The North WoodsThe North Woods

#7

Our present day north woods got their first start after the last glacial period about 12,000 years ago.

Glacial erraticGlacial erratic

Major Land Areas Major Land Areas Uniform ClimateUniform Climatedominated by characteristic dominated by characteristic PlantsPlants

Biomes

New England began as New England began as aTundraaTundra: : The Not-So Barren The Not-So Barren LandLand • coldest of all the biomescoldest of all the biomes• comes from the Finnish word comes from the Finnish word tunturiatunturia, ,

meaning treeless plainmeaning treeless plain• frost-molded landscapesfrost-molded landscapes• extremely low temperaturesextremely low temperatures• little precipitationlittle precipitation• poor nutrientspoor nutrients• short growing seasonsshort growing seasons

TundraTundra: : Notice where it exists Notice where it exists todaytoday

TundraTundra: The Not-So Barren : The Not-So Barren Land Land TemperatureTemperature• growing season ranges from 50 to 60 daysgrowing season ranges from 50 to 60 days

• average winter temperature is -34° C (-30° average winter temperature is -34° C (-30° F)F)

• average summer temperature is 3-12° C average summer temperature is 3-12° C (37-54° F) which enables this biome to (37-54° F) which enables this biome to sustain lifesustain life

TundraTundra 10 to 12,000 yrs ago 10 to 12,000 yrs ago

TundraTundra10 to 12,000 yrs ago10 to 12,000 yrs ago

The story of our forest is a The story of our forest is a story of succession.story of succession.

First forests were First forests were •Boreal forests (taiga) Boreal forests (taiga)

• Succession is the orderly replacement of Succession is the orderly replacement of

one species by another over timeone species by another over time..

Boreal forests, or taigaBoreal forests, or taiga

• represent the largest terrestrial biome represent the largest terrestrial biome todaytoday

• Occurs between 50 and 60 degrees Occurs between 50 and 60 degrees north latitudesnorth latitudes

• seasons are divided into short, moist, seasons are divided into short, moist, and moderately warm summers and and moderately warm summers and long, cold, and dry winterslong, cold, and dry winters

• length of the growing season in boreal length of the growing season in boreal forests is 130 days forests is 130 days

Boreal forests, or taigaBoreal forests, or taiga

Boreal forests, or taigaBoreal forests, or taiga

• Temperatures are very lowTemperatures are very low

• Precipitation is primarily in the form of Precipitation is primarily in the form of snow, 40-100 cm annuallysnow, 40-100 cm annually

• Soil is thin, nutrient-poor, and acidicSoil is thin, nutrient-poor, and acidic

• Canopy permits low light penetration, and Canopy permits low light penetration, and as a result, understory is limitedas a result, understory is limited

Successional StorySuccessional Story

• Glacial Till, rubble with little nutrient, soil or Glacial Till, rubble with little nutrient, soil or organic matter.organic matter.

• Seed from a species that has hard shell, resist Seed from a species that has hard shell, resist desiccation, possibly able to live with nitrogen desiccation, possibly able to live with nitrogen fixers such as legumes.-Pioneer speciesfixers such as legumes.-Pioneer species

• Small plant begins to grow, leaves fall nearby Small plant begins to grow, leaves fall nearby and decompose.and decompose.

• Organic matter enriches the soil and new Organic matter enriches the soil and new species move in.species move in.– Possibly hardy grasses….Possibly hardy grasses….

Succession continuesSuccession continues

• As more small species move in, more soil is As more small species move in, more soil is altered with nutrients, organic matter still altered with nutrients, organic matter still area cold, little decomposition, POOR SOILS area cold, little decomposition, POOR SOILS

• Greater moisture holding capacity and the Greater moisture holding capacity and the first few trees move in.first few trees move in.

• ConifersConifers

• Conifers grow tall quickly and shade out the Conifers grow tall quickly and shade out the smaller plants. smaller plants.

• The Pioneers have been replaced. SuccessionThe Pioneers have been replaced. Succession

Spruce Fir WoodlandSpruce Fir Woodland

• Spruce and Fir dominate the high Spruce and Fir dominate the high forests, cold hollowsforests, cold hollows

• AdaptationsAdaptations– Tolerate extreme temperatures to -80degFTolerate extreme temperatures to -80degF– Tolerate nutrient poor soils, cold Tolerate nutrient poor soils, cold

environment, little decomposition.environment, little decomposition.– Drop needles, acidic and acidify the soils.Drop needles, acidic and acidify the soils.– Short summers, long winters, needles Short summers, long winters, needles

covered with thick cuticle.covered with thick cuticle.

