10.0 NON-FORESTED AQUATIC AND WETLAND ECOSYSTEMS
A bog wetland class that typically is an unforested wetland, dominated by sphagnum mosses and herbaceous plants, found on poorly drained organic sites.
Found throughout the province in poorly drained, wet sites; typically areas that are level or depressional. This is a very localized habitat found at elevations ranging from sea level on the north coast to higher elevations (< 1800m) in the northern interior. It is found at much higher elevations in the southern interior, usually above 1200m.
Open bog wetland with a sparse covering of stunted conifers. Coastal areas feature shore pine, western hemlock and western redcedar. The shrub layer is often found on slightly drier hummocks and is dominated by Labrador tea and bog cranberry; some conifer regeneration may also be present. Herbs species commonly found include sedges, tufted clubrush, crowberry, bog-laurel, deer-cabbage, great burnet and narrow-leaved cottongrass. Sphagnum mosses typically dominate the moss and lichen layer; red-stemmed feathermoss is also common.
At higher coastal elevations, the sparse canopy is typically composed of stunted conifers; most often mountain hemlock and yellow cedar. The moderated shrub layer is composed of Alaskan blueberry, willows, Sitka alder, copperbush and oval-leaved blueberry. Sedges characteristically dominate the herb layer. Secondary species include deer cabbage, bog laurel, clubrush, whitemarsh marigold and mountain heather. Ground cover is mainly comprised of sphagnum mosses, but lanky moss, glow moss, red-stemmed feathermoss and heron's-bill moss may also be present.
Open bog wetland with a sparse covering of stunted conifers including black spruce and hybrid white spruce. Characteristic shrub species include Labrador tea, scrub birch, willows and some conifer regeneration. Common herbs found include sedges, crowberry, cloudberry, bog cranberry, bog laurel, white bogorchid, lingonberry and horsetails. Glow moss, step moss and red-stemmed feathermoss are common, but the majority of the surface is covered by sphagnum mosses.
These wetlands are comprised of deep accumulations of poorly to moderately decomposed sphagnum-derived peat. The bog surfaces are typically slightly elevated above the water table due to the upward growth of the sphagnum mosses. The primary source of water is precipitation, which results in low mineral content and high acidity.
These wetlands are comprised of deep accumulations of poorly to moderately decomposed sphagnum-derived peat. The bog surfaces are typically slightly elevated above the water table due to the upward growth of the sphagnum mosses. A bogs primary source of water is precipitation, which results in low mineral content and high acidity.
These wetlands are comprised of deep accumulations of poorly to moderately decomposed sphagnum-derived peat. The bog surfaces are typically slightly elevated above the water table due to the upward growth of the sphagnum mosses. A bogs primary source of water is precipitation, which results in low mineral content and high acidity.
At higher elevations, in the ESSF, a stunted mixed canopy composed of Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, black spruce and lodgepole pine is characteristic. The shrub layer is sparse to moderate and usually contains willows, scrub birch, mountain alder, Labrador tea and some mountain hemlock and subalpine fir regeneration. Additional herb species include horsetails, crowberry, dwarf blueberry and Sitka valerian.
Cladonia and Cladina lichens may be present on the crest of hummocks.
Banner, A., W. MacKenzie, S. Haeussler, S.Thomson, J. Pojar and R. Trowbridge. 1993. A Field Guide to Site Identification and Interpretation for the Prince Rupert Forest Region. Land Manage. Handb. No. 26., B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Braumandl, T. and M.P. Curran, 1992. A Field Guide for Site Identification and Interpretation for the Nelson Forest Region. Land Manage. Handb. No. 20., B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Cariboo Forest Region. 1989. A Field Guide for the Identification and Interpretation of Ecosystems of the Cariboo Forest Region. B.C. Min. For., Williams Lake, B.C.
Delong, C., A. MacKinnon and L. Jang. 1990. A Field Guide for the Identification and Interpretation of Ecosystems of the Northeast Portion of the Prince George Forest Region. Land Manage. Handb. 22., B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Delong, C., D. Tanner and M.J. Jull. 1994. A Field Guide for the Identification and Interpretation of Ecosystems of the Northern Rockies Portion of the Prince George Forest Region. Land Manage. Handb. 29, B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Green, R.N. and K. Klinka. 1994. A Field Guide to Site Identification and Interpretation for the Vancouver Forest Region, Land Manage. Handb. 28, B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
MacKinnon, A., C. Delong and D Meidinger. 1990. A Field Guide to the Identification and Interpretation of Ecosystems of the Northwest Portion of the Prince George Forest Region. Land Manage. Handb. 21, B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Meidinger, D. 1995. A field guide for site identification and interpretation for the southeast portion of the Prince George forest region (Draft). B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Roberts, A. 1984. Guide to Wetland Ecosystems of the Sub-boreal Spruce Subzone in the Cariboo Forest Region, British Columbia. B.C. Min. For., Williams Lake, B.C.
Steene, O.A. and A.L. Roberts. 1988. Guide to Wetland Ecosystems of the Very Dry Montane Interior Douglas-fir Subzone Eastern Fraser Plateau Variant (IDFb2) in the Cariboo Forest Region, British Columbia. Land Management Report, #55. B.C. Min. For., Williams Lake, B.C.
Typically an unforested tidal wetland dominated by persistent emergent herbaceous species, with open or sporadic access to ocean areas and where the seawater is periodically diluted with fresh water derived from land drainage.
