Catt-Trax 2 - British Columbia

British Columbia: Wildlife

The Catt-Trax2 Team — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 16:02:21 -0800

Report prepared by Jenny Ma and Jo-Leen Sellars, Students in BCIT’s Fish, Wildlife and Recreation program.

There are 488 bird species in British Columbia. To get a sense of the variety among this species, let’s look closely at three of these birds: the peregrine falcon, rufous humming bird, and the common loon.

The peregrine falcon, with flying speeds up to 300 km/h and specially designed nostrils to breathe at such speeds, is the fastest bird on Earth. Since 1999, this bird has been on the threatened species list (blue list). Before then, the farmers and commercial food industries were spraying their fields with insecticides to kill the bugs and this started to thin the shells of birds’ eggs. The falcon was most affected and the population crashed to almost extinction, so the government gave Alberta funding to raise them in captivity then release them into the wild.

Another speed demon is the rufous humming bird. It has the fastest wing beats of any bird species and it can fly backwards. They never perch while feeding they just hover in the air. The sound of their beating wings is like the buzzing of a big bumble bee. Their wings have shiny orange or green markings that shimmer.

A bird with black and white markings that cries in the sunset is the common loon. This is a common bird and its image is seen everywhere on camping commercials, camping gear, and on the Canadian dollar coin — the loonie. The cutest thing this bird does is carry its young on its back while swimming through the water. Its legs are situated so far back that it cannot walk on land properly. Its body is built for diving.

Reptiles are also common in B.C. The long-toed salamander hangs around in moist areas and near non-fish-bearing streams. If they were to hang around fish they would be eaten as would their eggs. The adults like to spend the majority of their time underground feeding on invertebrates.

The rough-skinned newt is of the salamander family who also eats invertebrates but these creatures are toxic. This newt has an orange belly that predators recognize as toxic. When the newt is in distress it releases tetrodotoxin which can kill a person if they ingest it. The toxin blocks nerve impulses and has a paralyzing affect. Like all salamanders and other newts, they can grow their severed limbs back.

Unfortunately for the northern leopard frog, they cannot grow back their limbs but they do lay 1,000 to 5,000 eggs to compensate for their high mortality rate. Their enemies are herons, snakes, turtles, fish, and larger frogs.

The two other groups of wildlife are mammals and reptiles. There are about 133 species of mammals within B.C. and eighteen species of reptiles.

Three-fourths of Canada’s mammal species are found here, twenty-four of which are exclusive to B.C. The terrestrial mammals include hoofed mammals – the deer family and the cattle family, carnivores, and rodents. The hoofed mammals include (in the deer family) mule deer, white-tailed deer, fallow deer, elk, caribou, and moose. In the cattle family we have the bison, the bighorn sheep, Dall’s sheep, and the Mountain goat. Some carnivores roaming throughout B.C. include the cat and dog families and our great bears: the grizzly bear and the black bear. Within the cat family there are cougars, lynx, and bobcats. Members of the dog family include wolves, coyotes, and the red fox. Amongst our many rodents, the beaver and the Vancouver Island marmot are significant.

B.C.’s reptiles include snakes, lizards, and turtles. Reptiles differ from birds and mammals in that they do not operate or create heat with their bodies – they use heat from the environment. There are nine native species of snakes:

the common garter
the north western garter
the rattlesnake
the Great Basin gopher
western yellow-bellied racer
wandering garter
night snake
sharp-tailed snake
the rubber boa

There are four species of lizards:

European wall lizard (introduced)
pigmy short-horned Lizard
western alligator lizard
the western skink

The five species of turtle include:

western painted turtle
northern Pacific pond turtle
Pacific Green Turtle
Pacific leatherback turtle
the red-eared slider

British Columbia’s rich variety of wildlife makes it Canada’s most biologically diverse province.

British Columbia: Rainforests

The Catt-Trax2 Team — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 16:00:59 -0800

Report prepared by Susanne Davies and Jillian Stuart, Students in BCIT’s Fish, Wildlife and Recreation program.

A temperate rainforest is defined as “a forest developing in a temperate climate in which winters are mild and precipitation is abundant year round.” British Columbia’s rainforest is the largest remaining intact rainforest and most biologically productive rainforest in the world. The rainforest consists of four biogeoclimatic zones: Coastal Western Hemlock, Coastal Douglas Fir, Mountain Hemlock, and Interior Cedar-Hemlock. Each zone is characterized by dominant coniferous trees and associated broadleaf trees and shrubs. For example, the Coastal Western Hemlock zone is dominated by western hemlock and extends up the coast of the province. This zone is directly influenced by the Pacific Ocean and is exposed to high annual precipitation.

