, Knight Creek Plain, Buffalo River Plain, Hay River Basin and Cameron Hills ecodistricts. The subregion is located in the far north, occupying the lowlands adjacent to the Northwest Territories border and a higher elevation area in the Cameron Hills in the northwest part of the province. It is bordered by the Central Mixedwood subregion in the south and Kazan Upland to the east and the Lower Boreal Highlands around the base of the Caribou Mountains.

Environmental Variables Elevation (range): 401.9 (150-650) M

Ecodistricts Site Count Buffalo River Plain Ecodistrict 1 Cameron Hills Upland Ecodistrict 1 Hay River Plain Ecodistrict 1 Knight Creek Plain Ecodistrict 1 Salt River Plain Ecodistrict 1 Yates River Plain Ecodistrict 1 Ecological Sites Site Count a bearberry/lichen (subxeric/poor) 2 b blueberry (submesic/medium) 8 c labrador tea - mesic (mesic/poor) 7 d low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry (mesic/medium) 47 e saline lowland (subhygric/saline) 2 f labrador tea - subhygric (subhygric/poor) 8 g horsetail (hygric/rich) 5 h bog (subhydric/poor) 19 i poor fen (subhydric/medium) 2 j rich fen (subhydric/rich) 6 k marsh (hydric) 1

19

a bearberry/lichen (subxeric/poor) (n=2) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

General Description This ecosite has has dry conditions with rapidly drained acidic soils and poor nutrient status due to the coarse-textured fluvial or eolian over lacustrine parent materials. Plants that are indicative of the nutrient-poor substrate include bearberry, lichen, bog cranberry, and blueberry. Open-canopied jack pine stands dominate this ecosite that grows on dry ridges or rocky outcrops. There is commonly a carpet of lichens covering the forest floor, and a thin organic layer typically less than 5 cm thick.

Successional Relationships Due to the dry nature of this ecosite, succession to a black spruce canopy is slower than the fire return interval. Pine is maintained for relatively long periods from colonization of the site after fire to the climax stages. The pine phase of this ecosite can be considered a fire edaphic climax.

Indicator Species Tree

JACK PINE Pinus banksiana

Shrub BOG CRANBERRY Vaccinium vitis-idaea COMMON BEARBERRY Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

Lichen REINDEER LICHEN Cladina mitis

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Subhygric (moderately moist) (1), Subxeric (moderately dry) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (2)

Elevation (range): 559 (559-559) M

Slope (%): nearly level (1), very gentle slope (1)

Aspect: Northerly (1), Westerly (1)

Topographic Position:Lower Slope (1), Midslope (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Rapidly drained (2)

Soil Subgroup: EUTRIC BRUNISOL (2)

Surface Texture: Loamy sand (2)

Effective Texture: Loamy sand (2)

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (2)

Parent Material: Glaciofluvial (1), Glaciolacustrine (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIFIBRIMOR (1)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 5.00 3.00 7.00 2

20

a1 bearberry Pj (n=2) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: a bearberry/lichen (subxeric/poor)

Characteristic Species Tree

[ 22.5 ] JACK PINE* Pinus banksiana

Shrub [ 22.5 ] COMMON BEARBERRY* Arctostaphylos uva-ursi [ 7.5 ] BOG CRANBERRY* Vaccinium vitis-idaea [ 2.5 ] TWINFLOWER Linnaea borealis [ 2.0 ] PRICKLY ROSE Rosa acicularis [ 1.5 ] CANADA BUFFALOBERRY Shepherdia canadensis [ 1.5 ] COMMON LABRADOR TEA Ledum groenlandicum

Lichen [ 40.0 ] REINDEER LICHEN* Cladina mitis [ 2.5 ] UNDIFFERENTIATED CLADONIA Cladonia [ 1.0 ] REINDEER LICHEN Cladina rangiferina

Moss and Liverwort [ 2.5 ] SCHREBER'S MOSS Pleurozium schreberi [ 2.0 ] STAIR-STEP MOSS Hylocomium splendens

Graminoid [ 3.5 ] HAIRY WILD RYE Elymus innovatus

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Subhygric (moderately moist) (1), Subxeric (moderately dry) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (2)

Elevation (range): 559 (559-559) M

Slope (%): nearly level (1), very gentle slope (1)

Aspect: Northerly (1), Westerly (1)

Topographic Position:Lower Slope (1), Midslope (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Rapidly drained (2)

Soil Subgroup: EUTRIC BRUNISOL (2)

Surface Texture: Loamy sand (2)

Effective Texture: Loamy sand (2)

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (2)

Parent Material: Glaciofluvial (1), Glaciolacustrine (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIFIBRIMOR (1)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 5.00 3.00 7.00 2

21

NME1 Pj/Bearberry/Lichen (n=2) (Pinus banksiana/Arctostaphylos uva-ursi/Cladina spp.) This community type has an open-canopied Jack pine overstory, and a sparse understory dominated by bearberry and lichen. It is found on dry sandy sites with rapid drainage. In areas with more more moister and better developed soils vigorous Jack pine growth and higher cover of mesic plant species is found. Succession in the absence of disturbance will likely be to black spruce, but succession is commonly slower than the fire return interval. Therefore, pine is maintained as the dominant species, and these communities can be considered a fire edaphic climax.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: a bearberry/lichen (subxeric/poor) Ecosite Phase: a1 bearberry Pj

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

JACK PINE (Pinus banksiana) 15.0 10.0-20.0 100

Understory Tree JACK PINE (Pinus banksiana) 5.0 0.0-10.0 50

Tall Shrub (2 to 5m) JACK PINE (Pinus banksiana) 2.5 0.0-5.0 50

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) COMMON LABRADOR TEA (Ledum groenlandicum) 1.5 0.0-3.0 50 CANADA BUFFALOBERRY (Shepherdia canadensis) 1.5 0.0-3.0 50 PRICKLY ROSE (Rosa acicularis) 2.0 1.0-3.0 100 TWINFLOWER (Linnaea borealis) 2.5 0.0-5.0 50 BOG CRANBERRY (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) 7.5 0.0-15.0 50 COMMON BEARBERRY (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) 22.5 5.0-40.0 100

Graminoid HAIRY WILD RYE (Elymus innovatus) 3.5 1.0-6.0 100

Moss STAIR-STEP MOSS (Hylocomium splendens) 2.0 0.0-4.0 50 SCHREBER'S MOSS (Pleurozium schreberi) 2.5 0.0-5.0 50

Lichen REINDEER LICHEN (Cladina rangiferina) 1.0 0.0-2.0 50 UNDIFFERENTIATED CLADONIA (Cladonia) 2.5 0.0-5.0 50 REINDEER LICHEN (Cladina mitis) 40.0 30.0-50.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Subxeric (moderately dry) (1), Subhygric (moderately moist) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (2)

Elevation (range): 559 (559-559) M

Slope (%): 0.5 - 2.49 (1), 2.5 - 5.99 (1)

Aspect: Northerly (1), Westerly (1)

Topographic Position: Lower Slope (1), Midslope (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Rapidly drained (2)

Soil Subgroup: EUTRIC BRUNISOL ELUVIATED (2)

Surface Texture: Loamy sand (2)

Effective Texture: Loamy sand (2)

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (2)

Parent Material: Glaciofluvial (1), Glaciolacustrine (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIFIBRIMOR (1)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 5.00 3.00 7.00 2

22

b blueberry (submesic/medium) (n=8) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

General Description This ecosite ranges between subxeric and submesic as a result of coarse-texured parent materials. Conditions are intermediate in both moisture and nutrient regime between the bearberry/lichen ecosite (a) and the low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry ecosite (d). As such, the blueberry ecosite has species characteristic of the bearberry/lichen ecosite, such as jack pine, bearberry, and bog cranberry as well as species characteristic of the low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry ecosite, such as aspen, buffaloberry, bunchberry and hairy wildrye.

Successional Relationships The pine, aspen and white birch dominated phases of this ecosite may succeed to white spruce, however this process is slow due to the dry nature of these sites. Frequent and extensive fires maintain the grassland phase of this ecological site.

Indicator Species Tree

JACK PINE Pinus banksiana

Shrub CANADA BUFFALOBERRY Shepherdia canadensis COMMON BLUEBERRY Vaccinium myrtilloides BOG CRANBERRY Vaccinium vitis-idaea COMMON BEARBERRY Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

Lichen REINDEER LICHEN Cladina mitis

Graminoid RICHARDSON NEEDLE GRASS Stipa richardsonii SLENDER WHEAT GRASS Agropyron trachycaulum JUNE GRASS Koeleria macrantha HAY SEDGE Carex siccata

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Mesic (fresh) (1), Submesic (moderately fresh) (3), Subxeric (moderately dry) (4)

Nutrient Regime: Oligotrophic (very poor) (1), Mesotrophic (medium) (2), Submesotrophic (poor) (5)

Elevation (range): 430.25 (250-587) M

Slope (%): gentle slope (1), level (2), very gentle slope (3)

Aspect: Easterly (1), Southerly (1), Westerly (2), Level (2)

Topographic Position:Midslope (1), Upper Slope (1), Crest (2), Level (3)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Moderately well drained (1), Well drained (3), Rapidly drained (4)

Soil Subgroup: GRAY LUVISOL (1), HUMO-FERRIC PODZOL (1), EUTRIC BRUNISOL (5)

Surface Texture: Clay (1), Loamy sand (1), Sand (1), Sandy loam (1), Fine sand (2)

Effective Texture: Clay (1), Loamy sand (1), Sand (2), Fine sand (2)

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (7)

Parent Material: Fluvial (1), Morainal (1), Eolian (2), Glaciofluvial (2), Glaciolacustrine (2)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIFIBRIMOR (4)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 6.00 3.00 9.00 6

23

b1 grassland (n=1) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: b blueberry (submesic/medium)

Characteristic Species Forb

[ 1.0 ] SHOWY LOCOWEED Oxytropis splendens [ 1.0 ] NORTHERN BEDSTRAW Galium boreale [ 1.0 ] THREE-FLOWERED AVENS Geum triflorum [ 1.0 ] PHILADELPHIA FLEABANE Erigeron philadelphicus [ 1.0 ] LOW LARKSPUR Delphinium bicolor [ 1.0 ] FIELD MOUSE-EAR CHICKWEED Cerastium arvense [ 1.0 ] PASTURE SAGEWORT Artemisia frigida [ 1.0 ] CREEPING WHITE PRAIRIE ASTER Aster falcatus [ 1.0 ] PRAIRIE CROCUS Anemone patens [ 1.0 ] COMMON YARROW Achillea millefolium [ 1.0 ] YELLOW FALSE DANDELION Agoseris glauca [ 1.0 ] GRACEFUL CINQUEFOIL Potentilla gracilis

Graminoid [ 10.0 ] SLENDER WHEAT GRASS* Agropyron trachycaulum [ 5.0 ] HAY SEDGE* Carex siccata [ 5.0 ] JUNE GRASS* Koeleria macrantha [ 5.0 ] FOXTAIL BARLEY Hordeum jubatum [ 5.0 ] NEEDLE-AND-THREAD Stipa comata [ 5.0 ] RICHARDSON NEEDLE GRASS* Stipa richardsonii [ 1.0 ] EARLY BLUEGRASS Poa cusickii

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Submesic (moderately fresh) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Mesotrophic (medium) (1)

Elevation (range): 250 (250-250) M

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position:Level (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Well drained (1)

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 0.00 0.00 0.00 0

24

NMA1 Wheatgrass-needlegrass-junegrass (n=1) (Agropyron-Stipa-Koeleria macrantha) This community is dominated by graminoid species, and is found on coarse textured, sandy soils on mesic alluvial deposits (Integrated Resource Survey of Wood Buffalo National Park 1979). Wheatgrasses dominate the community, with needlegrasses and upland sedges found on drier microsites. Aspen encroachment will eventually result in an aspen dominated community type but the frequent and extensive fires have limited aspen expansion. Extensive grazing pressure from bison leads to a community type dominated by plantain, dandelion, Kentucky bluegrass, timothy and clover.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: b blueberry (submesic/medium) Ecosite Phase: b1 grassland

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Tall Forb (>= 30 cm)

CREEPING WHITE PRAIRIE ASTER (Aster falcatus) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 LOW LARKSPUR (Delphinium bicolor) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 PHILADELPHIA FLEABANE (Erigeron philadelphicus) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 GRACEFUL CINQUEFOIL (Potentilla gracilis) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Low Forb (< 30 cm) COMMON YARROW (Achillea millefolium) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 YELLOW FALSE DANDELION (Agoseris glauca) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 PRAIRIE CROCUS (Anemone patens) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 PASTURE SAGEWORT (Artemisia frigida) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 FIELD MOUSE-EAR CHICKWEED (Cerastium arvense) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 NORTHERN BEDSTRAW (Galium boreale) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 THREE-FLOWERED AVENS (Geum triflorum) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 SHOWY LOCOWEED (Oxytropis splendens) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Graminoid EARLY BLUEGRASS (Poa cusickii) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 HAY SEDGE (Carex siccata) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100 FOXTAIL BARLEY (Hordeum jubatum) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100 JUNE GRASS (Koeleria macrantha) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100 NEEDLE-AND-THREAD (Stipa comata) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100 RICHARDSON NEEDLE GRASS (Stipa richardsonii) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100 SLENDER WHEAT GRASS (Agropyron trachycaulum) 10.0 10.0-10.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 40-40

Moisture Regime: Submesic (moderately fresh) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Mesotrophic (medium) (1)

Elevation (range): 250 (250-250) M

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position: Level (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Well drained (1)

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 0.00 0.00 0.00 0

25

b2 blueberry Pj-Aw (n=7) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: b blueberry (submesic/medium)

Characteristic Species Tree

[ 13.3 ] ASPEN Populus tremuloides [ 15.8 ] JACK PINE* Pinus banksiana

Shrub [ 15.9 ] COMMON BEARBERRY* Arctostaphylos uva-ursi [ 15.1 ] BOG CRANBERRY* Vaccinium vitis-idaea [ 8.3 ] CANADA BUFFALOBERRY* Shepherdia canadensis [ 2.9 ] BUNCHBERRY Cornus canadensis [ 2.0 ] PRICKLY ROSE Rosa acicularis [ 1.7 ] TWINFLOWER Linnaea borealis [ 1.0 ] CROWBERRY Empetrum nigrum [ 0.5 ] COMMON BLUEBERRY* Vaccinium myrtilloides

Forb [ 1.0 ] CREAM-COLORED VETCHLING Lathyrus ochroleucus

Lichen [ 2.4 ] REINDEER LICHEN* Cladina mitis [ 1.3 ] REINDEER LICHEN Cladina rangiferina

Moss and Liverwort [ 4.9 ] SCHREBER'S MOSS Pleurozium schreberi [ 4.8 ] STAIR-STEP MOSS Hylocomium splendens

Graminoid [ 2.0 ] HAIRY WILD RYE Elymus innovatus

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Mesic (fresh) (1), Submesic (moderately fresh) (2), Subxeric (moderately dry) (4)

Nutrient Regime: Mesotrophic (medium) (1), Oligotrophic (very poor) (1), Submesotrophic (poor) (5)

Elevation (range): 490.33 (300-587) M

Slope (%): gentle slope (1), level (2), very gentle slope (3)

Aspect: Easterly (1), Southerly (1), Westerly (2), Level (2)

Topographic Position:Midslope (1), Upper Slope (1), Crest (2), Level (2)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Moderately well drained (1), Well drained (2), Rapidly drained (4)

Soil Subgroup: GRAY LUVISOL (1), HUMO-FERRIC PODZOL (1), EUTRIC BRUNISOL (5)

Surface Texture: Clay (1), Loamy sand (1), Sand (1), Sandy loam (1), Fine sand (2)

Effective Texture: Clay (1), Loamy sand (1), Sand (2), Fine sand (2)

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (7)

Parent Material: Fluvial (1), Morainal (1), Glaciolacustrine (2), Glaciofluvial (2), Eolian (2)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIFIBRIMOR (4)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 6.00 3.00 9.00 6

26

NMC1 Aw/bog cranberry-bearberry (n=2) (Populus tremuloides/Vaccinium vitis-idaea/Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) This is a dry, well-drained community with coarse soils, similar to the jack pine bearberry/lichen community type, but slightly moister. The understory of this community type is dominated by bog cranberry with some areas of bearberry cover, and occupies dry, coarse textured sites that are rapidly drained.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: b blueberry (submesic/medium) Ecosite Phase: b2 blueberry Pj-Aw

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

WHITE SPRUCE (Picea glauca) 2.5 1.0-4.0 100 ASPEN (Populus tremuloides) 25.0 20.0-30.0 100

Understory Tree WHITE SPRUCE (Picea glauca) 2.0 0.0-4.0 50

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) PRICKLY ROSE (Rosa acicularis) 2.5 2.0-3.0 100 CROWBERRY (Empetrum nigrum) 3.0 1.0-5.0 100 CANADA BUFFALOBERRY (Shepherdia canadensis) 4.0 0.0-8.0 50 COMMON BEARBERRY (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) 5.5 1.0-10.0 100 BOG CRANBERRY (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) 16.0 12.0-20.0 100

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) COMMON FIREWEED (Epilobium angustifolium) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 CREAM-COLORED VETCHLING (Lathyrus ochroleucus) 1.0 0.0-2.0 50

Low Forb (< 30 cm) GROUND-CEDAR (Lycopodium complanatum) 1.0 0.0-2.0 50 LABRADOR LOUSEWORT (Pedicularis labradorica) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Graminoid HAIRY WILD RYE (Elymus innovatus) 1.0 0.0-2.0 50 CANADA WILD RYE (Elymus canadensis) 2.5 0.0-5.0 50

