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school of arachnida |
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South Alberta Arachnida Survey |
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Study of Spiders |
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The Southern Alberta Arachnida Survey (Supported by Shell Waterton Complex) (Supported by Waterton Lakes National Park) This survey began in the year 2000, and covers a large area in the southwest corner of Alberta. Canada. Including, Waterton Lakes National Park, Castle-Crown Wilderness and Beauvais Lake Provincial Park and many areas in between.
The boreal forest is in fact a circumpolar belt that spans 10° latitude. The western part of this forest stretches from Alaska and the Rocky Mountains eastwards to the Great Lakes. Our study area contains a 'arm' of forest reaching down from the north. This is a close-canopied stand of predominantly forest of Jack Pine and old growth spruce & fir. The mean annual temperature ranges from = 4.8°C to -2.7°C, and generally receives <500 mm precipitation which is quite low. The underlying geology is mostly sedimentary western Cordillera. While the Prairies are predominantly till and outwashes. Eighteen thousand years ago there was no boreal forest in Canada and Alaska, the present boreal forest has developed over the last 12,000 years The vast mosaic of forest stands that forms the boreal forest reflects local and regional variations in temperature, moisture, soil development, and many other environmental factors. General patterns are associated with slope and elevation. References/ D.Johnson, L. Kershaw, A Mackinnon and J. Pojar. 1995. "Plants of the Western Boreal Forest & Aspen Parkland" ISBN 1-55105-058-7 The Aspen Parkland is one of the warmest and driest region in our study area and occurs at the lowest elevations, and forms a broad belt across the prairie provinces between the warm, dry prairies to the south and the cooler, moister boreal forest to the north. It consist of open grassland alternating with groves of Aspen trees. This area can be divided into three sections: eastern, central and western, it is the western area we are concerned with in this study. In the western Aspen Parkland, the tree grooves are predominantly aspen mixed with willow and balsam fir. The grassland is often a fescue prairie, with plains rough fescue, needle-and-thread grass (Stipa comata) and timber oat grass. (after D.Johnson, L. Kershaw, A Mackinnon and J. Pojar. 1995. "Plants of the Western Boreal Forest & Aspen Parkland" ISBN 1-55105-058-7). The Foothills Parkland is one of the warmest and driest region in our study area and occurs at the lowest elevations. The Foothills Parkland Ecoregion is characterised by a landscape mosaic of (Festuca scabrella) rough fescue grassland and aspen grooves (Populus tremuloides). This ecoregion occurs in a limited area in Canada and the USA, occupying a narrow band along the eastern edge of the foothills from Calgary south to the Porcupine hills, and from Pincher Creek south to the USA border. Waterton Lakes National Park is the only Canadian national park in which this Ecoregion occurs. The altitudinal range is from 1250-1500 m. Typical vegetation of the grassland portion includes, Danthonis spp.-Festuca scabrella- Koeleria macrantha and Agropyron spicatum (oatgrass-rough fescue-June grass and Bluebunch wheatgrass). The aspen groove portion is typically, Populus tremuloides /Amelanchier alnifolia /H eracleum lanatum and Symphoricarpos occidentalis (aspen /saskatoon /cow parsnip and snowberry). On wet fluvial sites Populus trichocarpa ( black cottonwood) is to be found. From various sources, and suggested reading; "Ecological Land Classification of Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta". by Achuff, McNeil, Coleman, Wallis, Wershler. "Plants of the Western Boreal Forest & Aspen Parkland", by Johnson, Kershaw MacKinnon Pojar 1995. The Montane Ecoregion occurs along the foothills from the USA border, north through the Porcupine Hills, and then further north as a series of disjoint occurrences in major river valleys. The most northerly are to be found along the Athabasca River in Jasper National Park. To the east, portions of the Cypress Hills also form an isolated occurrence of Montane. Also other isolated occurrence are to be found in Kootenay National park and Yoho National Park. This ecoregion occurs at altitudes of 1250 to 1680 m. Lodgepole pine Forest also occurs especially in the upper portions, although many trees were killed by a mountain pine beetle epidemic in the 1980's The Montane Ecoregion is characterised by both closed and open coniferous forest which is dominated by Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir) and Pinus flexilis, (Limber pine), along with Pinus contorta (Lodgepole pine) bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) and Common Juniper ( Juniperus communis). Grassland occurs on dry, exposed sites which is often made up of Danthonia spp- Festuca scabrella- Koeleria macrantha (oatgrass-rough fescue-June grass ("Ecological Land Classification of Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta". by Achuff, McNeil, Coleman, Wallis, Wershler). This work I have made the bases of all our studies. A large proportion of the spider population will be found in the conifer trees during the summer months and in the litter over the winter months. The Sub-Alpine Ecoregion is the most extensive in the Rocky Mountains and has been subdivided into the Lower and Upper Sub Alpine Regions to allow ease of description. They both occur above the Montane Ecoregion and below the unforested Alpine Ecoregion. The Lower Sub-Alpine is characterised by closed coniferous forest and its altitude range extends from the Montane-Sub-alpine boundary from about 1650 m to 1950 m. Older forest are dominated by Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa). Younger, post-fire forest of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) are widespread in the Lower Sub-Alpine, although many pine trees were killed during a mountain pine beetle epidemic in the 1980's. Shrubs in the Lower Sub-Alpine are mainly the result of avalanche activity and include Green alder (Alnus crispa), Aspen (Populus tremuloides), and saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia). On warm, dry, wind exposed slopes several grassland vegetation are typical, including Bluebunch wheatgrass (Agropyron spicatum), and rough fescue (Festuca scabrella). ("Ecological Land Classification of Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta". by Achuff, McNeil, Coleman, Wallis, Wershler). The above work, we have made the bases of all our studies. The Upper Sub-Alpine occurs from 1950-2250 m and is broadly ecotonal between Lower Subalpine closed forest and the treeless Alpine tundra. Most characteristic of the Upper Subalpine are the open forest and stunted trees (krummholz). Typical vegetation include Sub Alpine Larch (Larix lyallii), and smooth woodrush (Luzula hitchcockii); Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta) is usually absent. Avalanched shrub communities, such as subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) and heart-leaved arnica (Arnica cordifolia) are characteristic of this area. ("Ecological Land Classification of Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta". by Achuff, McNeil, Coleman, Wallis, Wershler). This work I have made the bases of all our studies. The treeless Alpine Ecoregion occurs above the Upper Subalpine at altitudes of 2250 m to > 2650 m. Alpine vegetation typically forms a complex, fine-scale mosaic in which microclimatic factors are related in marked changes in community composition. Significant microclimatic factors include aspect, wind exposure, time of snow melt, soil moisture, and snow depth. Much of the Alpine is not well vegetated, the miscellaneous Landscapes Rockland, Talus and Colluvial Rubble, which are usually sparsely vegetated at best occupy the majority of this ecoregion. ("Ecological Land Classification of Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta". by Achuff, McNeil, Coleman, Wallis, Wershler). This work I have made the bases of all our studies.
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