7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

1/44

Forest ecosystems of BC

and determining factors

Dr Cindy Prescott

cindy.prescott@ubc.ca

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

2/44

What is an ecosystem?

In this context,

a terrestrial ecosystem is a unit or portion of the

landscape and the life on and in it.

It is a landscape segment relatively uniform in

composition, structure, and properties of both the

biotic and abiotic environments, and their interactions.

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

3/44

Coastal Western Hemlock

Mountain Hemlock

Coastal Douglas-fir

Alpine Tundra

Bunchgrass

Ponderosa Pine

Montane Spruce

Engelmann spruce-subalpine fir

Interior Douglas-fir

Interior Cedar-Hemlock

Sub-boreal pine-spruce

Sub-boreal Spruce

Spruce-Willow-Birch

Boreal White &

Black SpruceBritish Columbia

Biogeoclimatic

Ecosystem

Classification(BEC)

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

4/44

Factors that determine the nature of the

ecosystem that develops on a given site

REGIONAL

LOCAL

Climate The most important determinant ofthe nature of terrestrial ecosystems

Topography - slope position- aspect

Soils - depth

- texture

- coarse fragment content

- drainage

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

5/44

Regional climate

Temperature and precipitation regimes

determined by:

latitude elevation

maritime influence

relief

orographic precipitation

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

6/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

7/44

Climate

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

8/44

Very

COLD

COLD

WARM MILD

cool

cold

cold WET

Very

DRY

DRY

Very

DRY

moist

moist

Climate

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

9/44

Very

COLD

COLD

WARM MILD

cool

coldcold

DRY

WET

Very

DRY

Very

DRY

moist

moist

Climate and BEC Zones

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

10/44

Average regional climate

Colder and wetter

Warmer and drier

Warmer and drier

(S>W>E>N)

Elevation effect

Aspect effect

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

11/44

Coastal Western Hemlock

(Wet

Warm)

Mountain Hemlock

(Wet Cold)

Coastal Douglas-fir

(Dry Warm)

Coastal Zones

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

12/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

13/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

14/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

15/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

16/44

Alpine Tundra Engelmann spruce - subalpine fir

Relatively dry very cold

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

17/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

18/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

19/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

20/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

21/44

Bunchgrass

Ponderosa Pine

Interior Douglas-fir

Very dry mild

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

22/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

23/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

24/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

25/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

26/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

27/44

Montane Spruce

Sub-boreal pine-spruce

Sub-boreal Spruce

Dry cool/cold

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

28/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

29/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

30/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

31/44

Interior Cedar-Hemlock(Moist cold/cool)

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

32/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

33/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

34/44

Boreal White & Black Spruce

(Dry

very cold)

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

35/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

36/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

37/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

38/44

Spruce-Willow-Birch

(Very Dry Very Cold)

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

39/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

40/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

41/44

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

42/44

Factors that determine the nature of the

ecosystem that develops on a given site

REGIONAL

LOCAL

Climate The most important determinant ofthe nature of terrestrial ecosystems

Topography - slope position- aspect

Soils - texture

- coarse fragment content

- depth

- drainage

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

43/44

Aspect: influences temperature

Slope position: influences moisture

http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/docs/sil/sil411/A4110024.htm

7/27/2019 Forests of BC Sept 6 2013

44/44

Factors that determine the nature of the

ecosystem that develops on a given site

REGIONAL

LOCAL

Climate The most important determinant ofthe nature of terrestrial ecosystems

Topography - slope position- aspect

Soils - texture

- coarse fragment content

- depth

- drainage