British Columbia’s rainforests are also characterized by their old-growth forests, which are “trees that are at least 250 years old and have a complex physical structure.” There are four major characteristics that are common to old-growth forests: standing dead trees, fallen dead trees, standing live trees, and a multi-layered canopy.

An important factor in old-growth forests is biodiversity. Biodiversity is “the variety of living things in a particular area”. There are over 4,000 species of plants and animals in the rainforests; 168 of these species are endemic to the province. Each plant and animal species plays an important role in this diverse ecosystem. An important part of the temperate rainforest is the marine ecosystem and the coastal mountain range. Together they shape every aspect and climate of the temperate rainforest environment.

The rainforests in British Columbia have changed drastically over time. For example, Vancouver used to be dominated by giant, 100 m-tall trees before urbanization occurred. Some changes are natural and some are caused by human interference but they both consistently intertwine. The great increases in fossil-fuel burning, energy consumption, and especially clear-cutting have severely affected the rainforest ecosystems. On another note, global warming, whether a natural occurrence or an effect of human activity, is also changing the climate patterns that affect rainforests. Of all these changes, clear-cutting is both the most controversial and the most critical.

These rainforests are important for many reasons. They give British Columbia a beautiful landscape which attracts tourists, provide jobs for thousands of people in the province, and support many animals that survive here, some of whom cannot live anywhere else. It is therefore important to protect and preserve as much of this lush forest as we can. The logging industry in British Columbia is a huge driver of the economy and it is important that we don’t take the forest for granted: if we keep clear-cutting as we are today, one day the forest will be gone.

Many initiatives are gaining increasing numbers of support from civilians to help protect the rainforest. This factor is essential to the survival of the rainforest: without educating the public, the rainforest cannot survive.

British Columbia: Physiographic Regions

The Catt-Trax2 Team — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 15:59:28 -0800

Report prepared by Laura Seaton and Puru Shrestha, students in BCIT's Fish, Wildlife and Recreation program.

British Columbia is the most physiographically diverse and beautiful province of Canada. From the Pacific coast to the Rocky Mountains you encounter a series of mountain ranges, plateaus, plains, and river basins. It rises from ocean level to 4,663 m, extends 11° latitude, 25° longitude, and covers an area of 948,600 km2. British Columbia is the product of plate tectonics, volcanoes, and glacial activity dating back millions of years. Outstanding tourist attractions include Whistler Mountain, voted the finest ski resort in North America, the Fraser River, considered the finest salmon-bearing river in the world, and the Rocky Mountains. The province was named after the Columbia Mountain and Columbia River, which lie in the province's south-west corner.

The existing land mass of B.C. is divided into five major physiographic regions according to a relatively recent and concise classification developed by Valentine et al. (1978). These include the Coast Mountain and Islands, the Interior Plain, the Columbia Mountains and Southern Rockies, the Northern and Central Plateaus and Mountains, and the Great Plains. British Columbia's mountains were formed by tectonic and volcanic activity while the others were formed by glacial activity. The classification of the natural physiographic regions involves erosion, deposition, bedrock response to erosion, and orogenic history. The physiographic regions of B.C. consist of four parallel mountain ranges arranged in ascending order from youngest to oldest, from west to east, and extending along the north-south axis. These mountain ranges are crisscrossed and drained by several rivers, notably the Fraser River.

Notable landmarks of the physiographic regions are the Cassiar-Omineca and Skeena mountains to the north, the Cascade and Columbia mountains to the south, the Insular and Coastal mountains to the west, and the Rocky Mountains to the east along the Alberta border. The province is geologically active, with a prevalence of intrusive igneous rocks in the Coast Mountains, mixed igneous and metamorphic rocks in the Columbia Mountains, and sedimentary rocks in the Rocky Mountain. There is a remarkable change in natural biodiversity from the humid, temperate rainforests around Vancouver, to the dry, desert vegetation of the Okanagan plains. British Columbia's topography, range of climates, and biodiversity attract millions of people to the province every year.

References

Cannings R. and S. Cannings. 1996. British Columbia: A Natural History. Revised and enlarged. Greystone Books, Vancouver. p. 341.

Holland, S.S. 1976. Landforms of British Columbia. BC Department of Mines and Petroleum Products. Bulletin no. 48. p. 138.