Moss STAIR-STEP MOSS (Hylocomium splendens) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Lichen REINDEER LICHEN (Cladina mitis) 1.0 0.0-2.0 50

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Submesic (moderately fresh) (1), Mesic (fresh) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (1), Mesotrophic (medium) (1)

Elevation (range): 572 (556-587) M

Slope (%): 2.5 - 5.99 (2)

Aspect: Westerly (2)

Topographic Position: Midslope (1), Upper Slope (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Rapidly drained (1), Moderately well drained (1)

Soil Subgroup: EUTRIC BRUNISOL ELUVIATED (1), GRAY LUVISOL ORTHIC (1)

Surface Texture: Clay (1), Sand (1)

Effective Texture: Clay (1), Sand (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (2)

Parent Material: Glaciolacustrine (1), Morainal (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIFIBRIMOR (2)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 8.00 8.00 9.00 2

27

NMD1 Aw-Pj/bearberry-bog cranberry (n=1) (Populus tremuloides-Pinus banksiana/Arctostaphylos uva-ursi/Vaccinicum vitis-idaea) This community is similar to the jack pine/bearberry/lichen community type, but is slightly moister with an overstory dominated by aspen. The understory is dominated by bearberry and bog cranberry, and there is an increase in cover of mesic plant species such as goldenrod, fireweed and northern twinflower.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: b blueberry (submesic/medium) Ecosite Phase: b2 blueberry Pj-Aw

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

JACK PINE (Pinus banksiana) 10.0 10.0-10.0 100 ASPEN (Populus tremuloides) 15.0 15.0-15.0 100

Tall Shrub (2 to 5m) BEAKED WILLOW (Salix bebbiana) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) ASPEN (Populus tremuloides) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 BOG CRANBERRY (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) 10.0 10.0-10.0 100 COMMON BEARBERRY (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) 15.0 15.0-15.0 100

Low Forb (< 30 cm) NORTHERN BEDSTRAW (Galium boreale) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 NORTHERN BASTARD TOADFLAX (Geocaulon lividum) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 ONE-SIDED WINTERGREEN (Orthilia secunda) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 GREENISH-FLOWERED WINTERGREEN (Pyrola chlorantha) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 MOUNTAIN GOLDENROD (Solidago spathulata) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Graminoid HAIRY WILD RYE (Elymus innovatus) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Moss JUNIPER HAIR-CAP (Polytrichum juniperinum) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 STAIR-STEP MOSS (Hylocomium splendens) 6.0 6.0-6.0 100

Lichen REINDEER LICHEN (Cladina rangiferina) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 UNDIFFERENTIATED CLADONIA (Cladonia) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 REINDEER LICHEN (Cladina mitis) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Submesic (moderately fresh) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (1)

Elevation (range): 564 (564-564) M

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position: Level (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Rapidly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup: EUTRIC BRUNISOL ORTHIC (1)

Surface Texture: Loamy sand (1)

Effective Texture: Sand (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (1)

Parent Material: Glaciofluvial (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIFIBRIMOR (1)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 6.00 6.00 6.00 1

28

NME2 Pj(Pl)buffaloberry/bearberry (n=4) (Pinus banksiana(contorta)/shepherdia canadensis/arctostaphylos uva-ursi) This community type is transitional between the drier blueberry ecosites and the more mesic low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry ecosites, and is intermediate in moisture and nutrients between these two ecosites. The understory community is dominated by buffaloberry, bearberry, and bog cranberry, with an increase in cover of more mesic plant species like rose, palmate leaved coltsfoot and pea vine.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: b blueberry (submesic/medium) Ecosite Phase: b2 blueberry Pj-Aw

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

LODGEPOLE X JACK PINE (Pinus contorta x banksiana) 7.5 0.0-30.0 25 JACK PINE (Pinus banksiana) 25.5 0.0-42.0 75

Understory Tree JACK PINE (Pinus banksiana) 12.2 0.0-29.0 75

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) LOW-BUSH CRANBERRY (Viburnum edule) 0.7 0.0-2.0 50 COMMON BLUEBERRY (Vaccinium myrtilloides) 1.7 0.0-5.0 50 PRICKLY ROSE (Rosa acicularis) 3.7 2.0-8.0 100 TWINFLOWER (Linnaea borealis) 5.2 0.0-15.0 75 BOG CRANBERRY (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) 19.5 18.0-20.0 100 CANADA BUFFALOBERRY (Shepherdia canadensis) 21.0 10.0-30.0 100 COMMON BEARBERRY (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) 27.2 1.0-63.0 100

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) CREAM-COLORED VETCHLING (Lathyrus ochroleucus) 2.2 0.0-8.0 50

Low Forb (< 30 cm) PALMATE-LEAVED COLTSFOOT (Petasites palmatus) 2.5 0.0-10.0 25 BUNCHBERRY (Cornus canadensis) 8.7 0.0-15.0 75

Graminoid NORTHERN RICE GRASS (Oryzopsis pungens) 1.2 0.0-4.0 50 HAIRY WILD RYE (Elymus innovatus) 4.0 2.0-10.0 100

Moss STAIR-STEP MOSS (Hylocomium splendens) 7.5 0.0-30.0 25 SCHREBER'S MOSS (Pleurozium schreberi) 14.7 1.0-50.0 100

Lichen STUDDED LEATHER LICHEN (Peltigera aphthosa) 1.7 0.0-5.0 50 REINDEER LICHEN (Cladina rangiferina) 3.0 0.0-10.0 50 REINDEER LICHEN (Cladina mitis) 4.2 0.0-10.0 75

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Subxeric (moderately dry) (4)

Nutrient Regime: Oligotrophic (very poor) (1), Submesotrophic (poor) (3)

Elevation (range): 335 (300-370) M

Slope (%): 2.5 - 5.99 (1), 6 - 9.99 (1), 0 - 0.49 (2)

Aspect: Easterly (1), Southerly (1), Level (2)

Topographic Position: Level (1), Crest (2)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Rapidly drained (2), Well drained (2)

Soil Subgroup: HUMO-FERRIC PODZOL ORTHIC (1), EUTRIC BRUNISOL ELUVIATED (3)

Surface Texture: Sandy loam (1), Fine sand (2)

Effective Texture: Loamy sand (1), Fine sand (2)

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (4)

Parent Material: Fluvial (1), Glaciofluvial (1), Glaciolacustrine (1), Eolian (2)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIFIBRIMOR (1)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 4.00 3.00 4.00 3

29

b3 shrubland (n=0) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: b blueberry (submesic/medium)

General Description A number of ecological site phases currently have no data. These ecological site phases have been created as place holders because they were described in adjacent subregions (Lower Boreal Highlands and Central Mixedwood).

Characteristic Species

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime:

Nutrient Regime:

Elevation (range):

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position:

Soil Variables Soil Drainage:

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 0.00 0.00 0.00 0

30

b4 tame/disturbed (n=0) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: b blueberry (submesic/medium)

General Description A number of ecological site phases currently have no data. These ecological site phases have been created as place holders because they were described in adjacent subregions (Lower Boreal Highlands and Central Mixedwood).

Characteristic Species

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime:

Nutrient Regime:

Elevation (range):

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position:

Soil Variables Soil Drainage:

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 0.00 0.00 0.00 0

31

c labrador tea - mesic (mesic/poor) (n=7) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

General Description This ecosite has a subxeric to subhygric nutrient-poor substrate. Labrador tea and bog cranberry are indicative of the relatively acidic surface soil conditions. It occurs in upland (midslope and upper slope) or level topographic positions dominantly on till or fluvial over till parent materials. There is commonly a two-tiered even-aged canopy where the faster growing jack pine comprise the higher layer and the slower growing black spruce form a secondary canopy below the pine. While the Labrador tea-mesic ecosite (c) has plant community types similar to the Labrador tea/moss-subhygric ecosite (f), the mesic ecosite tends to occur in upper topographic positions, has no mottles within the top 25 cm of soil, and a thinner organic layer (Beckingham and Archibald 1996).

Successional Relationships Successionally mature stands that develop on these ecosites may be dominated by black spruce. Residual pine occurring in the climax community are generally very old. The successionally mature stage is rare due to high fire frequency.

Indicator Species Tree

BLACK SPRUCE Picea mariana JACK PINE Pinus banksiana ASPEN Populus tremuloides

Shrub COMMON LABRADOR TEA Ledum groenlandicum BOG CRANBERRY Vaccinium vitis-idaea

Lichen REINDEER LICHEN Cladina mitis

Moss and Liverwort STAIR-STEP MOSS Hylocomium splendens

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Mesic (fresh) (2), Subxeric (moderately dry) (2), Submesic (moderately fresh) (3)

Nutrient Regime: Mesotrophic (medium) (2), Submesotrophic (poor) (5)

Elevation (range): 493 (310-594) M

Slope (%): level (2), nearly level (4)

Aspect: Westerly (4)

Topographic Position:Midslope (1), Upper Slope (2), Level (4)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Moderately well drained (2), Well drained (2), Rapidly drained (3)

Soil Subgroup: SOLOD (1), EUTRIC BRUNISOL (3), GRAY LUVISOL (3)

Surface Texture: Clay (1), Clay loam (1), Silty clay (1), Silty clay loam (1), Loamy sand (3)

Effective Texture: Loamy sand (3), Clay (4)

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (7)

Parent Material: Glaciofluvial (3), Morainal (4)

Soil Type:

Humus Form FIBRIMOR (2), HUMIFIBRIMOR (5)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 8.67 4.00 12.00 7

32

c1 labrador tea Pj-Sb (n=5) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: c labrador tea - mesic (mesic/poor)

Characteristic Species Tree

[ 27.1 ] JACK PINE* Pinus banksiana [ 4.2 ] BLACK SPRUCE Picea mariana [ 1.3 ] ASPEN* Populus tremuloides

Shrub [ 5.7 ] BOG CRANBERRY* Vaccinium vitis-idaea [ 4.3 ] COMMON BEARBERRY Arctostaphylos uva-ursi [ 2.1 ] PRICKLY ROSE Rosa acicularis [ 1.2 ] CANADA BUFFALOBERRY Shepherdia canadensis [ 1.0 ] TWINFLOWER Linnaea borealis [ 1.0 ] BEAKED WILLOW Salix bebbiana

Forb [ 1.0 ] COMMON FIREWEED Epilobium angustifolium

Lichen [ 3.0 ] REINDEER LICHEN Cladina mitis [ 1.8 ] STUDDED LEATHER LICHEN Peltigera aphthosa

Moss and Liverwort [ 26.8 ] STAIR-STEP MOSS* Hylocomium splendens [ 8.0 ] SCHREBER'S MOSS Pleurozium schreberi

Graminoid [ 1.1 ] HAIRY WILD RYE Elymus innovatus

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Subxeric (moderately dry) (2), Submesic (moderately fresh) (3)

Nutrient Regime: Mesotrophic (medium) (1), Submesotrophic (poor) (4)

Elevation (range): 444.5 (310-572) M

Slope (%): level (2), nearly level (3)

Aspect: Westerly (3)

Topographic Position:Midslope (1), Upper Slope (2), Level (2)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Well drained (2), Rapidly drained (3)

Soil Subgroup: GRAY LUVISOL (1), SOLOD (1), EUTRIC BRUNISOL (3)

Surface Texture: Clay loam (1), Clay (1), Loamy sand (3)

Effective Texture: Clay (2), Loamy sand (3)

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (5)

Parent Material: Morainal (2), Glaciofluvial (3)

Soil Type:

Humus Form FIBRIMOR (2), HUMIFIBRIMOR (3)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 9.00 4.00 12.00 5

33

NME3 Pj/bog cranberry/moss (n=4) (Pinus banksiana/Vaccinium vitis-idaea/Moss spp.) This community type represents a successionally immature stand of the labrador tea ecological site, and occupies the drier edge of the moisture regime. It occurs in areas with coarse textured soils and rapid drainage. Successionally mature sites are often dominated by black spruce.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: c labrador tea - mesic (mesic/poor) Ecosite Phase: c1 labrador tea Pj-Sb

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 1.2 0.0-5.0 25 ASPEN (Populus tremuloides) 1.7 0.0-5.0 50 JACK PINE (Pinus banksiana) 19.2 15.0-25.0 100

Understory Tree ASPEN (Populus tremuloides) 1.2 0.0-5.0 25 BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 1.5 0.0-4.0 50

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) LOW-BUSH CRANBERRY (Viburnum edule) 1.2 0.0-4.0 50 CANADA BUFFALOBERRY (Shepherdia canadensis) 2.5 0.0-7.0 50 PRICKLY ROSE (Rosa acicularis) 3.2 1.0-7.0 100 COMMON BEARBERRY (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) 8.7 0.0-17.0 75 BOG CRANBERRY (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) 11.5 6.0-15.0 100

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) COMMON FIREWEED (Epilobium angustifolium) 1.0 0.0-2.0 75

Low Forb (< 30 cm) ONE-SIDED WINTERGREEN (Orthilia secunda) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Graminoid HAIRY WILD RYE (Elymus innovatus) 2.2 0.0-4.0 75

Moss SCHREBER'S MOSS (Pleurozium schreberi) 11.0 0.0-20.0 75 STAIR-STEP MOSS (Hylocomium splendens) 33.7 10.0-65.0 100

Lichen STUDDED LEATHER LICHEN (Peltigera aphthosa) 1.7 1.0-2.0 100 REINDEER LICHEN (Cladina mitis) 5.0 1.0-15.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Subxeric (moderately dry) (2), Submesic (moderately fresh) (2)

Nutrient Regime: Mesotrophic (medium) (1), Submesotrophic (poor) (3)

Elevation (range): 479 (310-572) M

Slope (%): 0 - 0.49 (1), 0.5 - 2.49 (3)

Aspect: Westerly (3)

Topographic Position: Level (1), Midslope (1), Upper Slope (2)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Well drained (1), Rapidly drained (3)

Soil Subgroup: GRAY LUVISOL SOLONETZIC (1), EUTRIC BRUNISOL ELUVIATED (3)

Surface Texture: Clay loam (1), Loamy sand (3)

Effective Texture: Clay (1), Loamy sand (3)

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (4)

Parent Material: Morainal (1), Glaciofluvial (3)

Soil Type:

Humus Form FIBRIMOR (1), HUMIFIBRIMOR (3)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 6.00 4.00 8.00 4

34

NME4 Pj-Sb/moss (n=1) (Pinus banksiana-Picea mariana/Moss spp.) This community type represents the transition between a black spruce/Labrador tea subhygric and the upland jack pine/black spruce dominated community types. It is slightly richer than the other mesic/poor labrador tea communities, and is a transitional community moving towards a more medium nutrient regime. The presence of feather moss indicates the mesic regime of the site.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: c labrador tea - mesic (mesic/poor) Ecosite Phase: c1 labrador tea Pj-Sb

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

ASPEN (Populus tremuloides) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 JACK PINE (Pinus banksiana) 35.0 35.0-35.0 100

Understory Tree BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 JACK PINE (Pinus banksiana) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Tall Shrub (2 to 5m) BEAKED WILLOW (Salix bebbiana) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100 BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 4.0 4.0-4.0 100

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) PRICKLY ROSE (Rosa acicularis) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 TWINFLOWER (Linnaea borealis) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100 BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) LINDLEY'S ASTER (Aster ciliolatus) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 COMMON FIREWEED (Epilobium angustifolium) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 WOODLAND HORSETAIL (Equisetum sylvaticum) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Low Forb (< 30 cm) BUNCHBERRY (Cornus canadensis) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Graminoid RICHARDSON'S SEDGE (Carex richardsonii) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Moss TUFTED MOSS (Aulacomnium palustre) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 SCHREBER'S MOSS (Pleurozium schreberi) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100 STAIR-STEP MOSS (Hylocomium splendens) 20.0 20.0-20.0 100

Lichen REINDEER LICHEN (Cladina mitis) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 STUDDED LEATHER LICHEN (Peltigera aphthosa) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Submesic (moderately fresh) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (1)

Elevation (range): 410 (410-410) M

Slope (%): 0 - 0.49 (1)

Aspect:

Topographic Position: Level (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Well drained (1)

Soil Subgroup: SOLOD GRAY (1)

Surface Texture: Clay (1)

Effective Texture: Clay (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (1)

Parent Material: Morainal (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form FIBRIMOR (1)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 12.00 12.00 12.00 1

35

c2 labrador tea Sb-Aw (n=2) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: c labrador tea - mesic (mesic/poor)

Characteristic Species Tree

[ 17.5 ] ASPEN Populus tremuloides [ 10.0 ] BLACK SPRUCE* Picea mariana [ 2.0 ] WHITE SPRUCE Picea glauca

Shrub [ 3.0 ] CANADA BUFFALOBERRY Shepherdia canadensis [ 2.5 ] MYRTLE-LEAVED WILLOW Salix myrtillifolia [ 2.5 ] PRICKLY ROSE Rosa acicularis [ 1.5 ] BEAKED WILLOW Salix bebbiana [ 1.0 ] COMMON LABRADOR TEA* Ledum groenlandicum [ 1.0 ] COMMON BEARBERRY Arctostaphylos uva-ursi [ 1.0 ] BOG CRANBERRY* Vaccinium vitis-idaea [ 1.0 ] SHRUBBY CINQUEFOIL Potentilla fruticosa

Lichen [ 3.5 ] REINDEER LICHEN* Cladina mitis [ 1.5 ] STUDDED LEATHER LICHEN Peltigera aphthosa

