| What is a forest ecosystem? | A forested area that is relatively uniform in climate, soil, plants, animals and microorganisms |
| What are biogeoclimatic zones? | Regions of similar vegetation. Defined by mature vegetation on zonal site. |
| What are zones defined by? | Primary climax tree species |
| What are subzones defined by? | Understory composition |
| What are the levels of the biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification system? | Biogeoclimatic zones
Biogeoclimatic subzones
Biogeoclimatic variant |
| How is are BEC zones written? | 3 caps letters = Biogeoclimatic zones
2 lower case letters = Biogeoclimatic subzones
1 number = variant
ie. CWHxm1 |
| Why classify BEC zones? | • Communication
• Forest management applications
•Identify & protect rare ecosystems
•Identify wildlife habitat
• Establish riparian areas |
| What does certain vegetation reflect? | Site quality; moisture and nutrition |
| What are indicator plants? | plants and plant communities occur under certain ecological conditions |
| What are bryophytes? | Plants that have no vascular system? |
| What are the 2 types of seeded plants? | Gymnosperms (Naked seed) - conifers
Angiosperms (Ovaries/Flowers) - flowering plants |
| What are the two classes of angiosperms? | Monocots (Grasses, rushes, sedges, lilies, orchids)
Dicots (Broadleaf trees, shrubs, most of our herbs) |
| What was the significance of The British North America Act of
1867? | Gave provinces the right to dispose of land and timber |
| What is TEK? | Traditional ecological knowledge |
| Why do we use the scientific naming method for plants? | More organized and consistent; one name per plant |
| What is a disturbance? | A temporary change in environmental conditions |
| What is forest ecology? | Study of the interrelated patterns, processes, flora, fauna and ecosystems in forests |
| What are the 3 types of soil? | Sandy, loamy, and clay |
| What is ecology? | The study of the interaction of organisms with each other and their environment |
| What are the 5 key attributes to an ecosystem? | 1. Structure
2. Function
3. Complexity
4. Interactions between ecosystem components
5. Change over tim |
| What 2 factors determine what type of forest can develop in an area? | Climate and Topography |
| Lichen are made of what 2 things functioning in a symbiotic relationship? | Fungi and algae |
| What is succession in a forest? | ... |
| What are the 5 attributes of an ecosystem? | Structure: The way in which the forest in laid out
Function: Each plant and animal has a role to play in the forest
Complexity: The diversity of biotic and abiotic characters in the forest
Interactions: The way in which the flora and fauna interact with each other
Change over time: All forests change over time due to succession and/or disturbance events |
| What are zonal sites and what is the significance of zonal sites? | They are sites within BEC zones or variants and are used to identify the subzones or variants. They show an average of the nutrient and moisture level |