McGillivray 2000. Geography of British Columbia: People and Landscapes in Transition. UBC Press, Vancouver.

Pojar J. & D.Meidinger. "British Columbia: The Environmental Settings." In: Ecosystems of British Columbia. BC (D. Meidinger and J. Pojar, eds.) B.C. Ministry of Forests. pp. 39 - 68.

Valentine, K.W.G., P.N. Sprout, T.E. Baker and L.M. Lavkulich. 1978. "The Soil Landscapes of British Columbia" B.C. Ministry. Environment, Resources Annal. Br. Victoria, B.C.

Wood, D. 1996. "Earthquake Coast" in Beautiful British Columbia. Vol.38 (1). Spring 1996. pp. 6 - 13.

British Columbia: Neotropical Migrants

The Catt-Trax2 Team — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 10:18:40 -0800

Report prepared by students in BCIT’s Fish, Wildlife and Recreation program.

Neotropical migrants are birds which breed in British Columbia during the summer months, and when winter arrives, they fly down to Central and South America, Mexico or the Caribbean Islands. Migratory birds are important to British Columbia, as they maintain a healthy biorhythm throughout the province, as well as the entire continent. There are about 200 species of neotropical migrants, the majority being songbirds. They also include shorebirds, some raptors, and waterfowl. The driving force behind migration is food availability. Birds need to utilize food sources when they are abundant, and when food becomes limited, their genetic instincts take over which drives them to migrate.

Birds have an internal clock that tells them when to migrate; environmental factors such as the slant of the sun, temperature and rainfall keep this clock in sync, kind of like how your clock at home uses batteries to keep in sync. Biologists have also found special glands in migrating birds that release hormones that make the birds grow restless; this is called migratory restlessness. Neotropical birds which migrate long distances, have their location they migrate to, hardwired into their brains; however, short distance migrants are shown the location they migrate to by older more experienced birds. Both short and long distance migrants essentially build mind maps as they migrate for future reference. Birds can determine which direction (north or south) they need to go by combining cues from landmarks on the earth’s surface, patterns of stars and position of the sun in the sky.

British Columbia: National Parks

The Catt-Trax2 Team — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 10:17:23 -0800

Report prepared by Tim Walton and Ben Russell, students in BCIT’s Fish, Wildlife and Recreation program.

The goal of the national park system is to create a network of parks that represent each of Canada’s diverse natural regions and heritage. There are over forty national parks in Canada, seven of which are in B.C. The long term goal of the National Parks System is to have a park in every distinct region of our country to protect the area for generations to come and to allow people from all over the world to experience the natural beauty of Canada.

British Columbia’s parks vary in size and age and cover the regions of the Pacific Coast Mountains, the Straight of Georgia Lowlands, the Columbian Mountains and the Rocky Mountains. British Columbia’s National Parks are: Glacier, Mt. Revelstoke, Kootenay, Yoho, Gwaii Haanas, Pacific Rim, and the Gulf Islands. These parks attract visitor from Canada and across the world each year.

Glacier National Park was established in 1886 and is the third largest national park in British Columbia at 1,349 km2. The park is located in the heart of the Columbian Mountains amidst the Selkirk mountain range and the Purcell mountain range in the southeast part of B.C. Rogers Pass was discovered and used as a way for the Canadian Pacific Railway to pass through the Rocky Mountains. It is now the home of the Trans-Canada Highway. Glacier National Park consists of different zones ranging from old growth forests to over 400 glaciers. The park also contains habitat for a wide variety of animals ranging from mountain caribou, grizzly and black bear, wolverines, mountain goats and many more.

Mt. Revelstoke National Park is 260 km2 in size and adjacent to the southeastern border of B.C. It is located in the Columbia Mountains less than 50 km east of glacier national park. The park, which was formed in 1914, contains many of the same geological and ecological features as Glacier National Park, as they are both located in the same mountain range. There is diverse wildlife in Mount Revelstoke National Park making it a major area for research, mainly involving the declining populations of mountain caribou, grizzly bears, black bears and wolverines.

Kootenay National Park was established in 1920 and is 1,406 km2 in size. This park combines with other parks in the area to form the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site, one of the largest protected areas in the world. The park is located on the Banff-Windermere highway stretching along the western side of the Continental Divide in the southeast corner of B.C. This park spans from the spectacular glacier peaks of the continental divide to the beautiful, lush, grasslands of the Rocky Mountain trench. Kootenay is home to elk, white-tailed deer, bighorn sheep, mountains goat, grizzly bear, black bear, and many other animals.

