6 species

This forest contains the main species that together equate to a functioning environment. The main species of this forest, and the backbone is the Ponderosa Pine tree and some Douglas Firs. All the other species are smaller and surround the trees, creating an ecosystem. The smaller species work in harmony with the trees and share incoming sunlight to this open and scattered forest. Many Lichens and mosses depend upon the trees and rocks for habitat. The larger animals depend upon the shrubs for berries and food. Many smaller organisms depend upon the grasses for habitat. This is an interconnected ecosystem which depends on each other.

1.       Ponderosa Pine (Pinus Ponderosa)

 

Classification:

Kingdom	Plantae
Phylum	Coniferophyta
Class	Pinopsida
Order	Pinales
Family	Pinaceae
Genus	Pinus
Species	Ponderosa Pine

 

("Classification for Kingdom Plantae Down to Genus Pinus L." Natural Resources Conservation Service. United States Department of Agriculture, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2014.)

 

The Ponderosa Pine tree is the most evident part of my chosen part of the forest ecosystem at UBC-Okanagan. The pine tree is a fairly big Conifer tree with a "slight taper and open crown,"(Coupe, 34). The bark of the tree has a reddish/brownish tinge to it with black fissures. The bark is also easily able to be stripped off. The leaves, or needles have very distinct features; the needles are "yellow to grey green, flexible and slender,"(Coupe, 34). "The needles bundle in threes and are the longest of any other Conifer in B.C," (Coupe, 34). The trees also produce cones which are "oval to broadly conical" (Coupe, 34). The cones quite evidently litter the forest's floor and decorate the trees. They begin their life with quite small with a red tinge to them but later grow and turn brown when they hit the ground at maturity. Ponderosa Pine trees are meant and built for the Okanagan type climate and landscape. They like drought climates and dry temperatures. The trees play a crucial role in keeping this Okanagan area alive and flourishing. This is a fire maintained ecosystem, meaning these trees are meant to burn so that the population lowers. This is so that the populations never increase to a carrying capacity and so that lower down species can survive through incoming solar rays. The trees, especially in this area, are skinny with rough bark and higher branches. Another fact is that "mature trees are protected from ground fires by their thick bark and self pruning, which reduce the risk of fire reaching the canopy," (Coupe, 34). Ponderosa Pine trees also provide very specific sources for birds and animals including habitat, food and shelter.
 

2.      Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia)

Classifications:

Kingdom	Plantae
Phylum	Magnoliophyta
Class	Magnoliopsida
Order	Rosales
Family	Rosaceae
Genus	Amelanchier
Species	Amelanchier Alnifolia

("Plants Profile for Amelanchier Alnifolia (Saskatoon Serviceberry)." Plants Profile for Amelanchier Alnifolia (Saskatoon Serviceberry). United States Department of Agriculture, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2014.)

The Saskatoon berry is one of the larger forest floor plants in this area. it contains leaves which fall off during cold months and berries during warmer months. It is a small tree like plant with "smooth stems that are coloured dark grey to reddish and often spreads by underground or creeping stems and forms dense colonies," (Coupe, 55). The leaves of the plant are very distinct because of the round shape and changing colour throughout seasons. The leaves have "regularly toothed edges mostly on the upper half," (Coupe, 55). The plant flowers and produces edible berries. The flowers are white and small and the berries purple/black and are rounded. These plants are very common, and are found in quite the variety of different landscapes and climates. The plants are very important because of their berries because they provide food for many different organisms in the Pine forest. I found these plants more evidently next to the water source, which is the canal like structure running alongside the dirt road. The main branches of the shrub are greyish and the smaller, thinner ones are more red.
   

3.       Colorado Rockfrog (Xanthoparmelia coloradoensis)

Classifications:

Kingdom	Fungi
Phylum	Ascomycota
Class	Ascomycetes
Order	Lecanorales
Family	Parmeliaceae
Genus	Xanthoparmelia Hale
Species	Xanthoparmelia coloradoensis

("Classification | USDA PLANTS." Classification | USDA PLANTS. United States Department of Agriculture, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2014.)

