Red Indian Lake Subregion

ECOREGION Forest Barren Tundra Central Newfoundland Forest Bog Red Indian Lake subregion NF 1 h e C e n t r a l Newfoundland Forest by having the coolest 2 TNewfoundland Forest summers, highest precipitation, and the shortest 2 ecoregion covers about growing season. Despite the cooler average, b 28,000 km2 in the central however, summertime night frosts are not as and northeastern third of common here as in the North-central subregion. 3 t h e i s l a n d o f Although this subregion experiences Newfoundland. The second largest of the Island's higher precipitation — especially when compared nine ecoregions, its forests are the most with the larger North-central subregion to the 4 typically boreal, and its climate is the most north — it is still generally drier than other continental. On average, the highest Island ecoregions. This is due to the summer and lowest winter temperatures ecoregion's location east of the Long Range 5 on the Island occur here. And although Mountains: more rain falls on the mountains' night frosts can occur occasionally western side because winds off the ocean throughout the summer — due to drop their moisture as they climb 6 cold northeast winds off the and cool over the land. L a b r a d o r C u r r e n t — i t Because of the relatively experiences the least wind and dry, warm summers, the Red 7 fog on the Island. I n d i a n L a k e s u b r e g i o n The Red Indian Lake Red Indian Lake experiences a high number of 8 subregion — the second subregion forest fires, as does the rest of largest of the four in the the Central Newfoundland Central Newfoundland Forest Forest. 9 — covers a 3,939.9 km² area in Bogs are common in the the southwestern part of the Red Indian Lake subregion, but ecoregion. It gets its name from Red are different from those of the LAB Indian Lake, located in the northern portion of neighbouring Maritime Barrens ecoregion the subregion. The land here is characterized by because some of the plants found in those 1 dense forests, bogs, and rolling hills that grow ecoregions, such as dwarf huckleberry and black gradually higher as you move south within the huckleberry, do not grow here. subregion — from 150 metres above sea level in Domed bogs are the most common type of 2 the north, to 450 metres above sea level in the bog, and in the Central Newfoundland Forest are south. Overall, the terrain is similar to the North- better developed than anywhere else on the Island. 3 central subregion, except that there are local areas Domed bogs are striking when viewed from above, of deeper, more nutrient-rich soil. when the patterns made by standing water become The Red Indian Lake subregion is apparent — circular pools in broken, layered rings 4 distinguished from the rest of the Central surrounding the raised portion of the bog. Ecoregion: An area that has e c o r e g i o n s . T h e C e n t r a l ocean. This leads to colder winters 5 distinctive and repeating patterns of Newfoundland Forest is broken down and warmer summers than areas that vegetation and soil development, into four subregions. have a similar latitude but are close to which are determined and controlled a large body of water. 6 by regional climate. Ecoregions can Boreal forest: The mainly coniferous be distinguished from each other by forest found in northern latitudes, Domed bogs: Bogs with convex their plant communities, landscapes, which extends in a band around the surfaces that form mainly in forested geology, and other features. These globe, covering large portions of the valleys and basins. Build-ups of 7 characteristics, in turn, influence the northern hemisphere. sphagnum mosses that can reach 3 to kinds of wildlife that can find suitable 10 meters in depth form a bulge or habitat within each ecoregion. Continental climate: Climate convex shape on the surface of the 8 Subregions occur when distinctive resulting from a geographic location in bog. Typically, circular pools of variations within ecoregions are on a the interior of a landmass, which standing water radiate outwards from smaller scale than between lessens the moderating effects of the this bulge. 