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Ecosystems of British Columbia PDF

342 Pages·1991·10.31 MB·English
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Special Report Series 6 E COSYSTEMS OF B C RITISH OLUMBIA FEBRUARY 1991 BC Ministry of Forests ISSN 0843-6452 Ecosystems of British Columbia Compiled and Edited by Del Meidinger1 and Jim Pojar2 1 Research Branch 2 Forest Sciences Section B.C. Ministry of Forests B.C. Ministry of Forests 31 Bastion Square Bag 5000 Victoria, B.C. V8W 3E7 Smithers, B.C. V0J 2N0 February 1991 BC Ministry of Forests Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data Main entry under title: Ecosystems of British Columbia (Special report series, ISSN 0843-6452 ; no. 6) Includes bibliographical references: p. ISBN 0-7718-8997-6 1. Forest ecology - British Columbia. 2. Bio- climatology - British Columbia. 3. Biogeography - British Columbia. I. Meidinger, Dellis Vern, 1953- . II. Pojar, Jim, 1948- . III. British Columbia. Ministry of Forests. IV. Series: Special report series (British Columbia. Ministry of Forests) ; no. 6. QK938.F6.E26 1991 581.5’2642’09711 C91-092061-3 ª 1991 Province of British Columbia Published by the Research Branch Ministry of Forests 31 Bastion Square Victoria, B.C. V8W 3E7 Copies of this and other Ministry of Forests titles are available from Crown Publications Inc., 546 Yates Street, Victoria, B.C. V8W 1K8. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Numerous individuals contributed to this report, including not only the authors of the separate sections (see ‘‘List of Authors and Affiliations’’), but also their associates who have helped over several years in the research on which the report is based. All the authors are or were employed in the B.C. Ministry of Forests research program or the B.C. Ministry of Environment Wildlife Branch. Useful reviews were provided by colleagues in these groups. For example, Andy MacKinnon and Ted Lea reviewed the entire manuscript; wildlife sections were reviewed by Andrew Harcombe, Chris Dodd, Bill Munro, and Dave Clark. External review of many of the wildlife sections was provided by Wayne Campbell and Keith Moore, and Chris Clement reviewed the zone description chapters. Kamil Apt and Ted Murray reviewed the recreation comments; and Dennis Demarchi reviewed the range use information and the first four chapters. The wildlife lists were the work of Peter Holmes, who compiled the first draft from the Wildlife Branch Sub-Regional Habitat Maps, and Bill Harper, who completed the tables and provided the overall technical guidance. Bill Harper also edited all sections dealing with wildlife. The production of the final printed manuscript also involved many individuals. Louise Gronmyr did the majority of the typing and corrections to the manuscript. Other word processing operators who helped produce the text include Cheryl Ward, Maria Romeo, Karen Reid, and Christina Stewart. Paul Nystedt and Peggy Frank drew the cross sections. Carmen Cadrin produced the first draft of the species list; Anne Heitkamp helped review it. George Reynolds compiled the climate data and produced the diagrams. David Izard did the computer graphics used in this publication. Dave Butcher, of T.D. Mock and Associates, prepared the vegetation diagrams. Georgina Montgomery provided a final edit of the manuscript and Beth Collins typeset the document. Therese Britton was responsible for paste-up and production of many figures. We greatly appreciate everyone’s help. iii AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS Rick Annas, Consulting Ecologist, #7-10841-135 Street, Edmonton, Alta. T5M 1J8 Tom Braumandl, Regional Ecologist, Nelson Forest Region, B.C. Ministry of Forests, 518 Lake Street, Nelson, B.C. V1L 4C6 Steve Chatwin, Hydrologist and Manager of Fish/Forestry Program, Research Branch, B.C. Ministry of Forests, 31 Bastion Square, Victoria, B.C. V8W 3E7 Ray Coupe´, Ecologist, Cariboo Forest Region, B.C. Ministry of Forests, 540 Borland Street, Williams Lake, B.C. V2G 1R8 Craig DeLong, Ecologist, Prince George Forest Region, B.C. Ministry of Forests, 1011-4th Avenue, Prince George, B.C. V2L 3H9 Dennis Demarchi, Habitat Classification Specialist, Wildlife Branch, B.C. Ministry of Environment, 780 Blanshard Street, Victoria, B.C. V8V 1X5 Wayne Erickson, Range Development Agrologist, Prince Rupert Forest Region, B.C. Ministry of Forests, Bag 5000, Smithers, B.C. VOJ 2NO Evelyn Hamilton, Ecologist, Research Branch, B.C. Ministry of Forests, 31 Bastion Square, Victoria, B.C. V8W 