Moss and Liverwort [ 11.5 ] STAIR-STEP MOSS Hylocomium splendens

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Mesic (fresh) (2)

Nutrient Regime: Mesotrophic (medium) (1), Submesotrophic (poor) (1)

Elevation (range): 590 (587-594) M

Slope (%): nearly level (1)

Aspect: Westerly (1)

Topographic Position:Level (2)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Moderately well drained (2)

Soil Subgroup: GRAY LUVISOL (2)

Surface Texture: Silty clay (1), Silty clay loam (1)

Effective Texture: Clay (2)

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (2)

Parent Material: Morainal (2)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIFIBRIMOR (2)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 8.00 7.00 8.00 2

36

NMD2 Sb-Aw/prickly rose/moss (n=2) (Picea mariana-Populus tremuloides/Rosa acicularis/Moss spp.) This community type occupies the moister edge of the Labrador tea-mesic ecosite, with a slightly richer nutrient regime, as indicated by the aspen and willow cover. It is found on well drained sites with sandy soils. In the absence of disturbance it will likely succeed to a black spruce dominated community.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: c labrador tea - mesic (mesic/poor) Ecosite Phase: c2 labrador tea Sb-Aw

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

ASPEN (Populus tremuloides) 17.5 10.0-25.0 100

Understory Tree WHITE SPRUCE (Picea glauca) 2.0 1.0-3.0 100 BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 8.5 7.0-10.0 100

Tall Shrub (2 to 5m) BEAKED WILLOW (Salix bebbiana) 1.5 1.0-2.0 100

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) COMMON BEARBERRY (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 COMMON LABRADOR TEA (Ledum groenlandicum) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 SHRUBBY CINQUEFOIL (Potentilla fruticosa) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 BOG CRANBERRY (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) 1.0 0.0-2.0 50 BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 1.5 0.0-3.0 50 PRICKLY ROSE (Rosa acicularis) 2.5 2.0-3.0 100 MYRTLE-LEAVED WILLOW (Salix myrtillifolia) 2.5 2.0-3.0 100 CANADA BUFFALOBERRY (Shepherdia canadensis) 3.0 1.0-5.0 100

Moss STAIR-STEP MOSS (Hylocomium splendens) 11.5 3.0-20.0 100

Lichen STUDDED LEATHER LICHEN (Peltigera aphthosa) 1.5 0.0-3.0 50 REINDEER LICHEN (Cladina mitis) 3.5 0.0-7.0 50

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Mesic (fresh) (2)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (1), Mesotrophic (medium) (1)

Elevation (range): 590 (587-594) M

Slope (%): 0.5 - 2.49 (1)

Aspect: Westerly (1)

Topographic Position: Level (2)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Moderately well drained (2)

Soil Subgroup: GRAY LUVISOL ORTHIC (2)

Surface Texture: Silty clay (1), Silty clay loam (1)

Effective Texture: Clay (2)

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (2)

Parent Material: Morainal (2)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIFIBRIMOR (2)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 8.00 7.00 8.00 2

37

d low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry (mesic/medium) (n=47) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

General Description This is the reference ecosite for the Northern Mixedwood because of the mesic moisture regime and medium nutrient regime. The conventional reference site concept of deep, medium textured, well drained soil does not adequately fit most of this subregion where typical sites are wet and poorly drained and soils are often permanently frozen (Natural Regions Committee 2006). Generally these sites have moderately to fine-textured till or glaciolacustrine parent materials. These sites are generally dominated by pure or mixed stands of aspen, white spruce, white birch, and hybrid pine. Understory species are diverse.

Successional Relationships Pioneer species such as aspen, balsam poplar and white birch are replaced by white spruce as these sites develop successionally. Along with a change in canopy composition is a change in understory structure and understory species composition and abundance. Generally, as a stand successionally matures coniferous canopy cover increases, and under story species structure and diversity declines. This results in stands with low cover of shrub, forb, and grass species with high moss cover.

Indicator Species Tree

WHITE BIRCH Betula papyrifera WHITE SPRUCE Picea glauca LODGEPOLE X JACK PINE Pinus contorta x banksiana ASPEN Populus tremuloides

Shrub PRICKLY ROSE Rosa acicularis CANADA BUFFALOBERRY Shepherdia canadensis LOW-BUSH CRANBERRY Viburnum edule

Moss and Liverwort STAIR-STEP MOSS Hylocomium splendens

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Subhydric (moderately wet) (1), Hygric (moist) (4), Submesic (moderately fresh) (6), Subhygric (moderately moist) (12), Mesic (fresh) (24)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (3), Permesotrophic (rich) (10), Mesotrophic (medium) (34)

Elevation (range): 517.29 (150-650) M

Slope (%): moderate slope (1), very gentle slope (6), level (17), nearly level (17)

Aspect: Northerly (2), Westerly (3), Easterly (7), Southerly (8), Level (10)

Topographic Position:Lower Slope (1), Crest (2), Upper Slope (5), Midslope (6), Level (29)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Rapidly drained (1), Poorly drained (3), Imperfectly drained (6), Well drained (14), Moderately well drained (23)

Soil Subgroup: DYSTRIC BRUNISOL (1), HUMIC GLEYSOL (1), GLEYSOL (2), LUVIC GLEYSOL (3), SOLOD (3), REGOSOL (4), EUTRIC BRUNISOL (11), GRAY LUVISOL (20)

Surface Texture: Fibric (1), Sand (1), Silt (1), Very fine sandy loam (1), Sandy loam (2), Fine sandy loam (3), Loam (3), Clay (4), Clay loam (4), Silty clay loam (4), Silt loam (4), Loamy sand (6), Silty clay (10)

Effective Texture: Sand (1), Sandy loam (1), Sandy clay loam (2), Fine sandy loam (2), Loamy sand (3), Silt loam (3), Silty clay loam (4), Clay loam (5), Clay (11), Silty clay (12)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 101 - (1), 51 - 100 (2), 26 - 50 (4), 0 - 25 (13)

Organic Thickness: 40 - 59 cm (1), 0 - 5 cm (44)

Parent Material: Fluvial (4), Glaciofluvial (4), Lacustromoraine (4), Fluviolacustrine (6), Glaciolacustrine (7), Lacustrine (8), Morainal (16)

Soil Type:

Humus Form FIBRIHUMIMOR (1), RAW MODER (2), FIBRIMOR (7), HUMIFIBRIMOR (21)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 10.00 3.00 31.00 41

38

d1 buffaloberry Aw(Bw) (n=13) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: d low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry (mesic/medium)

Characteristic Species Tree

[ 27.9 ] ASPEN* Populus tremuloides [ 11.6 ] WHITE BIRCH* Betula papyrifera

Shrub [ 14.5 ] PRICKLY ROSE Rosa acicularis [ 7.9 ] CANADA BUFFALOBERRY* Shepherdia canadensis [ 5.5 ] LOW-BUSH CRANBERRY* Viburnum edule [ 4.1 ] BUNCHBERRY Cornus canadensis [ 1.6 ] BOG CRANBERRY Vaccinium vitis-idaea [ 1.5 ] BEAKED WILLOW Salix bebbiana [ 1.0 ] DEWBERRY Rubus pubescens

Forb [ 4.1 ] COMMON FIREWEED Epilobium angustifolium [ 1.0 ] CREAM-COLORED VETCHLING Lathyrus ochroleucus [ 1.0 ] PALMATE-LEAVED COLTSFOOT Petasites palmatus

Moss and Liverwort [ 3.4 ] STAIR-STEP MOSS Hylocomium splendens

Graminoid [ 6.3 ] HAIRY WILD RYE Elymus innovatus

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Subhygric (moderately moist) (1), Submesic (moderately fresh) (4), Mesic (fresh) (8)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (1), Permesotrophic (rich) (2), Mesotrophic (medium) (10)

Elevation (range): 543.5 (420-573) M

Slope (%): very gentle slope (2), nearly level (4), level (6)

Aspect: Southerly (1), Level (3), Easterly (4)

Topographic Position:Crest (1), Lower Slope (1), Midslope (1), Upper Slope (1), Level (9)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Imperfectly drained (1), Well drained (6), Moderately well drained (6)

Soil Subgroup: EUTRIC BRUNISOL (6), GRAY LUVISOL (7)

Surface Texture: Loam (1), Sand (1), Sandy loam (1), Silt loam (1), Loamy sand (1), Silty clay loam (2), Silty clay (2), Fine sandy loam (2), Clay (2)

Effective Texture: Sand (1), Sandy loam (1), Silt loam (1), Loamy sand (1), Fine sandy loam (2), Clay (2), Silty clay (5)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 101 - (1), 26 - 50 (1), 0 - 25 (3)

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (13)

Parent Material: Fluvial (1), Lacustrine (1), Lacustromoraine (2), Morainal (4), Glaciolacustrine (5)

Soil Type:

Humus Form RAW MODER (1), HUMIFIBRIMOR (7)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 6.50 3.00 10.00 13

39

NMC2 Aw/buffaloberry/hairy wildrye (n=12) (Populus tremuloides/Shepherdia canadensis/Leymus innovatus) This community type is found on mesic sites with nearly level to gentle slopes and medium nutrient regimes. It is slightly drier and more nutrient poor than the Aw-Sw/prickly rose community types and has a significant amount of hairy wildrye in the understory, indicating coarser textured soils and slightly drier mositure regime.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: d low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry (mesic/medium) Ecosite Phase: d1 buffaloberry Aw(Bw)

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

BALSAM POPLAR (Populus balsamifera) 2.2 0.0-12.0 25 ASPEN (Populus tremuloides) 36.6 25.0-60.0 100

Understory Tree BALSAM POPLAR (Populus balsamifera) 1.0 0.0-5.0 25 WHITE SPRUCE (Picea glauca) 1.2 0.0-5.0 42 ASPEN (Populus tremuloides) 6.8 0.0-20.0 58

Tall Shrub (2 to 5m) WHITE SPRUCE (Picea glauca) 1.8 0.0-7.0 75 BEAKED WILLOW (Salix bebbiana) 3.0 0.0-15.0 58

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) BEAKED WILLOW (Salix bebbiana) 1.1 0.0-5.0 25 BOG CRANBERRY (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) 1.5 0.0-7.0 42 LOW-BUSH CRANBERRY (Viburnum edule) 5.4 0.0-40.0 75 CANADA BUFFALOBERRY (Shepherdia canadensis) 11.3 0.0-40.0 92 PRICKLY ROSE (Rosa acicularis) 11.7 1.0-40.0 100

Low Shrub (< 0.5m) DEWBERRY (Rubus pubescens) 1.5 0.0-15.0 25

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) CREAM-COLORED VETCHLING (Lathyrus ochroleucus) 1.0 0.0-3.0 75 TALL LUNGWORT (Mertensia paniculata) 1.1 0.0-10.0 42 LINDLEY'S ASTER (Aster ciliolatus) 1.4 0.0-10.0 42 COMMON FIREWEED (Epilobium angustifolium) 6.8 1.0-30.0 100

Low Forb (< 30 cm) PALMATE-LEAVED COLTSFOOT (Petasites palmatus) 2.0 0.0-20.0 25 BUNCHBERRY (Cornus canadensis) 6.7 0.0-25.0 58

Graminoid HAIRY WILD RYE (Elymus innovatus) 10.6 0.0-60.0 75

Moss STAIR-STEP MOSS (Hylocomium splendens) 4.2 0.0-30.0 58

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Subhygric (moderately moist) (1), Submesic (moderately fresh) (4), Mesic (fresh) (7)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (1), Permesotrophic (rich) (1), Mesotrophic (medium) (10)

Elevation (range): 517 (420-573) M

Slope (%): 2.5 - 5.99 (1), 0.5 - 2.49 (4), 0 - 0.49 (6)

Aspect: Southerly (1), Level (3), Easterly (3)

Topographic Position: Crest (1), Midslope (1), Upper Slope (1), Level (9)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Imperfectly drained (1), Well drained (5), Moderately well drained (6)

Soil Subgroup: GRAY LUVISOL GLEYED (2), EUTRIC BRUNISOL ELUVIATED (3), EUTRIC BRUNISOL ORTHIC (3), GRAY LUVISOL ORTHIC (4)

Surface Texture: Silty clay loam (1), Silt loam (1), Sandy loam (1), Loam (1), Loamy sand (1), Sand (1), Silty clay (2), Clay (2), Fine sandy loam (2)

Effective Texture: Silt loam (1), Sandy loam (1), Loamy sand (1), Sand (1), Clay (2), Fine sandy loam (2), Silty clay (4)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 26 - 50 (1), 101 - (1), 0 - 25 (3)

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (12)

Parent Material: Fluvial (1), Lacustrine (1), Lacustromoraine (2), Morainal (3), Glaciolacustrine (5)

Soil Type:

Humus Form RAW MODER (1), HUMIFIBRIMOR (6)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 6.00 3.00 10.00 12

40

NMC4 Bw/prickly rose (n=1) (Betula papyrifera/Rosa acicularis) This plant community type has a moisture and nutrient regime intermediate between the drier blueberry ecosite (b) and the moister horsetail ecosite (g). Succession in the absence of disturbance will likely be to white spruce climax community.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: d low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry (mesic/medium) Ecosite Phase: d1 buffaloberry Aw(Bw)

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

ASPEN (Populus tremuloides) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 WHITE BIRCH (Betula papyrifera) 35.0 35.0-35.0 100

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) BRISTLY BLACK CURRANT (Ribes lacustre) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 WILD RED RASPBERRY (Rubus idaeus) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 CANADA BUFFALOBERRY (Shepherdia canadensis) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 BOG CRANBERRY (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100 LOW-BUSH CRANBERRY (Viburnum edule) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100 PRICKLY ROSE (Rosa acicularis) 20.0 20.0-20.0 100

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) WILD VETCH (Vicia americana) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 CREAM-COLORED VETCHLING (Lathyrus ochroleucus) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100

Low Forb (< 30 cm) WILD STRAWBERRY (Fragaria virginiana) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 COMMON PINK WINTERGREEN (Pyrola asarifolia) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Moss STAIR-STEP MOSS (Hylocomium splendens) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Mesic (fresh) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (1)

Elevation (range): 570 (570-570) M

Slope (%): 2.5 - 5.99 (1)

Aspect: Easterly (1)

Topographic Position: Lower Slope (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Well drained (1)

Soil Subgroup: GRAY LUVISOL ORTHIC (1)

Surface Texture: Silty clay loam (1)

Effective Texture: Silty clay (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (1)

Parent Material: Morainal (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIFIBRIMOR (1)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 7.00 7.00 7.00 1

41

d2 buffaloberry Aw-Sw-Pl (n=21) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: d low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry (mesic/medium)

Characteristic Species Tree

[ 21.2 ] ASPEN* Populus tremuloides [ 12.9 ] WHITE SPRUCE Picea glauca [ 3.7 ] LODGEPOLE X JACK PINE* Pinus contorta x banksiana

Shrub [ 11.7 ] PRICKLY ROSE* Rosa acicularis [ 8.3 ] CANADA BUFFALOBERRY* Shepherdia canadensis [ 5.1 ] BOG CRANBERRY Vaccinium vitis-idaea [ 5.0 ] BUNCHBERRY Cornus canadensis [ 2.6 ] LOW-BUSH CRANBERRY* Viburnum edule [ 1.4 ] BEAKED WILLOW Salix bebbiana [ 1.1 ] TWINFLOWER Linnaea borealis [ 1.0 ] DEWBERRY Rubus pubescens

Forb [ 6.2 ] PALMATE-LEAVED COLTSFOOT Petasites palmatus [ 5.7 ] TALL LUNGWORT Mertensia paniculata [ 2.7 ] BISHOP'S-CAP Mitella nuda [ 2.7 ] COMMON FIREWEED Epilobium angustifolium [ 2.5 ] GREENISH-FLOWERED WINTERGREEN Pyrola chlorantha [ 1.1 ] CREAM-COLORED VETCHLING Lathyrus ochroleucus

Moss and Liverwort [ 14.0 ] STAIR-STEP MOSS* Hylocomium splendens [ 1.4 ] SCHREBER'S MOSS Pleurozium schreberi

Graminoid [ 2.5 ] SLENDER WHEAT GRASS Agropyron trachycaulum [ 1.1 ] HAIRY WILD RYE Elymus innovatus

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Hygric (moist) (1), Subhydric (moderately wet) (1), Submesic (moderately fresh) (2), Subhygric (moderately moist) (4), Mesic (fresh) (13)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (2), Permesotrophic (rich) (3), Mesotrophic (medium) (16)

Elevation (range): 512.25 (150-650) M

Slope (%): very gentle slope (4), level (5), nearly level (10)

Aspect: Northerly (1), Westerly (2), Easterly (3), Level (4), Southerly (7)

Topographic Position:Crest (1), Upper Slope (4), Midslope (4), Level (11)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Poorly drained (1), Rapidly drained (1), Imperfectly drained (3), Well drained (5), Moderately well drained (11)

Soil Subgroup: EUTRIC BRUNISOL (1), GLEYSOL (1), HUMIC GLEYSOL (1), REGOSOL (1), SOLOD (2), LUVIC GLEYSOL (2), GRAY LUVISOL (12)

Surface Texture: Clay (1), Fine sandy loam (1), Silt (1), Silt loam (1), Silty clay loam (1), Loam (2), Loamy sand (3), Clay loam (4), Silty clay (6)

Effective Texture: Sandy clay loam (1), Loamy sand (1), Silty clay loam (1), Clay loam (5), Clay (6), Silty clay (6)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 26 - 50 (1), 51 - 100 (1), 0 - 25 (5)

