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The biological attribute I am planning to study in Cosens Bay in Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park is the distribution of common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus), a deciduous shrub often densely colonial growing to approximately 0.5 – 3 m tall. Snowberry usually grows in mesic to dry meadows, disturbed areas, grasslands, shrublands and forests. Often scattered in coniferous forests and plentiful in broadleaved forests on water-shedding and water-receiving sites (E-Flora 2019). Snowberry is often associated with tall-Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium), birch-leaved spirea (Spiraea betulifolia) and rough goose neck moss (Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus) (E-Flora 2019).
The three environmental gradients I am choosing to study in Cosens Bay include the riparian area of Kalamalka Lake, a transition zone between the riparian area and an upland area, and the upland area (Photo 1). Site 1 is the Riparian Area, Site 2 is the Transition Area and Site 3 is the Upland Area. On October 13, 2019 the three gradients were reviewed to observe the distribution, abundance and character of snowberry. On the day of the site visit, the temperature was approximately 7 degrees Celsius, cloudy with rain and observations were made between 9:00 am and 11:30 am.
Photo 1. View looking north illustrating three gradients from Riparian to Upland.
Site 1 (Riparian Area) is located approximately 10 m from Kalamalka Lake and snowberry is densely vegetated in shrub thickets along Cosens Bay Trail on the foreshore of Kalamalka Lake (Photo 2). The shrub appears relatively tall, with thick foliage with a large volume of berries. The leaves are bright green and the shrub appears to be thriving underneath a deciduous tree canopy of black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) and trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) with dense shrub cover. The topography is relatively flat, facing south-west, with a wetland feature occurring upslope providing moist growing conditions.
Photo 2. View of the Riparian Area with dense snowberry under a deciduous canopy.
Site 2 (Transition Area) is located approximately 50 m upslope from Kalamalka Lake and snowberry is relatively sparse and appears shorter, with less foliage and less berry growth (Photo 3). The leaves are a lighter green and the shrubs were observed underneath a moderately dense canopy of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) trees. The topography is steeper than the Riparian Area and faces south east dominated by ponderosa pine and bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata) with limited shrub coverage.
Photo 3. View of the Transition Area with sparse snowberry.
Site 3 (Upland Area) is located approximately 100 m upslope from Kalamalka Lake and snowberry is sparse to not present in this area (Photo 4). Shrubs that are present are small with less foliage and berry growth. The area is dominated by ponderosa pine, interior Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia) and bluebunch wheatgrass. The tree canopy is open with little shrub cover. Other notable features in this area include relatively shallow soils with sporadic large boulders and the slope is steep, facing directly south.
Photo 4. View of the Upland Area with little to no snowberry present.
In summary, snowberry was observed in dense quantities in flat, moisture receiving areas (Riparian Area) and sparsely vegetated to not present in steeper, dry sloped areas (Transition Zone and Upland Area).
The underlying processes that are may be contributing to the distribution and abundance of snowberry includes the hydrological cycle and moisture availability in soils. Based on my observations and the concept of limiting physical factors, water retention in the soil may be limiting snowberry to moisture receiving environments which is indicative of relatively flat topography.
One hypothesis to prove or disprove my observation is, “The distribution of common snowberry is determined by slope”. My prediction is “Common snowberry will be present in areas where slope is less than 20% grade”.
My experimental design would aim to empirically validate the pattern, that common snowberry distribution is limited to areas with less than 20% grade or that common snowberry distribution diminishes as percentage slope increases.
Based on my hypothesis that “The distribution of common snowberry is determined by slope”, one response variable could be the presence or absence of common snowberry which would be categorical. One explanatory/predictor variable could be the percentage slope, which would be continuous. Based on a categorical response variable and a continuous explanatory/predicator variable a logistic regression design could be utilised.
References:
E-Flora BC Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia [Internet]. 2019. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia [cited October 14, 2019]. Available from: https://ibis.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/eflora/
Field notes have been provided below:
