Botany Alberta 2015: in This Issue Botany Bliss in Waterton Lakes National Park
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No. 79 March 2016 Iris The Alberta Native Plant Council Newsletter Botany Alberta 2015: In This Issue Botany Bliss in Waterton Lakes National Park Botany Alberta 2015: Sandy McAndrews Waterton Lakes National Park ................................1 Botany Alberta 2015 took place in Montane, and Foothills Parkland. Herbarium on the Move: Waterton Lakes National Park (WLNP) These four subregions provide enough Royal Alberta Museum .................4 between June 19 and 21, the weekend variability for the existence of 45 of the summer solstice. This superb separate vegetation communities, Dwarf Woolly-heads in national park is located in the far which provide habitat for more than Southeastern Alberta ...................6 southwest corner of Alberta, at the 1,000 (more than half) of Alberta’s Tongue-Tied in Latin: Canada-United States border. In 1932, vascular plant species. According to R to Z ..............................................8 together with Glacier National Park Parks Canada (2012), 50 of those species in Montana, WLNP became part of are nationally rare. Non-vascular News and Events .........................10 the world’s frst International Peace species are abundant too. And, as one Rare Plant Conservation: Park (IPP), the Waterton-Glacier of the warmest places in Alberta, the 29th Workshop International Peace Park. In 1995, park had high potential to see lots of & AGM Registration ....................11 this IPP was designated a UNESCO fowering plants in June. A perfect place World Heritage Site because of its for botany enthusiasts! biogeographical signifcance (Parks Canada 2012). The biogeological signifcance of WLNP is derived largely from its location. Situated at the height of the continent in the Western Cordillera of North Look for more information America, it is infuenced by maritime on the ANPC’s website. www.anpc.ab.ca and continental weather systems. Additionally, it is at the junction of prairie and mountain communities with watersheds that drain into Leach W. three separate oceans. This unique Jones columbine (Aquilegia jonesii Parry) S1. combination of geography and climate infuences resulted in vegetation complexes that are unique in the world Armed with a Parks Canada collection (Parks Canada 2012). permit, almost 30 of us ventured into all Cover photo: Marsha Hayward; four of Waterton’s natural subregions Leaves emerging in a spring aspen (Populus tremuloides) WLNP contains four of Alberta’s to collect plant specimens for some woods. natural subregions: Alpine, Subalpine, See Botany AB 2015, page 2 Iris ♦ The Alberta Native Plant Council Newsletter ♦ No. 79 March 2016 Botany AB 2015, from page 1 of Alberta’s herbaria, search for and document rare species, and enjoy the landscapes and the fellowship that comes from spending time with fellow enthusiasts. The herbaria foray locations we chose were based on Alberta Conservation Information Systems Management (ACIMS) data and the conservation status reports of spring 2015. Criteria for choosing foray locations included: species on wish lists from herbaria curators, previous occurrences, accessibility, conservation status, and phenology (species was identifable in June). Based on those criteria, the workshop committee chose Bertha Lake, Cameron Lake, Crandell Lake, Hay Barns, Ruby Ridge, Sofa Mountain, Waterton Townsite, and Wishbone Trail as good options to meet as many of the criteria as A. Scovil possible. Specimens were collected where occurrences met the best practice Alpine townsendia (Townsendia condensata Parry) S2. standards for collection (1 specimen per 50 plants) and would be distributed to Our plans to document rare species Based on the information submitted herbaria at the University of Alberta, were stymied a bit by the publication of about occurrences before the next major University of Calgary, Medicine Hat the ACIMS updated tracking and watch conservation status review, reviewers College, and Olds College. All data list in July 2015. The rare species we could decide they are at risk, still on we collected will be submitted to both targeted in June were not necessarily the cusp, or moving towards security. Parks Canada and to ACIMS. classifed as rare in July. Nevertheless, It is interesting to make note of a few we documented more than 50 vascular of the species we identifed whose species and 46 non-vascular species conservation status has improved since over the two-day foray. Nine of the the last major review of the tracking vascular species were ranked as S1 or S2 and watch list. The status of both sweet provincially (see Table 1 for defnitions) purple cicely (Osmorhiza purpurea J.M. on ACIMS updated July 2015 list. As (Coult. & Rose) Suksd.) and slender