Located in the western part of the Rocky Mountains and bordered on the east by the Kootenay and Banff national parks lays Yoho National Park. It is bisected by the Trans Canada Highway from east to west allowing motorists to view the spectacular glaciated Rocky Mountain peaks. This park includes geologic areas that hold fossilized remains of ancient marine creatures preserved in sedimentary rock known as Burgess Shale. This area is believed to have some of the finest Cambrian fossils in the world and has helped scientists gain a better understanding of the process of evolution.

Gwaii Haanas is located on the Queen Charlotte Islands. Its rugged west coast landscapes are considered by some to be the most beautiful in the world, ranging from towering glacially formed mountain peaks to white sand beaches. This park is only accessible by boat or chartered aircraft and contains no roads and very limited facilities. The area was originally inhabited by the Haida people. Their settlements have been preserved and are still intact. Visitors will be able to tour old native villages and see longhouses and carved totem poles amidst the giant old growth forests. Gwaii Haanas has a large abundance of marine life especially in an area called Burnaby narrows. The Queen Charlottes Islands have a large number of rare species that have evolved here due to the island’s isolation from the mainland and its smaller number of glaciers during the ice age. It is also home to the largest black bears in North America and a large variety of other marine and terrestrial wildlife.

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is located on the west coast of southern Vancouver Island. It was established as a national park reserve along with the Nuu-chah-nulth or Nootka tribal Council in 1970 and re-negotiated in 1987. The park is made up of a thin strip running along the west coast of Vancouver Island, bordered by the Insular Mountains and is 286 km2. The park is known for its beautiful marine climate, and marine wildlife, as well as its awesome coastal rainforest, which is home to many old growth trees. The park attracts many visitors to its forests, beaches, and hiking trails. The West Coast Trail is visited and traveled on as one of the most popular hiking trails in all of Canada. Pacific Rim Park brings the beauty of the ocean, its tidal pools, and the surf on the 150 km stretch of beach and power of the old growth rain forests all into one beautiful park.

Nestled in between the highly urbanized Vancouver mainland and Vancouver Island in the Straight of Georgia, are the 35 km2 of land spread over fifteen different islands, and the 200 m of designated marine areas surrounding the islands. The newest National Park is British Columbia, established in 2003 to protect the land in an area where urban development is closing in from both sides. The reserve is accessible by ferry to its larger more populated islands, but the smaller islands are only accessible by private boat, kayak, or water taxi. The Gulf Islands National Park Reserve protects its unique and diverse ecosystems, which consists of many different plants, animals, and marine life. The Gulf Islands National Park is still in a transitional stage, because of its young age, but being in heart of the province’s busiest marine travel, the park will protect the beauty and diversity of the ecosystem for generations to come

The National Parks in British Columbia, offers citizens of Canada and visitors from all corners of the world, a place to come and see the beauty British Columbia has to offer. These parks are set us as part of the National Parks System which plans to have a park represent every distinct region of our country. Currently they are trying to get a national park in the last region of B.C. that is not represented ─ The Interior Dry Plains. National Parks are something that we can enjoy today, and because of the protection they will be enjoyed for generations to come.

British Columbia: Marine Environment

The Catt-Trax2 Team — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 15:33:05 -0800

Report prepared by April Reed and Meghan McKillop, students in BCIT’s Fish, Wildlife and Recreation program.

British Columbia’s marine environment is composed of a diverse array of physiographic and oceanographic features that make it a truly unique ecosystem. From the ocean floor to the continental rise and shelf to the intertidal zones, an array of species live who are endemic to these regions.

A dominant feature of B.C.’s marine environment is the currents currents. The westerly movement of currents, driven by winds and the rotation of the earth, meet the continental shelf and split to the north (forming the Alaska current) and to the south (forming the California current).The splitting of currents allows for upwelling to occur bringing deep nutrient-rich waters to the surface, making B.C. waters very productive.

BC’s ocean is divided into ecozones, ecoprovinces, ecoregions, and ecosections. Twelve ecosections have been defined according to the different physiographic and oceanographic features.

There is a greater diversity of life in the ocean than on land. The ocean is divided up into different layers based on availability of light and nutrient that determines which organisms can survive in the different layers. The most productive layer is the photic layer which is the light zone near the surface. Forty metres below the surface there is not enough light for photosynthesis to occur, and at a depth of 600 m the environment is in perpetual darkness.