The Colorado Rockfrog is a common Lichen that is spread out on a lot of rocks in this pine forest. This lichen is a "loosely oppressed leaf lichen...with a pale yellowish green and shiny surface" (Coupe, 425). The Lichen spreads itself out on stones in open areas of the forest and holds many holes, rough brown patches and sore like spots. This lichen belongs to a very widespread "genus consisting of more than 400 species worldwide" (Coupe, 425). In this very pine forest, it is extremely widespread and covers most of the stones in the area. The plant is quite fragile and easy to crumble under touch. This species is an example of an organism that can find habitat almost anywhere. All it needs is a rock, no matter the size and it has a habitat. This species is very common in this environment and often goes unnoticed.


   

4.       Wolf Lichen (Letharia Vulpina)

 

 

Classifications:

Kingdom	Fungi
Phylum	Ascomycota
Class	Ascomycetes
Order	Lecanorales
Family	Parmeliaceae
Genus	Letharia
Species	L. Vulpina

("Plants Profile for Letharia Vulpina (wolf Lichen)." Plants Profile for Letharia Vulpina (wolf Lichen). United States Department of Agriculture, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2014.)

The wolf lichen is a hairy, light green coloured shrub lichen that occurs in tufts on a lot of the wood debris and trees in the pine forest. This species is common "in open to somewhat exposed sites at all forested elevations" (Coupe, 435). This plant was used for a lot of different means throughout native culture. Natives used it "as a yellowish-green dye to colour fur, moccasins, feathers, wood and other articles" (Coupe, 435). One interesting fact about this lichen, and the reason it is named 'Letharia' is because "it refers to the presence of a poisonous substance, vulpinic acid" (Coupe, 435). Another interesting and surprising fact about this species is that it is under the Kingdom classification 'Fungi'. This species is another prominent example of an organism that can thrive on many other species. It depends highly on other species and all it needs is a simple piece of tree to obtain a habitat.

1.       Pine Grass (Calamagrostis rubescecns)

Classifications:

 

 

Kingdom	Plantae
Phylum	Magnoliophyta
Class	Liliopsida
Order	Cyperales
Family	Poaceae
Genus	Calamagrostis
Species	C. rubescens

("Plants Profile for Calamagrostis Rubescens (pinegrass)." Plants Profile for Calamagrostis Rubescens (pinegrass). United States Department of Agriculture, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2014.)

 

 

Pine grass is a very prominent species in these types of forests and are the underlay of the Ponderosa Pine trees. They are able to thrive because of the dry climate and the open, sunlit forest plan. The grass was used a lot by Native peoples of the land. The natives "used it to make soapberry beaters, in the preparation of dried soapberry cakes, or for lining cache pits and pit-cooing ovens" (Coupe, 321). The grass was also used to weave "socks and insoles from it for their moccasins" (Coupe, 321). The grass is necessary to the production of the forest and its environment. It also provides food for animals and habitat for small organisms. The species is extremely widespread and appears fuller and more dense at the bottom and sprouts out into long, beige grassy extensions. The very tips of the grass form clumps of wheat looking protrusions. The grass is very dry and easily snapped and broken. This species provides habitat and hiding spots for small animals and equates to a grassland type forest floor.

 

 

 

1.       Redtop (Agrostis gigantea)

Classifications:

Kingdom	Plantae
Phylum	Magnoliophyta
Class	Liliopsida
Order	Cyperales
Family	Poaceae
Genus	Agrostis
Species	A. gigantea

("Plants Profile for Agrostis Gigantea (redtop)." Plants Profile for Agrostis Gigantea (redtop). United States Department of Agriculture, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2014.)

 

The Redtop is another common grass species in this Ponderosa Pine Forest. It was more commonly found in the more disturbed sites of the forest, which tells a lot about human interaction with the environment. The plant has a very distinct tiered level of smooth leaves going up the stem. One interesting fact about this species is that it isn't native and was "introduced from Europe" (320). These grasses are smaller and more delicate, with single clump formations on the ends. The grasses also don't form with such dense bottoms. This is another very widespread species, adding to the grassland like ecosystem of this forest.