Download Silviculture Management Prescriptions for Two Sites in the Lower

Tonya Smith
FRST 211 #61791042
Silviculture
Management
Prescriptions
for Two Sites
in the Lower
Mainland, BC
FRST 211 Spring Field
Assignment
Tonya Smith
Introduction
BEC and Climate Change
The Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification (BEC) system acts as a useful hierarchical tool for land use
planning in British Columbia to obtain information about ecosystems at the regional, local and
chronological scale. It provides planning agencies with information that can be applied to achieve various
management goals. The BEC system uses climatic, vegetation and site classification with information
collected through field sampling, to define ecological units from the broader regional zone level to the
finer-scale variant and phase units (Pojar et al. 1987) The BC Ministry of Forests uses the BEC system to
define and inventory forest cover and ecosystem types in British Columbia, and this tool can be widely
applied to many areas of land use planning and management.
The BEC system uses the concept of zonal ecosystem classification, which allows areas of the landscape
that are similar in vegetation, soil and climate, to be grouped together in to biogeoclimatic units
commonly named after the dominant plant species of the zone at the climatic climax successional stage
(ibid). Within this concept, the broadest hierarchical level of classification, the biogeoclimatic zone, is
characterized by a zonal ecosystem that is considered reflective of the regional climate of an area. The
zonal ecosystem is typically represented by a mid-slope, meso-slope site with deep loamy soils with no
root-restricting layer, and is a site not strongly affected by local microclimatic conditions. Within the
zone, a subzone further delineates an area based on uniform regional climate attributes. Subzones are
characterized by distinct climax vegetation on zonal sites, and are the working level of classification of
the BEC system. For increased specificity, a subzone may be further delineated by variants (site that are
drier, wetter, warmer or colder) and phases (with climatic variance from local relief).
The BEC system describes the landscape of British Columbia using 14 biogeoclimatic zones. These zones
vary with the broader macroclimatic features of the province. It is important to acknowledge that with
increased knowledge and awareness of the dynamic nature of global climatic patterns, both the
biogeoclimatic zones defined by BEC, and the applications of the BEC system in management, will
change. Climate change is predicted to increase global temperatures between 1.1 and 6.4 degrees
Celsius within the next century, which is projected to have unprecedented changes on ecosystems and
species compositions (IPCC 2007). In British Columbia, this could mean the expansion of ecosystems that
are adapted to warmer and wetter conditions (such as the Interior Coastal Hemlock zone) and
contractions of other zones that are maladapted to these changes (Pojar et al 2007). Projections of the
ability of species to migrate and adapt to new climatic envelopes are in the early stages, but it is widely
accepted that many species will no longer be able to compete and thrive in their current ranges.
The BEC system is useful for a variety of applications within global climate science. The BEC system
provides information about vegetation types and communities that currently exist using the ecological
classification system, and this can provide important baseline data for scientists to understand how and
in which ways the global climate is shifting (BC Forest Service n.d. ). It also provides a useful tool for
modelling, as current data is used along with projections about climatic change to give some indication
about future conditions. The ability of the BEC system to evolve for new management objectives and
reflect dynamic systems ensures that the tool will be relevant for ecosystem modelling in the coming
decades.
Objectives
The Releve Method of Field Data Collection was performed on two forested sites within the Lower
Mainland area of British Columbia, both within the CWH (Coastal Western Hemlock) Biogeoclimatic Zone
under the BEC (Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification) System. The first site was located off of the
Sword Fern Trail in Pacific Spirit Park in Vancouver, and the second site was located in Katherine Tye
Ecological Reserve near Abbotsford, BC. The management objective of the first site is to manage the site
for non-timber forest products, specifically species of berries that have been historically harvested by
community members of the Musqueam First Nation. The management objectives of the second site is to
manage the forest for the protection of the phantom orchid (Cephalanthera austiniae (A. Gray) A.
Heller), which is listed as an endangered species under the Committee on the Status of Endangered
Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC).
Background on Management Objectives
The management objective for the Sword Fern Trail site is to manage to allow for increased production
of berries as a historical and modern-day resource of the Musqueam First Nation.
