Blog Post 1: Observations

My study area is about 10 by 10 metres just off of Tannis Way in Nanaimo. The area has three main sections: 

1. A meadow of exposed conglomerate rock covered by a thin layer of moss and a few small plants that can survive on so little sediment. It also has a footpath where regular human activity has caused vegetation to not grow. This section is on a slant and doesn’t retain water well so the water runs down into muddy pools.
2. Muddy pools that retain lots of moisture and have collected sediment. These areas are mostly covered in a thick layer of sedge (possibly Carex stylosa but it’s hard to tell since it’s winter) and have few other forms of vegetation.
3. The last section is under tree cover and has much more diverse vegetation. The trees include Arbutus trees (Arbutus menziesii) and short Douglas firs (Pseudotsuga menziesii).  Underneath the trees is a thick layer of moss, small shrubs like salal (Gaultheria shallon), and low growing plants. Dead trees had lichen and mushrooms growing on them. It is interesting to note that there are no Western Red cedars (Thuja plicata) and the salal is very sparse which is unusual for this area.

This is an Environmentally Protected Area designated by the City of Nanaimo. I visited my study area for the first time on January 21, 2021, at 1611 hours. It is currently winter and that day it was 5°C with a slight breeze and a clear sky.

Some possible questions for my research project: How do the differences in types of moss and thickness of moss affect animal diversity? How do the geographical differences affect plant diversity? What is causing the number of cedars and salal to be less than average?

Photo of the research area and some identified vegetation: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ASLsfzXSEjLjA3RE8

All vegetation was identified using:

MacKinnon, A., & Pojar, J. (1994). Plants of Coastal British Columbia including Washington, Oregon and Alaska. Lone Pine Publishing.