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Wooded Boreal Fens:Wooded Boreal Fens:An Ecoregional PerspectiveAn Ecoregional Perspective
David A. LockyDavid A. LockyAthabasca River Basin Research InstituteAthabasca River Basin Research Institute
• Ecoregions & ConservationEcoregions & Conservation
• Peatlands: Threats & ImportancePeatlands: Threats & Importance
• Boreal Wooded Fens: A Case StudyBoreal Wooded Fens: A Case Study
• Ecoregional Conservation ImplicationsEcoregional Conservation Implications
OutlineOutline
• Large enough to encompass natural Large enough to encompass natural processes (fire & flooding) & capture processes (fire & flooding) & capture representative plant and animal species, & representative plant and animal species, & natural communitiesnatural communities
• ……yet small enough to serve as platforms for yet small enough to serve as platforms for conservation planning and actionconservation planning and action
EcoregionsEcoregions
• More ecologically relevant planning unit than More ecologically relevant planning unit than political boundariespolitical boundaries
• Standard tool for conservation planning from Standard tool for conservation planning from local to continental scales - speed things up...local to continental scales - speed things up...
• Nature ConservancyNature Conservancy• World Wildlife FundWorld Wildlife Fund• USEPAUSEPA
• Suitable for peatlands?Suitable for peatlands?
Ecoregions & ConservationEcoregions & Conservation
Boreal PlainsBoreal Plains EcoregionsEcoregions• Mid-Boreal Mid-Boreal
Uplands Uplands Ecoregion:Ecoregion: comprised of 10 comprised of 10 EcodistrictsEcodistricts
• Study sites in Study sites in Mid-Boreal Mid-Boreal Uplands Uplands Ecoregion:Ecoregion:within 3 within 3 EcodistrictsEcodistricts
Adapted from the Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network
Duck Duck MountainMountain
Prince Prince Albert Albert
NPNP
UtikumaUtikumaLakeLake
Boreal PlainsBoreal Plains EcoregionsEcoregions• Mid-Boreal Mid-Boreal
Uplands Uplands Ecoregion:Ecoregion: comprised of 10 comprised of 10 EcodistrictsEcodistricts
• Study sites in Study sites in Mid-Boreal Mid-Boreal Uplands Uplands Ecoregion:Ecoregion:within 3 within 3 EcodistrictsEcodistricts
Adapted from the Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network
Duck Duck MountainMountain
Prince Prince Albert Albert
NPNP
UtikumaUtikumaLakeLake
Peatland Threats: DirectPeatland Threats: Direct
LoggingLogging
Oil and gasOil and gas
AgricultureAgricultureNatural Resources CanadaNatural Resources Canada
FireFirewww.cen.ulaval.ca/dendro2002/fieldtrip_Yves.htmlwww.cen.ulaval.ca/dendro2002/fieldtrip_Yves.html
Peatland Threats: IndirectPeatland Threats: Indirect
No ChangeNo Change
Very SlightVery Slight
SlightSlight
ModerateModerate
SevereSevere
Extremely SevereExtremely Severe
Sensitivity Level Sensitivity Level
The Atlas of Canada (1999) The Atlas of Canada (1999)
• BIODIVERSITY:BIODIVERSITY: Species diversity may be Species diversity may be lower, but peatlands have a higher proportion lower, but peatlands have a higher proportion of characteristic species than upland of characteristic species than upland ecosystems in the same biogeographic zoneecosystems in the same biogeographic zone
Importance of PeatlandsImportance of Peatlands
• Effects on biodiversity extend far beyond their Effects on biodiversity extend far beyond their borders:borders:• maintain hydrological & microclimate features maintain hydrological & microclimate features of adjacent areas of adjacent areas• provide temporary habitats or refuge areas for provide temporary habitats or refuge areas for upland species - can mitigate fragmentation upland species - can mitigate fragmentation
Importance of PeatlandsImportance of Peatlands
Plant Diversity in Boreal PeatlandsPlant Diversity in Boreal Peatlands
Woo
ded
Woo
ded
BogBogOpe
nOpe
n
ER Fen
ER Fen
Woo
ded
Woo
ded
MR F
en
MR F
en Open
Open
MR F
en
MR F
en
Mea
n S
pp. R
ichn
ess
Mea
n S
pp. R
ichn
ess
Mean Species Richness by Peatland Type
W Bog Sb Swamp W MRF O MRF O ERF
Spe
cies
Ric
hnes
s
0
10
20
30
40
50BryophytesVascular Plants
Black S
pruc
e
Black S
pruc
e
Swamp
Swamp
Locky & Bayley 2006Locky & Bayley 2006
White Adder’s MouthWhite Adder’s MouthS2S2
Bog Adder’s MouthBog Adder’s MouthS1S1
Dragon’s MouthDragon’s MouthS2 S2
Examine patterns in the Examine patterns in the environmental factors and environmental factors and
plant community in wooded plant community in wooded moderate-rich fens along a moderate-rich fens along a longitudinal & a latitudinal longitudinal & a latitudinal transect within the Mid-transect within the Mid-
Boreal Uplands EcoregionBoreal Uplands Ecoregion
Case Study:Case Study:Western Boreal FensWestern Boreal Fens
• Differences in environment variables Differences in environment variables (regional, local)? (regional, local)?