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (20)

Parent Material: Fluvial (1), Lacustromoraine (1), Glaciolacustrine (2), Fluviolacustrine (2), Glaciofluvial (3), Lacustrine (4), Morainal (9)

Soil Type:

Humus Form RAW MODER (1), FIBRIMOR (5), HUMIFIBRIMOR (9)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 9.67 4.00 23.00 18

42

NMD3 Aw-Px/buffaloberry/bog cranberry (n=1) (Populus tremuloides-Pinus contorta x banksiana/Shepherdia canadensis/Vaccinium vitis-ideae) This community type is found on mesic sites with medium nutrient regimes. It is slightly wetter and more nutrient rich than the Aw/buffaloberry community types, with higher cover of mesic plants such as cream-coloured vetchling, rose, and palmate-leaved coltsfoot, indicating a finer textured soil and slightly wetter moisture regime than the Aw/buffaloberry community.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: d low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry (mesic/medium) Ecosite Phase: d2 buffaloberry Aw-Sw-Pl

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

LODGEPOLE X JACK PINE (Pinus contorta x banksiana) 15.0 15.0-15.0 100 ASPEN (Populus tremuloides) 20.0 20.0-20.0 100

Understory Tree LODGEPOLE X JACK PINE (Pinus contorta x banksiana) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 ASPEN (Populus tremuloides) 3.0 3.0-3.0 100

Tall Shrub (2 to 5m) WHITE SPRUCE (Picea glauca) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) LOW-BUSH CRANBERRY (Viburnum edule) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 BOG CRANBERRY (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) 15.0 15.0-15.0 100 CANADA BUFFALOBERRY (Shepherdia canadensis) 20.0 20.0-20.0 100 PRICKLY ROSE (Rosa acicularis) 30.0 30.0-30.0 100

Low Shrub (< 0.5m) DEWBERRY (Rubus pubescens) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) LINDLEY'S ASTER (Aster ciliolatus) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100 CREAM-COLORED VETCHLING (Lathyrus ochroleucus) 3.0 3.0-3.0 100 COMMON FIREWEED (Epilobium angustifolium) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100 TALL LUNGWORT (Mertensia paniculata) 20.0 20.0-20.0 100

Low Forb (< 30 cm) WILD STRAWBERRY (Fragaria virginiana) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100 BISHOP'S-CAP (Mitella nuda) 10.0 10.0-10.0 100 GREENISH-FLOWERED WINTERGREEN (Pyrola chlorantha) 10.0 10.0-10.0 100 BUNCHBERRY (Cornus canadensis) 15.0 15.0-15.0 100 PALMATE-LEAVED COLTSFOOT (Petasites palmatus) 25.0 25.0-25.0 100

Graminoid SLENDER WHEAT GRASS (Agropyron trachycaulum) 10.0 10.0-10.0 100

Moss STAIR-STEP MOSS (Hylocomium splendens) 10.0 10.0-10.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Subhygric (moderately moist) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (1)

Elevation (range): 366 (366-366) M

Slope (%): 0 - 0.49 (1)

Aspect: Level (1)

Topographic Position: Level (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Imperfectly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup: LUVIC GLEYSOL ORTHIC (1)

Surface Texture: Loam (1)

Effective Texture: Clay loam (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (1)

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (1)

Parent Material: Fluvial (1), Fluviolacustrine (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form RAW MODER (1)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 0.00 0.00 0.00 0

43

NMD4 Aw-Sw/buffaloberry/moss (n=6) (Populus tremuloides-Picea glauca/Shepherdia canadensis/Moss spp.) This community type is found on mesic sites with medium nutrient regimes. In the absence of disturbance white spruce will become the dominant tree species.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: d low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry (mesic/medium) Ecosite Phase: d2 buffaloberry Aw-Sw-Pl

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

WHITE SPRUCE (Picea glauca) 6.8 0.0-13.0 83 ASPEN (Populus tremuloides) 19.5 12.0-25.0 100

Understory Tree WHITE SPRUCE (Picea glauca) 3.1 0.0-10.0 67

Tall Shrub (2 to 5m) BEAKED WILLOW (Salix bebbiana) 3.3 0.0-15.0 67

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) WHITE SPRUCE (Picea glauca) 1.1 0.0-3.0 50 BOG CRANBERRY (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) 2.8 1.0-6.0 100 TWINFLOWER (Linnaea borealis) 3.0 0.0-7.0 67 LOW-BUSH CRANBERRY (Viburnum edule) 4.1 0.0-7.0 83 PRICKLY ROSE (Rosa acicularis) 4.5 3.0-7.0 100 CANADA BUFFALOBERRY (Shepherdia canadensis) 10.0 5.0-15.0 100

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) TALL LUNGWORT (Mertensia paniculata) 1.3 0.0-3.0 83 COMMON FIREWEED (Epilobium angustifolium) 4.8 1.0-15.0 100

Low Forb (< 30 cm) WILD STRAWBERRY (Fragaria virginiana) 1.0 0.0-2.0 83 COMMON PINK WINTERGREEN (Pyrola asarifolia) 1.0 0.0-2.0 83 BUNCHBERRY (Cornus canadensis) 2.6 0.0-5.0 67

Graminoid HAIRY WILD RYE (Elymus innovatus) 1.0 0.0-3.0 50

Moss SCHREBER'S MOSS (Pleurozium schreberi) 1.8 0.0-5.0 67 STAIR-STEP MOSS (Hylocomium splendens) 13.0 3.0-35.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Submesic (moderately fresh) (1), Mesic (fresh) (5)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (1), Mesotrophic (medium) (5)

Elevation (range): 639 (305-650) M

Slope (%): 0 - 0.49 (1), 2.5 - 5.99 (1), 0.5 - 2.49 (4)

Aspect: Level (1), Easterly (1), Southerly (3)

Topographic Position: Midslope (1), Upper Slope (2), Level (2)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Well drained (2), Moderately well drained (4)

Soil Subgroup: GRAY LUVISOL SOLONETZIC (1), SOLOD GLEYED GRAY (1), GRAY LUVISOL ORTHIC (4)

Surface Texture: Loamy sand (1), Silty clay (2), Clay loam (3)

Effective Texture: Sandy clay loam (1), Clay loam (2), Clay (3)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (1), 26 - 50 (1), 51 - 100 (1)

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (6)

Parent Material: Lacustrine (3), Morainal (3)

Soil Type:

Humus Form FIBRIMOR (2), HUMIFIBRIMOR (2)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 9.00 6.00 15.00 5

44

NMD5 Aw-Sw/prickly rose (n=5) (Populus tremuloides-Picea glauca/Rosa acicularis) This mixedwood community is dominated by aspen, with a spruce component that increases as the community matures. It is mesic with a medium nutrient regime. As spruce increases in the canopy it reduces the amount of light reaching the forest floor, reducing the growth of shrubs, forbs and grass.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: d low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry (mesic/medium) Ecosite Phase: d2 buffaloberry Aw-Sw-Pl

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

WHITE SPRUCE (Picea glauca) 6.6 0.0-25.0 60 ASPEN (Populus tremuloides) 26.0 10.0-40.0 100

Understory Tree WHITE SPRUCE (Picea glauca) 13.8 0.0-55.0 80

Tall Shrub (2 to 5m) BEAKED WILLOW (Salix bebbiana) 1.2 0.0-3.0 80

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) COMMON LABRADOR TEA (Ledum groenlandicum) 1.0 0.0-4.0 40 RED-OSIER DOGWOOD (Cornus stolonifera) 1.1 0.0-5.5 20 CANADA BUFFALOBERRY (Shepherdia canadensis) 1.7 0.0-3.0 80 BOG CRANBERRY (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) 1.8 0.0-4.0 80 LOW-BUSH CRANBERRY (Viburnum edule) 3.0 0.0-7.0 80 PRICKLY ROSE (Rosa acicularis) 7.8 1.0-12.0 100

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) COMMON FIREWEED (Epilobium angustifolium) 1.2 0.0-3.0 80 CREAM-COLORED VETCHLING (Lathyrus ochroleucus) 1.6 0.0-5.0 80 TALL LUNGWORT (Mertensia paniculata) 1.6 0.0-4.0 60

Low Forb (< 30 cm) NORTHERN BASTARD TOADFLAX (Geocaulon lividum) 1.0 0.0-2.0 80 COMMON PINK WINTERGREEN (Pyrola asarifolia) 1.4 0.0-3.0 60

Graminoid HAIRY WILD RYE (Elymus innovatus) 2.6 0.0-10.0 60

Moss STAIR-STEP MOSS (Hylocomium splendens) 3.7 0.0-10.0 60

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Subhygric (moderately moist) (1), Mesic (fresh) (4)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (1), Permesotrophic (rich) (1), Mesotrophic (medium) (3)

Elevation (range): 479 (150-564) M

Slope (%): 2.5 - 5.99 (1), 0.5 - 2.49 (2)

Aspect: Level (1), Westerly (1), Southerly (2)

Topographic Position: Level (1), Crest (1), Upper Slope (1), Midslope (2)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Rapidly drained (1), Well drained (1), Moderately well drained (3)

Soil Subgroup: EUTRIC BRUNISOL ORTHIC (1), GRAY LUVISOL ORTHIC (3)

Surface Texture: Clay (1), Loam (1), Loamy sand (1), Silty clay (1)

Effective Texture: Loamy sand (1), Silty clay (1), Clay (2)

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (4)

Parent Material: Lacustrine (1), Morainal (3)

Soil Type:

Humus Form FIBRIMOR (1), HUMIFIBRIMOR (3)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 11.00 7.00 23.00 4

45

NMD6 Aw-Sw/moss (n=9) (Populus tremuloides-Picea glauca/Moss spp.) This is a late seral stage community type, and as it matures white spruce will dominate the overstory. The limited light penetration discourages understory development.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: d low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry (mesic/medium) Ecosite Phase: d2 buffaloberry Aw-Sw-Pl

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

WHITE SPRUCE (Picea glauca) 8.5 0.0-25.0 67 ASPEN (Populus tremuloides) 19.4 0.0-30.0 89

Understory Tree WHITE BIRCH (Betula papyrifera) 1.8 0.0-15.0 22 WHITE SPRUCE (Picea glauca) 13.1 5.0-20.0 100

Tall Shrub (2 to 5m) BEAKED WILLOW (Salix bebbiana) 1.1 0.0-4.0 44

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) BOG CRANBERRY (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) 1.0 0.0-3.0 44 TWINFLOWER (Linnaea borealis) 1.5 0.0-5.0 56 CANADA BUFFALOBERRY (Shepherdia canadensis) 1.6 0.0-4.0 78 LOW-BUSH CRANBERRY (Viburnum edule) 2.3 0.0-5.0 89 PRICKLY ROSE (Rosa acicularis) 4.8 2.0-10.0 100

Low Shrub (< 0.5m) DEWBERRY (Rubus pubescens) 2.0 0.0-12.0 56

Low Forb (< 30 cm) BISHOP'S-CAP (Mitella nuda) 1.1 0.0-4.0 56 COMMON PINK WINTERGREEN (Pyrola asarifolia) 1.1 0.0-3.0 67 BUNCHBERRY (Cornus canadensis) 2.4 0.0-6.0 56

Graminoid HAIRY WILD RYE (Elymus innovatus) 1.0 0.0-3.0 56

Moss SCHREBER'S MOSS (Pleurozium schreberi) 3.8 0.0-10.0 56 STAIR-STEP MOSS (Hylocomium splendens) 29.4 15.0-70.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Submesic (moderately fresh) (1), Hygric (moist) (1), Subhydric (moderately wet) (1), Subhygric (moderately moist) (2), Mesic (fresh) (4)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (1), Mesotrophic (medium) (8)

Elevation (range): 565 (305-650) M

Slope (%): 2.5 - 5.99 (2), 0 - 0.49 (3), 0.5 - 2.49 (4)

Aspect: Level (1), Northerly (1), Westerly (1), Easterly (2), Southerly (2)

Topographic Position: Midslope (1), Upper Slope (1), Level (7)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Poorly drained (1), Well drained (2), Imperfectly drained (2), Moderately well drained (4)

Soil Subgroup: GLEYSOL ORTHIC (1), GRAY LUVISOL SOLONETZIC (1), HUMIC GLEYSOL REGO (1), LUVIC GLEYSOL ORTHIC (1), REGOSOL CUMULIC (1), SOLOD GRAY (1), GRAY LUVISOL ORTHIC (3)

Surface Texture: Clay loam (1), Fine sandy loam (1), Loamy sand (1), Silt (1), Silty clay loam (1), Silt loam (1), Silty clay (3)

Effective Texture: Clay (1), Silty clay loam (1), Clay loam (2), Silty clay (5)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (3)

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (9)

Parent Material: Fluviolacustrine (1), Lacustromoraine (1), Glaciolacustrine (2), Glaciofluvial (3), Morainal (3)

Soil Type:

Humus Form FIBRIMOR (2), HUMIFIBRIMOR (4)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 9.00 4.00 18.00 9

46

d3 low-bush cranberry Sw (n=13) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: d low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry (mesic/medium)

Characteristic Species Tree

[ 38.3 ] WHITE SPRUCE* Picea glauca [ 1.3 ] BLACK SPRUCE Picea mariana

Shrub [ 8.7 ] PRICKLY ROSE* Rosa acicularis [ 6.4 ] TWINFLOWER Linnaea borealis [ 4.8 ] BUNCHBERRY Cornus canadensis [ 3.3 ] BEAKED WILLOW Salix bebbiana [ 3.3 ] LOW-BUSH CRANBERRY* Viburnum edule [ 2.6 ] BOG CRANBERRY Vaccinium vitis-idaea

Forb [ 7.6 ] COMMON HORSETAIL Equisetum arvense [ 4.9 ] MEADOW HORSETAIL Equisetum pratense [ 3.8 ] WOODLAND HORSETAIL Equisetum sylvaticum [ 2.7 ] BISHOP'S-CAP Mitella nuda [ 1.4 ] COMMON FIREWEED Epilobium angustifolium

Lichen [ 2.3 ] N/A Hypogymnia physodes

Moss and Liverwort [ 50.1 ] STAIR-STEP MOSS* Hylocomium splendens [ 15.0 ] SCHREBER'S MOSS Pleurozium schreberi [ 6.1 ] KNIGHT'S PLUME MOSS Ptilium crista-castrensis

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Hygric (moist) (3), Mesic (fresh) (3), Subhygric (moderately moist) (7)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (5), Mesotrophic (medium) (8)

Elevation (range): 485 (150-650) M

Slope (%): moderate slope (1), nearly level (3), level (6)

Aspect: Northerly (1), Westerly (1), Level (3)

Topographic Position:Midslope (1), Level (9)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Poorly drained (2), Imperfectly drained (2), Well drained (3), Moderately well drained (6)

Soil Subgroup: DYSTRIC BRUNISOL (1), GLEYSOL (1), GRAY LUVISOL (1), LUVIC GLEYSOL (1), SOLOD (1), REGOSOL (3), EUTRIC BRUNISOL (4)

Surface Texture: Clay (1), Fibric (1), Sandy loam (1), Silty clay loam (1), Very fine sandy loam (1), Silty clay (2), Loamy sand (2), Silt loam (2)

Effective Texture: Sandy clay loam (1), Loamy sand (1), Silty clay (1), Silt loam (2), Silty clay loam (3), Clay (3)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 51 - 100 (1), 26 - 50 (2), 0 - 25 (5)

Organic Thickness: 40 - 59 cm (1), 0 - 5 cm (11)

Parent Material: Glaciofluvial (1), Lacustromoraine (1), Fluvial (2), Lacustrine (3), Morainal (3), Fluviolacustrine (4)

Soil Type:

Humus Form FIBRIHUMIMOR (1), FIBRIMOR (2), HUMIFIBRIMOR (5)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 18.00 4.00 31.00 10

47

NME5 Sw/prickly rose/moss (n=13) (Picea glauca/Rosa acicularis/Moss spp.) This is the climax community type for the low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry ecosite. It is considered successionally mature and limited light penetration discourages understory development and allows moss to dominate the understory.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: d low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry (mesic/medium) Ecosite Phase: d3 low-bush cranberry Sw

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

WHITE SPRUCE (Picea glauca) 31.0 10.0-63.0 100

Understory Tree BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 1.3 0.0-18.0 8 WHITE SPRUCE (Picea glauca) 7.3 0.0-42.0 62

Tall Shrub (2 to 5m) BEAKED WILLOW (Salix bebbiana) 3.3 0.0-40.0 31

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) BOG CRANBERRY (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) 2.6 0.0-18.0 69 LOW-BUSH CRANBERRY (Viburnum edule) 3.3 0.0-10.0 92 TWINFLOWER (Linnaea borealis) 6.4 0.0-35.0 69 PRICKLY ROSE (Rosa acicularis) 8.7 1.0-42.0 100

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) COMMON FIREWEED (Epilobium angustifolium) 1.4 0.0-10.0 62 WOODLAND HORSETAIL (Equisetum sylvaticum) 3.8 0.0-29.0 23 MEADOW HORSETAIL (Equisetum pratense) 4.9 0.0-63.0 15 COMMON HORSETAIL (Equisetum arvense) 7.6 0.0-40.0 62

Low Forb (< 30 cm) BISHOP'S-CAP (Mitella nuda) 2.7 0.0-8.0 85 BUNCHBERRY (Cornus canadensis) 4.8 0.0-18.0 77

Epiphyte N/A (Hypogymnia physodes) 2.3 0.0-29.0 15

Moss KNIGHT'S PLUME MOSS (Ptilium crista-castrensis) 6.1 0.0-30.0 62 SCHREBER'S MOSS (Pleurozium schreberi) 15.0 0.0-50.0 85 STAIR-STEP MOSS (Hylocomium splendens) 50.1 10.0-88.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Mesic (fresh) (3), Hygric (moist) (3), Subhygric (moderately moist) (7)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (5), Mesotrophic (medium) (8)

Elevation (range): 485 (150-650) M

Slope (%): 10 - 15.99 (1), 0.5 - 2.49 (3), 0 - 0.49 (6)

Aspect: Northerly (1), Westerly (1), Level (3)

Topographic Position: Midslope (1), Level (9)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Imperfectly drained (2), Poorly drained (2), Well drained (3), Moderately well drained (6)

Soil Subgroup: DYSTRIC BRUNISOL ELUVIATED (1), EUTRIC BRUNISOL ELUVIATED (1), EUTRIC BRUNISOL ORTHIC (1), GLEYSOL ORTHIC (1), GRAY LUVISOL BRUNISOLIC (1), LUVIC GLEYSOL ORTHIC (1), REGOSOL GLEYED CUMULIC (1), SOLOD GLEYED GRAY (1), REGOSOL CUMULIC (2), EUTRIC BRUNISOL GLEYED ELUVIATED (2)

Surface Texture: Clay (1), Silty clay loam (1), Sandy loam (1), Very fine sandy loam (1), Fibric (1), Silt loam (2), Loamy sand (2), Silty clay (2)

Effective Texture: Loamy sand (1), Sandy clay loam (1), Silty clay (1), Silt loam (2), Silty clay loam (3), Clay (3)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 51 - 100 (1), 26 - 50 (2), 0 - 25 (5)

Organic Thickness: 40 - 59 cm (1), 0 - 5 cm (11)

Parent Material: Glaciofluvial (1), Lacustromoraine (1), Fluvial (2), Morainal (3), Lacustrine (3), Fluviolacustrine (4)

Soil Type:

Humus Form FIBRIHUMIMOR (1), FIBRIMOR (2), HUMIFIBRIMOR (5)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 18.00 4.00 31.00 10

48

d4 tame/disturbed (n=0) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: d low-bush cranberry/buffaloberry (mesic/medium)

General Description A number of ecological site phases currently have no data.

