wooded boreal fens: an ecoregional perspective david a. locky athabasca river basin research...

Wooded Boreal Fens:Wooded Boreal Fens:An Ecoregional PerspectiveAn Ecoregional Perspective

David A. LockyDavid A. LockyAthabasca River Basin Research InstituteAthabasca River Basin Research Institute

• Ecoregions & ConservationEcoregions & Conservation

• Peatlands: Threats & ImportancePeatlands: Threats & Importance

• Boreal Wooded Fens: A Case StudyBoreal Wooded Fens: A Case Study

• Ecoregional Conservation ImplicationsEcoregional Conservation Implications

OutlineOutline

• Large enough to encompass natural Large enough to encompass natural processes (fire & flooding) & capture processes (fire & flooding) & capture representative plant and animal species, & representative plant and animal species, & natural communitiesnatural communities

• ……yet small enough to serve as platforms for yet small enough to serve as platforms for conservation planning and actionconservation planning and action

EcoregionsEcoregions

• More ecologically relevant planning unit than More ecologically relevant planning unit than political boundariespolitical boundaries

• Standard tool for conservation planning from Standard tool for conservation planning from local to continental scales - speed things up...local to continental scales - speed things up...

• Nature ConservancyNature Conservancy• World Wildlife FundWorld Wildlife Fund• USEPAUSEPA

• Suitable for peatlands?Suitable for peatlands?

Ecoregions & ConservationEcoregions & Conservation

Boreal PlainsBoreal Plains EcoregionsEcoregions• Mid-Boreal Mid-Boreal

Uplands Uplands Ecoregion:Ecoregion: comprised of 10 comprised of 10 EcodistrictsEcodistricts

• Study sites in Study sites in Mid-Boreal Mid-Boreal Uplands Uplands Ecoregion:Ecoregion:within 3 within 3 EcodistrictsEcodistricts

Adapted from the Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network

Duck Duck MountainMountain

Prince Prince Albert Albert

NPNP

UtikumaUtikumaLakeLake

Peatland Threats: DirectPeatland Threats: Direct

LoggingLogging

Oil and gasOil and gas

AgricultureAgricultureNatural Resources CanadaNatural Resources Canada

FireFirewww.cen.ulaval.ca/dendro2002/fieldtrip_Yves.htmlwww.cen.ulaval.ca/dendro2002/fieldtrip_Yves.html

Peatland Threats: IndirectPeatland Threats: Indirect

No ChangeNo Change

Very SlightVery Slight

SlightSlight

ModerateModerate

SevereSevere

Extremely SevereExtremely Severe

Sensitivity Level Sensitivity Level

The Atlas of Canada (1999) The Atlas of Canada (1999)

• BIODIVERSITY:BIODIVERSITY: Species diversity may be Species diversity may be lower, but peatlands have a higher proportion lower, but peatlands have a higher proportion of characteristic species than upland of characteristic species than upland ecosystems in the same biogeographic zoneecosystems in the same biogeographic zone

Importance of PeatlandsImportance of Peatlands

• Effects on biodiversity extend far beyond their Effects on biodiversity extend far beyond their borders:borders:• maintain hydrological & microclimate features maintain hydrological & microclimate features of adjacent areas of adjacent areas• provide temporary habitats or refuge areas for provide temporary habitats or refuge areas for upland species - can mitigate fragmentation upland species - can mitigate fragmentation

Importance of PeatlandsImportance of Peatlands

Plant Diversity in Boreal PeatlandsPlant Diversity in Boreal Peatlands

Woo

ded

Woo

ded

BogBogOpe

nOpe

n

ER Fen

ER Fen

Woo

ded

Woo

ded

MR F

en

MR F

en Open

Open

MR F

en

MR F

en

Mea

n S

pp. R

ichn

ess

Mea

n S

pp. R

ichn

ess

Mean Species Richness by Peatland Type

W Bog Sb Swamp W MRF O MRF O ERF

Spe

cies

Ric

hnes

s

0

10

20

30

40

50BryophytesVascular Plants

Black S

pruc

e

Black S

pruc

e

Swamp

Swamp

Locky & Bayley 2006Locky & Bayley 2006

White Adder’s MouthWhite Adder’s MouthS2S2

Bog Adder’s MouthBog Adder’s MouthS1S1

Dragon’s MouthDragon’s MouthS2 S2

Wooded Moderate-rich FenWooded Moderate-rich Fen

Examine patterns in the Examine patterns in the environmental factors and environmental factors and

plant community in wooded plant community in wooded moderate-rich fens along a moderate-rich fens along a longitudinal & a latitudinal longitudinal & a latitudinal transect within the Mid-transect within the Mid-

Boreal Uplands EcoregionBoreal Uplands Ecoregion

Case Study:Case Study:Western Boreal FensWestern Boreal Fens

• Differences in environment variables Differences in environment variables (regional, local)? (regional, local)?

• Differences in plant community and Differences in plant community and diversity (gamma, alpha, beta)?diversity (gamma, alpha, beta)?

• Interactions between community / Interactions between community / diversity & environmental variables?diversity & environmental variables?

• Ecoregional conservation implications?Ecoregional conservation implications?

