scholarly journals Post-glacial diatom-inferred aquatic changes in Sicamous Creek Lake, British Columbia, Canada

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea C. Voit ◽  
Richard J. Hebda ◽  
Julien M.J. Racca ◽  
Reinhard Pienitz ◽  
Ian R. Walker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Open Water ◽  
Late Glacial ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Low Light ◽  
Subalpine Fir ◽  
Engelmann Spruce ◽  
South Central ◽  
Inferred Ph

Diatom analyses of sediments from a high elevation lake situated in an Engelmann Spruce - Subalpine Fir (ESSF) forest of south-central British Columbia, Canada, reveal long-term climate and water chemistry change. During the transition from the late-glacial / Pleistocene to the xerothermic early Holocene, small, benthic Fragilaria diatoms species that grew under low light conditions in Sicamous Creek Lake gave way to planktonic Cyclotella species that require open-water conditions. Warm temperatures in the mesothermic Holocene are indicated by smaller Cyclotella species and large, benthic pennate diatoms. Diatom communities reflected Neoglacial cooling in the late Holocene, with abundant Nitzschia fonticola and Achnanthes minutissima. Small, benthic Fragilaria regained abundance, suggesting cooling and conditions similar to the late-glacial interval. Diatom community composition responded to the deposition of the Mt. Mazama and Mt. St. Helens tephras, though the Mazama eruption caused greater change in relative abundance of various taxa within the assemblage. Correspondence analysis shows distinct communities have occurred since the initiation of sedimentation, likely due to climate controlled landscape and vegetation changes; diatom-inferred pH values using various models and training sets show limited acidification change occurred through the lake’s history.

Is everything all right up there? A long-term interdisciplinary silvicultural systems project in a high elevation fir-spruce forest at Sicamous Creek, B.C.

1999 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 467-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Vyse
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Wildlife Habitat ◽  
Spruce Forest ◽  
Individual Tree ◽  
Subalpine Fir ◽  
Engelmann Spruce ◽  
South Central ◽  
Wide Range

The Sicamous Creek Project was established as part of the British Columbia Provincial Silvicultural Systems program in 1990 to investigate the effects of clearcutting and other practices on a high elevation forested ecosystem. The objective is to provide the forestry community with information on the ecology of high elevation forests in the Southern Interior, and the probable responses to a wide range of disturbance. After a period of planning by a team of scientists and foresters from several agencies, a site in subalpine fir-Engelmann spruce forest at 1530 m to 1830 m elevation near the town of Sicamous in the south central interior of British Columbia was logged in the winter of 1994–95. A range of treatments was created by logging one third of the forest in 30 ha experimental units using a range of opening sizes (individual tree selection, 1/10 ha, 1 ha, and 10 ha) and a no-logging control. Within these experimental units, smaller areas (0.08 ha) have been treated to create a range of soil disturbance conditions (no disturbance, burning, complete organic soil removal, mounding). A wide range of studies has been conducted on the site by a team of scientists before and after treatment and those studies are continuing. The project is long-term, (at least 30 years), the main treatments are sufficiently large to have operational significance, and the supported studies are intended to be interdisciplinary in scientific method and scope. Support for the project is strong within the operational forestry community because information on logging costs, safety issues and snags, windthrow, bark beetle management, wildlife habitat and small streams has already been made available to them. Studies of stand structure and wildlife habitat suggest that in future much greater emphasis should be placed on the silviculture of fir than spruce. Key words: silviculture systems, clearcutting, opening size, Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, long term research, interdisciplinary research

Holocene vegetation and natural disturbance in the Engelmann Spruce – Subalpine Fir biogeoclimatic zone at Mount Kobau, British Columbia

2001 ◽  
Vol 31 (12) ◽  
pp. 2183-2199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus L Heinrichs ◽  
Richard J Hebda ◽  
Ian R Walker
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Pinus Contorta ◽  
Natural Disturbance ◽  
Late Glacial ◽  
Plant Macrofossils ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Climate History ◽  
Subalpine Fir ◽  
The Holocene ◽  
Engelmann Spruce