The Coastal First Nations of British Columbia have relied on the usage of non-timber forest products
within the CWH zone for many generations, or since time immemorial. The berries that are found within
the herbaceous understory of lush west coast forests have long provided a staple food for many
aboriginal groups. Within the CWH, oval-leaved blueberry (Vacinnium ovalifolium), Alaska blueberry
(Vacinnium alaskense), Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis), Salal (Gaultheria shallon ), and Red Huckleberry
(Vacinnium parviflorum) are historically the most commonly eaten berries, and have provided coastal
First Nations in the CWH with an important supply of nutrients and calories (Pojar and Mackinnon
1994).
Historical berry harvest was typically performed by women, and was done ceaselessly during the
summer months to ensure many patches were harvested as they became ripe and that food stores were
maximized (Turner 1995, Johnson 1994). Patches were either harvested on a first come first serve basis,
or were actually owned by families, and required access fees to be paid prior to their harvest (ibid).
Berries were either eaten fresh, or prepared for preservation as berry cakes, which would then be
reconstituted using oils upon their use (ibid). The ripening of each berry often accompanied a festival or
celebration, during which berries were eaten in specific ways and with specific combinations of food
(ibid).
Pacific Spirit Park in Vancouver, BC, is part of the traditional territories of the Musqueam First Nation,
and has acted as a place from which community members would harvest food, including many berries.
The Musqueam Nation was excluded from the park lands with the creation of the Musqueam Reserve in
the late 1800’s, and the forest was cleared during the century that followed (Musqueam Indian Band
2003). However, despite this legal exclusion, many members of the community continue to harvest
berries for food to date. The many important aspects of berry harvest to First Nations groups, such as
acting as a food source, providing an indication of seasons and ecological processes, and the important
social, title and ownership implications within Nations, are the focus of the first management objective
to increase berry production within Pacific Spirit Park.
The management objective for the Katherine Tye Ecological Reserve is to protect a threatened endemic
plant species, the phantom orchid (Cephalanthera austiniae (A. Gray) A. Heller). This orchid is biologically
unique in that it is non-photosynthetic, and receives its carbon from decaying matter in the soil via
mychorrizal associations (Kendrick et al 1999, Government of Canada 2010). It is commonly found
flowering under birch trees, and features an aromatic white blossom that gives it the common name of
'phantom'. This rare plant is the most endangered orchid in BC and possibly in Canada, and is only found
a few places throughout the BC Lower Mainland and the Gulf Islands (Government of Canada 2010). The
Katherine Tye Ecological Reserve was founded to protect orchid individuals found around the area (BC
Parks n.d.). Urban expansion has prevented the orchid from surviving outside of the boundaries of the
Ecological Reserve in Abbotsford (ibid).
In British Columbia, the federal government is the primary body responsible for the management of
plant species of concern. The Species at Risk Act identifies plants as Endangered, Threatened or At Risk
depending on recommendations and investigations done by the Committee on the Status of Endangered
Wildlife (COSEWIC) (Parks Canada 2010). Although the orchid is protected by provincial land designation
within the Katherine Tye Ecological Reserve, the management objective of this site is to increase the
frequency of orchid plants within the reserve.
The success of the phantom orchid is limited primarily by encroachment of urban development on
preferred habitat within its range and its limited natural reproductive capacity (Government of Canada
2010). Its range is limited in the north by climatic conditions, and the orchid appears to rely on some
amount of disturbance to reduce understory competition (ibid). Only three of the Canadian sites that
phantom orchid is found in consistently demonstrate flowering of the orchid, and flowering is thought to
depend on climate and light availability (ibid). Grazing also appears to have a beneficial effect on the
flowering of the phantom orchid (ibid). The flowering stems of this orchid emerge continuously from
May to late July, but do not always indicate the production of seed (ibid). The phantom orchid has been
notably found under birch trees and shrubs, and it is thought that the mychorrizal associations of the
orchid are linked to the presence of birch (McKendrick 2000).
Site 1 Description and Diagnostic
The first releve performed was at Pacific Spirit Park in Vancouver, British Columbia near the Sword Fern
Trail. The site is found within the CWHdm subzone. The site met the description for the 03 FdHw-Salal
site series.
