Field Guide To Ecosites Of Northern Alberta

An ecological classification system was developed for Northern Alberta through the analysis of vegetation, soil, site, and forest productivity information. The hierarchical classification system has three levels - ecosite, ecosite phase and plant community type. Thirty-eight ecosites are described with further detail provided by subdivision into ecosite and ecosite phase and plant community type. A soil type classification system that describes 17 soil types was also developed. Management interpretations were made for drought, excess moisture, soil rutting hazard, soil compaction hazard, puddling hazard, soil erosion hazard, frost heave hazard, soil temperature limitations, vegetation competition, and windthrow hazard. Colour photos and drawings for 87 common plants of northern Alberta are presented.

An ecological classification system was developed for west-central Alberta through the analysis of vegetation, soil, site, and forest productivity information. The hierarchical classification system has three levels - ecosite, ecosite phase and plant community type. Forty-four ecosites are described with further detail provided by subdivision into ecosite and ecosite phase and plant community type. A soil type classification system that describes 17 soil types was also developed. Management interpretations were made for drought, excess moisture, soil rutting hazard, soil compaction hazard, puddling hazard, soil erosion hazard, frost heave hazard, soil temperature limitations, vegetation competition, and windthrow hazard. Colour photos and drawings for 106 common plants of west-central Alberta are presented. An index listing common and scientific names of illustrated plants is included. Keys to ecological variables, definitions of soil horizon designations, and a glossary are also included.

An ecological classification system was developed for the mid-boreal ecoregions of Saskatchewan through the analysis of vegetation, soil, site, and forest productivity information. The hierarchical classification system has three levels - ecosite, ecosite phase, and plant community type. Thirteen ecosites are descrived with further details provided by subdivision into ecosite phase and plant community type. A soil type classification system that describes 17 soil types was also developed. Management interpretations were made for drought, excess moisture, hazard, frost heave hazard, soil temperature limitations, vegetation competition, windthrow hazard, productivity, and season of harvest. Colour photos and drawings for 103 common plants of the mid-boreal ecoregions of Saskatchewan are presented.

"The forest ecosystems of Saskatchewan are represented at the site level with 81 ecosites that span Saskatchewan's four ecozones: Taiga Shield, Boreal Shield, Boreal Plain and Prairie. Field sampling provided the raw data upon which the ecosite classification was built. Nearly 1700 semi-permanent relevés were established in 69 of the province's 80 forested ecodistricts. Each relevé provided information about the cover-abundance and growth form of each plant encountered, forest mensuration data, and soil and site characteristics. The ecosite classification provides summaries of the site attributes for each ecosite within the four ecozones; it also illustrates the relationship among the ecosites, within an ecozone, through a two-way matrix of moisture and species richness values. This ecosystem classification facilitates better integration of forest management disciplines by providing a common ecosystem language that forms an explicit operational framework for resource managers. Brief descriptions and ecological interpretations are also provided for each ecosite and usually include significant features and/or a statement about the possible successional trajectory for the ecosite in the absence and presence of disturbance."--Document.

This document presents the climatic, physiographic, vegetation, soil, wildlife and land use attributes that characterize each natural region and subregion. It has been organized into four parts: part one outlines national region and subregion concepts, part two describes methods used to generate climate statistics, part three presents a comparative analysis of selected climate statistics to facilitate comparison of natural regions and subregions, and part four presents detailed climatic, vegetation, soils and physiographic descriptions for six natural regions and twenty-one natural subregions currently recognized in Alberta.

Over 400 species of eater and wetland plants found across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba are included in this handy field guide designed for use by both amateur and professional botanists. --Back cover.