User: | Open Learning Faculty Member:
Island Lake is located in Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area in the Thompson-Nicola Jurisdiction outside Kamloops, BC. The site can only be accessed via walking trail as motorized vehicles are prohibited in the area. This lake and surrounding bodies of water are breeding sites for waterfowl such as ducks, coots, and scaups. I chose a study area that is approximately one square kilometer of rolling hills around the perimeter of the lake. The vegetation in this area ranges from wetland reeds to grasses, sagebrush, and cacti. There are various species of wildflowers, some bushes, and a few trees. These plants appear to grow in patterns along the hills, with reeds growing in the valleys, grasses and flowers on the hillsides, and sagebrush and cacti on the peaks. The bushes, I noticed, were growing in well defined lines in areas where I presume rainwater collects.
My first visit to the site was on May 18, 2018 at 15:00. It was sunny with some cloud cover and 23 degrees Celsius, which is normal spring weather for this region. After initial observations, my questions are as follows:
- How is elevation affecting the distribution of plants here? (Factors to consider are soil moisture, wind, and sun exposure)
- What causes the distribution patterns of a particular (unidentified) species of bush in this area? Is it following watershed?
- Why are cacti present on some hills but not others? (Competition? Soil moisture?)