Photo Credit: http://www.jiwiz.com/Images/PacificSpirit03.jpg
The site was located just off 16th Avenue in Pacific Spirit Park, and was diagnosed as being in the mature
seral, understory reinitiation successional phase. The park was logged in the early 20th century, with
burning of some areas, for a housing development that was never constructed. Prior to this clearing, the
forest may have been old-growth, however little information is available within the literature about this.
The site is a mid-slope mesoslope position, and had concave surface topography. Characteristic of the
area, the site features deep, well-drained humo-ferric podzol soils with glaciofluvial coarse fragments.
The dominant tree species in the canopy are Psuedotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir) and Tsuga heterophylla
(Western Hemlock). Other tree species present include Acer macrophyllum (Bigleaf Maple) and Betula
papyrifera (Paper Birch). The shrubs and herbaceous species present include Vacinnium parvifolium (red
huckleberry), Rubus ursinus (trailing blackberry), Gaultheria shallon (Salal), Rubus spectabilis
(salmonberry), Dryopteris expansa (spiny wood fern), and Kinbergia oregana (oregon beaked moss).
Regeneration Method and Projected Stand Structure
Vacinnium parvifolium, Rubus ursinus, Gultheria shallon and Rubus spectabilis are all species that
produce berries that have been traditionally harvested and used by aboriginal people within the CWH,
and are therefore the species that the management plan is targeting an increase of. Of these species,
Vacinnium parvifolium and Rubus spectabilis are the most shade tolerant, and Rubus ursinus is quite
shade intolerant (Klinkenberg 2010). Although they may be shade tolerant, all of these species would
demonstrate increased proliferation with a more open canopy, as they all compete better in sunlight.
The variable retention harvest system is based on the concept of retaining structural elements during
harvest until the next rotation, and is therefore suggested as the best harvest and retention method to
increase berry production within Pacific Spirit Park. More specifically, dispersed retention of trees would
work to shelter understory vegetation from climatic elements that would negatively affect their success,
such as frost events and high temperatures (Franklin et al 1997). Additionally, the variable retention
harvest system allows trees left on the site to act as complex habitat for birds and small mammals, which
are important in the dispersal and reproductive success of berry species (ibid). As the berry-producing
species around the site in Pacific Spirit are mostly shade tolerant, but prefer sun, the dispersed retention
system is favoured over the aggregate retention system, as it provides the area with the benefits of a
forest microclimate while still allowing sufficient light in for the proliferation of berries.
Fig 1. Current (pre-harvest), future (post-harvest) and projected (2055) stand structure in Site #1
A dispersed variable retention system involves retaining dominant and strong co-dominant trees, as
these are generally the most windfirm and stress tolerant individuals, and are likley to have the most
success post-harvest (ibid). For Site #1, this would mean retaining some of the larger Douglas-fir within
each harvest period for harvest in subsequent rotations. It is recommended that about 50% of the
current amount of Douglas-fir stems be maintained to provide forest habitat while opening up the
canopy and allowing light to reach the forest floor for the proliferation of berry plants, and 20% retention
of Western hemlock from both the dominant and co dominant layer to maintain species diversity.
Additionally, post-harvest treatment should include burning of the understory vegetation. Prescribed
burning has been done historically by First Nations groups across British Columbia to produce more
productive berry patches and prevent patches from becoming overgrown (Johnson 1994). Burning was
historically done in August or September, before rains fell, to prevent the fire from becoming
uncontrolled (ibid). Burning would decrease competing vegetation in the area and allow for increased
berries for harvest in following years. Many berry crops are thought to peak in their productivity after
four years post-burning, and thus this should be the approximate interval at which burning occurs (ibid).
Douglas-fir features thick bark that is resistant to burning, and therefore light burns in the understory
should not affect the survival of dominant trees onsite.
As well as controlled burning, it is recommended that this site be cleared of species that would compete
with the berry species for light. These invasive species include Ilex aquifolium (English Holly), Hedera
helix (English Ivy) and Rubus americanus (Himalayan blackberry). Although none of these species were
evident within the sample plot, they were witnessed in the forest outside of the plot. Invasive species are
difficult to manage for, however it is likely that burning will decrease most of the dominance of invasive
plants, and occasional volunteer restoration crews could be employed to remove any residual.
