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Northern Ontario Plant DatabaseNorthern Ontario Vegetation Type (V-type)Summary: A mixedwood stand with white birch as the dominant canopy species (up to 40% cover) and frequent occurrences of white spruce, but with <20% cover. Yellow birch, balsam fir, and red maple occur in 30-50% of stands. White pine occurred in only 20% of sample plots, but had significant cover (21-40%) when present. Tree species of less frequent occurrence (10% of stands) in NE-V2 include trembling aspen and white birch. Regeneration of predominantly balsam fir, with some white spruce and white birch, indicate succession to a conifer-dominated stand. The shrub and herb layers are described as moderately rich, with mountain maple (21-40% cover) as the most frequent shrub species. Bush honeysuckle and Canada fly honeysuckle provide 2-5% cover each. Beaked hazel and lowbush blueberry occur in 1/3 to 2/3 of the sample plots, with 6-10% and 2-5% cover respectively. The herb layer includes the characteristic boreal forest species as well as wild sarsaparilla and largeleaf aster (2-5% cover). Goldthread and undesignated violet species provide 2-5% cover in 1/3 to 2/3 of sample plots. The most common pteridophytes are the spinulose woodfern and ground pine (2-5% cover). Other clubmoss species (bristly and shining clubmoss) and bracken fern provide 2-5% cover in 1/3 to 2/3 of sample plots. In addition to Schreber's feathermoss (2-5% cover), the moss layer includes small, scattered patches of Dicranum mosses, as well as the common powderhorn. Brachythecium moss can be found growing on tree trunks and rotting logs. Soil & Ecosite Types: The White Birch-Mountain Maple Vegetation Type (NE-V2) occurs on acidic (non-calcareous) soil types of dry to fresh coarse loams (S5), and fresh to moist medium loam to silty soils (S9, S11). Less frequently, this vegetation type occurs on very shallow soils over acidic bedrock (SS3). Vegetation type NE-V2 may occur on Ecosite Types ES 15 (Red Maple), ES 20 (White Pine-Hardwood Mixedwood), ES 1r (White Spruce-White Birch-Very Shallow Soil-Species Rich), ES 7c (Trembling Aspen-White Birch-Coarse Soil), and ES19 (White Pine-Red Pine-Mixedwood). Trees: overstoreyShrubs: tall shrubsDwarf Shrubs & Herbs: dwarf shrubsFerns and Fern Allies: fernsBryophytes: Lichens:Schreber's feathermoss (Pleurozium schreberi) 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.common powderhorn (Cladonia coniocraea) |