| Vegetation Of New England And The Maritime Provinces |
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This area is dominated by a . The prevalence in the canopy of red pine ('' Pinus Resinosa '') and red spruce ('' Picea Rubens '') distinguish the transition forests of New England from those in the Great Lakes region to the west. World Wildlife Fund: New England-Acadian forests PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGION The province, but generally exhibits similar vegetation. ALPINE COMMUNITIES '') and mountain cranberry ('' Vaccinium Vitis-idaea ''). CONIFEROUS FORESTS . It is noted in New England for its "harsh" conditions such as cold, sub-Arctic temperatures, a short growing period, sandy-gravely acidic soil, and a high rate of leeching of nutrients out of the soil. It is also noted for a high rate of Precipitation , year round, as rain and snow, which contributes to much of the leeching. The dominant ''), balsam fir ('' Abies Balsamea ''), paper birch ('' Betula Papyrifera ''), red spruce ('' Picea Rubens ''), which northwards, is replaced by white spruce ('' Picea Glauca ''). Also present are jack pine ('' Pinus Banksiana ''), and white pine ('' Pinus Strobus '') which is found in areas of richer Soil in the lower elevations of this forest. The presence of paper birch ('' Betula Papyrifera ''), a Successional species, is often an indication of past disturbances such as Fire or Logging in the forest. Typical woody Understory and shrub layer species include moosewood ('' Acer Pensylvanicum ''), low-bush blueberry ('' Vaccinium Angustifolium '') and other heath species especially the genera '' Gaylussacia '' and '' Vaccinium ''. Woody plants of the ground cover layer include American wintergreen (''''), bluebead Lilly ('' Clintonia Borealis ''), foam flower ('' Tiarella Cordifolia ''), bunchberry ('' Cornus Canadensis ''), twinflower ('' Linnaea Borealis ''), dewdrops ('' Dalibarda Repens ''), wild sarsaparilla ('' Aralia Nudicaulis ''), and Canada mayflower ('' Maianthemum Canadense ''). Trillium s, and yellow lady slippers (genus '' Cypripedium '') are also common showy wildflowers. The herbaceous layer also includes many Moss es, Lichen s, and Fern s. Bracken fern ('' Pteridium Aquilinum '') is often particularly abundant in these communities. NORTHERN HARDWOOD FOREST These forests also go by the names: hemlock-northern hardwoods, and mixed forests. The northern Hardwoods are located in the seaboard lowlands and south of the coniferous forests, but there is considerable blending of the two communities. These forests are typical of elevations below 700 m. Elements of these communities mix extensively with coniferous forest elements between 700 m and 900 m, and also from mid- Latitude Vermont and New Hampshire north to central Maine where coniferous forest elements begin to dominate. Typically the richer the Soil s, and the more Temperate the Climate , the more dominant hardwoods will be. This forest type is considered the northern extension of the Mixed Mesophytic Deciduous Forest . The four dominant ''), red maple ('' Acer Rubrum ''), and northern red oak ('' Quercus Rubra ''), which becomes less and less common northwards, dropping out almost entirely by mid-Vermont and New Hampshire. White oak ('' Quercus Alba '') is also an important canopy species in southern New England's seaboard lowlands. White pine ('' Pinus Strobus '') and red pine ('' Pinus Resinosa ''), are also an important part of this mixed forest. The Pioneer Tree s of this forest are quaking aspen ('' Populus Tremuloides '') and paper birch ('' Betula Papyrifera ''). WETLANDS s, Swamp s, and bottomlands. Swamps and bogs are specific habitats whereas bottomlands are any moist area including riparian zones, Lake and Pond banks, and the moist area surrounding bogs, marshes and swamps. Bogs Bogs are wetland areas, characterized by acid ''), northern white cedar ('' Thuja Occidentalis ''), larch ('' Larix Laricina '') and black ash ('' Fraxinus Nigra ''). Swamps Swamps are typically characterized by ''), white cedar ('' Thuja Occidentalis ''), tamarack ('' Larix Laricina ''), balsam poplar ('' Populus Balsamifera ''), and black ash ('' Fraxinus Nigra ''). Oftentimes cool, moist shaded ravines are dominated by pure stands of hemlocks in this range. In northern and high altitude swamps of New England the dominant canopy species change to tamarack, black spruce ('' Picea Mariana '') and balsam fir ('' Abies Balsamea ''). The Understory across the range consists of a number of '' Viburnum '' species among others. Bottomlands The bottomlands and margin areas in the Northern Hardwood communities are primarily dominated by: red maple ('''' spp.) occur as does speckled alder ('' Alnus Rugosa '') which is very common. REFERENCES
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