3E7 Bill Harper, Habitat Inventory and Enhancement Specialist, Wildlife Branch, B.C. Ministry of Environment, 780 Blanshard Street, Victoria, B.C. V8V 1X5 Graeme Hope, Consulting Soil Scientist, 1193 Wildwood Drive, Kamloops, B.C. V2C 5E1 Maureen Ketcheson, Consulting Ecologist, J.M.J. Holdings Inc., Box 784, Nelson, B.C. V1L 5P9 Karel Klinka, Ecologist and Associate Professor, V.J. Krajina Chair in Silvics and Silviculture, Department of Forest Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, #270 - 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1W5 Dennis Lloyd, Regional Ecologist, Kamloops Forest Region, B.C. Ministry of Forests, 515 Columbia Street, Kamloops, B.C. V2C 2T7 Andy MacKinnon, Ecologist and Manager of Ecology Program, Research Branch, B.C. Ministry of Forests, 31 Bastion Square, Victoria, B.C. V8W 3E7 Del Meidinger, Ecologist and Provincial Correlator, Ecosystem Classification Program, Research Branch, B.C. Ministry of Forests, 31 Bastion Square, Victoria, B.C. V8W 3E7 Bob Mitchell, Regional Pedologist, Kamloops Forest Region, B.C. Ministry of Forests, 515 Columbia Street, Kamloops, B.C. V2C 2T7 iv Alison Nicholson, Ecologist and Radio Personality, Research Branch, B.C. Ministry of Forests, 31 Bastion Square, Victoria, B.C. V8W 3E7 Fred Nuszdorfer, Regional Ecologist, Vancouver Forest Region, B.C. Ministry of Forests, 4595 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C. V5G 4L9 Jim Pojar, Forest Science Officer and Ecologist, Prince Rupert Forest Region, B.C. Ministry of Forests, Bag 5000, Smithers, B.C. VOJ 2NO Ordell Steen, Regional Ecologist, Cariboo Forest Region, B.C. Ministry of Forests, 540 Borland Street, Williams Lake, B.C. V2G 1R8 Andy Stewart, Wildlife Habitat Technician, Wildlife Branch, B.C. Ministry of Environment, 780 Blanshard Street, Victoria, B.C. V8V 1X5 Greg Utzig, Consulting Ecologist, Kutenai Nature Investigations Ltd., 602 Richards Street, Nelson, B.C. V1L 5K5 Brian Wikeem, Range Scientist, Research Branch, B.C. Ministry of Forests, 3015 Ord Road, Kamloops, B.C. V2B 8A9 v TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................. iii AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS ........................................... iv Chapter 1 Introduction — J. Pojar and D. Meidinger ..................... 1 Chapter 2 Concepts — J. Pojar, D. Meidinger, and K. Klinka .............. 9 Chapter 3 British Columbia: The Environmental Setting — J. Pojar and D. Meidinger .............................................. 39 Chapter 4 Resource Values — A. MacKinnon, W.L. Harper, S. Chatwin, and B.M. Wikeem ............................................. 69 Chapter 5 Coastal Douglas-fir Zone — F.C. Nuszdorfer, K. Klinka, and D.A. Demarchi ................................................ 81 Chapter 6 Coastal Western Hemlock Zone — J. Pojar, K. Klinka, and D.A. Demarchi ................................................ 95 Chapter 7 Mountain Hemlock Zone — J. Pojar, K. Klinka, and D.A. Demarchi ................................................ 113 Chapter 8 Bunchgrass Zone — A. Nicholson, E. Hamilton, W.L. Harper, and B.M. Wikeem ............................................. 125 Chapter 9 Ponderosa Pine Zone — G.D. Hope, D.A. Lloyd, W.R. Mitchell, W.R. Erickson, W.L. Harper, and B.M. Wikeem .................. 139 Chapter 10 Interior Douglas-fir Zone — G.D. Hope, W.R. Mitchell, D.A. Lloyd, W.R. Erickson, W.L. Harper, and B.M. Wikeem ....... 153 Chapter 11 Interior Cedar — Hemlock Zone — M.V. Ketcheson, T.F. Braumandl, D. Meidinger, G. Utzig, D.A. Demarchi, and B.M. Wikeem ................................................. 167 Chapter 12 Montane Spruce Zone — G.D. Hope, W.R. Mitchell, D.A. Lloyd, W.L. Harper, and B.M. Wikeem ..................... 183 Chapter 13 Sub-Boreal Pine — Spruce Zone — O. Steen and D.A. Demarchi ............................................ 195 Chapter 14 Sub-Boreal Spruce Zone — D. Meidinger, J. Pojar, and W.L. Harper .................................................. 209 Chapter 15 Engelmann Spruce — Subalpine Fir Zone — R. Coupe´, A.C. Stewart, and B.M. Wikeem ................................ 223 Chapter 16 Boreal White and Black Spruce Zone — C. DeLong, R.M. Annas, and A.C. Stewart ................................. 237 Chapter 17 Spruce — Willow — Birch Zone — J. Pojar and A.C. Stewart 251 Chapter 18 Alpine Tundra Zone — J. Pojar and A.C. Stewart ............. 263 vii Chapter 19 Non-tidal Wetlands — J. Pojar ............................... 275 Appendices ................................................................ 