Northern Ontario Plant Database

Northern Ontario Vegetation Type (V-type)

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NE-V13: Balsam Poplar - Trembling Aspen - Mountain Maple - Ferns
Summary: A mixedwood stand type dominated by balsam poplar and trembling aspen, each providing 21-40% cover in the canopy. Balsam fir and white spruce (11-20% cover) are common in 1/3 to 2/3 of sample plots, while white pine is reported from fewer than 2/3 of sample plots, but with 21-40% cover. The understorey is dominated by balsam fir (6-10% cover), indicating succession to a conifer stand in the future. Trembling aspen, white birch, and white spruce have been reported in fewer than 2/3 of sample plots, each with 205% cover.

The shrub layer is dominated by mountain maple (21-40% cover), but other shrubs, such as beaked hazel, showy mountain ash, Canada honeysuckle, bristly black currant and swamp red currant also occur, each providing 2-5% cover). The species-rich herb layer is dominated by largeleaf aster (6-10% cover), dwarf raspberry, bluebead lily, wild sarsaparilla, naked mitrewort, violets, and sedges, each with 2-5% cover, along with a variety of other species that provide only 1% cover. Pteridophytes, including spinulose woodfern, northern lady fern, bristly (or interrupted) clubmoss, and woodland horsetail are each reported from fewer than 2/3 of the sample plots and providing 2-5% cover.

The forest floor is covered primarily with deciduous leaf litter, but small patches of Schreber's feathermoss (2-5% cover) occur, along with shaggy moss (6-10% cover) in fewer than 2/3 of sample plots.

Soil and Ecosite Types: The balsam poplar-trembling aspen-mountain maple-ferns vegetation type (NE-V13) is found most commonly on fresh to moist fine loamy to clayey soils (S13, S14), but is also reported from medium loamy to silty calcareous soils (S12) and shallow, moist black organic soils (S15). This vegetation type may be found on ecosites ES6m (trembling aspen-black spruce-balsam fir-medium soil), ES7f (trembling aspen-white spruce-white birch-fine soil) and ES7m (trembling aspen-white birch-medium soil), ES9r (white spruce-balsam fir-white cedar-moist soil-species rich), ES10 (trembling aspen-black spruce-balsam poplar-moist soil), ES21 (white pine-coniferous mixedwood).

Trees:

overstorey

balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) [5]
trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) [6]
balsam fir (Abies balsamea) [6]
white birch (Betula papyrifera) [6]
white spruce (Picea glauca) [5]
white pine (Pinus strobus)

regeneration

balsam fir (Abies balsamea)
trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides)
white birch (Betula papyrifera)
white spruce (Picea glauca)

Shrubs:

tall shrubs

mountain maple (Acer spicatum)
beaked hazel (Corylus cornuta)
showy mountain ash (Sorbus decora)

low shrubs

Canada fly honeysuckle (Lonicera canadensis)
bristly black currant (Ribes lacustre)
swamp red currant (Ribes triste)
squashberry (Viburnum edule)

Dwarf Shrubs & Herbs:

dwarf shrubs

dwarf raspberry (Rubus pubescens)

forbs

largeleaf aster (Eurybia macrophylla)
bluebead lily (Clintonia borealis)
bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)
naked mitrewort (Mitella nuda)
wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis)
violets (Viola spp.)
fragrant bedstraw (Galium triflorum)
rose twisted-stalk (Streptopus lanceolatus)
starflower (Trientalis borealis)
wild lily-of-the-valley (Maianthemum canadense)
wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia)
goldthread (Coptis trifolia)
sweet coltsfoot (Petasites frigidus var. palmatus)
red baneberry (Actaea rubra)
northern bluebells (Mertensia paniculata)

graminoids

sedges (Carex spp.)

Ferns & Fern Allies:

ferns

spinulose woodfern (Dryopteris carthusiana)
northern lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina)
oak fern (Gymnocarpium dryopteris)

clubmosses

bristly (or interrupted) clubmoss (Lycopodium annotinum)

horsetails

woodland horsetail (Equisetum sylvaticum)

Bryophytes:

Schreber's feathermoss (Pleurozium schreberi)
shaggy moss (or electrified cat's-tail) (Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus)
brachythecium moss (Brachythecium spp.)
dusky broom moss (or curly heron's-bill) (Dicranum fuscescens)

Note: Species listed above are taken from the Vegetation type description and the Species Percentage Cover by Vegetation Type Tables (pg. D 34). Species are listed in order of most cover and abundance.