The vegetation and natural disturbance history of the Mount Kobau area, in the Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.) – subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.) (ESSF) forest of southern British Columbia, was reconstructed using pollen, plant macrofossils, and microscopic charcoal. Late-glacial vegetation, occurring from about 11 000 14C years BP, consisted of an Artemisia steppe under a cold and dry climate. Rapid warming occurred at the start of the Holocene, approximately 10 000 to 9500 years BP, and grassland steppe vegetation prevailed. Moisture increased during the mid-Holocene, from approximately 7000 to 3800 years BP, and fires may have occurred more widely and burned more severely. Open lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud.) parkland occupied the mountain summit. Late-Holocene cooling at 4000 years BP resulted in the establishment of modern ESSF forest. The vegetation and inferred climate history confirm a broad three-stage (warm dry – moderate moist – cool moist) regional climatic pattern of the Holocene. Under future anticipated climate change, the high-elevation, dry ESSF forests in southern British Columbia may be replaced by grasslands.

Performance of planted Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir seedlings in British Columbia's southern mountains

2006 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
C C Lajzerowicz ◽  
A. Vyse ◽  
M. Jull ◽  
T. Newsome
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Seedling Survival ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Abies Lasiocarpa ◽  
Individual Tree ◽  
Relative Growth Rates ◽  
Subalpine Fir ◽  
Engelmann Spruce ◽  
South Central ◽  
Soil Temperatures

We compared survival and growth of planted seedlings of Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir across a range of harvest opening sizes (> 10 ha, 1 ha, 0.2 ha, 0.1 ha, 0.03 ha and individual tree selection) from three silvicultural systems trials in high-elevation spruce – subalpine fir forests in south-central British Columbia. Climatic patterns and growing season air and soil temperatures were similar across sites. Seedling survival decreased with opening size. Local site climates, influenced by aspect and moisture and air drainage, were more influential than elevation. Seedling growth was best in large openings and similar in opening sizes from 1 ha to 0.1 ha. Smaller openings created by group selection and individual tree selection methods were not favourable for successful planting at elevations close to timberline. The two species had similar absolute and relative growth rates but spruce responded more strongly to better growing environments. Key words: planted seedlings, Engelmann spruce, Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm., subalpine fir, Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt., opening size, elevation effects, silvicultural systems, British Columbia, mountain forests

Small-mammal response to group-selection silvicultural systems in Engelmann spruce – subalpine fir forests 14 years postharvest

2009 ◽  
Vol 39 (9) ◽  
pp. 1698-1708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas B. Ransome ◽  
Pontus M.F. Lindgren ◽  
Michaela J. Waterhouse ◽  
Harold M. Armleder ◽  
Thomas P. Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Group Selection ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Deer Mice ◽  
Subalpine Forests ◽  
Subalpine Fir ◽  
Engelmann Spruce ◽  
South Central ◽  
Significant Difference

Concerns about the impacts of clear-cut harvesting on ecosystem components in subalpine forests have generated a variety of alternative silvicultural systems in high-elevation forests in western North America. We examined responses of forest-floor small mammals, 14 years posttreatment, in four replicate units, uncut forest, a 1.0 ha group-selection cut, a large (>30 ha) clearcut, and the edge between the group-selection cut and uncut forest, in the Engelmann Spruce ( Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.) – Subalpine Fir ( Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.) biogeoclimatic zone in south-central British Columbia, Canada. Populations of small mammals were livetrapped during five sessions from June to September 2006. The mean abundance of southern red-backed voles ( Myodes gapperi Vigors) was significantly lower on large clearcuts than in uncut old-growth forests, with intermediate numbers in 1 ha cuts. The opposite trend was found for dusky shrews ( Sorex monticolus Merriam), while there was no significant difference in mean abundance of deer mice ( Peromyscus maniculatus Wagner) among treatments. Trappability, proportion of adult females breeding, and rate of survival of red-backed voles and deer mice were similar among treatments. Our results suggest that group-selection silviculture conducted in subalpine forests may have fewer negative impacts on the small-mammal community than large clearcuts.