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 — Red Indian Lake subregion black spruce balsam fir alder 450 m white birch trembling aspen domed bog raspberry moss wood ferns Soils: Soils here are of several different types. Along the eastern and western shores of Red Indian Lake, and in the northeast of the subregion, "humo ferric podzols" are most common. These are soils of primarily inorganic material that occur in dry, forested areas. More common to the south and west of the lake are "ferro humic podzols" — darker soils with a high organic content that occur in humid sites, such as forests with mossy undergrowth. To the southeast, "gleysolic soils" are common. These are water-saturated soils with poor drainage, such as in peatlands. Geology: Rocks in this subregion belong to the Dunnage zone. To the north and south of Red Indian Lake are lava and ash deposits formed about 500 million years ago. To the northeast of the subregion are sandstones, shales, and conglomerates that were created in deep sea basins, also about 500 million years ago. Gabbro and diabase deposits occur at the south end of Red Indian Lake and in isolated pockets; these were formed about 510 million years ago. Much younger shales and sandstones — about 400 million years old — are found at the southwestern edge of the lake. 150 m frosts. especially sensitive to environmental Club moss/alder swamps are changes and disturbances, such as Vegetation Profile found in poorly drained, nutrient-rich cutting or fire. locations. This is different from what Trembling aspen, a species occurs in a neighbouring ecoregion: found in many other areas of the he influence of frequent forest in the Western Newfoundland Forest, Island, is most abundant in the Tfires and warm summers on plant poorly drained wet locations usually Central Newfoundland Forest. In fact, communities in the Central have mountain maple thickets. this is the only ecoregion where it Newfoundland Forest varies. This Red pine, the rarest conifer on forms stands — probably because the influence is most obvious in the north, the Island, grows only in the Central warm summer temperatures permit d e c r e a s i n g s o u t h w a r d s . Newfoundland Forest. Once root suckers to develop, allowing the Consequently, although fire and widespread across much of the island plant to take up nutrients from the soil summer heat do affect vegetation in of Newfoundland, it is now found only more easily. This more efficient the Red Indian Lake subregion, the in a few small stands in the central means of nutrient uptake enables the effect is not as pronounced as in the area. These stands are at the red tree to quickly colonize new areas, North-central subregion. pine's northernmost limit, so they are including recent burn-overs. Balsam fir forests are the most common here, though black spruce will replace balsam fir on well- Species in Focus - Trembling drained hilly sites after a fire. The soil aspen (Populus tremuloides) in such locations contains some of the gets its name from the almost lowest levels of humus — or organic constant movement of its heart- material — anywhere on the Island. shaped leaves. This is because Black spruce grows well in dry, the long, slender leafstalks are flattened, causing the leaves to nutrient-poor soils like these. In areas quiver in the slightest breeze. In where fires have not recently fall, the leaves turn a brilliant occurred, balsam fir forests with a golden-yellow. dense floor covering of moss abounds. White birch grows here too, in stands or as part of mixed forests. White birch colonizes areas that have been disturbed — as a result it thrives n n in this ecoregion because of the high a a y y R R number of forest fires. A closely n n e e l related species, the yellow birch, is l G G : notably absent from all subregions of : o o t t o the Central Newfoundland Forest. o h h P This is due to the shorter growing P season and occasional summer 2 Central Newfoundland Forest ecoregion — Red Indian Lake subregion Wildlife Profile s is typical of boreal forests, A many animals occupying the Red Indian Lake subregion are adapted to long, cold winters and short, warm summers. Moose, snowshoe hare, muskrat, otter, mink, black bear, beaver, and lynx — species that also live in similar habitat elsewhere on the Island — occur throughout this subregion. Caribou — primarily s s members of the Gaff Topsails and e g r Buchans herds — can also be found u B . here, while a small population of the F . H threatened Newfoundland marten : o (locally known as pine marten) occurs t o h around Red Indian Lake. P This subregion is also home Species in Focus: The beaver, which is the largest rodent in North America, has to birds that typically live in forest become a symbol of hard work and engineering know-how. Evidence of its habitat, including the gray jay, ruffed handiwork — beaver ponds, dams, and lodges — can be found throughout the grouse, spruce grouse, osprey, great Red Indian Lake subregion.

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