Forest Ecosystem Classification Guide

1 introduction toSaskatchewan sForest Ecosystem Classification GuideMichael McLaughlan, Ministry of EnvironmentSaskatoon February 12, 2011 Field Guide to the Ecosites of Saskatchewan s Provincial McLaughlan, Wright, and Jiricka Overview of the Guide Historical context Description of the fact sheet components Example applications for the Guide Availability of the guideFirst Things Acknowledgements Thank-you to the 150+ folks who contributed to the development of this AckermanKathy ActonDianne AllenBill ArchiboldAl ArsenaultBrad AshdownKen BaldwinSid BantingMarcy BastAngela BattisteKrystal BauerJanet BaumanFloyd BearRhys BeaulieuYvonne BenzGeorge BihunMichael BockJoachim BoehmRoger BonneauLillith BrooksCorny

2 BuddLaena BullerBob BuschAndrea BusseAngus CarrJames CaseNed CaseyDave ChabanJoe ChernyshSylvia ChipmanHazel CloakValeria CoenenJames DaigneaultBernie De VriesHenry DesjarlaisJulie DeugauSteven DeugauCarman DodgeKeith DodgeJennifer DoubtDave DowningJames EhnesDon EnsKarla EnsBaosheng FanVerna FedorukJoe GaudryDonovan GauthierVicki GauthierKathleen GazeyLane GelhornAnn GerryGlenda GoertzenWilf GoerwellMike GoodyearGenny GreifDusty GuedoCharlie HarperDiane HaydukewichBrendan HemensMurray HildermanBrian HolmesDick HonchJohn HudsonGerry IvanochkoDarwin JankeMark JohnstonHeather JonesAlex JuorioJack KeelDwayne KeirKirsten KetilsonBea KobialkoMike KryzanowskiHelena LambNadine PenneyAllan LewisDave LindenasCorey LinnenJianwei LiuTim LoranDonna LundquistPat MacKaseyWill MackenziePaul MaczekPaul MasonColin McConnellRory McIntoshStan McKenzieSam McLaughlanDiane McLeodJoe MeehanJose MenezesMo MillerDarrell MisnerKelly MooneyRobert MooreGary NeilJason NelsonVal NicholsonVesna NikolicJennifer NuedorfWendy

3 NumendahlMartha O SullivanRandy OlsenBas OosenbrugBrenda ParenteauCory PedersonBrad PinnoSteve PorterJudy PostleMary PriznikGerry RaceyShawn RegnierTony RichmondMichael RushtonDerek SattlerBarbel Schwab-MoeJason SmithJim SmithTed SnowWill StaffordKietha SwensonRod ThompsonJeff ThorpeMiodrag TkalekBill TowillTim TrottierKen van ReesLouise VersteegBruce WalterKaren WatersPaul WeedonAl WillcocksBob WilsonFloyd WilsonSelena WongBob WynesFritz YungwirthKen Yurach Mr. The introduction The Instructions The Informative The Immaterial1.

4 ABOUT THIS GUIDEL edum decumbens northern Labrador teaThe Guide :An OverviewIntroduction Saskatchewan s Ecosystem Field Guide : ..can be thought of as an encyclopedia or dictionary of Saskatchewan s provincial Forest ecosystems, but it is not just ..represents the mature, natural, and ambient Ecosystem conditions across our landscapes, ..is cornerstone to results-based management in a natural resource sector environment because it describes the qualitativeand quantitativeattributes associated with our More than Just Forests The Ecosystem Field Guide describes: Forests Coniferous Deciduous Mixedwoods Wetlands Swamps Bogs Fens Marshes Non-treed Conditions Grasslands Dunes Context January, 2004 Meeting in which we obtained input about what Ecosystem attributes would be displayed and what structure and format the Guide would follow.

5 The Guide was shaped by 2 meetings with various resource professionals, and other potential users. May, 2000 Meeting in which we obtained important input about the scope and application of the project. Specifically, it was at this meeting that users told us that they wanted a regionally specific Ecosystem Classification ( ,a separate Classification for each ecozone)..creep !The introduction 1. About this Guide Purpose, Project Scope & Users 2. Ecological Classification and Forest Ecosystem Classification Hierarchy & Saskatchewan Context 3.

6 Biophysical Context Geographical Location, Geology, Topography & Soils, Climate and Vegetation 4. Development Process Project Planning, Experimental Design, Stratification, Data Management and AnalysisLa RongeReginaPrince AlbertMeadow LakeHudson BayCreightonSaskatoonThe Instructions 5. How to use the Guide Diagnostic species Nested format Ecosite Keys Overview Terrestrial Wetland Non-Forested Explanations & Descriptions of the Fact Sheet Attributes Cautionary NotesThe Informative (& Important) 6. Ecosite Factsheets (81) Taiga Shield Boreal Shield Boreal Plain PrairieThe Immaterial 7.

7 Common & Scientific Species Names Harms, (2006). Annotated catalogue of Saskatchewan vascular plants. Fraser Herbarium, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK. 116 pp. Anderson, ; Crum, ; Buck, (1990). List of the mossesof North America North of Mexico. The Bryologist, 93(4):448-499 Anderson, (1990). A Checklist of Sphagnumin North America North of Mexico. The Bryologist. 93(4):500-501 Stotler, R.; Crandall-Stotler, B. (1977). A Checklist of the Liverworts and Hornwortsof North America. The Bryologist.

8 80(3):405-428. Esslinger, T. L. 2009. A cumulative checklist for the lichen-forming, lichenicolous and allied fungi of the continental United States and Canada. North DakotaState University (First Posted 1 December 1997, Most Recent Version # 15 27 Aug. 1997) Fargo, 8. Jurisdiction Synonyms Alberta, Manitoba, Canadian National Vegetation Classification 9. Glossary 10. Literature CitedHistorical Context Ecosystem Classification in Saskatchewan From Palliser to Kabzemsand Beckingham and BeyondCorallorhiza maculata spotted coralroot3.

9 BIOPHYSICAL CONTEXTP alliser Expedition Also called the British North American Exploring Expedition. The expedition explored and surveyed western Canada from 1857to 1860. In 1863 Palliser submitted his report to British Parliament which described the flora, fauna, inhabitants and capabilities of the land for settlement and (expedition botanist)John Palliser -geographer (left)James Hector -naturalist, geologist & surgeon (right)Saskatchewan Soil Survey Following the Swift Current Better Farming conference held in 1920, a Royal Commission was appointed to to assess the farming conditions in southwest Saskatchewan.

10 Led by the University of Saskatchewan Soil Science Department, the first survey covered four s near Moose Jaw in 1921. In 1950 the work was expanded with more detailed mapping and for the next 40 years, crews (of 10 to 20 people) set out to collect information about the province s soils and ecosystems. So after only 80 short years, the task was complete and Saskatchewan s Soil Survey is perhaps the longest-running project undertaken to understand Saskatchewan's Regions of SK Originally produced in 1983(and revised in 1989).