These ecological site phases have been created as place

holders because they were described in adjacent subregions

(Lower Boreal Highlands and Central Mixedwood).

Characteristic Species

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime:

Nutrient Regime:

Elevation (range):

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position:

Soil Variables Soil Drainage:

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 0.00 0.00 0.00 0

49

e saline lowland (subhygric/saline) (n=2) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

General Description The saline lowland ecological site has a hypereutrophic substrate with imperfectly to very poorly drained soils. This applies to all salt enriched soils and soil subgroups. Nuttall's salt-meadow grass and samphire salt flats are all indicative of saline and alkaline conditions at the soil surface. The saline deposits occur because ground water saturated with salts emerges as underground springs from the base of the escarpment in Wood Buffalo National Park. Typical saline lowland vegetation consists of marshes and meadows interspersed with forest stands. Salt marsh vegetation generally occupies undrained depressions which contain shallow pools of salt water. In some areas evaporation so concentrates the salts that vegetation cannot develop. Adjacent to the salt pools is a band of samphire, alkali grass, sea blite, sand spurry and plantain. Around this is a second zone of alkali grass with salt grass, sea milkwort, sea side arrow-grass and less tolerant species. A third zone is marked by the addition of foxtail barley, bluejoint, Baltic rush and tufted hairgrass (Integrated Resource Survey of Wood Buffalo National Park 1979). Meadows of slender wheatgrass and junegrass develop on the least saline soils.

Successional Relationships Saline soil phases have an electrical conductivity that inhibits most plant growth. The chemical nature of the site often makes these grassland communities the climax vegetation of the site.

Indicator Species Forb

SAND SPURRY Spergularia diandra WESTERN SEA-BLITE Suaeda calceoliformis SEASIDE ARROW-GRASS Triglochin maritima SAMPHIRE Salicornia europaea

Graminoid NUTTALL'S SALT-MEADOW GRASS Puccinellia nuttalliana FOXTAIL BARLEY Hordeum jubatum

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Mesic (fresh) (1), Subhygric (moderately moist) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Hypereutrophic (e.g. saline) (1)

Elevation (range): 250 (250-250) M

Slope (%): level (1)

Aspect: Level (1)

Topographic Position:Depression (2)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Imperfectly drained (2)

Soil Subgroup: HUMIC GLEYSOL (1)

Surface Texture: Silt loam (1)

Effective Texture: Silty clay loam (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (1)

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material: Lacustrine (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 0.00 0.00 0.00 0

50

e1 samphire/saltgrass (n=2) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: e saline lowland (subhygric/saline)

Characteristic Species Forb

[ 10.0 ] SAMPHIRE* Salicornia europaea [ 1.0 ] SAND SPURRY* Spergularia diandra [ 1.0 ] WESTERN SEA-BLITE* Suaeda calceoliformis [ 0.5 ] SEASIDE ARROW-GRASS* Triglochin maritima

Graminoid [ 5.0 ] FOXTAIL BARLEY* Hordeum jubatum [ 5.0 ] NUTTALL'S SALT-MEADOW GRASS* Puccinellia nuttalliana [ 2.5 ] NORTHERN REED GRASS Calamagrostis inexpansa [ 2.5 ] WIRE RUSH Juncus balticus [ 2.5 ] MAT MUHLY Muhlenbergia richardsonis [ 2.5 ] UNDIFFERENTIATED DESCHAMPSIA Deschampsia [ 0.5 ] ALKALI CORD GRASS Spartina gracilis

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Mesic (fresh) (1), Subhygric (moderately moist) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Hypereutrophic (e.g. saline) (1)

Elevation (range): 250 (250-250) M

Slope (%): level (1)

Aspect: Level (1)

Topographic Position:Depression (2)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Imperfectly drained (2)

Soil Subgroup: HUMIC GLEYSOL (1)

Surface Texture: Silt loam (1)

Effective Texture: Silty clay loam (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (1)

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material: Lacustrine (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 0.00 0.00 0.00 0

51

NMA2 Nuttall's salt-meadow grass-foxtail barley (n=1) (Puccinellia nuttalliana/Hordeum jubatum) This saline community is found in areas of wet soil with high salt content. This community may be under water during wet years, and has areas of bare ground, rock and pebbles, with patchy litter, due to fluctuating water levels. Occurs as a band of vegetation around saline wetlands.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: e saline lowland (subhygric/saline) Ecosite Phase: e1 samphire/saltgrass

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m)

SHORT-CAPSULED WILLOW (Salix brachycarpa) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) PROSTRATE SALTBUSH (Atriplex prostrata) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 NORTHERN FRINGED GENTIAN (Gentianella detonsa) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 WESTERN SEA-BLITE (Suaeda calceoliformis) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 SEASIDE ARROW-GRASS (Triglochin maritima) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Low Forb (< 30 cm) SEA MILKWORT (Glaux maritima) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 MARSH FELWORT (Lomatogonium rotatum) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 SEASIDE BUTTERCUP (Ranunculus cymbalaria) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 SAND SPURRY (Spergularia diandra) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 SAMPHIRE (Salicornia europaea) 10.0 10.0-10.0 100

Graminoid SALT GRASS (Distichlis stricta) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 SEA-SIDE PLANTAIN (Plantago maritima) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 ALKALI CORD GRASS (Spartina gracilis) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 NORTHERN REED GRASS (Calamagrostis inexpansa) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100 WIRE RUSH (Juncus balticus) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100 MAT MUHLY (Muhlenbergia richardsonis) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100 UNDIFFERENTIATED DESCHAMPSIA (Deschampsia) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100 FOXTAIL BARLEY (Hordeum jubatum) 10.0 10.0-10.0 100 NUTTALL'S SALT-MEADOW GRASS (Puccinellia nuttalliana) 10.0 10.0-10.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 40-40

Moisture Regime: Subhygric (moderately moist) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Hypereutrophic (e.g. saline) (0)

Elevation (range): 250 (250-250) M

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position: Depression (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Imperfectly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 0.00 0.00 0.00 0

52

NMA3 Samphire-sea blite (n=1) (Salicornia rubra-Suaeda calceoliformis) This plant community is found directly adjacent to saline waterbodies, with brackish water at the surface (sometimes water cover of <5cm) with apparent surface salt content. The water level may fluctuate throughout the year, resulting in a high percentage of bare ground, rock and pebbles with patchy litter.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: e saline lowland (subhygric/saline) Ecosite Phase: e1 samphire/saltgrass

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Tall Forb (>= 30 cm)

WESTERN SEA-BLITE (Suaeda calceoliformis) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Low Forb (< 30 cm) SALINE PLANTAIN (Plantago eriopoda) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 SEA-SIDE PLANTAIN (Plantago maritima) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 SAND SPURRY (Spergularia diandra) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 SAMPHIRE (Salicornia europaea) 10.0 10.0-10.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 40-40

Moisture Regime: Mesic (fresh) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Hypereutrophic (e.g. saline) (1)

Elevation (range): 250 (250-250) M

Slope (%): 0 - 0.49 (1)

Aspect: Level (1)

Topographic Position: Depression (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Imperfectly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup: HUMIC GLEYSOL SOLONETZIC (1)

Surface Texture: Silt loam (1)

Effective Texture: Silty clay loam (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (1)

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material: Lacustrine (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 0.00 0.00 0.00 0

53

f labrador tea - subhygric (subhygric/poor) (n=8) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

General Description The labrador tea/moss ecosite has a nutrient-poor substrate with imperfectly to very poorly drained soils. Labrador tea and bog cranberry are indicative of acidic surface soil conditions. This ecosite occurs mainly on organic and fine-textured morainal parent materials where wet soil conditions promote the development of Organic and Gleysolic soils and is transitional to the Labrador tea - mesic ecosite (c) and the bog ecosite (g). Organic matter accumulations on some sites may insulate the soil and allow frozen soil horizons to persist. This ecosite has community types similar to the labrador tea ecosite (c) but tends to occur in lower topographic positions, and has distinct mottling. High soil water content creates a risk of site modification if operations occur when soil is not frozen (Beckingham and Archibald 1996). There is also permanently frozen soils particularly, on deep organic deposits associated with this ecological site.

Successional Relationships Young stands on this ecosite include a black spruce component which tends to form a secondary canopy due to slower growth rates, and over time dominates while a small component of residual pine is retained.

Indicator Species Tree

BLACK SPRUCE Picea mariana TAMARACK Larix laricina

Shrub COMMON LABRADOR TEA Ledum groenlandicum MYRTLE-LEAVED WILLOW Salix myrtillifolia DWARF BIRCH Betula pumila

Forb DWARF SCOURING-RUSH Equisetum scirpoides

Moss and Liverwort STAIR-STEP MOSS Hylocomium splendens SCHREBER'S MOSS Pleurozium schreberi

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Hydric (wet) (1), Mesic (fresh) (1), Subhygric (moderately moist) (2), Hygric (moist) (4)

Nutrient Regime: Oligotrophic (very poor) (1), Mesotrophic (medium) (2), Submesotrophic (poor) (5)

Elevation (range): 482.5 (300-576) M

Slope (%): very gentle slope (1), level (2), nearly level (4)

Aspect: Easterly (2), Northerly (3)

Topographic Position:Lower Slope (1), Upper Slope (2), Level (4)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Imperfectly drained (1), Moderately well drained (1), Poorly drained (6)

Soil Subgroup: EUTRIC BRUNISOL (1), GRAY LUVISOL (1), STATIC CRYOSOL (1), GLEYSOL (2), ORGANIC CRYOSOL (3)

Surface Texture: Fine sandy loam (1), Sandy clay loam (1), Silty clay loam (1), Mesic (2), Fibric (2)

Effective Texture: Clay (1), Fine sand (1), Loamy sand (1), Silty clay (1), Humic (3)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 51 - 100 (1), 0 - 25 (2)

Organic Thickness: 16 - 25 cm (1), 6 - 15 cm (1), 60 - 79 cm (1), 26 - 39 cm (2), 0 - 5 cm (3)

Parent Material: Fluvial (1), Glaciofluvial (1), Morainal (1), Undifferentiated Organic (1), Glaciolacustrine (2), Bog (3)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIFIBRIMOR (2), HUMIC PEATYMOR (3)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 15.50 3.00 25.00 3

54

f1 labrador tea Sb (n=8) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: f labrador tea - subhygric (subhygric/poor)

Characteristic Species Tree

[ 44.6 ] BLACK SPRUCE* Picea mariana [ 7.5 ] TAMARACK Larix laricina [ 14.6 ] TAMARACK Larix laricina

Shrub [ 6.0 ] DWARF BIRCH* Betula pumila [ 5.4 ] BOG CRANBERRY Vaccinium vitis-idaea [ 4.9 ] COMMON LABRADOR TEA* Ledum groenlandicum [ 2.5 ] MYRTLE-LEAVED WILLOW* Salix myrtillifolia [ 2.5 ] SHRUBBY CINQUEFOIL Potentilla fruticosa

Forb [ 3.0 ] DWARF SCOURING-RUSH* Equisetum scirpoides

Lichen [ 9.8 ] REINDEER LICHEN Cladina mitis

Moss and Liverwort [ 40.9 ] STAIR-STEP MOSS* Hylocomium splendens [ 6.3 ] TUFTED MOSS Aulacomnium palustre [ 4.6 ] SCHREBER'S MOSS* Pleurozium schreberi

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Hydric (wet) (1), Mesic (fresh) (1), Subhygric (moderately moist) (2), Hygric (moist) (4)

Nutrient Regime: Oligotrophic (very poor) (1), Mesotrophic (medium) (2), Submesotrophic (poor) (5)

Elevation (range): 482.5 (300-576) M

Slope (%): very gentle slope (1), level (2), nearly level (4)

Aspect: Easterly (2), Northerly (3)

Topographic Position:Lower Slope (1), Upper Slope (2), Level (4)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Moderately well drained (1), Imperfectly drained (1), Poorly drained (6)

Soil Subgroup: EUTRIC BRUNISOL (1), GRAY LUVISOL (1), STATIC CRYOSOL (1), GLEYSOL (2), ORGANIC CRYOSOL (3)

Surface Texture: Fine sandy loam (1), Sandy clay loam (1), Silty clay loam (1), Mesic (2), Fibric (2)

Effective Texture: Clay (1), Fine sand (1), Loamy sand (1), Silty clay (1), Humic (3)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 51 - 100 (1), 0 - 25 (2)

Organic Thickness: 16 - 25 cm (1), 6 - 15 cm (1), 60 - 79 cm (1), 26 - 39 cm (2), 0 - 5 cm (3)

Parent Material: Fluvial (1), Glaciofluvial (1), Morainal (1), Undifferentiated Organic (1), Glaciolacustrine (2), Bog (3)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIFIBRIMOR (2), HUMIC PEATYMOR (3)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 15.50 3.00 25.00 3

55

NME10 Sb-Lt/bog birch/moss (n=1) (Picea mariana-Larix laricina/Betula glandulosa/Moss spp.) This community type is transitional between the bog and rich fen ecological sites. Rich fens tend to be dominated by larch, willow and golden moss, whereas, bogs are dominated by black spruce, Labrador tea and peat moss. This community type has a richer nutrient regime than the bogs, as evident by the significant larch component, but poorer than the rich fens.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: f labrador tea - subhygric (subhygric/poor) Ecosite Phase: f1 labrador tea Sb

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

TAMARACK (Larix laricina) 8.0 8.0-8.0 100 BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 15.0 15.0-15.0 100

Understory Tree TAMARACK (Larix laricina) 8.0 8.0-8.0 100 BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 10.0 10.0-10.0 100

Tall Shrub (2 to 5m) TAMARACK (Larix laricina) 15.0 15.0-15.0 100 BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 20.0 20.0-20.0 100

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) COMMON BEARBERRY (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100 ALPINE BEARBERRY (Arctostaphylos rubra) 3.0 3.0-3.0 100 BOG CRANBERRY (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) 3.0 3.0-3.0 100 SHRUBBY CINQUEFOIL (Potentilla fruticosa) 4.0 4.0-4.0 100 MYRTLE-LEAVED WILLOW (Salix myrtillifolia) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100 TAMARACK (Larix laricina) 10.0 10.0-10.0 100 DWARF BIRCH (Betula pumila) 12.0 12.0-12.0 100 BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 15.0 15.0-15.0 100

Low Forb (< 30 cm) DWARF SCOURING-RUSH (Equisetum scirpoides) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100

Moss TUFTED MOSS (Aulacomnium palustre) 10.0 10.0-10.0 100 STAIR-STEP MOSS (Hylocomium splendens) 20.0 20.0-20.0 100

Lichen REINDEER LICHEN (Cladina mitis) 15.0 15.0-15.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Subhygric (moderately moist) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (1)

Elevation (range): 450 (450-450) M

Slope (%): 0 - 0.49 (1)

Aspect:

Topographic Position: Level (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Poorly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup: GLEYSOL REGO (1)

Surface Texture: Mesic (1)

Effective Texture: Fine sand (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (1)

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (1)

Parent Material: Glaciolacustrine (1), Undifferentiated Organic (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 25.00 25.00 25.00 1