The basis of life in the ocean is produced in the photic layer where photosynthetic organisms are able to change light energy into nutrient-rich carbohydrates that feed the rest of the ocean food chain. The food chain is made up of primary producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, quaternary consumers, scavengers and decomposers.

The primary producers are phytoplankton and algae that contain the green pigment chlorophyll in their cells enabling photosynthesis. The phytoplankton and algae live and thrive in the photic layer where they provide the basis of life for the rest of the marine organisms. The primary consumers are the direct link between primary producers and the rest of the food chain. They are made up of zooplankton. Secondary consumers consist of baleen whales, herring, invertebrates and other vertebrate species. They feed on primary consumers and producers. The tertiary consumers are carnivorous organisms such as salmon and sea birds that feed on secondary consumers. Quaternary consumers are carnivorous organisms at the top of the food chain such as killer whales and sea lions that feed on tertiary consumers. Scavengers and decomposers feed on dead plants and animals and are important in returning nutrients to the ocean and benthic communities.

The marine environment is a delicate ecosystem that relies on all levels of the food web. The combination of physiographic, oceanographic and biological features give rise to the exceptional diversity in B.C.’s marine environment.

References

Acorn, John and Nancy Baron. 1997. Birds of Coastal British Columbia. Lone Pine Publishing, Edmonton, A.B., 38–39, 48–57, 74,128 pp.
Butler, Robert. 2003. The Jade Coast: The Ecology of the North Pacific Ocean. Key Port Books Ltd. 70 The Esplanade. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. M5E 1R2. 176pp.
Cannings, Richard and Sydney Cannings. 2004. British Columbia: A Natural History Revised and Updated. Greystone Books, Vancouver, B.C. 102–137 pp.
Eder, Tamara. 2001. Whales and other Marine Mammals of British Columbia and Alaska. Lone Pine Publishing, Edmonton, A.B., 76–78, 86–89, 92–99,118–123, 129–131, 149–153 pp.
Hewlett, Stefani. 1976. Sea Life of the Pacific Northwest. McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd. 176 pp.
Lamb, Andy, Hanby, Bernard P. 2005. Marine Life in the Pacific Northwest: A photographic encyclopedia of invertebrates, seaweeds, and selected fishes. Harbour Publising P.O. Box 219 Madeira Park, BC V0N 2H0. 398 pp.
McConnaughy, Bayard H., McConnaughey, Evelyn. 1986. Audubon Society Nature Guides Pacific Coast. Borzoi Book published by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. New York
Ocean Link
Wikipedia

British Columbia: Lakes and Rivers

The Catt-Trax2 Team — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 15:31:09 -0800

Report prepared by students in BCIT’s Fish, Wildlife and Recreation program.

British Columbia is Canada’s most diverse province in terms of natural flora and fauna, wildlife, and ever-changing landscapes. Thousands of rivers and lakes are stretched across the province. Some rivers are small and meandering while others are vast and rush along. One can find huge lakes tucked away in the wilderness or high up in the mountains and even in your backyard. Rivers and Lakes are not only the circulatory system of terrestrial life ─ transporting, filtering and storing water and nutrients ─ but are also worlds of life unto themselves (272, Cannings, et al.).

Every region in British Columbia provides a variety of lakes and rivers that support recreational activities like kayaking, fishing and whitewater rafting. They provide food, water and habitat for many mammals, birds, amphibians and fish, making them great places to view wildlife.

Lakes and rivers have also played an important role throughout history, especially for the Aboriginal peoples of British Columbia. They hunted and gathered along the edges of the water and used waterways for trade and transportation. Many lakes are medically important, such as Spotted Lake in the Okanagan, where a high mineral content has therapeutic properties.

British Columbia’s many rivers offer endless opportunities for outdoor recreation. Whether you are looking for spine tingling thrills, or simply to relax, the opportunities are out there. For the more adventurous type, the Northern Skeena and the Stikine rivers offer some of the greatest fishing and rafting in the world. Or if you’d rather camp with more predictable weather, then the Fraser River, the Kootenay and the Columbia are perfect. Rafting adventures are also very popular on the Fraser and the Kootenay and the fishing is exceptional.

