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Blog Post 1
The area that I have decided to study is the boreal forest of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. The boreal forest is in the circumpolar zone – circling around the northern hemisphere of the globe. Geologically speaking, Yellowknife sits on the Precambrian shield a vast expanse of rocky hills and dense bush. Jack Pine, Spruce, Birch, Larch , Aspen and Poplar are the most common trees here – a mix of coniferous and deciduous. There are many low lying shrubs and lichens; mostly consisting of crustose and fruticose lichens. Foliage up in the north tend to grow slightly smaller than species in more temperate climates. This is attributed to rocky terrain, permafrost , short growing seasons and cold weather.
Location 1) The outskirts of Yellowknife’s golf course ( which is a giant sand pit) is surrounded by thick boreal forest. Common trees in the area are Jack Pine, White/Black spruce and Birch. Common plants include lichens, Uva ursi and Rhododendron sp. There are also small ponds located within surrounding forest. The golf course and surrounding areas are generally flat, with slight elevations in rocky areas.
My first observations:
Started Sept. 5.18 – 10:00 am
Season: Fall our first frost was this morning. Temperatures have been remaining a steady 7 – 9 C everyday.
Animals: The only signs of land mammals in the area, are squirrel holes at bases of white spruce trees.
Area: I walked an area of approximately 27,089 m2 – a mix of rocky open areas, marsh and dry boreal forest.
My three observational questions are :
- Trees of the Northwest Territories are much smaller compared to species down south. Are other plants such as Labrador tea also relatively smaller then down south?
- Is fungi growth affected in the same way as the plants and trees?
3) Jackpines seem to be found in the sandy open areas, or on rocky faces. Are they most commonly found alone in arid areas or amongst Boreal canopy?