It is likely that through time, the general structure of the stand would be maintained, even with climatic
changes that are predicted through climate change events. It is thought that Douglas-fir will become
more prevalent throughout the province, barring any pathogen or insect, and thus the canopy cover of
this species may be maintained. Berry plants will likely also succeed in the future, again provided that no
pathogens or insects affect their success. Burning will help to eliminate this possibility. Therefore, this
management prescription is projected to be sustainable.
Site 2 Description and Diagnostic
The second site that a releve was performed was at the Katherine Tye Ecological Reserve in Abbortsford,
BC. This Ecological Reserve was created for the protection of Austin’s phantom orchid (Cephalanthera
austiniae) listed under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA) as a Schedule 1, threatened species and
listed by the BC Conservation Data Center as red listed, or endangered (Klinkenberg 2010). The ecological
reserve is found within the CWHdm (coastal western hemlock dry maritime) subzone within the Fraser
Lowland ecosection in the Lower Mainland region (ibid). The site we monitored was found on the
southern portion of the reserve, on eroding slops facing the Chilliwack River Valley. The site meets the
description of the 05 Cw-Sword Fern site series the best, due to the presence of Polystichum munitum
(sword fern), Acer macrophyllum (bigleaf maple) and presence of Acer circunatum (vine maple).
Photo Credit: http://www.vancouvertrails.com/trails/sumas-mountain/
The site was on a steep, eroding slope facing the Chilliwack River Valley. There were stumps evident,
indicating that the area had been logged in the not-too-distant past. The presence of conifers was limited
to a low amount of Psuedotsuga menziesii in the dominant canopy, with Acer marcrophyllum. The codominant layer was denser than the dominant and featured Betula papyrifera, Acer circanatum and
Prunus emarginata. Mahonia nervosa was prevalent in the understory, and found with Symphoricarpus
albus, Geranium robertianum, Polypodium glycyrrhiza and Polystichum munitum. The soil of this site is
medium-rich, very deep humo-ferric podzol (no root-restricting layer could be accessed), and featured
the presence of charcoal.
Regeneration Method and Projected Stand Structure
As a regeneration method for the success of the phantom orchid, there were a few methods that were
considered. A dispersed retention system initially appeared to be a good option. Dispersed retention
could also allow for the required disturbance necessary for phantom orchid to successfully compete.
However, according to one study, it was found that the abundance of phantom orchid was highest in
reserves where succession was able to persist to old-growth stages of a mature seral forest, with a
dominance of paper birch in the canopy (Battles et al 2001). The least appropriate management
technique for phantom orchid would be the clear-cut harvest system, as this would allow for ruderal
species, such as invasive species, to colonize the area and out-compete phantom orchid (ibid). The
recommended management prescription for the orchid is therefore single tree harvest, with the removal
of the few Douglas-fir that are found in the area, and specifically allow the birch trees to reach maturity
(ibid). Single tree harvest should be done over long rotation periods (more than 10 years), and remove
only trees that compete for sunlight with paper birch. Single tree selection would work to minimize the
impact of harvest on the sensitive phantom orchid, and if possible, should be done with minimal impacts
of harvest on understory vegetation using a method such as helicopter logging.
Fig 2. Current (pre-harvest), future (post-harvest) and future (2055) projected stand structure in Site #2
Phantom orchid is thought to receive benefits from grazing, as this activity works to reduce competition
of other herbaceous species in the understory, and therefore it is recommended that a reserve created
for the orchid would not be fenced. This would allow browsers, such as deer in nearby areas, to aid in
the reduce competition of understory species such as Mahonia nervosa. If browsing does not
successfully thin competing vegetation, then annual thinning might be performed to promote the
growth of phantom orchid.
Through time as the site reaches later successional stages, the canopy will become more open with an
increase of fallen and decaying trees, and this is also likely to benefit the phantom orchid. Removal of
Douglas-fir at a regular rate should also create an increase in the amount of paper birch that is witnessed
on the site.