you can see from Table 1, we found bog orchid (Platanthera stricta Lindley) rare species in three of the four natural changed from S2 to S3. The status of subregions found in WLNP, but most small white violet (Viola macloskeyi FE species were found in the Subalpine, Lloyd) shifted from S2S3 to S3. The shift where short growing seasons and cool in conservation status of those species temperatures prevail. We identifed is a good example of the value of C. Linowski rare species at Cameron and Crandell reporting occurrences identifed during Happy foragers on the Wishbone Trail. Lakes, Ruby Ridge, Sofa Mountain, excursions like Botany Alberta. The and the Wishbone Trail. Four of the data collected on this foray will help On Friday evening, June 19, non-vascular species identifed were establish the longer-term trends of these we gathered at Crooked Creek classifed as rare. None of the species species. Campground for a lesson on specimen identifed are nationally rare. Table collection from Dorothy Fabijan. Her 1 contains a list of the rare vascular Two species, one vascular and one talk covered collection best practices, species found at foray locations over the non-vascular, are ranked as SU— collection equipment, removing weekend. unrankable due to lack of, or conficting the specimens from the site, storing information (Alberta Environment specimens in the feld, and storing them Along with the S1 and S2 species, we and Parks 2015). Vascular species in plant presses. Specimens would identifed close to 25 S3-ranked species. small alyssum (Alyssum alyssoides then be mounted and labelled at their These are noteworthy because their L.) was identifed at Cameron Lake. destination herbaria. conservation status is right on the cusp between rare and relatively secure. See Botany AB 2015, page 3 2 www.anpc.ab.ca Iris ♦ The Alberta Native Plant Council Newsletter ♦ No. 79 March 2016 Botany AB 2015, from page 2 Table 1. ora locations an associate rare vascular lants ientie urin otan Albertas 201 herbaria ora in Waterton Lakes National Park Alberta Identified Provincially Rare Identified Provincially Foray Location Natural Species 2, 3 Rare Species 2, 3 Comments Region 1 (Scientific name) (Common name) Cameron Lake Subalpine Listera caurina Piper (S2) western twayblade Near Akamina Lake Spiraea splendens Baumann ex K. Crandell Lake Subalpine pink meadowsweet N/A Koch var. splendens Ruby Ridge Subalpine Carex geyeri Lineham (S2) Geyer’s sedge Along Lineham Creek Microseris nutans (Hook.) Sch.-Bip. nodding microseris Grassy slope (S2) small yellow Mimulus foribundus Lindl. (S1) Rocky ledges monkeyfower Suksdorfa ranunculifolia (Hooker) suksdorfa Wet ledges Engler (S1) Alpine Townsendia condensata Parry (S2) alpine townsendia Scree Sofa Mountain Alpine Aquilegia jonesii Parry (S1) Jones’ columbine Rocky ledges Cypripedium montanum Wishbone Montane mountain lady’s slipper Revegetated aspen burn Douglas ex Lindley (S2) Notes: 1. Alberta Parks (2005) albertas-natural-subregions-map-2005-high-resolution.pdf. Retrieved January 2016 from https://www.albertaparks. ca/media/4118978/albertas-natural-subregions-map-2005-high-resolution.pdf 2. Alberta Environment and Parks (2015a) List of all Vascular Plant Taxa Confrmed for Alberta as recorded in the ACIMS database - October 15, 2015. URL unavailable on January 26/16. 3. Based on Alberta Conservation and Information Systems conservation status where: S1- ≤ 5 occurrences or vulnerable to extirpation S2 - ≤ 20 occurrences or vulnerable to extirpation S3 - ≤ 100 or somewhat vulnerable due to other factors ( e.g. range restricted, small populations, other factors) Source: Alberta Environment and Parks (2015b). Species Conservation Ranks http://www.albertaparks.ca/albertaparksca/management-land-use/ alberta-conservation-information-management-system-acims/tracking-watch-lists/species-conservation-ranks/ Baker), a beautiful lily, and beargrass Beaubien for forwarding the idea of the (Xerophyllum tenax (Pursh) Nutt.), herbarium foray. The weekend could two species confned to the southwest not have happened without the efforts corner of Alberta. WLNP is awash in of these wonderful ANPC volunteers: colour in June. Joelyn Kozak, Patrick Kyle, Tony Blake, Bill Leach, Ashley Pierce, Jodie The bryologist in our group found Krakowski, Leslie Monteleone, Cathy four rare non-vascular species, at Linowski , Carole Dodd, and Allison Bertha Lake: Leskeella nervosa (S2S3), Scovil. THANK YOU! And fnally, a Pseudoleskea patens (S1S2), Rhizomnium heartfelt thank-you to all participants magnifolium (S2S3), and Seligeria for bringing your enthusiasm and C. Linowski campylopoda (S2S3). She also identifed expertise. Mariposa lily (Calochortus apicilaris) near the the SU-ranked species Radula complanata Wishbone Trail. described above. In closing, we had a great time. Participants liked