Portage Pond Subregion NF 1 H E C E N T R a L Named After Portage Pond, Which Lies at the Heart 2 T Newfoundland Forest of the Subregion
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ECOREGION Forest Barren Tundra Central Newfoundland Forest Bog Portage Pond subregion NF 1 h e C e n t r a l named after Portage Pond, which lies at the heart 2 T Newfoundland Forest of the subregion. 2 ecoregion covers about Although summer temperatures are higher c 28,000 km2 of the central in this ecoregion than elsewhere on the Island, and northeastern third of they are not as high in the Portage Pond subregion 3 the island of Newfoundland. The Central as in the North-central subregion. Warm summer Newfoundland Forest has the most typically temperatures, and its location east of the Long boreal forests of all the Island's ecoregions, and Range Mountains, make this subregion — and all 4 its climate is the most continental. On of the ecoregion — one of the driest on the average, the highest summer and lowest Island. Not surprisingly, this leads to a large 5 winter temperatures on the Island occur number of forest fires. Only the North-central in this ecoregion, which also has the subregion experiences more fires. least amount of wind and fog. Bogs are common in the Portage 6 The mountain forests and P o n d s u b r e g i o n , a n d a r e bogs that make up the 1,493.2 distinguished from those of the km² Portage Pond subregion n e i g h b o u r i n g W e s t e r n 7 extend over a small south- Portage Pond Newfoundland Forest by the western portion of the subregion absence of some plants — in Central Newfoundland particular, dwarf huckleberry and 8 Forest. The moss-dominated black huckleberry. forests here give way to fern- Domed bogs are the most 9 dominated forests to the west, and to barrens common bog type, and in the to the south and north. Located between the Central Newfoundland Forest are southern Long Range Mountains, the better developed than elsewhere on the Island. LAB Annieopsquotch Mountains, and the Buchans These bogs are striking when viewed from above Plataeu, the land here has rugged hills that rise as when the patterns made by standing water 1 high as 677 metres above sea level. The subregion become apparent: circular pools in broken, is distinguished by this mountainous topography, layered rings surrounding the raised portion of the 2 which contrasts with the gentle rolling hills of the bog. Basin bogs also occur here, and are more rest of the Central Newfoundland Forest. It is common than elsewhere in this ecoregion. 3 Ecoregion: An area that has Boreal forest: The mainly coniferous Domed bogs: Bogs with convex distinctive and repeating patterns of forest found in northern latitudes, surfaces that form mainly in forested 4 vegetation and soil development, which extends in a band around the valleys and basins. Build-ups of which are determined and controlled globe, covering large portions of the sphagnum mosses that can reach 3 to by regional climate. Ecoregions can northern temperate zones of North 10 meters in depth form a bulge or 5 be distinguished from each other by America, Europe, and Asia. convex shape on the surface of the their plant communities, landscapes, bog. Typically, circular pools of geology, and other features. These Continental climate: Climate standing water radiate outwards from characteristics, in turn, influence the resulting from a geographic location this bulge. 6 kinds of wildlife that can find suitable in the interior of a landmass, which habitat within each ecoregion. lessens the moderating effects of the Basin bogs: Small, flat-surfaced Subregions occur when distinctive ocean. This leads to colder winters bogs confined to basins and 7 variations within ecoregions are on a and warmer summers than areas that depressions. They do not often smaller scale than between have a similar latitude but are close to feature pools. Basin bogs are e c o r e g i o n s . T h e C e n t r a l a large body of water. commonly found in eastern and 8 Newfoundland Forest is broken down southern Newfoundland. into four subregions. 9 Check your public library for a full set (36) of these booklets: one introductory document and one for each of the 35 ecoregions and subregions in the province. For more information about the series see page 4. 