Discussion
Climate Change and the Management Prescription
Within climatic modelling schemes, the areas where current BEC zones are predicted to exist will be
changing ranges, with some zones contracting while others expand. Due to the warmer and wetter
climatic conditions predicted in British Columbia, it is predicted that the Coastal Western Hemlock and
Interior Cedar Hemlock zones will expand throughout the province.
Both of the sites examined were found within the Coastal Western Hemlock dry-maritime subzone, and
therefore are not directly susceptible to the effects of a contracting range. Within Pacific Spirit Park, the
berry species that are the target of management plans are likely to succeed with an expansion in the
range of the CWH. However, with changes in climate, unprecedented effects may be had on ecosystems,
including outbreaks of infestations by insect, and diseases targeting plants or trees. Evidence of climate
change impacting forested ecosystems in BC is already evident with the outbreak of Mountain Pine
Beetle in Pinus contorta (Lodgepole pine), and it is possible that changing climatic conditions may be
favourable in unpredictable ways for diseases that act on other tree species throughout the province. It
is possible that herbaceous vegetation may also be negatively impacted by changing climatic patterns.
For example, the Chilcotin region of BC experienced a widespread rust infection on Amelanchier alnifolia
(Saskatoon berry) and Shepherdia Canadensis (soapberry) in the summers of 2006 and 2008. If similar
rust were to occur within the CWH, it is possible that berry species throughout the range could decline.
First Nations throughout the province may be the first to witness noticeable changes in vegetation
patterns as a result of climate change. For example, one Hartley Bay resident attributed unseasonably
heavy rains to decreased berries and apples in the region, hypothesizing that the rains had affected bee
populations that act as pollinators to the fruiting species (Turner 2005). First Nations may also be one of
the most impacted groups by changes in vegetation cover due to climate, as many indigenous cultures
have strong associations with environmental cycles, seasons, and abundance of local resources. Many
First Nations pass down knowledge of natural cycles through oral tradition to teach younger generations
valuable knowledge about hunting, fishing and planting, and mark important cultural events (Green et al
2009). With unprecedented changes that may result from climate change, many First Nations will not be
able to have as much reliance on generational knowledge, and will be forced to adapt, maybe even more
quickly than other groups, to changing ecosystems.
Changing climate may also provide challenges for rare species. The abundance of a species within an
area is determined by its realized niche, or where the edaphic (soil) and climatic conditions are
favourable to the growth of a species, and the species is able to successively compete with other species
in an area. Phantom orchid experiences a very narrow range due to the combination of its limited niche,
and increased pressure from urban development within its range. It is thought that rare species will be
one of the most susceptible groups to climate change, as changing climatic patterns will act as an
increased stress to populations (Thuiller et al 2005). Current modelling of the effect of changing climate
on rare species features much uncertainty (ibid). Therefore, although the largest immediate threat to
Phantom orchid is urban development, climate change may become an increasingly important threat for
the persistence of this species in the future.
Although the management plans described previously may work to increase the desired management
goals in the short-term, climate change is not intrinsically considered within these plans, and is likely to
become an increasingly important factor in the survival and competitive success of many species within
their ranges. Therefore the management of these objectives may become more integrated with a
broader-scale management for ecosystem health and species diversity.
Conclusion
Systems may be managed at a small-scale by different silvicultural techniques to obtain different
management goals, but ultimately the effects of climate change will demand that managers of ecological
systems to move towards a more holistic style of management. Management that works to achieve not
only specific management goals, such as increased timber production or protection of rare species, but
broader objectives, such as increased carbon capture of forests, will work to mitigate the effects of
climate change, and resultantly help to achieve more specific management goals that rely on a stable
climatic system. The BEC system is an effective tool to understand the effects of climatic changes on
vegetation within BC, and is likely to evolve and become an increasingly important resource for forest
managers within the coming generations.
Works Cited
Battles, J. J., A. J. Shlisky, R. H. Barrett, R. C. Heald, and B. H. Allen-Diaz. (2001) The effects of forest management on
plant species diversity in a Sierran conifer forest. Forest Ecology and Management 146:211–222.
BC Forest Service. n.d. BEC and Climate Change. Retrieved from
http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hre/becweb/program/climate%20change/index.html
BC Parks. Katherine Tye Ecological Reserve. (n.d.) Retrieved from
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/eco_reserve/kathtye_er.html
Franklin et al. (1997) “Alternative Silvicultural Approaches to Timber Harvesting: Variable Retention Harvest
Systems.” Creating a Forestry for the 21st Century. Chapman & Hall: New York.
