14 BEC Zones

Question 1

List the zones from bottom to top near kelowna

Answer 1

Bunchgrass Zone (BG)
Ponderosa Pine (PP)
Interior Douglas fir (IDF)
Montane Spruce (MS)
Engelmann Spruce-Subalpine Fir Zone (ESSF)

Question 2

What is the Bunchgrass Zone (BG)

Answer 2

• Lower elevations of southern interior (700-1000m)
• Below PP zone and grades into IDF zone
• Grasslands
• Lower elevations of major southern interior valley of BC
• Ex. Okanagan Valley

Question 3

What is the Ponderosa Pine (PP)

Answer 3

• Elevation of 335-900m
• Between BG and IDF zone
• Low elevations along dry valleys of southern interior Plateau of BC
• Ex. Frasier River

Question 4

What is the Interior Douglas Fir (IDF)

Answer 4

• Low elevation 350-600m
• High elevations 900-1450m
• Mid-low elevation landscapes of south-centra interior BC
• Ex Southern Rocky Mountain

Question 5

What is the Montane Spruce

Answer 5

• Lodgepole pine
• Mid elevations
• Elevations 1100-1500 n wet zones
• Elevations 1250-1700 in dry areas
• Ex. Coast and cascade mountain

Question 6

What is the Engelmann Spruce-Subalpine Fir Zone (ESSF)

Answer 6

• Elevations in southwest 1200-2100m
• Elevations in north 900-1700m
• Elevations in southeast 1500-2300m
• Uppermost forested area in southern ¾ interior of BC
• Ex Columbia mountains

Question 7

Name the zones bottom in increasing elevation in Vancouver

Answer 7

Interior Cedar – Hemlock (ICH)
Costal Douglas Fir (CDF)
Costal Western Hemlock (CWH)
Mountain Hemlock Zone (MH)
Alpine Tundra (AT)

Question 8

What is the Interior Cedar Hemlock (ICH)

Answer 8

• Low-mid elevations
• Elevations 400-1500m in southeast BC
• Ex. Quesnel Highland

Question 9

What is the Costal Douglas Fir (CDF)

Answer 9

• Elevations below 150m
• Small part of southeastern Vancouver Island
• Islands in gulf of Georgia and narrow strip adjacent to mainland

Question 10

What is the Coastal Western Hemlock

Answer 10

• Elevations sea level- 900m in windward
• Elevations 1050m leeward slope
• Low-mid elevations
• Mostly west of costal mountains, along entire BC coast
• Ex. Queen charlotte island

Question 11

What is the Mountain Hemlock Zone (MH)

Answer 11

• Elevation 900-1800m in south
• Elevation 400-1000m in north
• Subalpine elevation of coastal mountains
• All along coast of BC
• Ex. Insutar Mountains

Question 12

What is the Alpine Tundra (AT)

Answer 12

• Highest elevation above 2250m
• On high mountains throughout BC
• Ex. Rocky Mountains

Question 13

List the remaining zones

Answer 13

Sub-Boreal Spruce Zone (SBS)
Sub-Boreal Pine – Spruce Zone (SBPS)
Spruce- Willow- Birch Zone (SWB)
Boreal White and Black Spruce Zone (BWBS)

Question 14

What is the Sub-Boreal Spruce Zone (SBS)

Answer 14

• In valley bottoms
• Elevation from 1100-1300m
• Montane zone of central Interior of BC
• Ex. Nechako gentle terrain

Question 15

What is the Sub-Boreal Pine – Spruce Zone (SBPS)

Answer 15

• Very high elevations
• Montane zone is on high plateau in west central interior BC
• Ex. Chilcotin

Question 16

What is he Spruce- Willow- Birch Zone (SWB)

Answer 16

• Elevations 1000-1700m in south
• Elevations900-1500m in north
• Mostly north subalpine zone in BC
• Ex. Skeena Mountains

Question 17

What is the Boreal White and Black Spruce Zone (BWBS)

Answer 17

• majority of zone is in elevations above 600m
• on extension of Guerat Plains into northeast corner on BC
• Ex. Fort Nelson Lowlands