56

NME6 Sb/labrador tea/moss (n=7) (Picea mariana/Ledum groenlandicum/Moss spp.) This community type occupies moist areas with a slightly richer nutrient regime than the Labrador tea-mesic ecological site. Successionally mature sites are dominated by black spruce, with high cover of stair-step moss.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: f labrador tea - subhygric (subhygric/poor) Ecosite Phase: f1 labrador tea Sb

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

JACK PINE (Pinus banksiana) 1.1 0.0-8.0 14 BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 17.8 4.0-29.0 100

Understory Tree WHITE BIRCH (Betula papyrifera) 1.1 0.0-5.0 29 BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 4.5 0.0-15.0 57

Tall Shrub (2 to 5m) BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 7.1 0.0-42.0 57

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) TWINFLOWER (Linnaea borealis) 1.0 0.0-6.0 29 SHRUBBY CINQUEFOIL (Potentilla fruticosa) 1.0 0.0-5.0 43 PRICKLY ROSE (Rosa acicularis) 1.0 0.0-2.0 86 TAMARACK (Larix laricina) 1.2 0.0-8.0 29 COMMON BEARBERRY (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) 2.7 0.0-18.0 29 BOG CRANBERRY (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) 7.8 0.0-29.0 86 COMMON LABRADOR TEA (Ledum groenlandicum) 9.8 0.0-42.0 71

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) COMMON HORSETAIL (Equisetum arvense) 1.4 0.0-5.0 57

Low Forb (< 30 cm) DWARF SCOURING-RUSH (Equisetum scirpoides) 4.1 0.0-18.0 43

Moss TUFTED MOSS (Aulacomnium palustre) 2.7 0.0-10.0 43 SCHREBER'S MOSS (Pleurozium schreberi) 9.2 0.0-25.0 57 STAIR-STEP MOSS (Hylocomium splendens) 61.8 30.0-88.0 100

Lichen STUDDED LEATHER LICHEN (Peltigera aphthosa) 1.2 0.0-5.0 57 REINDEER LICHEN (Cladina mitis) 4.7 0.0-20.0 57

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Mesic (fresh) (1), Subhygric (moderately moist) (1), Hydric (wet) (1), Hygric (moist) (4)

Nutrient Regime: Oligotrophic (very poor) (1), Mesotrophic (medium) (2), Submesotrophic (poor) (4)

Elevation (range): 515 (300-576) M

Slope (%): 0 - 0.49 (1), 2.5 - 5.99 (1), 0.5 - 2.49 (4)

Aspect: Easterly (2), Northerly (3)

Topographic Position: Lower Slope (1), Upper Slope (2), Level (3)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Moderately well drained (1), Imperfectly drained (1), Poorly drained (5)

Soil Subgroup: EUTRIC BRUNISOL ORTHIC (1), GLEYSOL ORTHIC (1), GRAY LUVISOL GLEYED (1), ORGANIC CRYOSOL TERRIC HUMIC (1), STATIC CRYOSOL GLEYED (1), ORGANIC CRYOSOL HUMIC (2)

Surface Texture: Fine sandy loam (1), Sandy clay loam (1), Silty clay loam (1), Mesic (1), Fibric (2)

Effective Texture: Clay (1), Loamy sand (1), Silty clay (1), Humic (3)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (1), 51 - 100 (1)

Organic Thickness: 6 - 15 cm (1), 16 - 25 cm (1), 60 - 79 cm (1), 26 - 39 cm (2), 0 - 5 cm (2)

Parent Material: Fluvial (1), Glaciofluvial (1), Glaciolacustrine (1), Morainal (1), Bog (3)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIFIBRIMOR (2), HUMIC PEATYMOR (3)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 6.00 3.00 9.00 2

57

g horsetail (hygric/rich) (n=5) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

General Description The horsetail ecosite is wet and nutrient rich and is usually restricted to fluvial terraces. These sites are found in areas where flooding or seepage enhances nutrient. Gleysolic soils and accumulation of organic matter are both associated with the high water tables and wet soil conditions of these sites. Horsetails commonly form a blanket over the forest floor, and the canopy may be open or closed and consist of white birch, black spruce and white spruce.

Successional Relationships Succession is dependent on soil water content, and some sites with peaty soils may have taken hundreds of years to develop. When trees are removed the water table may rise to a level that makes tree establishment very difficult. White spruce forms the climax community.

Indicator Species Tree

WHITE SPRUCE Picea glauca BALSAM POPLAR Populus balsamifera

Shrub BEAKED WILLOW Salix bebbiana RED-OSIER DOGWOOD Cornus stolonifera RIVER ALDER Alnus tenuifolia

Forb COMMON HORSETAIL Equisetum arvense WOODLAND HORSETAIL Equisetum sylvaticum

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Hygric (moist) (2), Subhygric (moderately moist) (3)

Nutrient Regime: Mesotrophic (medium) (1), Permesotrophic (rich) (4)

Elevation (range): 225.33 (150-376) M

Slope (%): level (3)

Aspect: Level (1)

Topographic Position:Midslope (1), Toe (1), Level (3)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Imperfectly drained (1), Moderately well drained (1), Poorly drained (3)

Soil Subgroup: HUMIC GLEYSOL (1), GLEYSOL (2)

Surface Texture: Fine sandy loam (1), Silt (1), Undifferentiated Organic (1)

Effective Texture: Fine sandy loam (1), Loam (1), Silt (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (3)

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (3)

Parent Material: Fluvial (1), Fluviolacustrine (1), Glaciolacustrine (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form RAW MODER (1)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 5.33 3.00 7.00 3

58

g1 horsetail Aw-Pb (n=2) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: g horsetail (hygric/rich)

Characteristic Species Tree

[ 30.0 ] BALSAM POPLAR* Populus balsamifera [ 3.5 ] WHITE SPRUCE* Picea glauca

Shrub [ 27.0 ] RIVER ALDER* Alnus tenuifolia [ 13.2 ] BEAKED WILLOW Salix bebbiana [ 7.3 ] PRICKLY ROSE Rosa acicularis [ 6.2 ] LOW-BUSH CRANBERRY Viburnum edule [ 5.5 ] RED-OSIER DOGWOOD* Cornus stolonifera [ 5.0 ] BEAKED WILLOW Salix bebbiana [ 1.5 ] BUNCHBERRY Cornus canadensis [ 1.0 ] TWINFLOWER Linnaea borealis

Forb [ 27.6 ] COMMON HORSETAIL* Equisetum arvense [ 1.0 ] COMMON PINK WINTERGREEN Pyrola asarifolia

Moss and Liverwort [ 1.0 ] STAIR-STEP MOSS Hylocomium splendens

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Subhygric (moderately moist) (2)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (2)

Elevation (range): 150 (150-150) M

Slope (%): level (1)

Aspect:

Topographic Position:Midslope (1), Level (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Moderately well drained (1), Poorly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup: GLEYSOL (1)

Surface Texture: Silt (1)

Effective Texture: Silt (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (1)

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (1)

Parent Material: Fluvial (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 7.00 7.00 7.00 1

59

NMC5 Pb/river alder/horsetail (n=2) (Populus balsamifera/Alnus incana ssp tenuifolia/Equisetum arvense) This is an early successional community found in lower slope topographic positions near water courses where they recieve nutrient-rich seepage and flood waters, and organic material accumulates, forming a blanket of horsetail over the forest floor. It is dominated by balsam poplar, red osier dogwood and river alder, with small amounts of white spruce found in the understory. Succession in the absence of disturbance will be to white spruce.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: g horsetail (hygric/rich) Ecosite Phase: g1 horsetail Aw-Pb

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

WHITE SPRUCE (Picea glauca) 2.0 0.0-4.0 50 BALSAM POPLAR (Populus balsamifera) 30.0 15.0-45.0 100

Understory Tree WHITE SPRUCE (Picea glauca) 1.5 0.0-3.0 50

Tall Shrub (2 to 5m) BEAKED WILLOW (Salix bebbiana) 13.2 1.5-25.0 100 RIVER ALDER (Alnus tenuifolia) 27.0 15.0-39.0 100

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) TWINFLOWER (Linnaea borealis) 1.0 0.0-2.0 50 BEAKED WILLOW (Salix bebbiana) 5.0 0.0-10.0 50 RED-OSIER DOGWOOD (Cornus stolonifera) 5.5 5.0-6.0 100 LOW-BUSH CRANBERRY (Viburnum edule) 6.2 2.0-10.4 100 PRICKLY ROSE (Rosa acicularis) 7.3 7.0-7.6 100

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) COMMON HORSETAIL (Equisetum arvense) 27.6 10.0-45.3 100

Low Forb (< 30 cm) COMMON PINK WINTERGREEN (Pyrola asarifolia) 1.0 0.0-2.0 50 BUNCHBERRY (Cornus canadensis) 1.5 0.0-3.0 50

Moss STAIR-STEP MOSS (Hylocomium splendens) 1.0 0.0-2.0 50

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Subhygric (moderately moist) (2)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (2)

Elevation (range): 150 (150-150) M

Slope (%): 0 - 0.49 (1)

Aspect:

Topographic Position: Level (1), Midslope (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Moderately well drained (1), Poorly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup: GLEYSOL REGO (1)

Surface Texture: Silt (1)

Effective Texture: Silt (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (1)

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (1)

Parent Material: Fluvial (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 7.00 7.00 7.00 1

60

g2 horsetail Aw-Sw (n=1) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: g horsetail (hygric/rich)

Characteristic Species Tree

[ 33.0 ] ASPEN Populus tremuloides [ 25.0 ] BLACK SPRUCE Picea mariana [ 18.0 ] WHITE SPRUCE* Picea glauca

Shrub [ 25.0 ] CANADA BUFFALOBERRY Shepherdia canadensis [ 15.0 ] BEAKED WILLOW Salix bebbiana [ 8.0 ] BEAKED WILLOW Salix bebbiana [ 3.0 ] PRICKLY ROSE Rosa acicularis

Forb [ 20.0 ] COMMON HORSETAIL* Equisetum arvense [ 5.0 ] COMMON FIREWEED Epilobium angustifolium [ 1.0 ] WILD VETCH Vicia americana

Graminoid [ 2.0 ] HAIRY WILD RYE Elymus innovatus

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Subhygric (moderately moist) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Mesotrophic (medium) (1)

Elevation (range): 0 (0-0) M

Slope (%): level (1)

Aspect:

Topographic Position:Level (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Poorly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup: HUMIC GLEYSOL (1)

Surface Texture: Fine sandy loam (1)

Effective Texture: Fine sandy loam (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (1)

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (1)

Parent Material: Glaciolacustrine (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 6.00 6.00 6.00 1

61

NMD7 Aw-Sw(Sb)/buffaloberry/horsetail (n=1) (Populus tremuloides-Picea glauca(Picea mariana)/Shepherdia canadensis/Equisetum arvense) This community is found in wet, nutrient rich areas and is characterized by an accumulation of organic matter and a blanket of horsetail over the forest floor. It is found in lower slope topographic positions near water courses which recieve nutrient-rich seepage or flood waters for a portion of the growing season. Light is limited for lower herbaceous layers and succession in the absence of disturbance will be to white spruce.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: g horsetail (hygric/rich) Ecosite Phase: g2 horsetail Aw-Sw

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

WHITE SPRUCE (Picea glauca) 10.0 10.0-10.0 100 BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 15.0 15.0-15.0 100 ASPEN (Populus tremuloides) 25.0 25.0-25.0 100

Understory Tree WHITE SPRUCE (Picea glauca) 8.0 8.0-8.0 100 ASPEN (Populus tremuloides) 8.0 8.0-8.0 100 BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 10.0 10.0-10.0 100

Tall Shrub (2 to 5m) BEAKED WILLOW (Salix bebbiana) 15.0 15.0-15.0 100

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) PRICKLY ROSE (Rosa acicularis) 3.0 3.0-3.0 100 BEAKED WILLOW (Salix bebbiana) 8.0 8.0-8.0 100 CANADA BUFFALOBERRY (Shepherdia canadensis) 25.0 25.0-25.0 100

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) WILD VETCH (Vicia americana) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 COMMON FIREWEED (Epilobium angustifolium) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100 COMMON HORSETAIL (Equisetum arvense) 20.0 20.0-20.0 100

Graminoid HAIRY WILD RYE (Elymus innovatus) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Subhygric (moderately moist) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Mesotrophic (medium) (1)

Elevation (range): 0 (0-0) M

Slope (%): 0 - 0.49 (1)

Aspect:

Topographic Position: Level (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Poorly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup: HUMIC GLEYSOL ORTHIC (1)

Surface Texture: Fine sandy loam (1)

Effective Texture: Fine sandy loam (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (1)

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (1)

Parent Material: Glaciolacustrine (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 6.00 6.00 6.00 1

62

g3 horsetail Sw (n=0) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: g horsetail (hygric/rich)

General Description A number of ecological site phases currently have no data.

These ecological site phases have been created as place

holders because they were described in adjacent subregions

(Lower Boreal Highlands and Central Mixedwood).

Characteristic Species

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime:

Nutrient Regime:

Elevation (range):

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position:

Soil Variables Soil Drainage:

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 0.00 0.00 0.00 0

63

g4 horsetail willow (n=2) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: g horsetail (hygric/rich)

Characteristic Species Tree

[ 3.5 ] ASPEN Populus tremuloides

Shrub [ 42.5 ] BEAKED WILLOW* Salix bebbiana [ 20.0 ] DEWBERRY Rubus pubescens [ 15.0 ] RIVER ALDER* Alnus tenuifolia [ 6.0 ] SALIX SPECIES Salix [ 6.0 ] PRICKLY ROSE Rosa acicularis [ 2.5 ] RED-OSIER DOGWOOD* Cornus stolonifera

Forb [ 30.0 ] COMMON HORSETAIL* Equisetum arvense [ 15.0 ] WOODLAND HORSETAIL* Equisetum sylvaticum [ 5.0 ] MEADOW HORSETAIL Equisetum pratense

Moss and Liverwort [ 15.0 ] STAIR-STEP MOSS Hylocomium splendens [ 15.0 ] BROWN MOSS Drepanocladus uncinatus [ 5.0 ] N/A Plagiomnium medium

Graminoid [ 37.5 ] BLUEJOINT Calamagrostis canadensis [ 2.5 ] TWO-SEEDED SEDGE Carex disperma

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Hygric (moist) (2)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (2)

Elevation (range): 263 (150-376) M

Slope (%): level (1)

Aspect: Level (1)

Topographic Position:Level (1), Toe (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Imperfectly drained (1), Poorly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup: GLEYSOL (1)

Surface Texture: Undifferentiated Organic (1)

Effective Texture: Loam (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (1)

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (1)

Parent Material: Fluviolacustrine (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form RAW MODER (1)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 3.00 3.00 3.00 1

64

NMB1 Willow/horsetail (Aw) (n=1) (Salix spp./Equisetum sylvaticum (Populus tremuloides)) This community is found in wet, nutrient rich areas and is characterized by an accumulation of organic matter and a blanket of horsetail over the forest floor. Succession in the absence of disturbance will likely be to white spruce.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: g horsetail (hygric/rich) Ecosite Phase: g4 horsetail willow

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

ASPEN (Populus tremuloides) 7.0 7.0-7.0 100

Tall Shrub (2 to 5m) SALIX SPECIES (Salix) 12.0 12.0-12.0 100

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) CANADA BUFFALOBERRY (Shepherdia canadensis) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 LOW-BUSH CRANBERRY (Viburnum edule) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 SALIX SPECIES (Salix) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100 PRICKLY ROSE (Rosa acicularis) 9.0 9.0-9.0 100

Low Shrub (< 0.5m) DEWBERRY (Rubus pubescens) 35.0 35.0-35.0 100

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) MEADOW HORSETAIL (Equisetum pratense) 10.0 10.0-10.0 100 WOODLAND HORSETAIL (Equisetum sylvaticum) 30.0 30.0-30.0 100

Low Forb (< 30 cm) ARROW-LEAVED COLTSFOOT (Petasites sagittatus) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Graminoid TWO-SEEDED SEDGE (Carex disperma) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100 BLUEJOINT (Calamagrostis canadensis) 75.0 75.0-75.0 100

Moss TUFTED MOSS (Aulacomnium palustre) 3.0 3.0-3.0 100 N/A (Plagiomnium medium) 10.0 10.0-10.0 100 BROWN MOSS (Drepanocladus uncinatus) 30.0 30.0-30.0 100 STAIR-STEP MOSS (Hylocomium splendens) 30.0 30.0-30.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 40-40

Moisture Regime: Hygric (moist) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (1)

Elevation (range): 376 (376-376) M

Slope (%): 0 - 0.49 (1)

Aspect: Level (1)

Topographic Position: Toe (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Poorly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup: GLEYSOL ORTHIC (1)

Surface Texture: Undifferentiated Organic (1)

Effective Texture: Loam (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (1)

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (1)

Parent Material: Fluviolacustrine (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form RAW MODER (1)

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 3.00 3.00 3.00 1

65

NMB2 Willow-river alder/horsetail (n=1) (Salix spp. - Alnus incana ssp tenuifolia/Equisetum arvense) This community is found in wet, nutrient rich areas and is characterized by an accumulation of organic matter and a blanket of horsetail over the forest floor. It is dominated by willow, with a significant river alder component, and no overstory trees. This community is often found along water courses, and has been described in the Central Mixedwood Natural Subregion (Moisey et al. 2016).