The Fraser River is the biggest river in the province, and home to some of the largest runs of salmon in the world. The population of white sturgeon in the Fraser is the healthiest and largest in the world. The Skeena river is second to the Fraser in size and every year it receives in excess of five million salmon each year (some of which have been recorded to exceed forty kilograms!). The Kootenay feeds into the Columbia River. The Kootenay is a renowned rafting river; it also offers anglers great fishing opportunities.

No matter what you are looking for (as long as you like the outdoors) the mighty rivers and pristine lakes of British Columbia have it.

References

British Columbia: A Natural History, by Richard Cannings and Sydney Cannings.

British Columbia: Forests

The Catt-Trax2 Team — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 15:30:20 -0800

Montane forests occupy the southern and central interior of British Columbia. They are dry because they exist in the rain shadow of the coastal mountains of the province. These forests are dominated by two tree species ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir. In winter, the snow covers the grassy ground for two or three months. In summer, it is usually hot and dry but not quite as hot and dry as the grasslands.

Interior Douglas-fir forests

The interior Douglas-fir is slightly different from coastal Douglas-fir. It can be distinguished by its bluish needles and is more shade- and cold-tolerant. Interior Douglas-fir forests provide the best nesting site for large birds such as hawks, ravens and owls. Interior Douglas-firs also have very thick bark, which protects it from fire.

Typically, pure Douglas-fir forests have an open canopy due to fires. Natural stands of interior Douglas-fir forests are home to Douglas-fir, lodgepole pine, and ponderosa pine. Shrubs include birch-leaved spirea and soopolallie, prickly rose, snowberry, Saskatoon, black gooseberry, black twinberry. Herbs and grasses include pinegrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, showy aster and yarrow. Mosses are red-stemmed feathermoss, and wavy-leaved moss.

In some wetter areas, the western larch takes over the forest after fires. Nevertheless, they slowly become dominated by Douglas-fir. The most unique birds in this zone are Williamson’s sapsucker (the rarest Canadian woodpecker), northern pygmy-owl, and the western tanager.

Ponderosa pine forests

These occupy the valley bottoms above the Bunchgrass zone and beneath the interior Douglas-fir zone. They are characterized by very hot, sunny summers and cool winters with light snow cover. Elevation ranges from 335 to 900 m. The ponderosa pine can be identified by its large woody, egg-shaped cones and long needles. The ponderosa pine’s interesting climatic adaptation is its taproot which is over fifty centimeters long! Most of the forests are covered with scattered ponderosa pine roots.

In summer, the ponderosa pine forests are fragrant with the scent of vanilla. These forests are dominated by bluebunch wheatgrass and big sagebrush on the hillsides where the soils are too hot for ponderosa pine seeds to develop. In very dry parts of the zone, ponderosa pine forms early seral stands on zonal sites but is eventually replaced by Douglas-fir. In fact, the vegetation often consists of a mosaic of forest and grassland. Mature stands of ponderosa pine forest are home to the following species:

ponderosa pine
Douglas-fir
trembling aspen
black cottonwood
rabbit-brush
big sagebrush
common snowberry
roses
red-osier dogwood
Douglas maple
tall Oregon-grape
bluebunch wheatgrass
star-flowered false Solomon’s-seal
Canada violet

Ponderosa pine forests are also home to unique birds such as the:

pygmy nuthatch
white-headed woodpecker
Lewis’s woodpecker
western tanager
mountain chickadee

Pygmy nuthatches are often seen in large groups of twenty to fifty birds. The Lewis's woodpecker has a bright pink belly and always found in the stands of large ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir or cottonwood close to grasslands.

Mammals of these forests include:

Rocky Mountain elk
mule deer
white-tailed deer
bighorn sheep
yellow-pine chipmunk
least chipmunk (found locally in the Selkirk Mountains)

Reptiles of the ponderosa pine forest include:

northern alligator lizard
rubber boa (the only Canadian Boa)
garter snake
yellow-pine chipmunk

Larch forests

The western larch is restricted to the south eastern part of the zone, where it frequently occurs after fire. It is the most fire-resistant and fire-adapted tree in the montane forest. Fire plays an important role in helping to establish the species throughout its range.

Western larch has many adaptations that enhance its ability to either survive fire or to quickly colonize recently burned areas. While seedlings, saplings, and poles are somewhat susceptible to fire, trees that are 150 to 200 years old or older are able to survive all but the most severe fires. Western larch has very thick bark that protects its cambium from overheating. The tree’s characteristic high, open crown and ability to self-prune its lower branches minimize ladder fuels and risk of crown fire. Its deep roots are protected from surface and ground fires. Western larch seedlings rapidly outgrow competitors.

