Overview
The vegetation largely depends upon the elevation of the area. Higher elevation gives moss, lichens, and low shrubs, but down near the base of the mountains there is an abundant vegetation. The slopes in the mountains soon include seven main forest zones: the Alpine Region, the Pacific Coastal Subalpine Forest Region, the Interior Cordilleran Subalpine Forest Region, the Boreal Montane Forest Region, the Cordilleran Montane Temperate Forest Region, the Cordilleran Cold Steppe and Savannah Region, and the Pacific Coastal Mesothermal Forest Region.
The Alpine Region
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The alpine region contains only the alpine tundra zone. It is a big area in the Western Cordillera ranging through the Yukon, District of Mackenzie in the Northwest Territories, British Columbia and Alberta. Frost can occur at any time of the year, so the enviroment is not fit for many plants. Vegetation consists of mainly grasses, sedges, dwarf willows, mosses, lichens and other low woody and herbaceous plants. Rich herbaceous meadows can be found on moist areas at low elevations.
The Pacific Coastal Subalpine Forest Region
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This region contains just the mountain hemlock zone, which is located at intermediate elevations in the Coast–Cascade and Vancouver Island mountains of British Columbia. This area receives lots of snow cover and the soils do not freeze due to the thick insulating blanket of snow. Mountain hemlock, Pacific silver fir and yellow cypress are the characteristic tree species. Common understorey plants include blueberries, copperbush, mountain heathers, rosy twisted stalk, oak fern and pipe-cleaner moss. At the upper elevations of the zone a parkland area of conifers and meadows or heaths usually occurs.
The Interior Cordilleran Subalpine Forest Region
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This is the humid, subalpine region further inland from the coast. In this region, the ground usually freezes before the snow falls, resulting in more coniferous trees. The Engelmann spruce – subalpine fir zone, is seen commonly in British Columbia and Alberta. Typical tree species include Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, lodgepole and whitebark pines and subalpine larch. Some common low-lying plants are white-flowered rhododendron, false azalea, black huckleberry, Sitka alder, oak fern, mountain arnica and leafy liverwort.
The Boreal Montane Forest Region
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This region comprises three zones. All three zones have a strong continental climate, which mean warm summers and severe winters. They are found at montane elevations, which is below the subalpine, commonly on intermontane plateaus. The first is the boreal white and black spruce zone. This is pretty much the exact same as the boreal coniferous forest of much of the rest of Canada, but in the Cordillera it is the zone found in the mountain valleys of Alberta, northern British Columbia, Yukon and the Northwest Territories, where it is generally on better drained soils. Permafrost is uncommon in the British Columbia and Alberta Cordillera but is more typical northward.
The forests are primarily mixes of white and black spruce, lodgepole pine, balsam poplar, paper birch and trembling aspen. Common understorey plants include mountain and green alders, highbush cranberry, wild rose, Canadian buffalo berry and reed grass, fireweed, lingonberry, twinflower and feather mosses.
The sub-boreal spruce zone is found in British Columbia in the central plateau between the Coast and Cariboo–Rocky Mountains. It has slightly cooler summers due to the thick clouds, shorter lengths of days and less severe winters with more snow than the boreal white and black spruce zone. The forests are dominated by hybrid white spruce, subalpine fir, lodgepole pine, Douglas fir, black spruce and black cottonwood with some trembling aspen and paper birch forests, particularly where there are lots of fires.
Common shrubs are black huckleberry, Sitka alder, birch-leaved spirea, false box, black twinberry, thimbleberry and devil's club. Lily species, such as false Solomon's seal, twisted stalk, fairy bells and Queen's cup are common in the understorey along with oak fern, foamflowers, palmate coltsfoot and feather mosses.
The third zone is the sub-boreal pine-spruce. It is found in the Chilcotin Plateau area of central British Columbia. Pine forests dominate the landscape due to common fires. Hybrid white spruce is also common and there is frequent trembling aspen and black spruce. Common understorey plants are Canadian buffalo berry, juniper, dwarf blueberry, pine grass, kinnikinnick, crowberry, red-stemmed feather moss and many lichens.
The forests are primarily mixes of white and black spruce, lodgepole pine, balsam poplar, paper birch and trembling aspen. Common understorey plants include mountain and green alders, highbush cranberry, wild rose, Canadian buffalo berry and reed grass, fireweed, lingonberry, twinflower and feather mosses.
The sub-boreal spruce zone is found in British Columbia in the central plateau between the Coast and Cariboo–Rocky Mountains. It has slightly cooler summers due to the thick clouds, shorter lengths of days and less severe winters with more snow than the boreal white and black spruce zone. The forests are dominated by hybrid white spruce, subalpine fir, lodgepole pine, Douglas fir, black spruce and black cottonwood with some trembling aspen and paper birch forests, particularly where there are lots of fires.