• Differences in plant community and Differences in plant community and diversity (gamma, alpha, beta)?diversity (gamma, alpha, beta)?
• Interactions between community / Interactions between community / diversity & environmental variables?diversity & environmental variables?
• Ecoregional conservation implications?Ecoregional conservation implications?
Research QuestionsResearch Questions
Bryophyte CommunityBryophyte Community
Axis 1
Axi
s 3
Location
ABSKMB
N = 80N = 80Stress = 9.8Stress = 9.83-Dimensional Solution3-Dimensional Solution
24% of variation is 24% of variation is explained by environ.explained by environ.variablesvariables
Vascular Plant CommunityVascular Plant Community
N = 80N = 80Stress = 6.99Stress = 6.993-Dimensional Solution3-Dimensional Solution
30% of variation is 30% of variation is explained by environ.explained by environ.variablesvariables
Axis 1
Axi
s 3
Location
ABSKMB
• Total Species:Total Species: 273273• Bryophytes: Bryophytes: 8686• Vascular Plants:Vascular Plants: 187 187
Diversity: Regional (Gamma)Diversity: Regional (Gamma)
• Greatest in MB, and decreases in a Greatest in MB, and decreases in a longitudinal trend to westlongitudinal trend to west
ABAB SKSK MBMB TotalTotal171171 195195 223223 273273
Diversity: Local (Alpha)Diversity: Local (Alpha)
Diversity: Local RarityDiversity: Local Rarity
AB SK MB AllBryophytes 8 2 15 21Vascular Plants 9 20 42 64Total Plants 17 22 57 85
Taxa/Life-formLocation
• Similar trend of east – west decrease in Similar trend of east – west decrease in diversitydiversity
Diversity & EnvironmentDiversity & Environment
• Bryophytes: Bryophytes: Location (Precipitation)Location (Precipitation)• Vascular plants: Vascular plants: Location (Precipitation), Location (Precipitation), Elevation, Overstory DensityElevation, Overstory Density
• LATITUDE: Bryophytes increase, vascular LATITUDE: Bryophytes increase, vascular plants decreaseplants decrease
• Environmental Energy (Growing Degree Days)Environmental Energy (Growing Degree Days)
Diversity & EnvironmentDiversity & Environment
Duck MountainDuck Mountain
Prince AlbertPrince Albert NPNP
Utikuma LakeUtikuma Lake
Diversity: Provincial RarityDiversity: Provincial Rarity
AB SK MB All
Nanophanerophytes Lonicera caerulea (S3) 1 Hemicryptophytes Galium labradoricum (S3) Campanula aparanoides (S2S3) Liparis loeselii (S2) 5
Carex prairieae (S3)Carex tennuifolia (S3S4)
Geophytes Cypripedium acaule (S3) Platanthera dilatata (S2) Listera borealis (S2) 4Malaxis monophylla (S1S2)
Total Plants 5 3 2 10
Location
Species Turnover Species Turnover • Vascular plants > bryophytesVascular plants > bryophytes
• Bryophytes have longer climatic & Bryophytes have longer climatic & geographic rangesgeographic ranges
• Highest overall in ManitobaHighest overall in Manitoba
Plant Diversity: BetaPlant Diversity: Beta
• Exact causal agents of diversity changes can Exact causal agents of diversity changes can be challenging to extract from latitude, be challenging to extract from latitude, longitude, elevation, & other climatic longitude, elevation, & other climatic gradientsgradients
• These gradients are often surrogates for These gradients are often surrogates for more elemental variables that are commonly more elemental variables that are commonly interrelated (Williamson 1981, Glaser 1992)interrelated (Williamson 1981, Glaser 1992)
Causal AgentsCausal Agents
• Plant community & environmental Plant community & environmental variables over a continental scale within variables over a continental scale within a single Ecoregion shows a continuous a single Ecoregion shows a continuous change even in a single wetland typechange even in a single wetland type
• ……within an Ecoregion and not across within an Ecoregion and not across Ecoregional boundariesEcoregional boundaries
Conservation ImplicationsConservation Implications
• For common wetland For common wetland types, even those types, even those with a higher with a higher likelihood of rare likelihood of rare plants, Ecoregion plants, Ecoregion level conservation level conservation may not make may not make sense…sense…
Conservation ImplicationsConservation Implications
• Conservation plans need to account for Conservation plans need to account for changes in abiotic conditions (i.e., changes in abiotic conditions (i.e., regional & local) & biotic conditions (like regional & local) & biotic conditions (like transition zones)transition zones)
Conservation ImplicationsConservation Implications
• Management at finer scale, i.e., Management at finer scale, i.e., Ecodistrict-level, may be more Ecodistrict-level, may be more appropriateappropriate
• Other wetland types?Other wetland types?
Conservation ImplicationsConservation Implications
A matter of scale…
• Rare boreal wetland typesRare boreal wetland types• MarshesMarshes
Conservation ImplicationsConservation Implications
• Spring Mound FensSpring Mound Fens
• Ecoregions provide a biogeographical Ecoregions provide a biogeographical framework for conservation at broad framework for conservation at broad scales that is preferable to political scales that is preferable to political boundariesboundaries. .
• However, use of single Ecoregions for However, use of single Ecoregions for conservation needs to be approached conservation needs to be approached cautiously.cautiously.
Conservation ImplicationsConservation Implications