Glasslands

A combination of soil, topographic conditions, and fire history has led to the development of large grassland communities in parts of the montane forest. Grasslands occur throughout the ponderosa pine forests.

Wetlands

Non-forested wetlands are common in the montane forests. Plants characteristic of these wetlands include

Cattail (Typha latifolia)
Great bulrush (Scirpus lacustris)
sedge fens of Carex aquatilis, C. rostrata, and C. lasiocarpa
saline meadows dominated by alkali saltgrass (Distichlis stricta)

Many of the fens include a tall or low shrub canopy of willows and sometimes Betula glandulosa.

Fire and adaptation

Forest fires have a big influence on the montane forest ecosystem. They are divided into two main types: low-intensity fires and high-intensity fires. Low-intensity fires burn low on the forest floor, killing small trees, shrubs and dry grass but leaving large, live trees to create an open, park-like forests of Douglas-fir or ponderosa pine. High-intensity fires, which can destroy stands, kill almost everything in their path.

Some montane forest species, such as ponderosa pine, western larch, ceanothus, saskatoon, and bluebunch wheatgrass, are fire-adapted species. That is, over many centuries, they have evolved strategies that help them to maintain populations on sites where fires commonly occur. Other vegetation, such as Douglas-fir, is not as well adapted. Historically, frequent fires tended to reduce the abundance of young Douglas-fir because their thin bark and low-hanging branches make them vulnerable to fire.

Wildfires have also played an important role in maintaining grasslands in the Montane forests. Without regular grassfires, trees take root in open grassy areas and, over time, grasslands become overgrown with trees. Today, wildfires are suppressed, and there is evidence that forests are taking over areas once occupied by grasslands.

References

Wildlife Habitat Relationships in B.C.’s Columbia Basin
Grasslands Conservation Council of British Columbia
Environment Canada
Selkirk College
BC Forest Information
Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Environment

MontainForests.net
Forest Service of British Columbia

Richard Cannings and Sydney Cannings, 2004, Natural History of British Columbia. Greystone Books. Vancouver, B.C.
Dei Meidinger and Jim Pojar. 1991. Ecosystems of British Columbia. Research Branch, Ministry of Forests. Victoria, B.C.

British Columbia: Fisheries

The Catt-Trax2 Team — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 15:25:33 -0800

Report prepared by Shaun Hazell and Rick Hansford, students in BCIT’s Fish, Wildlife and Recreation program.

One of B.C.’s most important and fragile resources is its fisheries. From a commercial standpoint this encompasses five major salmon species, which are the Chinook, chum, Coho, pink, and sockeye. Although each is unique, they all share one of the most remarkable life histories with their anadromous nature and ability to inhabit both marine and freshwater environments — even though each imposes very different physiological constraints. As part of this lifecycle, these salmonid species have also developed the amazing ability to return to their natal hatching place to spawn.

Salmon numbers are significantly down from previous years. The responsibility for restoring Pacific salmon stocks lies with Fisheries and Oceans Canada ─ Pacific Region. Over the past decade, this has proven to be quite a challenging task as salmon numbers have declined, which many experts attribute to overfishing, habitat destruction, and changing ocean conditions. However, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has taken steps towards rectifying this situation by adopting protective measures, which include putting restrictions on equipment, setting catch limits, establishing and encouraging selective fishing practices, increasing enforcement and penalties, and undertaking habitat restoration programs for many rivers and waterways.

British Columbia’s fish farms pose a huge threat to our wild fish stocks and to our tidal and fresh waters. Our open waters are being contaminated by enormous amounts of pollution from the aquaculture industries’ method of farming, and from the fish themselves. Because the fish are crammed into such tight quarters there is a large amount of feces in a small area, which isn’t good for the waters. Our wild salmon are being affected by such things as sea lice, the transfer of disease and pathogens from the farmed stock to the wild stock, net loss of protein (more wild fish being used to feed the farmed fish than the farms can produce) and the escape of non-native species into our native waters from fish farms.

British Columbia’s aquaculture industry has become an important supplier to the international fish market. It has taken some of the pressure off of the wild fish stocks being harvested. Some say fish farming is good because it gives stable year-round employment for thousands of people, it’s a big money-maker, and it does take some of the pressure off of our wild stocks. However, considering the quality of fish produced, the protein net loss and the damage being done to the environment, the bad far outweighs the good in most people’s eyes.