Common shrubs are black huckleberry, Sitka alder, birch-leaved spirea, false box, black twinberry, thimbleberry and devil's club. Lily species, such as false Solomon's seal, twisted stalk, fairy bells and Queen's cup are common in the understorey along with oak fern, foamflowers, palmate coltsfoot and feather mosses.
The third zone is the sub-boreal pine-spruce. It is found in the Chilcotin Plateau area of central British Columbia. Pine forests dominate the landscape due to common fires. Hybrid white spruce is also common and there is frequent trembling aspen and black spruce. Common understorey plants are Canadian buffalo berry, juniper, dwarf blueberry, pine grass, kinnikinnick, crowberry, red-stemmed feather moss and many lichens.
The Cordilleran Montane Temperate Forest Region
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This region includes three zones. The first is the interior cedar–hemlock zone. This zone is found in warm, moist to wet valleys throughout southeastern British Columbia and on the leeward side of the Coast Mountains in northwestern British Columbia. It is the wettest and most productive zone in the British Columbia interior.
Western red cedar and western hemlock are the dominant tree species, but many others can also occur in this zone, including Douglas fir, lodgepole and western white pines, hybrid white spruce, subalpine fir, western larch, paper birch and trembling aspen. In areas with ample precipitation, western hemlock and red cedar forests as magnificent as the coastal rainforests are found. These forests are called ancient, as they are close to 1,000 years old.
Understorey plants vary quite a bit over the range of this zone but include red twinberry, false box and tall Oregon grape in the south, and black huckleberry and Sitka mountain ash in the north. Devil's club, oak fern, Queen's cup, rosy twisted stalk, skunk cabbage and feather mosses are common throughout.
The second zone is the interior Douglas fir. It is found at lower elevations on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta and intermediate elevations in southern British Columbia mountains, and also dominates the vegetation of the southern intermontane plateaus of British Columbia. This is a warm, continental zone dominated by Douglas fir with several other trees species commonly present such as lodgepole and ponderosa pines, hybrid white spruce, western larch, paper birch, black cottonwood and trembling aspen. Western red cedar is found abundantly in wetter parts of the zone.
Pine grass is the dominant and characteristic plant of the understorey. Other widespread plants are Rocky Mountain and common junipers, birch-leaved spirea, saskatoon, bluebunch wheat grass, kinnikinnick and twinflower. Grasslands dominated by bluebunch wheat grass, fescue, and in some instances needle grass are common in some parts of this zone. There are also many parkland areas with a mix of forest and grassland.
The montane spruce zone is found at elevations between the interior Douglas fir and Engelmann spruce–subalpine fir zones throughout most of its range in southern British Columbia and the east slopes of the Rocky Mountains but is also found above the sub-boreal pine–spruce zone in central British Columbia. In many ways, the climate is similar to dry to moist parts of the sub-boreal spruce zone: warm summers and cold, but not severe winters.
Lodgepole pine dominates the forest cover due to common wildfires. Engelmann and hybrid white spruce are usually in the understorey and dominate stands that have escaped fires for some time. Plants such as false box, grouseberry, pine grass, twinflower, wintergreen and red-stemmed feather moss are often found under the trees.
Western red cedar and western hemlock are the dominant tree species, but many others can also occur in this zone, including Douglas fir, lodgepole and western white pines, hybrid white spruce, subalpine fir, western larch, paper birch and trembling aspen. In areas with ample precipitation, western hemlock and red cedar forests as magnificent as the coastal rainforests are found. These forests are called ancient, as they are close to 1,000 years old.
Understorey plants vary quite a bit over the range of this zone but include red twinberry, false box and tall Oregon grape in the south, and black huckleberry and Sitka mountain ash in the north. Devil's club, oak fern, Queen's cup, rosy twisted stalk, skunk cabbage and feather mosses are common throughout.
The second zone is the interior Douglas fir. It is found at lower elevations on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta and intermediate elevations in southern British Columbia mountains, and also dominates the vegetation of the southern intermontane plateaus of British Columbia. This is a warm, continental zone dominated by Douglas fir with several other trees species commonly present such as lodgepole and ponderosa pines, hybrid white spruce, western larch, paper birch, black cottonwood and trembling aspen. Western red cedar is found abundantly in wetter parts of the zone.
Pine grass is the dominant and characteristic plant of the understorey. Other widespread plants are Rocky Mountain and common junipers, birch-leaved spirea, saskatoon, bluebunch wheat grass, kinnikinnick and twinflower. Grasslands dominated by bluebunch wheat grass, fescue, and in some instances needle grass are common in some parts of this zone. There are also many parkland areas with a mix of forest and grassland.