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: g horsetail (hygric/rich) Ecosite Phase: g4 horsetail willow

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Tall Shrub (2 to 5m)

RIVER ALDER (Alnus tenuifolia) 30.0 30.0-30.0 100 BEAKED WILLOW (Salix bebbiana) 85.0 85.0-85.0 100

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) WILD RED CURRANT (Ribes triste) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100 PRICKLY ROSE (Rosa acicularis) 3.0 3.0-3.0 100 RED-OSIER DOGWOOD (Cornus stolonifera) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100

Low Shrub (< 0.5m) DEWBERRY (Rubus pubescens) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) COMMON FIREWEED (Epilobium angustifolium) 3.0 3.0-3.0 100 COMMON HORSETAIL (Equisetum arvense) 60.0 60.0-60.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 40-40

Moisture Regime: Hygric (moist) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (1)

Elevation (range): 150 (150-150) M

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position: Level (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Imperfectly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 0.00 0.00 0.00 0

66

g5 tame/disturbed (n=0) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: g horsetail (hygric/rich)

General Description A number of ecological site phases currently have no data.

These ecological site phases have been created as place

holders because they were described in adjacent subregions

(Lower Boreal Highlands and Central Mixedwood).

Characteristic Species

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime:

Nutrient Regime:

Elevation (range):

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position:

Soil Variables Soil Drainage:

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

LFH Thickness Mean Min Max Count

cm: 0.00 0.00 0.00 0

67

h bog (subhydric/poor) (n=19) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

General Description The bog ecosite is characterized by nutrient poor peatlands with distinct communities of ericaceous shrubs and hummock forming Sphagnum species adapted to acidic and oxygen-poor soil conditions. It is commonly composed of organic soils consisting of slowly decomposing peat moss found in level and depressional areas that tend to have stagnant water, obstructed drainage, or high water tables that enhance the accumulation of organic matter. Thick organic matter accumulations insulate and facilitate the development of Cryosolic soils - soils with permafrost. Black spruce forms a sparse canopy in the treed phase (h1), while ericaceous shrubs shuch as bog rosemary and Labrador tea dominate the shrubby phases (h2). This ecosite along with the fen ecosite are the characteristic ecosites associated with the Northern Mixedwood subregion (Natural Regions Committee 2006).

Successional Relationships The bog ecosite is an edaphic climax that is maintained by high water tables. Succession to the bog ecosite is very slow, and in the Northern Mixedwood is depressed partially due to frozen soil conditions and low temperatures.

Indicator Species Tree

BLACK SPRUCE Picea mariana

Shrub COMMON LABRADOR TEA Ledum groenlandicum CLOUDBERRY Rubus chamaemorus BOG ROSEMARY Andromeda polifolia

Lichen REINDEER LICHEN Cladina mitis

Moss and Liverwort RUSTY PEAT MOSS Sphagnum fuscum

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Hydric (wet) (4), Hygric (moist) (6), Subhydric (moderately wet) (9)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (1), Oligotrophic (very poor) (18)

Elevation (range): 538.5 (290-587) M

Slope (%): very gentle slope (1), level (2), nearly level (6)

Aspect: Easterly (1), Northerly (1), Westerly (2), Southerly (3)

Topographic Position:Midslope (1), Toe (1), Level (15)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Very poorly drained (8), Poorly drained (11)

Soil Subgroup: MESISOL (2), FIBRISOL (3), ORGANIC CRYOSOL (14)

Surface Texture: Mesic (6), Fibric (11)

Effective Texture: Fibric (2), Humic (3), Mesic (9)

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 16 - 25 cm (1), 40 - 59 cm (1), 60 - 79 cm (1), 0 - 5 cm (2), >= 80 cm (6), 26 - 39 cm (8)

Parent Material: Undifferentiated Organic (2), Bog (17)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIC PEATYMOR (2), FIBRIC PEATYMOR (4), MESIC PEATYMOR (11)

68

h1 treed bog (n=18) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: h bog (subhydric/poor)

Characteristic Species Tree

[ 11.2 ] BLACK SPRUCE Picea mariana

Shrub [ 19.5 ] COMMON LABRADOR TEA* Ledum groenlandicum [ 11.5 ] CLOUDBERRY Rubus chamaemorus [ 8.3 ] BOG CRANBERRY Vaccinium vitis-idaea [ 7.7 ] NORTHERN LABRADOR TEA Ledum palustre [ 2.8 ] LEATHERLEAF Chamaedaphne calyculata [ 2.4 ] SMALL BOG CRANBERRY Oxycoccus microcarpus

Lichen [ 34.1 ] REINDEER LICHEN* Cladina mitis [ 3.6 ] N/A Cladonia amaurocraea [ 2.2 ] REINDEER LICHEN Cladina rangiferina [ 1.5 ] N/A Cetraria nivalis

Moss and Liverwort [ 26.2 ] PEAT MOSS Sphagnum [ 2.7 ] RUSTY PEAT MOSS* Sphagnum fuscum

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Hydric (wet) (3), Hygric (moist) (6), Subhydric (moderately wet) (9)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (1), Oligotrophic (very poor) (17)

Elevation (range): 513 (290-587) M

Slope (%): very gentle slope (1), level (2), nearly level (6)

Aspect: Easterly (1), Northerly (1), Westerly (2), Southerly (3)

Topographic Position:Midslope (1), Toe (1), Level (14)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Very poorly drained (7), Poorly drained (11)

Soil Subgroup: MESISOL (2), FIBRISOL (2), ORGANIC CRYOSOL (14)

Surface Texture: Mesic (6), Fibric (10)

Effective Texture: Fibric (2), Humic (3), Mesic (9)

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 16 - 25 cm (1), 60 - 79 cm (1), 0 - 5 cm (2), >= 80 cm (6), 26 - 39 cm (8)

Parent Material: Undifferentiated Organic (2), Bog (16)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIC PEATYMOR (2), FIBRIC PEATYMOR (3), MESIC PEATYMOR (11)

69

NME8 Sb/Labrador tea/peat moss (n=18) (Picea mariana/Ledum groenlandicum/Sphagnum spp.) This community type is typical of a treed bog ecological site phase. Treed bogs tend to be dominated by black spruce, Labrador tea and peat moss. It has a imperfectly to very poorly drained soils, with a poor nutrient regime, and relatively acidic soil surface conditions. This is the successionally mature community type of this ecological site phase.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: h bog (subhydric/poor) Ecosite Phase: h1 treed bog

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 4.3 0.0-12.0 94

Understory Tree BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 3.1 0.0-10.0 72

Tall Shrub (2 to 5m) BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 3.8 0.0-18.0 83

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) SMALL BOG CRANBERRY (Oxycoccus microcarpus) 2.1 0.0-18.0 78 LEATHERLEAF (Chamaedaphne calyculata) 2.2 0.0-15.0 72 BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 3.7 0.0-29.0 72 NORTHERN LABRADOR TEA (Ledum palustre) 7.7 0.0-18.0 83 BOG CRANBERRY (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) 8.1 1.0-20.0 100 COMMON LABRADOR TEA (Ledum groenlandicum) 16.5 5.0-63.0 100

Low Shrub (< 0.5m) CLOUDBERRY (Rubus chamaemorus) 8.8 0.0-40.0 94

Moss RUSTY PEAT MOSS (Sphagnum fuscum) 1.8 0.0-18.0 17 PEAT MOSS (Sphagnum) 31.9 0.0-80.0 83

Lichen REINDEER LICHEN (Cladina stellaris) 1.2 0.0-7.0 56 UNDIFFERENTIATED CLADONIA (Cladonia) 3.6 0.0-15.0 72 REINDEER LICHEN (Cladina rangiferina) 3.7 0.0-20.0 72 REINDEER LICHEN (Cladina mitis) 31.0 2.0-60.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Hydric (wet) (3), Hygric (moist) (6), Subhydric (moderately wet) (9)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (1), Oligotrophic (very poor) (17)

Elevation (range): 513 (290-587) M

Slope (%): 2.5 - 5.99 (1), 0 - 0.49 (2), 0.5 - 2.49 (6)

Aspect: Northerly (1), Easterly (1), Westerly (2), Southerly (3)

Topographic Position: Midslope (1), Toe (1), Level (14)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Very poorly drained (7), Poorly drained (11)

Soil Subgroup: FIBRISOL HUMIC (1), FIBRISOL TYPIC (1), MESISOL HUMIC (1), MESISOL TYPIC (1), ORGANIC CRYOSOL HUMIC (2), ORGANIC CRYOSOL FIBRIC (3), ORGANIC CRYOSOL MESIC (9)

Surface Texture: Mesic (6), Fibric (10)

Effective Texture: Fibric (2), Humic (3), Mesic (9)

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 16 - 25 cm (1), 60 - 79 cm (1), 0 - 5 cm (2), >= 80 cm (6), 26 - 39 cm (8)

Parent Material: Undifferentiated Organic (2), Bog (16)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIC PEATYMOR (2), FIBRIC PEATYMOR (3), MESIC PEATYMOR (11)

70

h2 shrubby bog (n=1) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: h bog (subhydric/poor)

Characteristic Species Shrub

[ 5.0 ] BOG ROSEMARY* Andromeda polifolia [ 2.0 ] SMALL BOG CRANBERRY Oxycoccus microcarpus [ 2.0 ] LEATHERLEAF Chamaedaphne calyculata [ 1.0 ] CLOUDBERRY* Rubus chamaemorus

Forb [ 3.0 ] SLENDER-LEAVED SUNDEW Drosera linearis [ 1.0 ] ROUND-LEAVED SUNDEW Drosera rotundifolia

Lichen [ 3.0 ] N/A Cetraria nivalis

Moss and Liverwort [ 90.0 ] PEAT MOSS Sphagnum [ 2.0 ] LIVERWORT Ptilidium ciliare

Graminoid [ 1.0 ] CLOSE-SHEATHED COTTON GRASS Eriophorum brachyantherum

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Hydric (wet) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Oligotrophic (very poor) (1)

Elevation (range): 564 (564-564) M

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position:Level (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Very poorly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup: FIBRISOL (1)

Surface Texture: Fibric (1)

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 40 - 59 cm (1)

Parent Material: Bog (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form FIBRIC PEATYMOR (1)

71

NMB3 Bog rosemary/peat moss (n=1) (Andromeda polifolia/Sphagnum spp.) This community type is found in wetter bogs than the black spruce Labrador tea communities. It is found in areas with poorly drained soils and acidic soil conditions. Peat moss dominates along with a small component of bog rosemary, but there may be a sparse to well-developed shrub/herb layer including leatherleaf, cloudberry, small bog cranberry, and slender-leaved sundew.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: h bog (subhydric/poor) Ecosite Phase: h2 shrubby bog

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m)

LEATHERLEAF (Chamaedaphne calyculata) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100 SMALL BOG CRANBERRY (Oxycoccus microcarpus) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100 BOG ROSEMARY (Andromeda polifolia) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100

Low Shrub (< 0.5m) CLOUDBERRY (Rubus chamaemorus) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Low Forb (< 30 cm) ROUND-LEAVED SUNDEW (Drosera rotundifolia) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 SLENDER-LEAVED SUNDEW (Drosera linearis) 3.0 3.0-3.0 100

Graminoid CLOSE-SHEATHED COTTON GRASS (Eriophorum brachyantherum) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Moss LIVERWORT (Ptilidium ciliare) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100 PEAT MOSS (Sphagnum) 90.0 90.0-90.0 100

Lichen N/A (Cetraria nivalis) 3.0 3.0-3.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 40-40

Moisture Regime: Hydric (wet) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Oligotrophic (very poor) (1)

Elevation (range): 564 (564-564) M

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position: Level (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Very poorly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup: FIBRISOL HYDRIC (1)

Surface Texture: Fibric (1)

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness: 40 - 59 cm (1)

Parent Material: Bog (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form FIBRIC PEATYMOR (1)

72

h3 graminoid bog (n=0) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: h bog (subhydric/poor)

General Description This ecological site phase currently has no data and graminoid Bogs have not been described in the Boreal Natural Region. This ecological site phase was created for photo interpretation of vegetation for Alberta Vegetation Inventory (AVI) and Primary Land Vegetation Inventory (PLVI) if the interpreters call for a mapcode of 9B (Hydric/very poor). If interpreted in the various vegetation land cover inventories it will provide a spatial location in which to sample. Characteristic Species

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime:

Nutrient Regime:

Elevation (range):

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position:

Soil Variables Soil Drainage:

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

73

i poor fen (subhydric/medium) (n=2) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

General Description The poor fen ecosite is intermediate in nutrient regime between the bog (h) and the rich fen (j) ecosites and as such has species characteristic of both. Drainage is poor, however there is some movement of water. generally characterized by flowing oxygenated water and alkaline, nutrient-rich conditions. The soil is composed of organic matter from decomposing sedges, golden, tufted, peat and brown mosses. This ecosite occupies level and depressional areas where moving water is at or near the surface for a portion of the growing season. Black spruce and/or tamarack dominate the canopy of the treed phase (i1), while dwarf birch or willow form the canopy of the shrubby phase (i2) of the poor fen ecosite.

Successional Relationships The poor fen is an early stage in hydrarch succession. Species composition, direction, and rate of succession changes with changes to the hydrologic regime. As with other wetlands, poor fens have slow successional rates so recovery from disturbance may also be slow. Black spruce and/or tamarack may form the canopy in the climax community of treed phases provided the moisture regime is conducive to their establishment.

Indicator Species Tree

BLACK SPRUCE Picea mariana

Shrub MYRTLE-LEAVED WILLOW Salix myrtillifolia DWARF BIRCH Betula pumila

Moss and Liverwort TUFTED MOSS Aulacomnium palustre GOLDEN MOSS Tomenthypnum nitens

Graminoid MUD SEDGE Carex limosa

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Hygric (moist) (1), Subhydric (moderately wet) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (2)

Elevation (range): 559 (559-559) M

Slope (%): nearly level (1)

Aspect: Westerly (1)

Topographic Position:Level (2)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Poorly drained (2)

Soil Subgroup: LUVIC GLEYSOL (2)

Surface Texture: Silty clay loam (2)

Effective Texture: Loamy sand (1), Silty clay (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (2)

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (1), 6 - 15 cm (1)

Parent Material: Bog (1), Fluviolacustrine (1), Glaciolacustrine (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIC PEATYMOR (2)

74

i1 treed poor fen (n=1) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: i poor fen (subhydric/medium)

Characteristic Species Tree

[ 7.0 ] BLACK SPRUCE* Picea mariana

Shrub [ 15.0 ] DWARF BIRCH* Betula pumila [ 5.0 ] SALIX SPECIES Salix [ 4.0 ] MYRTLE-LEAVED WILLOW* Salix myrtillifolia [ 2.0 ] ALPINE BEARBERRY Arctostaphylos rubra [ 1.0 ] CANADA BUFFALOBERRY Shepherdia canadensis [ 1.0 ] DWARF RASPBERRY Rubus arcticus [ 1.0 ] SHRUBBY CINQUEFOIL Potentilla fruticosa

Forb [ 1.0 ] NORTHERN RAGWORT Senecio streptanthifolius

Lichen [ 7.0 ] UNDIFFERENTIATED CLADONIA Cladonia [ 2.0 ] REINDEER LICHEN Cladina mitis

Moss and Liverwort [ 40.0 ] TUFTED MOSS* Aulacomnium palustre [ 30.0 ] GOLDEN MOSS* Tomenthypnum nitens

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Subhydric (moderately wet) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (1)

Elevation (range): 559 (559-559) M

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position:Level (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Poorly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup: LUVIC GLEYSOL (1)

Surface Texture: Silty clay loam (1)

Effective Texture: Silty clay (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (1)

Organic Thickness: 6 - 15 cm (1)

Parent Material: Fluviolacustrine (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIC PEATYMOR (1)

75

NME9 Sb/bog birch/moss (n=1) (Picea mariana/Betula glandulosa/Moss spp.) This community type is transitional between the poor fen and the Labrador tea subhygric (g) ecological site. Rich fens tend to be dominated by larch, willow and golden moss, whereas, bogs are dominated by black spruce, Labrador tea and peat moss.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: i poor fen (subhydric/medium) Ecosite Phase: i1 treed poor fen

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100

Understory Tree BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) SHRUBBY CINQUEFOIL (Potentilla fruticosa) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 CANADA BUFFALOBERRY (Shepherdia canadensis) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 ALPINE BEARBERRY (Arctostaphylos rubra) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100 MYRTLE-LEAVED WILLOW (Salix myrtillifolia) 4.0 4.0-4.0 100 SALIX SPECIES (Salix) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100 DWARF BIRCH (Betula pumila) 15.0 15.0-15.0 100

Low Shrub (< 0.5m) DWARF RASPBERRY (Rubus arcticus) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) NORTHERN RAGWORT (Senecio streptanthifolius) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Moss GOLDEN MOSS (Tomenthypnum nitens) 30.0 30.0-30.0 100 TUFTED MOSS (Aulacomnium palustre) 40.0 40.0-40.0 100

Lichen REINDEER LICHEN (Cladina mitis) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100 UNDIFFERENTIATED CLADONIA (Cladonia) 7.0 7.0-7.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 25-25

Moisture Regime: Subhydric (moderately wet) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (1)

Elevation (range): 559 (559-559) M

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position: Level (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Poorly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup: LUVIC GLEYSOL HUMIC (1)

Surface Texture: Silty clay loam (1)

Effective Texture: Silty clay (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (1)

Organic Thickness: 6 - 15 cm (1)

Parent Material: Fluviolacustrine (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIC PEATYMOR (1)

76

i2 shrubby poor fen (n=1) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: i poor fen (subhydric/medium)

Characteristic Species Tree

[ 2.0 ] BLACK SPRUCE Picea mariana

Shrub [ 15.0 ] DWARF BIRCH* Betula pumila [ 10.0 ] SALIX SPECIES Salix [ 7.0 ] MYRTLE-LEAVED WILLOW* Salix myrtillifolia [ 2.0 ] DWARF RASPBERRY Rubus arcticus