10 Landscape Profile — Portage Pond subregion black spruce balsam fir alder 677 m white birch trembling aspen domed bog Soils: Soils here raspberry moss wood ferns are of two basic types. "Regosolic soils" (poorly developed soils only recently deposited) occur along the eastern and western margins of this subregion. Everywhere else, "humo ferric podzols" are most common. These are brown soils containing mostly inorganic material and occurring in relatively dry sites. They are typically found in coniferous and mixed (both deciduous and coniferous) forests. Geology: Rocks in this subregion belong to the Dunnage zone. To the south and north, and along the western margins of the subregion, are sandstones, shales, conglomerates, volcanic ash and lava formed about 550 million years ago. The remainder of the subregion is mostly granite, gabbro, and diabase intrusions that formed 450 to 550 million years ago. Sea Level lichens grow on frequently flooded Although more abundant in Vegetation Profile gravel and sandy areas. the North-central and Red Indian White birch grows here too, Lake subregions, the red pine can he influence of frequent forest in stands or as part of mixed forests also be found here growing in T fires and warm summers on where it prefers steep, well-drained nutrient-poor, gravelly or sandy p l a n t l i f e i n t h e C e n t r a l slopes. White birch will colonize soils. Newfoundland Forest varies: it is areas that have been disturbed — Trembling aspen, a species greatest in the north, decreasing as so it thrives in this ecoregion found in many other areas of the y o u m o v e s o u t h w a r d . because of the high number of forest Island, is most abundant in the Consequently, although fire and fires. Central Newfoundland Forest. In summer heat do affect vegetation in Yellow birch is notably fact, this is the only ecoregion where the Portage Pond subregion, it is not absent due to the region's shorter it is found in stands — probably as pronounced as in the North- growing season and occasional because the warm summer central subregion. summer frosts. temperatures permit root suckers to Balsam fir forests are the Club moss/alder swamps form, allowing the plant to take up most common here, though black are found in poorly drained, nutrient- nutrients from the soil more easily. spruce will replace balsam fir on rich locations. This is different from This more efficient means of nutrient well-drained hilly sites after a fire. what occurs in a neighbouring uptake enables the tree to quickly The soil in such locations contains ecoregion: in the Western colonize new areas, including recent some of the lowest levels of humus Newfoundland Forest, poorly burn-overs. — or organic material — of drained wet locations usually have anywhere on the Island. Black mountain maple thickets. spruce grows well in dry, nutrient- poor soils like these. In areas where Species in Focus: White birch (Betula fires have not occurred recently, papyrifera) can be found throughout balsam fir forests with a moss floor the Red Indian Lake subregion in covering abound. mixed forests with balsam fir and black spruce. Pure stands of white birch also Other common forest types grow after a fire or cutting. White birch are balsam fir with a sheep laurel is often used by beavers for understory, and balsam fir with construction of their lodges and dams. Schreber's moss ground cover. In areas of repeated fires or in other highly disturbed sites (such as cut- overs), a dwarf-shrub heath with an n n a a y abundance of sheep laurel often y R R n grows. Another distinguishing n e e l l G G combination of all Central : : o o t Newfoundland Forest subregions t o o h h P occurs here: black spruce forests P with an abundance of ground 2 Central Newfoundland Forest ecoregion — Portage Pond subregion Wildlife Profile s is typical for a boreal forest A region, many animals whose habitat is in the Portage Pond subregion are adapted to long cold winters and short warm summers. Moose, snowshoe hare, muskrat, otter, mink, black bear, beaver, and o lynx — species that also live in y a M similar habitat elsewhere on the m Island — occur throughout this e L : subregion. Caribou — primarily o t o members of the Buchans herd — h also occur here. Significantly, the P largest remaining population of the Species in Focus: The threatened Newfoundland marten (locally known threatened Newfoundland marten is as pine marten) lives in old-growth forests around Little Grand Lake. located in the subregion, in the old- Successful conservation efforts in have seen the number of these bushy- tailed predators rise from 300 to 450 in the last 12 years. A shy cousin of growth forests surrounding Little the mink, Newfoundland marten can weigh up to 3 pounds and are 21 to 27 Grand Lake. inches long. Their ideal habitat has lots of standing dead trees, fallen logs, Birds that typically live in and woody debris with overhead cover to provide protection from hawks forest habitat occur here, some of and owls. These conditions are only found in old-growth forests. which include gray jay, ruffed grouse, spruce grouse, osprey, great horned owl, northern flicker, rivers support a variety of fish, fisheries.