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BIOL 366 > Lecture 8- Intro to Boreal Forests > Flashcards

Lecture 8- Intro to Boreal Forests Flashcards

1
Q

Describe what boreal forests are like

A

-Vast circumpolar forest
-Short growing seasons
-Long cold winters
-Contains 60% of world surface freshwater
-Stores 1/3 of global carbon stocks

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2
Q

The boreal forest is also known as _______

A

A taiga

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3
Q

Where is the carbon stored in boreal forests?

A

Stored in soil organic matter and stored in tree biomass

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4
Q

Boreal is shifting from ______ to ______ because ______

A

-Sink
-Source
-Melting permafrost. destruction of peatlands, frequent fires

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5
Q

What are the two ecozones of boreal forests?

A

1.Boreal Shield
2.Boreal Plains

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6
Q

Describe some characteristic of Boreal Shields

A

-Predominantly exposed bedrock (thin layer of soil on bedrock)
-Glaciers carved many lakes
-More variable topography

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7
Q

Contrast East and North Boreal Shields

A

East- more humid = fir, ferns
North- drier = pins, lichens

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8
Q

Describe some characteristics of Boreal Plains

A

-Highly heterogenous landscape between lowland peatlands and upland forest
-Very little topography
-Flater topography
-Deep peatlands

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9
Q

What are the different types of Boreal Forests?

A
  1. Treed peatland
  2. Upland
    a. Deciduous dominated
    b. Mixed wood
    c. Moist and conifer dominated
    d. Dry and conifer dominanted
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10
Q

What are some characteristics of Deciduous upland forests?

A

-Can be dry or wet
-Generally dense and diverse understory

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11
Q

What tree dominates dry Deciduous upland forests?

A

Aspen (shrub dominated)

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12
Q

What tree dominates wet Deciduous upland forests?

A

Birch or popular

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13
Q

Is Trembling Aspen shade tolerant or intolerant?

A

Shade intolerant

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14
Q

What is the species name for trembling aspen?

A

Populus tremuloides

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15
Q

What are some characteristics of trembling aspen?

A

-Grows to 20m tall
-Tolerates a wide range of conditions (generally in lower soil moisture
-Shade intolerant
-Will form root suckers (clones) and from seeds

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16
Q

Where do you find trembling aspen?

A

Dry deciduous upland forests

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17
Q

Is Balsam Popular shade tolerant or intolerant?

A

Shade intolerant

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18
Q

What is the species name for balsam popular?

A

Populus balsamifera

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19
Q

What are some characteristics of balsam popular?

A

-Grows 25m tall
-Up to 120cm diameter
-Tolerates a wide range of conditions, generally higher soil moisture
-Max age 165 years
-Shade intolerant
-Will form root suckers (clones) and from seeds

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20
Q

Where do you find balsam popular?

A

Wet deciduous upland forests

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21
Q

Is paper/white birch shade tolerant or intolerant?

A

Shade intolerant

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22
Q

What is the species name for paper/white birch?

A

Betula papyrifera

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23
Q

What are some characteristics of paper/white birch?

A

-Grows to 16m tall
-Short lived (<140 years)
-Generalists for conditions (typically prefers higher soil moisture)
-Shade intolerant
-Characterized by peeling, papery bark

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24
Q

Where do you find paper/white birch?

A

Wet deciduous upland forests

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25
Q

Describe coniferous upland forests

A

-Wet and dry sites
-Generally low diversity in understory

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26
Q

What dominates moist coniferous upland forests?

A

Spruce or fir (understory dominated by mosses or ericaceous shrubs)

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27
Q

What dominants dry coniferous upland forests?

A

Pine (understory dominated by lichens and ericaceous shrubs_

28
Q

Is white spruce shade tolerant or intolerant?

A

Shade tolerant

29
Q

Is white spruce tolerant or intolerant of stagnant water?

A

Intolerant of stagnant water

30
Q

What is the species name of white spruce?

A

Picea glauca

31
Q

What are some characteristics of white spruce?

A

-Grows to 18m tall (max 30m)
-Requires good supply of well aerated water
-Intolerant of stagnant water
-Shade tolerant
-Will grow on dry sites if fertile
-Long lived is no fire

32
Q

Where do you find white spruce?

A

Moist coniferous upland forests

32
Q

Is Balsam Fir shade tolerant or intolerant?

A

Shade tolerant

32
Q

What is the species name for balsam fir?