The montane spruce zone is found at elevations between the interior Douglas fir and Engelmann spruce–subalpine fir zones throughout most of its range in southern British Columbia and the east slopes of the Rocky Mountains but is also found above the sub-boreal pine–spruce zone in central British Columbia. In many ways, the climate is similar to dry to moist parts of the sub-boreal spruce zone: warm summers and cold, but not severe winters.
Lodgepole pine dominates the forest cover due to common wildfires. Engelmann and hybrid white spruce are usually in the understorey and dominate stands that have escaped fires for some time. Plants such as false box, grouseberry, pine grass, twinflower, wintergreen and red-stemmed feather moss are often found under the trees.
The Cordilleran Cold Steppe and Savannah Region
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This region includes dry climate zones where significant moisture deficits occur in the soils. There are two zones, both in British Columbia. The first is the bunchgrass zone. This is a grassland zone dominated by big sagebrush and bluebunch wheat grass. Other common species are rabbitbrush, pasture sage, June grass and prickly pear cactus. A surface crust of lichens and mosses between the clumps of grass indicates grasslands in excellent condition; these are infrequent due to grazing by cattle.
This is the warmest and driest zone in the cordillera and is found primarily in the bottom of the deep valleys of the southern interior in an area of strong rain shadow from the Coast Mountains. The zone is the northernmost extension of the Columbia basin grasslands of the US.
The ponderosa pine zone is found at elevations between the bunchgrass zone and the interior Douglas fir zone in these dry parts of British Columbia. Forests are dominated by ponderosa pine, with the most common understorey plants being bluebunch wheat grass and fescues. Forests are both open, savannah-like and closed. Bluebunch wheat grass grasslands are often intermixed with small patches of ponderosa pine forest. Other typical species are arrow-leaved balsamroot, yarrow and pussytoes. Douglas fir is found on wetter sites and where fires have been prevented. Forests on wetter sites can also be dominated by trembling aspen, cottonwood and paper or water birches.
This is the warmest and driest zone in the cordillera and is found primarily in the bottom of the deep valleys of the southern interior in an area of strong rain shadow from the Coast Mountains. The zone is the northernmost extension of the Columbia basin grasslands of the US.
The ponderosa pine zone is found at elevations between the bunchgrass zone and the interior Douglas fir zone in these dry parts of British Columbia. Forests are dominated by ponderosa pine, with the most common understorey plants being bluebunch wheat grass and fescues. Forests are both open, savannah-like and closed. Bluebunch wheat grass grasslands are often intermixed with small patches of ponderosa pine forest. Other typical species are arrow-leaved balsamroot, yarrow and pussytoes. Douglas fir is found on wetter sites and where fires have been prevented. Forests on wetter sites can also be dominated by trembling aspen, cottonwood and paper or water birches.
The Pacific Coastal Mesothermal Forest Region
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This region consists of two zones characterized by a mild coastal climate. The first, and the drier of the two, is the coastal Douglas fir zone. It is found mainly in the Pacific coastal region on Vancouver Island and is only a minor type in the cordillera of the western mainland coast.
The vegetation is dominated by forests of Douglas fir although other common tree species are arbutus, western flowering dogwood, bigleaf maple, grand fir and western red cedar. The Garry oak meadow vegetation is very colourful in the spring with abundant wildflowers. Coniferous forests have an understorey of Indian plum, ocean spray, western snowberry, dull Oregon grape, honeysuckles and salal.
The coastal western hemlock zone is also commonly referred to as temperate rainforest. The climate is wet and warm and the forests of this zone are the most productive and majestic in Canada. It occurs all along the coast of British Columbia and the valleys of the Coast Mountains. These rainforests are characterized by western hemlock, western red cedar, Pacific silver fir, Sitka spruce and Douglas fir. Other common tree species are yellow cypress, grand fir, red alder, black cottonwood and shore pine. The understorey plants are varied and include Alaskan blueberry, red huckleberry, salmonberry, salal, devil's club, deer fern, sword fern, skunk cabbage and lanky moss.
The vegetation is dominated by forests of Douglas fir although other common tree species are arbutus, western flowering dogwood, bigleaf maple, grand fir and western red cedar. The Garry oak meadow vegetation is very colourful in the spring with abundant wildflowers. Coniferous forests have an understorey of Indian plum, ocean spray, western snowberry, dull Oregon grape, honeysuckles and salal.
The coastal western hemlock zone is also commonly referred to as temperate rainforest. The climate is wet and warm and the forests of this zone are the most productive and majestic in Canada. It occurs all along the coast of British Columbia and the valleys of the Coast Mountains. These rainforests are characterized by western hemlock, western red cedar, Pacific silver fir, Sitka spruce and Douglas fir. Other common tree species are yellow cypress, grand fir, red alder, black cottonwood and shore pine. The understorey plants are varied and include Alaskan blueberry, red huckleberry, salmonberry, salal, devil's club, deer fern, sword fern, skunk cabbage and lanky moss.