Research QuestionsResearch Questions

Regional: ElevationRegional: Elevation

a

b

c

Regional: PrecipitationRegional: Precipitation

a

b

b

Orographic precipitation at Duck MountainOrographic precipitation at Duck Mountain

Local: Overstory DensityLocal: Overstory Density

a

b

b

Local: AlkalinityLocal: Alkalinity

a

b b

Bryophyte CommunityBryophyte Community

Axis 1

Axi

s 3

Location

ABSKMB

N = 80N = 80Stress = 9.8Stress = 9.83-Dimensional Solution3-Dimensional Solution

24% of variation is 24% of variation is explained by environ.explained by environ.variablesvariables

Vascular Plant CommunityVascular Plant Community

N = 80N = 80Stress = 6.99Stress = 6.993-Dimensional Solution3-Dimensional Solution

30% of variation is 30% of variation is explained by environ.explained by environ.variablesvariables

Axis 1

Axi

s 3

Location

ABSKMB

• Total Species:Total Species: 273273• Bryophytes: Bryophytes: 8686• Vascular Plants:Vascular Plants: 187 187

Diversity: Regional (Gamma)Diversity: Regional (Gamma)

• Greatest in MB, and decreases in a Greatest in MB, and decreases in a longitudinal trend to westlongitudinal trend to west

ABAB SKSK MBMB TotalTotal171171 195195 223223 273273

Diversity: Local (Alpha)Diversity: Local (Alpha)

Diversity: Local RarityDiversity: Local Rarity

AB SK MB AllBryophytes 8 2 15 21Vascular Plants 9 20 42 64Total Plants 17 22 57 85

Taxa/Life-formLocation

• Similar trend of east – west decrease in Similar trend of east – west decrease in diversitydiversity

Diversity & EnvironmentDiversity & Environment

• Bryophytes: Bryophytes: Location (Precipitation)Location (Precipitation)• Vascular plants: Vascular plants: Location (Precipitation), Location (Precipitation), Elevation, Overstory DensityElevation, Overstory Density

• LATITUDE: Bryophytes increase, vascular LATITUDE: Bryophytes increase, vascular plants decreaseplants decrease

• Environmental Energy (Growing Degree Days)Environmental Energy (Growing Degree Days)

Diversity & EnvironmentDiversity & Environment

Duck MountainDuck Mountain

Prince AlbertPrince Albert NPNP

Utikuma LakeUtikuma Lake

Diversity: Provincial RarityDiversity: Provincial Rarity

AB SK MB All

Nanophanerophytes Lonicera caerulea (S3) 1 Hemicryptophytes Galium labradoricum (S3) Campanula aparanoides (S2S3) Liparis loeselii (S2) 5

Carex prairieae (S3)Carex tennuifolia (S3S4)

Geophytes Cypripedium acaule (S3) Platanthera dilatata (S2) Listera borealis (S2) 4Malaxis monophylla (S1S2)

Total Plants 5 3 2 10

Location

Species Turnover Species Turnover • Vascular plants > bryophytesVascular plants > bryophytes

• Bryophytes have longer climatic & Bryophytes have longer climatic & geographic rangesgeographic ranges

• Highest overall in ManitobaHighest overall in Manitoba

Plant Diversity: BetaPlant Diversity: Beta

• Exact causal agents of diversity changes can Exact causal agents of diversity changes can be challenging to extract from latitude, be challenging to extract from latitude, longitude, elevation, & other climatic longitude, elevation, & other climatic gradientsgradients

• These gradients are often surrogates for These gradients are often surrogates for more elemental variables that are commonly more elemental variables that are commonly interrelated (Williamson 1981, Glaser 1992)interrelated (Williamson 1981, Glaser 1992)

Causal AgentsCausal Agents

• Plant community & environmental Plant community & environmental variables over a continental scale within variables over a continental scale within a single Ecoregion shows a continuous a single Ecoregion shows a continuous change even in a single wetland typechange even in a single wetland type

• ……within an Ecoregion and not across within an Ecoregion and not across Ecoregional boundariesEcoregional boundaries

Conservation ImplicationsConservation Implications

• For common wetland For common wetland types, even those types, even those with a higher with a higher likelihood of rare likelihood of rare plants, Ecoregion plants, Ecoregion level conservation level conservation may not make may not make sense…sense…


• Conservation plans need to account for Conservation plans need to account for changes in abiotic conditions (i.e., changes in abiotic conditions (i.e., regional & local) & biotic conditions (like regional & local) & biotic conditions (like transition zones)transition zones)


• Management at finer scale, i.e., Management at finer scale, i.e., Ecodistrict-level, may be more Ecodistrict-level, may be more appropriateappropriate

• Other wetland types?Other wetland types?


A matter of scale…

• Rare boreal wetland typesRare boreal wetland types• MarshesMarshes


• Spring Mound FensSpring Mound Fens

• Ecoregions provide a biogeographical Ecoregions provide a biogeographical framework for conservation at broad framework for conservation at broad scales that is preferable to political scales that is preferable to political boundariesboundaries. .

• However, use of single Ecoregions for However, use of single Ecoregions for conservation needs to be approached conservation needs to be approached cautiously.cautiously.


David LockyDavid Locky

[email protected]@athabascau.ca

wooded boreal fens: an ecoregional perspective david a. locky athabasca river basin research...

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