Government of Canada. (2010). Species at Risk Public Registry. Retrieved from
http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/species/speciesDetails_e.cfm?sid=261
Green D, Raygorodetsky G (2010). Indigenous knowledge of a changing climate. Climate Change, 100: 239-242.
IPCC. (2007) Summary for Policymakers. Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working
Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Solomon, S., D. Qin,
M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M.Tignor and H.L. Miller (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA.
Klinkenberg, Brian. (Editor) (2010). E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced
Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver Retrieved from
http://eflora.bc.ca
Johnson, Leslie M. (1994). Aboriginal burning for vegetation managment in Northwest British Columbia. Human
Ecology: 22, 2: 171-188.
McKendrick SL, Leake JR, Taylor DL, Read DJ (2000) Symbiotic germination and development of myco-hetertrophic
plants in nature: transfer of carbon from ectomycorrhizal Salix repens and Betula pendula to the orchid Corallorhiza
trifida through shared hyphal connections. New Phytologist, 145, 539 – 548.
Musqueam Indian Band. (2003) Land Claims History. Musqueam. Retrieved from
http://www.musqueam.bc.ca/Claims.html
Parks Canada. (2010). Species at Risk. Retrieved from http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/nature/eepsar/itm1/eep-sar1c.aspx
Pojar, J., K. Klinka and D. V. Meidinger . (1987). Biogeoclimatic ecosystem classificaiton in British Columbia. Forest
Ecology and Management: 22, 119-154.
Pojar, J. and A. MacKinnon. (1994) Plants of coastal British Columbia. Lone Pine Publishing, Vancouver, BC.
Thuiller, W. (2003) BIOMOD – optimizing predictions of species distributions and projecting potential future shifts
under global change. Global Change Biology 9, 1353–62.
Turner, Nancy J. (1995) Food plants of coastal First Peoples. Royal British Columbia Museum Handbook. University
of British Columbia Press, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Turner, Nancy and Clifton, H. (2009) It’s so different today: climate change and indigenous lifeways in British
Columbia, Canada. Global Environmental Change 19:180–190
Appendix
Relevé Data Sheet for Ecosystem Description of Site #1
Date and Time: March 1st, 4 pm
Site name: Sword Fern Trail, Pacific Spirit Park (Vancouver, British Columbia Canada)
Group members: Maddie Crowell, Roslyn Johnson, James Partick Grimes and Tonya Smith
(1) Site information, mosses and lichens (pages 1 & 4); (2) trees and seedlings (p. 2); (3) shrubs and herbs
(p. 3); (4) humus form and mineral soil (p. 5).
Site Diagnosis: CWHdm, 03-FdHw-Salal
SITE INFORMATION
Elevation: 100m Slope: 4% Aspect: 138 degrees
Meso slope position1:
Surface topography2: convex
upper-mid slope
Successional status3:
mature seral
Soil moisture regime5:
medium-dry
Stand structural stage4: understory reintiation
Soil nutrient regime6: poor-medium
1
Crest; Upper slope; Midde slope; Lower slope; Toe; Depression; Level
2
Concave; Convex; Straight
3
Pioneer seral; Young seral; Mature seral; Young climax; Mature climax
4
Postdisturbance; Stand initiation; Stem exclusion; Understory reinitiation; Oldgrowth
5
SMR: very dry, dry, medium, wet, very wet
6
SNR: poor, medium, rich
SITE DIAGRAM
NOTES:
Site was located about 100 m off the Sword Fern Trail, roughly 20 minutes walk from the 16th St
trailhead. Forest has a disturbance history from cutting and burning in 1910.