Pathology of conifer seed and timing of germination in high-elevation subalpine fir and Engelmann spruce forests of the southern interior of British Columbia

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianwen Zhong ◽  
Bart J van der Kamp
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Forest Floor ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Seed Viability ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Subalpine Fir ◽  
Engelmann Spruce ◽  
Black Mold ◽  
Nurse Logs

Unstratified seed of Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.) in nylon mesh bags was placed on various natural and disturbed forest floor seed beds in the Engelmann Spruce - Subalpine Fir Zone in the southern interior of British Columbia in September 1995 and recovered just before snow melt in June 1996. Fifty-two and 86% of the viable spruce and fir seed, respectively, had germinated before snowmelt. Germination under snow may be an adaptation of these high-elevation species to short cool growing seasons. Seed viability at recovery was significantly lower on undisturbed forest floor seed beds (spruce, 13%; fir, 12%) than on exposed mineral soil (spruce, 57%; fir, 42%). Viability of seed placed on nurse logs was 38 and 23% for spruce and fir, respectively. Isolation from ungerminated seed yielded a Rhizoctonia sp., an as yet unidentified black mold at high frequencies, and several other seed pathogens at low frequency. Multiple linear regression of the frequency of isolation of Rhizoctonia and black mold on seed viability was highly significant for both tree species. Seed pathogens appear to cause a major loss of seed and seedlings in these forests, and this may explain both the common occurrence of regeneration on nurse logs and the requirement of mineral soil seed beds for adequate regeneration.

scholarly journals Height Growth Models for High-Elevation Subalpine Fir, Engelmann Spruce, and Lodgepole Pine in British Columbia

2000 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 62-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Han Y. H. Chen ◽  
Karel Klinka
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Growth Models ◽  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
Site Index ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Logistic Function ◽  
Height Growth ◽  
Potential Productivity ◽  
Subalpine Fir ◽  
Engelmann Spruce

Abstract To estimate potential productivity of the high-elevation Engelmann Spruce and Subalpine Fir (ESSF) zone of British Columbia forests, the height growth models developed from low-elevation forests are currently used to estimate site indices of subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa), Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii), and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta). Whether these models are adequate to describe height growth of high-elevation forests is of concern. We sampled a total of 319 naturally established, even-aged, and undamaged stands with breast height age ≥50 yr (165 for subalpine fir, 87 for Engelmann spruce, and 67 for lodgepole pine) ranging widely in climate and available soil moisture and nutrients. In each sampled stand, three dominant trees were destructively sampled for stem analysis. Height growth models developed from fitting data to a conditioned logistic function explained > 97% variation in height for all three study species. Examined by residual analysis, no models showed lack of fit. These models provided more accurate estimates of site index than the currently used models developed from low-elevation stands or different species. It is recommended that the models developed in this study be applied to estimate site index of the three species in the ESSF zone in British Columbia. West. J. Appl. For. 15(2):62-69.

scholarly journals Ecological variability of high elevation forests in central British Columbia

2003 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 259-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig DeLong ◽  
Del Meidinger
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Natural Disturbance ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Forest Composition ◽  
Subalpine Fir ◽  
Disturbance Dynamics ◽  
Ecological Variability ◽  
Engelmann Spruce ◽  
High Elevation Forests

High-elevation, late-successional forests over much of British Columbia are dominated by Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry ex. Engelm.) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.). Throughout the range of these forests, however, there is a wide variation in natural disturbance and successional dynamics as influenced by diverse climate and topography. We divided these high elevation forests into four groups arranged along a regional climatic gradient that affects forest composition, structure and disturbance regime. For each, we describe the climate, topography, major vegetation, and natural disturbance dynamics. We suggest that management practices reflect the ecological variability demonstrated for these high elevation forests. Key words: high elevation forests, ecological variability, natural disturbance dynamics, vegetation, Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, British Columbia, climate, topography

Structure of high-elevation, old-growth stands in west-central British Columbia

2001 ◽  
Vol 31 (12) ◽  
pp. 2098-2106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pál Varga ◽  
Karel Klinka
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Height Distribution ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Frequency Distributions ◽  
Subalpine Fir ◽  
Tree Island ◽  
Engelmann Spruce ◽  
West Central

We described quantitatively the height distributions of three high-elevation, old-growth stands in the Engelmann Spruce – Subalpine Fir zone of west-central British Columbia. The stands were composed of subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.), with very few Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.) trees; had a two-storied canopy; and were multiaged. The height distributions were quantified by fitting curves to the cumulative frequency distributions. The diameter distributions of the study stands were reverse-J shaped and similar to those of other old-growth Engelmann spruce – subalpine fir stands in the Pacific Northwest; however, the height distributions were different, indicating the presence of two canopy layers. We suggest that high-elevation, subalpine boreal, old-growth stands composed of shade-tolerant tree species may display a modal height distribution instead of a reverse-J shape. This structural pattern is suggestive of the transition between the gap-phase and tree-island regeneration models and of the cyclic mode of succession.

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