WINTER VEGETATION ECOLOGY FIELD DAY

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(Schedules etc. subject to modification)

2012 RESULTS

8:30a – Weather Briefing - Current Weather & Forecasts (MRS) and for Niwot treeline (11,000') - CAIC 11,000' statewide forecast

• Daily Weather Discussion handouts: Archive

8:40a – Field Day Set-up: Vegetation Winter Ecology – Front Range plant associations · Landscape patterns (effects of altitude, aspect, substrate, freeze/thaw, snow deposition) · Wintertime plant id · Plant ecophysiology (adaptations to winter by lifeform - e.g., deciduous vs. evergreen strategies). –

 

Readings	LC Chapter 3 Interested in a re-phrasing? WEH provides a review of some of this material: Chap 3, p. 163-176 especially re Hardening: p. 165-167
Lesson points	What are the major tree species of the Front Range's upper montane (9,000-11,500')? And what are their distinguishing features (to id.)? How are they winter-adapted? -- Answers here are linked to the next questions... What are key physiological and morphological adaptations of plants in seasonally cold climates? Physiologically, how do plants acclimate to and withstand cold winters? Morphologically, how are plants in the upper montane adapted to winter?  Along these lines: What generalized plant life forms (morphological types, such as Raunkiaer's life forms) are found in seasonally cold climates?  And how are each of these forms adapted to winter? For any location on the landscape, is there single or multiple plant solutions to winter conditions?   How do landscape features (abiotic and biotic) alter snowpack in ways that affect the distribution of vegetation?
Handouts	Elevation & Landscape Distribution of Montane & Alpine Vegetation (pdf, 810k) From Vegetation Lab, on-campus lecture day: Plant Lifeforms & Plant ID (pdf, 100k)
Other References	Mountain Ecosystems: Studies in Treeline Ecology, by G. Broll & B. Keplin (eds. 2005, Springer, NY) [sci library: QH541.5 .M65 M722 2005] Huner et al. 1993. Photosynthesis, photoinhibition and low temperature acclimation in cold tolerant plants. Photosynthesis Research 37: 19-39 (pdf, 2M)

FIELD -

Bring	Field journal Compass Topo map Pack lunch, lots of water/fluids Toe/Hand Warmer Packs - if you're prone to cold toes/hands Available at REI, etc. If you have:  Snow shovel Avi probe Clinometer (for measuring slope; homemade instructions) Hand lens Forecast:  Niwot treeline (11,000'), CAIC 11,000' statewide forecast (last section of page) photo from Hope Humphries and Patrick Bourgeron
Field Locations / Handouts	Our highest site for the day = Soddie site/Cable Gate Earlier handout:  Niwot Ridge Sites (doc, 130k) GoogleEarth images:  broad view, closer view w/ 50m bar (jpg's, 160k) Handout: Field Datasheets - transect 1m-50m & reverse form: 50m-1m (pdf's, 700k) Data entry worksheets: Team A, Team B (xls, ) Analysis spreadsheet: xls, 200k spreadsheet to convert degrees slope to % - xls Click to enlarge
Lesson points	See Vegetation Lesson points above
Related links	Niwot Ridge Vegetation, and Tundra Vegetation Communties (including Map) Plant species lists for Niwot Ridge and Green Lakes Valley are on line at: <http://www.colorado.edu/mrs/spplists.html> See also <http://culter.colorado.edu/NWT/site_info/flora_and_fauna.html> and <http://culter.colorado.edu/Field_trip/plants.html> Species list for RockyMountain NP <http://www.nps.gov/romo/resources/plantsandanimals/commonandscience.html> Ecosystem Descriptions (RMNPk), Aspen Encyclopedia of Life podcast on Lichen How to make a clinometer: http://www.ehow.com/how_2252010_make-clinometer.html printout a protractor: http://www.satsig.net/pointing/how-to-make-inclinometer.htm
Other Resources	Global Analysis of Alpine Treeline Position (pdf, 275k) Winter Ecophysiology of Lodgepole Pine (pdf, 150k) Cankers on Quaking Aspen:  http://na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/fidls/q_aspen/q_aspen.htm
ore on Vegetation Zones	From Grassland to Glacier:  The Natural History of Colorado and the Surrounding Region, by C.F. Mutel & J.C. Emerick (1992, Johnson Books, Boulder CO) Rocky Mountain National Park Natural History Handbook,  By John C. Emerick (1995, Roberts Rinehart Publ. and Rocky Mountain Nature Assoc.) A Sierra Club Naturalist’s Guide to The Southern Rockies,  By Audrey Benedict (1991, Sierra Club Books)
More for Plant Id	Rocky Mountain Flora, by Wm. Weber (1976, Colorado Associated Univ Press) -- the Marr Lab library has many copies. Winter Guide to Central Rocky Mountain Shrubs, by Wm. McKean (ed.) (1976, 2nd ed., Colorado Div of Wildlife, Dept of Natural Resources).

• Analysis & Discussion