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Study Date: September 19, 2017 from 3:30 to 5:00 pm
Weather: Clear skies with warm temperatures (±18○C)
The area I have selected for my research project is a small ecological reserve that is found near my home in Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island. In my spare time over the past 7 months I have cleared a path through mature, second growth stands to gain access to this reserve for recreational use. The eco-reserve has been set aside by the powers that be for the conservation of old growth / mature second growth, coastal Douglas fir stands. The eco-reserve is roughly 90 hectares and is bordered by relatively low density, residential development on its north, south and west edges. The terrain across the study area is comprised of lowland benches and bedrock hummocks. Slope gradients typically range from 10 to 25% on benches with short breaks of up to 45% off the sides of bedrock hummocks.
I have observed from this field reconnaissance and past outings that there are two dominant ecosystems within the study area. The first is the Garry oak ecosystem which appears to occur more on bedrock hummocky terrain. The second is mature and old growth stands of Douglas fir with lesser amounts of western red cedar, western hemlock and trace amounts of grand fir and big leaf maple. During my first field observations I assessed two possible sample sites.
Site #1: Garry Oak Ecosystem
Location: 49○ 16′ 33″ N 124○ 10′ 32″ W
Terrain: Gentle to moderate (10-35% ) benches and bedrock hummocks.
Soil: Rubble and silt colluvial veneer underlying ≤0.3m of organics, cumulatively ≤0.8m thick. Drainage: Rapid to well drained.
Forest stand: Garry oak site series comprised of Garry oaks with lesser amounts of Douglas fir and arbutus (see Figure. 2). Stand is open canopy and low density.
Under-storey: electrified cat tails moss, grass, white fawn lilies and hookers onion.
Site #2: Douglas fir stand
Location: 49○ 16′ 54″ N 124○ 10′ 02″ W
Terrain: Gentle (10-25% ) benches.
Soil: Clay, rubble, silt and sand colluvial veneer, generally less than or equal to 1.0m thick.
Drainage: Rapid to well drained.
Forest stand: Open to moderately dense, old growth Douglas fir with minor western red cedar, grand fir and western hemlock (see Figure.3).
Under-storey: young western red cedar, various Vaccinium spp, salel, sword fern, bracken fern, dull Oregon grape, ocean spray and step moss.
As well, I observed the following invasive biota in the under-storey of both ecosystems: holly, tansy, Himalayan blackberries, spurge laurel, scotch broom, thistle and a grass (not certain of species, will have to research) (see Figures 4 & 5).
I have come up with the following questions for the subject of my research project:
- Is there a relationship between the distance from the eco-reserve edges adjacent to residential development and the number of invasive species and their abundance?
- Do invasive species vary between the Garry oak ecosystem and the coastal Douglas fir stands ?
- If there is quantifiable difference in invasive species and their abundances between the two ecosystems, what are the potential factors that affect the colonization rates for the invasive species?
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Figure 1. Coastal Douglas-Fir Protected Areas in Nanoose Bay & Parksville. Source: http://www.cdfcp.ca |
Figure 2. Transition area between coastal Douglas fir and Garry Oak ecosystems, near sample site #1 |
Figure 3. Old growth coastal Douglas fir stand at sample Site #2. |
Figure 4. Holly |
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