British Columbia’s recreational fishing has more of an affect on our declining fish populations than most people believe. With over 625,000 licenses sold each year in B.C., thousands of tonnes of fish are being hauled out of our fresh and tidal waters. Ignorance of catch-and-release angling also plays a large part in the problems faced by our fisheries. Although recreational fishing in B.C. drives the economy and tourism, not enough is being done to ensure the sustainability of our fish species and by extension our future economy. Too much pressure is being placed on the fisheries here in B.C. and this is leading towards a major industry collapse (look at cod in the Atlantic). A good thing about our fisheries is that they attract many people from around the world to this province to fish, the money spent by them is going directly back into the fisheries (i.e., licenses, lodges) or indirectly to the fisheries (i.e., via retailers, wholesalers and distributors). The amount of money this province makes from tourism and fishing directly determines the amount of money put back into the fisheries.

Our fisheries is a resource that needs to be preserved beyond its economic value. For example, Pacific salmon has become an important part of our culture and that of the First Nations people of our province.

British Columbia: Deserts and Grasslands

The Catt-Trax2 Team — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 15:21:12 -0800

Report Prepared by Will Choquette and Fergus Ogilvie, students in BCIT’s Fish, Wildlife and Recreation Program.

Deserts

The deserts of British Columbia are an extremely rare and small, but also valuable and unique ecosystem. They are made up of two biogeoclimatic zones: the ponderosa pine zone, and bunchgrass zone. Both zones provide an amazing amount of life for all kinds of species from plants, mammals, birds, reptiles and even amphibians. Both zones are very hot and very dry places. In the Ponderosa pine zone, the beautiful pines can be found standing in amazing amounts among old growth forests. These forests create a unique area supporting many animals such as mule and white-tailed deer, bighorn sheep and Rocky Mountain elk (both of which migrate to this area during the winter). Many animals come here for the winter because of the combination of the pine canopy and low snow pack. In addition, the seeds from the pine trees are easily found among the ground and make good food for many animals. Insects also live on the bark of the ponderosa pines, and make good food for birds.

The bunchgrass zone, is unique and beautiful. The hot climate and constantly running streams means water is never hard to find and ice doesn’t last long. This attracts animals from all over the province and the U.S. The short horned lizard finds its northern limit in the deserts of B.C. Also, the gyrfalcon finds its southernmost range in these parts. Both these zones are home to thousands of species and also many endangered species, so protection of the area is mandatory.

This area is a valuable resource for humans as well. People like to let their cows graze on what seems to be an unending landscape of beauty, however the land is far from unending and the end is near. People need to realize that everything they do affects the land around them. The sooner we can learn to live with nature and not damage it, the sooner it can flourish, and its beauty can continue to grow.

Grasslands

British Columbia’s grasslands account for less than two percent of the province’s area. Grasslands are areas where grasses and grass-like plants are the main species of plants. They form in areas that are too dry and hot for larger plants, such as trees, to grow in abundance.

The location of B.C.’s grasslands is influenced by the province’s mountain ranges. As weather systems come off the Pacific Ocean, most of the rain is deposited on the western side of the mountain ranges while relatively little rain falls on the eastern side. This leaves the eastern side of the mountain ranges much drier which allows grasslands to thrive. Many grassland plant species have developed special adaptations to help them survive in their dry environment. For example, most plants reach maturity before the hottest and driest parts of the summer, while there is still sufficient moisture in the ground. Species often have extensive root systems to help them capture as much moisture from the soil as possible.

Many animals make B.C.’s grasslands their home. These include many of the more familiar larger animals such as bighorn sheep and elk as well as some less familiar animals such as the rare pallid bat, which hunts for its prey by sound, and the rare ground mantis, which is Canada’s only native mantis species.

While British Columbia’s grasslands occupy a very small portion of the province, they contain many unique pant and animal species, and are an important part of province’s natural history.

Catt-Trax 2 - British Columbia

British Columbia: Wildlife

British Columbia: Rainforests

British Columbia: Physiographic Regions

Related Links

References

British Columbia: Neotropical Migrants

Related Link

British Columbia: National Parks

Related Links

British Columbia: Marine Environment

References

British Columbia: Lakes and Rivers

References

British Columbia: Forests

Interior Douglas-fir forests

Ponderosa pine forests

Larch forests

Glasslands

Wetlands

Fire and adaptation

References

British Columbia: Fisheries

British Columbia: Deserts and Grasslands

Deserts

Grasslands