Forb [ 1.0 ] ARROW-LEAVED COLTSFOOT Petasites sagittatus [ 1.0 ] LONG-LEAVED CHICKWEED Stellaria longifolia [ 1.0 ] NORTHERN RAGWORT Senecio streptanthifolius

Lichen [ 1.0 ] STUDDED LEATHER LICHEN Peltigera aphthosa

Moss and Liverwort [ 35.0 ] GOLDEN MOSS* Tomenthypnum nitens [ 5.0 ] TUFTED MOSS Aulacomnium palustre

Graminoid [ 3.0 ] TWO-STAMENED SEDGE Carex diandra [ 2.0 ] MUD SEDGE* Carex limosa

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Hygric (moist) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (1)

Elevation (range): 0 (0-0) M

Slope (%): nearly level (1)

Aspect: Westerly (1)

Topographic Position:Level (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Poorly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup: LUVIC GLEYSOL (1)

Surface Texture: Silty clay loam (1)

Effective Texture: Loamy sand (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (1)

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (1)

Parent Material: Bog (1), Glaciolacustrine (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIC PEATYMOR (1)

77

NMB4 Dwarf birch-willow/moss (n=1) (Betula glandulosa - Salix spp./Moss spp.) This ecosite is intermediate between a bog and rich fen. It is distinguishable from a bog by having significant cover of species usually associated with a rich fen (e.g. willows, sedges, and non-peat type mosses). However, it has a poorer nutrient regime than rich fens, evident by the significant cover of bog-type plants such as dwarf birch and black spruce. If conditions are favorable for tree growth, black spruce and larch will become prominent changing the plant community to a treed poor fen.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: i poor fen (subhydric/medium) Ecosite Phase: i2 shrubby poor fen

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Overstory Tree

BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Tall Shrub (2 to 5m) SALIX SPECIES (Salix) 10.0 10.0-10.0 100 DWARF BIRCH (Betula pumila) 15.0 15.0-15.0 100

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) BLACK SPRUCE (Picea mariana) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 MYRTLE-LEAVED WILLOW (Salix myrtillifolia) 7.0 7.0-7.0 100

Low Shrub (< 0.5m) DWARF RASPBERRY (Rubus arcticus) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) NORTHERN RAGWORT (Senecio streptanthifolius) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Low Forb (< 30 cm) ARROW-LEAVED COLTSFOOT (Petasites sagittatus) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 LONG-LEAVED CHICKWEED (Stellaria longifolia) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Graminoid MUD SEDGE (Carex limosa) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100 TWO-STAMENED SEDGE (Carex diandra) 3.0 3.0-3.0 100

Moss TUFTED MOSS (Aulacomnium palustre) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100 GOLDEN MOSS (Tomenthypnum nitens) 35.0 35.0-35.0 100

Lichen STUDDED LEATHER LICHEN (Peltigera aphthosa) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 40-40

Moisture Regime: Hygric (moist) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Submesotrophic (poor) (1)

Elevation (range): 0 (0-0) M

Slope (%): 0.5 - 2.49 (1)

Aspect: Westerly (1)

Topographic Position: Level (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Poorly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup: LUVIC GLEYSOL HUMIC (1)

Surface Texture: Silty clay loam (1)

Effective Texture: Loamy sand (1)

Depth to Mottles/Gley: 0 - 25 (1)

Organic Thickness: 0 - 5 cm (1)

Parent Material: Bog (1), Glaciolacustrine (1)

Soil Type:

Humus Form HUMIC PEATYMOR (1)

78

i3 graminoid poor fen (n=0) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: i poor fen (subhydric/medium)

General Description A number of ecological site phases currently have no data. These ecological site phases have been created as place holders because they were described in adjacent subregions (Lower Boreal Highlands and Central Mixedwood).

Characteristic Species

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime:

Nutrient Regime:

Elevation (range):

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position:

Soil Variables Soil Drainage:

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

79

j rich fen (subhydric/rich) (n=6) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

General Description The rich fen ecosite is characterized by flowing water and alkaline, nutrient-rich conditions. The soils is composed of organic matter derived from decomposing sedges as well as golden, tufted and brown mosses. Organic matter accumulations may act to insulate the soil and allow frozen soil horizons to persist. Tamarack dominates the canopy on the treed phase, while the shrubby and graminoid phases are dominated by willow and bog birch, sedges, grasses, reeds and golden mosses.

Successional Relationships The hydrarch succession characteristic of this ecosite occurs over periods of hundreds to thousands of years. Recovery from disturbance is extremely slow. Changing hydrologic regimes may result in disturbances that influence the direction and rate of succession. These systems are dependent on water flow through them and impeding this flow may result in the reduction or elimination of tree cover, along with changes in the shrub, forb and grass layers.

Indicator Species Tree

TAMARACK Larix laricina

Shrub FLAT-LEAVED WILLOW Salix planifolia SALIX SPECIES Salix

Graminoid WIRE RUSH Juncus balticus BLUEJOINT Calamagrostis canadensis WATER SEDGE Carex aquatilis AWNED SEDGE Carex atherodes

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Hydric (wet) (1), Hygric (moist) (1), Subhygric (moderately moist) (1), Subhydric (moderately wet) (3)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (5)

Elevation (range): 162.5 (150-250) M

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position:Depression (1), Level (5)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Moderately well drained (1), Very poorly drained (1), Imperfectly drained (4)

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

80

j1 treed rich fen (n=0) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: j rich fen (subhydric/rich)

General Description A number of ecological site phases currently have no data. These ecological site phases have been created as place holders because they were described in adjacent subregions.

Characteristic Species

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime:

Nutrient Regime:

Elevation (range):

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position:

Soil Variables Soil Drainage:

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

81

j2 shrubby rich fen (n=2) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: j rich fen (subhydric/rich)

Characteristic Species Tree

[ 1.0 ] TAMARACK* Larix laricina

Shrub [ 29.8 ] FLAT-LEAVED WILLOW* Salix planifolia [ 10.5 ] SALIX SPECIES* Salix [ 6.4 ] DWARF RASPBERRY Rubus arcticus [ 3.0 ] RIVER ALDER Alnus tenuifolia [ 1.6 ] WILD RED CURRANT Ribes triste

Forb [ 18.5 ] COMMON FIREWEED Epilobium angustifolium [ 1.6 ] ARROW-LEAVED COLTSFOOT Petasites sagittatus [ 1.3 ] COMMON HORSETAIL Equisetum arvense

Moss and Liverwort [ 11.9 ] UNDIFFERENTIATED MOSS - ALL GENERA Moss

Graminoid [ 17.4 ] BLUEJOINT* Calamagrostis canadensis [ 15.8 ] AWNED SEDGE* Carex atherodes

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Subhydric (moderately wet) (1), Subhygric (moderately moist) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (2)

Elevation (range): 150 (150-150) M

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position:Level (2)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Moderately well drained (1), Imperfectly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

82

NMB5 Willow/marsh reedgrass (bluejoint) (n=1) (Salix spp./Calamagrostis canadensis) This plant community is found along the edges of marsh reedgrass and sedge fen meadows and in moist depressions. Willow invades these graminoid fens to form the willow/marsh reedgrass community type. Increased flooding and prolonged waterlogging may result in the disappearance of willow and a transition back to a graminoid fen.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: j rich fen (subhydric/rich) Ecosite Phase: j2 shrubby rich fen

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Tall Shrub (2 to 5m)

SALIX SPECIES (Salix) 21.0 21.0-21.0 100

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) LARGE-LEAVED YELLOW AVENS (Geum macrophyllum) 1.7 1.7-1.7 100 COMMON FIREWEED (Epilobium angustifolium) 37.0 37.0-37.0 100

Low Forb (< 30 cm) HAREBELL (Campanula rotundifolia) 0.3 0.3-0.3 100 COMMON YARROW (Achillea millefolium) 1.5 1.5-1.5 100 WILD STRAWBERRY (Fragaria virginiana) 1.9 1.9-1.9 100

Graminoid BLUEJOINT (Calamagrostis canadensis) 18.5 18.5-18.5 100

Moss UNDIFFERENTIATED MOSS - ALL GENERA (Moss) 11.0 11.0-11.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 40-40

Moisture Regime: Subhygric (moderately moist) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (1)

Elevation (range): 150 (150-150) M

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position: Level (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Moderately well drained (1)

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

83

NMB6 Willow/sedge (n=1) (Salix spp./Carex spp.) This community type is found along the edges of sedge fens (meadows) and in moist depressions. Willow establishes along the drier edges of sedge fens, resulting in a willow/sedge community. If there is an increase in flooding and prolonged periods of soil saturation, willow cover will decline and the community may transition back to a sedge fen.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: j rich fen (subhydric/rich) Ecosite Phase: j2 shrubby rich fen

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Understory Tree

TAMARACK (Larix laricina) 2.0 2.0-2.0 100

Tall Shrub (2 to 5m) RIVER ALDER (Alnus tenuifolia) 6.1 6.1-6.1 100 FLAT-LEAVED WILLOW (Salix planifolia) 59.6 59.6-59.6 100

Medium Shrub (0.5 to 2 m) WILD RED CURRANT (Ribes triste) 3.3 3.3-3.3 100

Low Shrub (< 0.5m) DWARF RASPBERRY (Rubus arcticus) 12.8 12.8-12.8 100

Tall Forb (>= 30 cm) COMMON HORSETAIL (Equisetum arvense) 2.6 2.6-2.6 100

Low Forb (< 30 cm) ARROW-LEAVED COLTSFOOT (Petasites sagittatus) 3.3 3.3-3.3 100

Graminoid BLUEJOINT (Calamagrostis canadensis) 16.4 16.4-16.4 100 AWNED SEDGE (Carex atherodes) 31.7 31.7-31.7 100

Moss UNDIFFERENTIATED MOSS - ALL GENERA (Moss) 12.8 12.8-12.8 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 40-40

Moisture Regime: Subhydric (moderately wet) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (1)

Elevation (range): 150 (150-150) M

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position: Level (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Imperfectly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

84

j3 graminoid rich fen (n=4) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: j rich fen (subhydric/rich)

Characteristic Species Forb

[ 3.6 ] NODDING BEGGARTICKS Bidens cernua [ 1.2 ] SWAMP HORSETAIL Equisetum fluviatile [ 1.2 ] MARSH HORSETAIL Equisetum palustre [ 1.2 ] COMMON CATTAIL Typha latifolia

Graminoid [ 24.5 ] BLUEJOINT* Calamagrostis canadensis [ 21.9 ] AWNED SEDGE* Carex atherodes [ 3.3 ] SMALL BOTTLE SEDGE Carex utriculata [ 2.6 ] WATER SEDGE* Carex aquatilis [ 2.5 ] NORTHERN REED GRASS Calamagrostis inexpansa [ 2.5 ] WIRE RUSH* Juncus balticus [ 2.5 ] SPANGLETOP Scolochloa festucacea [ 1.2 ] CREEPING SPIKE-RUSH Eleocharis palustris [ 1.2 ] REED Phragmites australis [ 1.2 ] COMMON GREAT BULRUSH Scirpus validus

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Hydric (wet) (1), Hygric (moist) (1), Subhydric (moderately wet) (2)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (3)

Elevation (range): 175 (150-250) M

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position:Depression (1), Level (3)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Very poorly drained (1), Imperfectly drained (3)

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

85

NMA4 Marsh reedgrass (bluejoint) (n=2) (Calamagrostis canadensis) This community type is found along water bodies and in moist depressions where the water table is at or near the surface for part of the growing season. It is dominated by marsh reedgrass, and if the site dries willows will invade to form a willow/marsh reedgrass fen.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: j rich fen (subhydric/rich) Ecosite Phase: j3 graminoid rich fen

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Tall Forb (>= 30 cm)

MARSH SKULLCAP (Scutellaria galericulata) 0.3 0.0-0.7 50 NODDING BEGGARTICKS (Bidens cernua) 0.7 0.0-1.5 50 COMMON FIREWEED (Epilobium angustifolium) 1.3 0.0-2.6 50

Graminoid AWNED SEDGE (Carex atherodes) 10.3 2.4-18.2 100 BLUEJOINT (Calamagrostis canadensis) 49.0 45.0-53.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 40-40

Moisture Regime: Hygric (moist) (1), Subhydric (moderately wet) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (2)

Elevation (range): 150 (150-150) M

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position: Level (2)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Imperfectly drained (2)

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

86

NMA5 Sedge meadow (n=2) (Carex spp.) This community is found near fresh water bodies and in moist depressions where the water table is at or near the surface for part of the growing season. It is dominated by carex species, and associated with the willow/sedge and willow/marsh reedgrass communities at its drier edges.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: j rich fen (subhydric/rich) Ecosite Phase: j3 graminoid rich fen

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Tall Forb (>= 30 cm)

SWAMP HORSETAIL (Equisetum fluviatile) 2.5 0.0-5.0 50 MARSH HORSETAIL (Equisetum palustre) 2.5 0.0-5.0 50 COMMON CATTAIL (Typha latifolia) 2.5 0.0-5.0 50 NODDING BEGGARTICKS (Bidens cernua) 6.5 0.0-13.0 50

Graminoid CREEPING SPIKE-RUSH (Eleocharis palustris) 2.5 0.0-5.0 50 REED (Phragmites australis) 2.5 0.0-5.0 50 COMMON GREAT BULRUSH (Scirpus validus) 2.5 0.0-5.0 50 NORTHERN REED GRASS (Calamagrostis inexpansa) 5.0 0.0-10.0 50 WIRE RUSH (Juncus balticus) 5.0 0.0-10.0 50 SPANGLETOP (Scolochloa festucacea) 5.0 0.0-10.0 50 WATER SEDGE (Carex aquatilis) 5.2 0.5-10.0 100 SMALL BOTTLE SEDGE (Carex utriculata) 6.6 5.0-8.3 100 AWNED SEDGE (Carex atherodes) 33.5 10.0-57.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 40-40

Moisture Regime: Subhydric (moderately wet) (1), Hydric (wet) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (1)

Elevation (range): 200 (150-250) M

Slope (%):

Aspect:

Topographic Position: Level (1), Depression (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage: Imperfectly drained (1), Very poorly drained (1)

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

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k marsh (hydric) (n=1) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

General Description The marsh ecosite is found in level and depressional areas and around the shoreline of water bodies and riparian zones. It is a shallowly flooded mineral wetland dominated by emergent graminoid vegetation, where the water is above the rooting zone for a portion of the growing season.

Successional Relationships The marsh ecosite is representative of the beginning stages of hydrarch succession. It can be considered successionally stable, where changes in plant community composition are determined largely by disturbance regime.

Indicator Species Forb

COMMON CATTAIL Typha latifolia

Graminoid COMMON GREAT BULRUSH Scirpus validus

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Hydric (wet) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (1)

Elevation (range): 250 (250-250) M

Slope (%): level (1)

Aspect: Level (1)

Topographic Position:Depression (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage:

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

88

k1 marsh (n=1) Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: k marsh (hydric)

Characteristic Species Forb

[ 5.0 ] COMMON CATTAIL* Typha latifolia [ 1.0 ] COMMON MARE'S-TAIL Hippuris vulgaris [ 1.0 ] SMALL BLADDERWORT Utricularia minor [ 1.0 ] ARUM-LEAVED ARROWHEAD Sagittaria cuneata [ 1.0 ] LARGE-LEAVED WHITE WATER CROWFOOT Ranunculus aquatilis [ 1.0 ] WATER SMARTWEED Polygonum amphibium

Graminoid [ 5.0 ] COMMON GREAT BULRUSH* Scirpus validus

Environmental Variables Moisture Regime: Hydric (wet) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (1)

Elevation (range): 250 (250-250) M

Slope (%): level (1)

Aspect: Level (1)

Topographic Position:Depression (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage:

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

89

NMA6 Cattail (n=1) (Typha latifolia) This wetland community is associated with fresh water bodies, and is found in the shallow water areas around lake shores, or saturated wet depressions. It is often found in isolated spots or as narrow bands around lakes or sloughs. As these areas dry they are converted to fen and swamp type communities.

Natural Subregion: Northern Mixedwood Ecosection: NM Northern Mixedwood

Ecosite: k marsh (hydric) Ecosite Phase: k1 marsh

Plant Composition Canopy Cover (%) Mean Range Const. Tall Forb (>= 30 cm)

WATER SMARTWEED (Polygonum amphibium) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 LARGE-LEAVED WHITE WATER CROWFOOT (Ranunculus aquatilis) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 ARUM-LEAVED ARROWHEAD (Sagittaria cuneata) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 COMMON CATTAIL (Typha latifolia) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100

Low Forb (< 30 cm) COMMON MARE'S-TAIL (Hippuris vulgaris) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100 SMALL BLADDERWORT (Utricularia minor) 1.0 1.0-1.0 100

Graminoid COMMON GREAT BULRUSH (Scirpus validus) 5.0 5.0-5.0 100

Environmental Variables Ecological Status Score: 40-40

Moisture Regime: Hydric (wet) (1)

Nutrient Regime: Permesotrophic (rich) (1)

Elevation (range): 250 (250-250) M

Slope (%): 0 - 0.49 (1)

Aspect: Level (1)

Topographic Position: Depression (1)

Soil Variables Soil Drainage:

Soil Subgroup:

Surface Texture:

Effective Texture:

Depth to Mottles/Gley:

Organic Thickness:

Parent Material:

Soil Type:

Humus Form

90

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