CANOPY TREE SPECIES: Abundance1 by layer and indicator value2
Species
Douglas-fir
Western Hemlock
Intermediate
layer (>10 m
tall)
Dominant
Codominant
Suppressed
layer
Layer
Medium
(50.00%)
Low
Medium
(40.00%)
Medium
17 stems,
(35.00%)
4 snags
layer
Indicator
value
(SMR/SNR)
-
(20.00%)
1
-
Abundance classes: high (>50% cover), medium (20-50% cover), low (10-20% cover), very low (<10%
cover)
2
Indicator values:
SNR: poor, medium, rich
SMR: very dry, dry, medium, wet, very wet
TREE SEEDLINGS: Number of seedlings1 and substrate2 in 1m x 1m plots
Species
Plot 1
Plot 2
Plot 3
Plot 4
Plot 5
Mean
Western Hemlock
5/FF
0/FF
3/FF
5/DW
0/FF
2.6
1
Includes all trees <1.3 m tall
2
MS=mineral soil; FF=forest floor; DW=decaying wood
SHRUBS AND HERBS: Abundance1 and indicator value2
Species
Abundance
Indicator Value
(SMR/SNR)
Red Huckleberry
Very low
M, P
Salal
Very low
D-M, P
Trailing Blackberry
Very low
MD-M, M
Salmonberry
Very low
M-W, R
English holly
Very low
HERBS
spiny wood fern
Very low
1
M-W, M
Abundance classes: high (>50% cover), medium (20-50% cover), low (10-20% cover), very low (<10%
cover)
2
Indicator values:
SMR: very dry, dry, medium, wet, very wet
SNR: poor, medium, rich
MOSSES AND LICHENS: Abundance1 and indicator value2
Species
Abundance
Indicator Value
(SMR/SNR)
Oregon beaked moss
High
MD-M, P-M
1
Abundance classes: high (>50% cover), medium (20-50% cover), low (10-20% cover), very low (<10%
cover)
2
Indicator values:
SMR: very dry, dry, medium, wet, very wet
SNR: poor, medium, rich
SOIL DESCRIPTION
ORGANIC HORIZONS
Humus Form1: Mor
Layer
Depth
(cm)
Structure2
Mycelium
abundance3
Fecal
abundance3
Root
abundance3
L
2
L
X
F
X
F
8
M
C
C
A
H
3
F
F
C
C
1
Refer to key for classes
2
L=loose; FR=friable; FM=firm; M=matted; G=greasy
3
X=none; F=few; C=common; A=abundant
Notes
MINERAL HORIZONS
Soil Order1: ___Humo-ferric podzol_
Parent Material2: ___Glaciofluvial________________
Rooting depth/ root restricting layer:__________34 cm________
Drainage (rapid, well, imperfect, poor): ____Well drained________
Horizon
Depth
(cm)
Colour
Texture3
Coarse fragment
content/shape4
Root
abundance5
Ae
3
Greyishbrown
Sandy
X
C
Bf
32
Reddishbrown
Sandy-silty
loam
F/SA
C
Brownish
-red
Sandy silty
loam
C/SA
B
Below
32
1
Refer to key for soil orders
Notes
Soil
profile
diagram
2
F
Colluvium; Fluvial; Lacustrine; Marine; Glaciofluvial; Glaciolacustrine; Glacial moraine; Glaciomarine;
Volcanic; Organic, etc. 3 Refer to soil texture triangle and key
4
% of total soil volume; R=rounded; SA=subangular; A=angular
5
X=none; F=few; C=common; A=abundant
Relevé Data Sheet for Ecosystem Description of Site #2
Date and Time: March 8thst, 2 pm
Site name: Katherine Tyee Ecological Reserve (Fraser Valley, British Columbia, Canada)
Group members: Maddie Crowell, Roslyn Johnson, James Partick Grimes and Tonya Smith
(1) Site information, mosses and lichens (pages 1 & 4); (2) trees and seedlings (p. 2); (3) shrubs and herbs
(p. 3); (4) humus form and mineral soil (p. 5).
Site Diagnosis: CWHdm, 05 Cw-Sword Fern
SITE INFORMATION
Elevation: 100m Slope: 21% Aspect: 186 degrees SSW
Meso slope position1:
mid slope
Successional status3:
mature seral
Soil moisture regime5:
medium-dry
Surface topography2: straight
Stand structural stage4: understory reintiation
Soil nutrient regime6: poor-medium
1
Crest; Upper slope; Midde slope; Lower slope; Toe; Depression; Level
2
Concave; Convex; Straight
3
Pioneer seral; Young seral; Mature seral; Young climax; Mature climax
4
Postdisturbance; Stand initiation; Stem exclusion; Understory reinitiation; Oldgrowth
5
SMR: very dry, dry, medium, wet, very wet
6
SNR: poor, medium, rich
SITE DIAGRAM
NOTES:
Site was historically cleared. Was found on steep hillslope overlooking the Fraser Valley, about 15
minutes up from a road, near agricultural areas.