ConifersConifers

• Balsam FirBalsam Fir

• Red SpruceRed Spruce

• Black SpruceBlack Spruce

• White Pine White Pine

• Hemlock Hemlock

Taiga Taiga Plants

Balsam FirBalsam Fir

Black Spruce Douglas-fir Black Spruce Douglas-fir

Paper Birch Eastern Red Cedar Jack PinePaper Birch Eastern Red Cedar Jack Pine

Siberian White Fir White Poplar Siberian White Fir White Poplar

SpruceSpruce

White Spruce White Spruce

Taiga Animals

American Black Bear Bald Eagle American Black Bear Bald Eagle Bobcat Bobcat

Canadian Lynx Gray Wolf Grizzly Bear Canadian Lynx Gray Wolf Grizzly Bear

Long-Eared Owl Red Fox River Otter Long-Eared Owl Red Fox River Otter

Snowshoe Rabbit Wolverine Snowshoe Rabbit Wolverine

Boreal Boreal forests, forests, or or taigataiga

Balsam FirBalsam FirAbies balsamaeaAbies balsamaea

White Spruce PiceaWhite Spruce Picea

HemlockHemlockTsuga canadensisTsuga canadensis

White PineWhite PinePinus strobusPinus strobus

Evergreen or ConiferEvergreen or Conifer

• Both types must photosynthesizeBoth types must photosynthesizeEvergreens have needles, covered with waxy coating Evergreens have needles, covered with waxy coating

and last several years (at most), more inefficient,and last several years (at most), more inefficient,

Live in nutrient poor soils, short growing season, cold Live in nutrient poor soils, short growing season, cold habitathabitat

Deciduous trees, Broad leaves burst out, no greater Deciduous trees, Broad leaves burst out, no greater surface area, furious at photosynthesis, last one year surface area, furious at photosynthesis, last one year Much more buck for your bangMuch more buck for your bang

Live in nutrient rich soils, longer growing season varied Live in nutrient rich soils, longer growing season varied habitat but summer must be long enough to produce habitat but summer must be long enough to produce food for the year.food for the year.

Evergreen AdvantageEvergreen Advantage

• Small needles, covered with thick cuticle, Small needles, covered with thick cuticle, drop individually year round so conifers drop individually year round so conifers Photosynthesize much of the yearPhotosynthesize much of the year

• Photosynthesis stops with active growth, Photosynthesis stops with active growth, soils frozen. Chloroplasts clump together soils frozen. Chloroplasts clump together in an inactive state.in an inactive state.– Experiment to measure starch content. Experiment to measure starch content.

None found even through brief periods of None found even through brief periods of midwinter thawmidwinter thaw

Evergreen AdvantageEvergreen Advantage

• Primary advantage is not dropping the Primary advantage is not dropping the needles…Nutrient conservationneedles…Nutrient conservation

• All plant must obtain the machinery (leaves) All plant must obtain the machinery (leaves) to make its food and that takes lots of energy. to make its food and that takes lots of energy.

• As the machinery gets old, production slows, As the machinery gets old, production slows, needles less efficient with age. BUTneedles less efficient with age. BUT

• Conifers machines have more time to produce Conifers machines have more time to produce more energy and can reinvest that energy more energy and can reinvest that energy more regularly to make new machinery… more regularly to make new machinery… needles.needles.

Evergreen AdvantageEvergreen Advantage

• Consider green plants need nutrients and Consider green plants need nutrients and energy to make the leaves.energy to make the leaves.

• Photosynthesis requires light energy, Photosynthesis requires light energy, carbon dioxide and water to produce sugar.carbon dioxide and water to produce sugar.

• If nutrients are limited Conifers are better If nutrients are limited Conifers are better off because stays on the tree much longer, off because stays on the tree much longer, period of years.period of years.

Evergreens conserve nutrients and that Evergreens conserve nutrients and that is possibly the greatest advantage!is possibly the greatest advantage!

Northern Hardwood Forest Northern Hardwood Forest EcosystemEcosystem

•Dominant vegetationDominant vegetation–Northern Hardwood ForestsNorthern Hardwood Forests

•These forest support their own These forest support their own unique communities of flora unique communities of flora and fauna.and fauna.

•What animals would you What animals would you expect to find here?expect to find here?

Divide into Six groups for Divide into Six groups for SitesSites

• Coniferous vs deciduousConiferous vs deciduous

• Hemlock strategy vs PineHemlock strategy vs Pine

• Reproductive stragiesReproductive stragies

• Broadleaf vs needleBroadleaf vs needle

• Animals that depend on the treesAnimals that depend on the trees

• Diseases, pests, invasive speciesDiseases, pests, invasive species

• History of the ParkHistory of the Park

Poet SeatPoet Seat

Use the information from Use the information from class to describe the class to describe the

formation of the Poet Seat formation of the Poet Seat ecosystem. ecosystem.