Estuaries occur along coastal British Columbia where perennial rivers flow into the ocean.
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The vegetation communities are usually found in quite definite zones. Each zone is defined by the length of time and frequency of saltwater inundation.
Typically there are expansive intertidal communities found in association with estuaries, including mud flats and beaches. Most of these types of communities are described in the intertidal ecosystem unit. Estuarine mud flats are only exposed at low tides and characteristically consist of very sparse cover of algae.
Marsh type vegetation usually borders the intertidal flats and tidal channels. The vegetation commonly found in these communities is dominated by persistent herbaceous plants such as Lyngbye's sedge, tufted hairgrass, eelgrass, seaside arrow-grass, Arctic rush, saltwort, saltgrass and Pacific silverweed.
Characteristically, the marsh community is traversed by an extensive array of interconnected deep, tidal channels. Beyond these marsh wetland communities, shrubcarrs, bogs and wet forests commonly occur. Further upstream of the tidal channels, saltwater inundation occurs less frequently and the channels resemble freshwater riverine ecosystems. Gravel bars and other forested riparian habitats commonly occur adjacent to these areas.
Estuaries occur on periodically and permanently flooded substrates and open water portions of semienclosed coastal waters where tidal seawater is diluted by flowing fresh water (Deukmejian et al. 1988). The waters found in estuaries have variable salinities. Brackish water is most common, with salt concentrations ranging between 0.5 ppt and 18 ppt. Salt water in excess of 18 ppt is most common in the intertidal portion of the estuaries. This is due to seasonal changes in the volume of freshwater that flows into the ocean, as well as the daily tidal fluctuations.
Typically, as freshwater flows into the ocean it increases in salinity, absorbing salt from the ocean. Therefore the ocean nearest to the estuary is being actively diluted as the lighter freshwater flows over the much denser seawater. To compensate for this dilution of saltwater at the surface, there is an influx of saltwater in the deeper waters. This creates a two-way circulation pattern that is typical of estuaries, the freshwater flows outward on the surface and in the deeper waters, the saltwater flows slowly towards the mouth of the river.
Typically, estuarine soils have very high salinity, with a turfy organic layer occurring over the fluvial and marinal materials. This becomes more apparent as the estuary stabilizes and is inundated less in the daily cycle.
A fen wetland class is typically an unforested wetland, dominated by sedges, found on poorly drained organic sites.
This is a very localized ecosystem unit which generally occurs in small patches throughout all forested zones within province. It is most commonly found on the interior plateaus and does not occur in the AT zone.
Sites are typically dominated by sedges, particularly beaked sedge and water sedge with minor amounts of slender sedge and awned sedge often present. A variety of grasses and aquatic plants are often associated with these communites, including mannagrass, slimstem reedgrass, small yellow-water buttercup, water smartweed, bladderwort, duckweed and water milfoil. A moderate to dense moss and lichen layer typically includes Drepanocladus spp. A forest canopy is not present and usually only a few scattered shrub species are represented. Minor amounts of scrub birch and willow are common along fen edges.
Typically, either buckbean, slender sedge, seaside arrowgrass and lesser-panicled sedge dominate these wetland communities. Rich fen indicators such as swamp horsetail, flat-leaved bladderwort and grass-leaved pondweed are frequently present. The moss and lichen layer is well developed and dominated by Drepanocladus spp.
Typically occurs on level or depressional sites where there are very poorly drained deep organic blankets or veneers. Water is primarily received as groundwater seepage and runoff from adjacent mineral uplands, creating sites which are generally less acidic and more mineral-rich than bogs. The water table is always less than 30 cm from the surface, but it is usually at or above the surface for part of the year.
Typically occurs on level or depressional sites where there are very poorly drained deep organic blankets or veneers. Water is primarily received as groundwater seepage and runoff from adjacent mineral uplands, creating sites which are generally less acidic and more mineral-rich than bogs. Sites are usually inundated with 10cm and 60cm of standing water throughout the year, occasionally disappearing during exceptionally dry years.
Banner, A., W. MacKenzie, S. Haeussler, S.Thomson, J. Pojar and R. Trowbridge. 1993. A Field Guide to Site Identification and Interpretation for the Prince Rupert Forest Region. Land Manage. Handb. No. 26., B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Braumandl, T. and M.P. Curran, 1992. A Field Guide for Site Identification and Interpretation for the Nelson Forest Region. Land Manage. Handb. No. 20., B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Cariboo Forest Region. 1989. A Field Guide for the Identification and Interpretation of Ecosystems of the Cariboo Forest Region. B.C. Min. For., Williams Lake, B.C.
Lloyd, D., K. Angove, G. Hope and C. Thompson. 1990. A Guide to Site Identification and Interpretation for the Kamloops Forest Region. Land Manage. Handb. 23, B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Roberts, A. 1984. Guide to Wetland Ecosystems of the Sub-boreal Spruce Subzone in the Cariboo Forest Region, British Columbia. B.C. Min. For., Williams Lake, B.C.
Steene, O.A. and A.L. Roberts. 1988. Guide to Wetland Ecosystems of the Very Dry Montane Interior Douglas-fir Subzone Eastern Fraser Plateau Variant (IDFb2) in the Cariboo Forest Region, British Columbia. Land Management Report, #55. B.C. Min. For., Williams Lake, B.C.