CANOPY TREE SPECIES: Abundance1 by layer and indicator value2
Species
Dominant
Codominant
layer
Layer
Bigleaf maple
Low
Douglas-fir
Low
Paper birch
Intermediate
layer (>10 m
tall)
Suppressed
layer
Indicator
value
(SMR/SNR)
Low
Western flowering
dogwood
Low
Bitter cherry
Low
Vine maple
Low
M-W/R
1
Abundance classes: high (>50% cover), medium (20-50% cover), low (10-20% cover), very low (<10%
cover)
2
Indicator values:
SMR: very dry, dry, medium, wet, very wet
SNR: poor, medium, rich
TREE SEEDLINGS: Number of seedlings1 and substrate2 in 1m x 1m plots
Species
Plot 1
Plot 2
Plot 3
Plot 4
Plot 5
Mean
Paper birch
2/FF
0/FF
3/FF
2/DW
0/FF
1.4
Douglas-fir
0/FF
0/FF
1/FF
0/FF
0/FF
0.2
1
Includes all trees <1.3 m tall
2
MS=mineral soil; FF=forest floor; DW=decaying woodSHRUBS AND HERBS: Abundance1 and indicator
value2
HERBS
Dull Oregon grape
medium
D-M/M
Licorice fern
low
M-W/R
Sword fern
low
M-W/R
Herb Robert
low
Snowberry
low
1
Abundance classes: high (>50% cover), medium (20-50% cover), low (10-20% cover), very low (<10%
cover)
2
Indicator values:
SMR: very dry, dry, medium, wet, very wet
SNR: poor, medium, rich
MOSSES AND LICHENS: Abundance1 and indicator value2
Species
Abundance
Indicator Value
(SMR/SNR)
Large leafy moss
Low
M-W/M
Flat moss
Low
D-W/P
1
Abundance classes: high (>50% cover), medium (20-50% cover), low (10-20% cover), very low (<10%
cover)
2
Indicator values:
SNR: poor, medium, rich
SMR: very dry, dry, medium, wet, very wet
SOIL DESCRIPTION
ORGANIC HORIZONS
Humus Form1: Mor
Layer
Depth
(cm)
Structure2
Mycelium
abundance3
Fecal
abundance3
Root
abundance3
L
4
L
X
X
X
F
4
F
A
L
A
H
1
G
X
F
F
1
Refer to key for classes
2
L=loose; FR=friable; FM=firm; M=matted; G=greasy
3
X=none; F=few; C=common; A=abundant
Notes
Soil profile
diagram
MINERAL HORIZONS
Soil Order1: ___Humo-ferric podzol_
Parent Material2: ___Glaciofluvial________________
Rooting depth/ root restricting layer: Could not access, unknown
Drainage (rapid, well, imperfect, poor): ___Imperfect_______
Horizon
Depth
(cm)
Colour
Texture3
Coarse fragment
content/shape4
Root
abundance5
Ae
2
brown
Silt-loam
0.00%
C
Bf
345
Reddishbrown
Silt
0.00%
A
Bt
Below
345
Dark
Brownish
Reddishgrey
Silty-clay
loam
25%/SA
C
Notes
NOTES : soil had lots of charcoal present, we dug a deep pit but could find no root-restricting layer (were
limited by the tools), there were very few coarse fragments observed within the mineral horizons
1
Refer to key for soil orders
2
Colluvium; Fluvial; Lacustrine; Marine; Glaciofluvial; Glaciolacustrine; Glacial moraine; Glaciomarine;
Volcanic; Organic, etc. 3 Refer to soil texture triangle and key
4
% of total soil volume; R=rounded; SA=subangular; A=angular
5
X=none; F=few; C=common; A=abundant