FOREST ECOLOGY

	Photo by Branimir Gjetvaj

The boreal forest ecosystem is comprised of forests, wetlands, bogs, fens, peatlands, rivers and lakes. Over time, native plants and animal have adapted to live in this land's harsh climatic conditions.

Coniferous trees dominate the boreal forest. Black spruce, white spruce, tamarack, jack pine and balsam fir thrive under different conditions. Several kinds of deciduous hardwoods also live in the boreal. Two groups of shrubs include the willows and alders. Three main tree species include the aspen poplar, balsam poplar and paper birch.

Our northern forest is a sensitive place and is easily damaged. Soils are cold and often very shallow. Water tables are high. Growing seasons are short. Biological processes are slow. Nutrient availability is low. Trees are relatively small and slow growing.

A prominent natural disturbance in the boreal ecosystem is fire. Wildfires are important because they produce uneven-aged stands and a range of growth stages that are the foundation for a wide range of habitats for plants and animals. Other important natural disturbances include wind, insect infestations, and disease.

Ecological Classification:

A land classification system that has been developed for Canada helps us to identify different ecological places or units found in our province. The classification system is hierarchical and its units range from very broad to much more defined. The largest units are called ecozones. Next in size are the ecoregions. The smaller units are eco-districts (also called landscape areas).

Ecozones define major physiographic features of the country such as the Canadian Boreal Shield and the Great Plains. The characteristics of theses zones are very general and tend to endure over the long time. Saskatchewan has four ecozones. Three of these zones are in the forest and include the Boreal Plain, the Boreal Shield and the Taiga Shield. The fourth zone is the Prairie.

Ecoregions are subdivisions of ecozones and are defined by different climate zones or regional land forms. Examples in northern Saskatchewan include our Mid Boreal Upland and the Selwyn Upland. All told, Saskatchewan has 11 ecoregions with seven of them in the boreal forest.

Eco-districts (also called landscape areas) are nested within the ecoregions. Landscape areas define different types of landforms, surface geology, soil, waterbodies and vegetation. The 11 ecoregions in Saskatchewan are divided into 88 ecodistricts.

Water

Water is everywhere in the boreal forest, standing or flowing in the hundreds of thousands of lakes, rivers, streams, bogs, fens and marshes across the Saskatchewan landscape.

Seven major Drainage basins have been identified in our province. The basins are subdivided into 29 different watersheds. In our boreal forest, the Athabasca, Churchill and Saskatchewan River drainage basins are most prominent.

LEARN MORE:

About Forests The Boreal Forest: Canada's Global Opportunity

State of the World's Boreal Forests What's happening to forests across the world, in Canada and in Saskatchewan.

Forest Threats & Solutions The impacts of human developments in the forest.

Birds in the Boreal Forest Species of songbirds are declining in our boreal forest.

Links Visit our boreal forest links.