281 General References ........................................................ 295 Selected References ........................................................ 298 TABLES 1. Relative soil moisture regime classes and characteristics ................. 15 2. Classification of actual soil moisture regimes ............................ 16 3. Differentia and examples for classifications and categories of Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification ................................. 20 4. Climatic characteristics for the biogeoclimatic zones of British Columbia 56 5. Occurrence of trees in the biogeoclimatic zones of British Columbia ...... 59 6. Volume of all wood products billed in fiscal year 1988-89, by species ...... 71 7. Domestic water sources in British Columbia ............................ 72 8. Population served by watersheds of different sizes ....................... 73 9. Biogeoclimatic zones used for livestock grazing in British Columbia, by Forest Region ......................................................... 75 10. Recreational use of federal parks, provincial parks, and B.C. Ministry of Forests recreation sites and trails ...................................... 76 11. Selected wildlife species in the Coastal Douglas-fir zone ................. 89 12. Synopsis of subzones in the Coastal Western Hemlock zone (CWH) ....... 100 13. Means and standard deviations (in parentheses) of selected climatic characteristics for CWH subzones ...................................... 102 14. Selected wildlife habitats and species in the Coastal Western Hemlock zone .................................................................. 106 15. Synopsis of subzones in the Mountain Hemlock zone (MH) ............... 117 16. Selected wildlife habitats and species in the Mountain Hemlock zone ..... 122 17. Synopsis of subzones in the Bunchgrass zone (BG) ...................... 130 18. Selected wildlife habitats and species in the Bunchgrass zone ............ 133 19. Synopsis of subzones in the Ponderosa Pine zone (PP) ................... 143 20. Selected wildlife habitats and species in the Ponderosa Pine zone ........ 147 21. Synopsis of subzones in the Interior Douglas-fir zone (IDF) .............. 157 viii 22. Selected wildlife habitats and species in the Interior Douglas-fir zone ...... 163 23. Synopsis of subzones in the Interior Cedar — Hemlock zone (ICH) ........ 171 24. Selected wildlife habitats and species in the Interior Cedar — Hemlock zone ................................................................... 177 25. Synopsis of subzones in the Montane Spruce zone (MS) ................... 187 26. Selected wildlife habitats and species in the Montane Spruce zone ........ 192 27. Synopsis of subzones in the Sub-Boreal Pine — Spruce zone (SBPS) ....... 199 28. Selected wildlife habitats and species in the Sub-Boreal Pine — Spruce zone ................................................................... 205 29. Synopsis of subzones in the Sub-Boreal Spruce zone (SBS) ................ 213 30. Selected wildlife habitats and species in the Sub-Boreal Spruce zone ...... 218 31. Synopsis of subzones in the Engelmann Spruce — Subalpine Fir zone (ESSF) ................................................................ 227 32. Selected wildlife habitats and species in the Engelmann Spruce — Subalpine Fir zone ............................................................... 233 33. Synopsis of subzones in the Boreal White and Black Spruce zone (BWBS) 241 34. Selected wildlife habitats and species in the Boreal White and Black Spruce zone ........................................................... 246 35. Selected wildlife habitats and species in the Spruce — Willow — Birch zone ................................................................... 260 36. Selected wildlife habitats and species in the Alpine Tundra zone .......... 272 FIGURES 1. Edatopic grid of soil moisture and nutrient regimes ...................... 14 2. Relationships between site properties and soil nutrient regime ............ 17 3. Levels of integration in the classification system ......................... 18 4. Schematic relations between zonal and site classifications ................ 19 5. Categories and relationships of vegetation, zonal, and site classifications 19 6. System of naming and coding subzones .................................. 23 7. Relationship between ecoregion and biogeoclimatic classification ............ 31 ix

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