A

Abies balsamea

33
Q

What are some characteristics of balsam fir?

A

-Grows to 18m tall
-Found in moister sites
-Shade tolerant
-Generally associated with old growth boreal forest (when dominant)
-Seedlings common in the understory

34
Q

Where would you find balsam fir?

A

Moist coniferous upland forests

35
Q

Is Black Spruce shade tolerant or intolerant?

A

Shade tolerant

36
Q

Is black spruce tolerant to moist soils?

A

Yes

37
Q

What is the species name for black spruce?

A

Picea mariana

38
Q

What are some characteristics of black spruce?

A

-Grows 15m tall
-Slow growing
-Shallow roots (upper 20cm of organic soil)
-Tolerates moist soils
-Vulnerable to wind throw
-Shade tolerant
-Lifespan to 200-300 years, could be up to 3000 years

39
Q

Where do you find black spruce?

A

-Moist coniferous upland forests
-Treed peatlands

40
Q

Is tamarack shade tolerant or intolerant?

A

Shade intolerant

41
Q

What is the species name of tamarack?

A

Larix laracina

42
Q

What are some characteristics of tamaracks?

A

-Grows to 23m tall
-Mostly on wet to moist organic soils (indicator of a fen)
-Often with black spruce
-Lifespan to 180 years, few to 335 years
-Shallow rooting to 60cm
-Shade intolerant
-Deciduous conifer

43
Q

Where do you find tamaracks?

A

-Treed peatlands (fens)
-Moist coniferous upland forests

44
Q

Is jack pine shade tolerant or intolerant?

A

Shade intolerant

45
Q

What is the species name for jack pine?

A

Pinus banksiana

46
Q

What are some characteristics of jack pines?

A

-Grows to 20m tall
-Grows on sandy, thin soil over rock in Canadian shield
-Roots to 3m but most in top 50cm
-Lifespan 100years but can exceed 250 years
-Shade intolerant
-Depends on fires for seed dispersal

47
Q

Where would you find jack pines?

A

Dry coniferous upland forests

48
Q

Is lodgepole pine shade tolerant or intolerant?

A

Shade tolerant

49
Q

What is the species name for lodgepole pine?

A

Pinus contorta

50
Q

What are some characteristics of lodgepole pine?

A

-Grows to 30m tall
-Grows in well drained, sandy loam soil
-Roots to 3m but most in top 50cm
-Lifespan 100 years, but could exceed 200 years
-Shade tolerant
-Depends on fire for seed dispersal

51
Q

What tree species are shade intolerant?

A

-Trembling aspen
-Balsam popular
-Paper/white birch
-Tamarack
-Jack pine

52
Q

What tree species are shade tolerant?

A

-White spruce
-Balsam fir
-Black spruce
-Lodgepole pine

53
Q

Why are there so many conifers?

A

-Evergreen leaves are an adaptation to cold
-Needle = reduced surface area for water loss
-Waxy coating prevents freezing
-Can photosynthesize immediately in spring
-Shape of evergreen branches allows snow to slide off

54
Q

Describe the type of bird species in the boreal forest

A

-Some species with wide boreal distribution
-Small amount of species overwinter (owls, grouse, ravens, Canada jay)
-Overwinter species adapted for cold (trap warm air under wings, feathered feet)
-Boreal is massive breeding ground for migratory songbirds

55
Q

Why do so many birds breed in the boreal forest?

A

-Boreal forest relatively intact
-High resource availability
-High habitat heterogeneity

56
Q

What are some effects of climate change on bird species in the boreal forest

A

-Shifts in distribution as forest type changes
-Species affected differently (climate sensitive specialists declining)
-Anthropogenic disturbances results in fragmentation of community composition and habitat loss reduces breeding habitats

57
Q

What ungulates are present in the boreal forest?

A

Moose (dominant), caribou

58
Q

What is the species name of caribou?

A

Rangifer tarandus caribou

59
Q

Caribou have a _____ ecological niche which limits the type of ________

A

-Narrow
-Habitat

60
Q

What is the winter food source for caribou?

A

Lichens

61
Q

Are caribou sensitive to disturbances?

A

Yes

62
Q

Why do caribou have increased predation pressure?

A

-Competition with other ungulates
-Wolves use seismic lines to easily find caribou
-If deer appears, it can increase predation pressure
-Lichen grows in open areas, so not hidden

63
Q

What are some conservation efforts for caribou?

A

-Calving pens
-Wolf culls

BIOL 366 (33 decks)

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