WOLF LAKE REPORT
A Preliminary Report on the Findings of a Biological Survey
June 5 – 10, 1998
By:
CPAWS-Yukon
for the
Yukon Wildlands Project & the Endangered Spaces Campaign
In cooperation with the Teslin Tlingit Council
Report Contributors:
Randi Mulder
¬ project coordinator
Brian Slough
¬ wildlife biologist
Dennis Kuch
¬ bird specialist
Chris Marion
¬ vegetation and bryophyte specialist
Joseph Campana ¬ photographer
Bruce Bennett ¬ vegetation specialist
Juri Peepre
¬ project manager
&
Teslin Tlingit Field Trip Participants:
Harry Morris
¬ traditional knowledge of plants,
animals and the ecosystem
Stan Stewart
¬ guide, local knowledge
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................
1
NATURAL VALUES................................................................................................
2
HIGHLIGHTS OF FIELD TRIP FINDINGS............................................................
4
ECOREGION DESCRIPTIONS ...............................................................................
5
BIRD LIFE.................................................................................................................
6
MAMMALS ..............................................................................................................
9
AMPHIBIANS...........................................................................................................
11
VEGETATION ..........................................................................................................
11
REFERENCES ..........................................................................................................
18
APPENDICES
A. Glossary of Terms
B. Waterfowl Staging Areas and Migration Flyways in the Yukon
C. Distribution of Mountain Goats in the Yukon
D. Distribution of Thinhorn Sheep in the Yukon
E. Distribution of Caribou Herds in the Yukon
F. Mammals of Limited Range in the Yukon
G. Examples of Small Mammal Ranges in the Yukon
H. Vascular Plants of the Wolf Lake Area
I. Bryophytes of the Wolf Lake Area
INTRODUCTION
Wolf Lake lies in a broad moderate elevation plateau in south-central Yukon, within the
traditional territory of the Teslin Tlingit First Nation. The lake is drained by the Wolf
River, and the Liard River has its headwaters to the east. The Pelly Mountains rise to the
north and to the south is the edge of the Cassiar Mountains. The Cassiar Mountains in
turn stretch south through British Columbia to the Spatsizi Plateau country.
Wolf Lake and the surrounding region are within the Pelly Mountains and Yukon
Southern Lakes ecoregions. The Southern Lakes and Pelly Mountains ecoregions are not
yet represented by a territorial protected area. The Wolf Lake area also falls within
Natural Region #7 among the 39 natural regions identified by Parks Canada. Region #7
includes much of central and western Yukon and is not yet represented by a national
park.
In early 1998 Parks Canada formally indicated an interest in initiating a national park
feasibility study in the Wolf Lake region (see Figure 1). The biologically rich Wolf Lake
region is an exceptional candidate for a protected area because it represents the
characteristic landscapes, flora and fauna of Parks Canada’s Natural Region #7. It is one
of only two or three areas in the Yukon where the entire range of a woodland caribou
herd is still in a natural state, free of roads and development, and where intensive wildlife
management has not occurred. As such, it is a relatively intact predator-prey ecosystem.
While the Wolf Lake region is truly of national significance for its biological attributes, it
is also important in the regional and local context to the Teslin Tlingit people. For
generations the Wolf Lake and Nisutlin watersheds have been a source of food,
medicines, and a way of life. The area continues to be important for its historical, cultural
and spiritual values.
In support of conservation proposals in the Wolf Lake area, the Canadian Parks and
Wilderness Society, Yukon Chapter (CPAWS) organized a reconnaissance research trip
to Wolf Lake in early June, 1998. This on-going project is part of a series of biological
surveys that CPAWS has conducted for the Yukon Wildlands Project and Endangered
Spaces Campaign in various Yukon watersheds to help support conservation efforts. In
other years CPAWS has surveyed Frances Lake and Frances River, the Coal River, and in
northern Yukon the Wind, Snake and Bonnet Plume Rivers. The work in these various
watersheds has focused on reviewing existing information and gathering new data about
species occurrence, vegetation and habitat mapping, as well as describing the
characteristics of ecosystems. Often the CPAWS work has concentrated on species and
habitats that are less well known, such as small mammals and birds and their habitats.
The purpose of the Wolf Lake survey work was to:
•
•
•
•
learn more about vegetation communities and species occurrence,
establish a number of vegetation plots to support future vegetation cover mapping,
observe and classify mosses and lichens,
observe and record bird species habitat and occurrence,
1
•
•
•
observe and record small mammal species and amphibians,
learn more about traditional interpretations of the flora and fauna in the region,
photograph the landscape and variety of species present.
The 1998 field work was the first of what CPAWS plans to be a series of co-operative
research projects that will help conservation and land use planning in the region. CPAWS
wishes to co-operate with governments, Renewable Resource Councils and other
organizations in developing research proposals and carrying out the work. The 1998 work
focussed on a small part of the proposed Parks Canada study area, and will help
determine the methods used in future similar work.
All of the information collected will be available to governments and the various
advisory boards and councils, as well as to public interest groups.
CPAWS representatives on the 1998 Wolf Lake research group consisted of people with
expertise in birds, small mammals, amphibians, and vegetation, including bryophytes, as
well as photography. The respected Tlingit elder, Mr. Harry Morris and local trapper and
guide, Stan Stewart contributed invaluable local and traditional ecological knowledge.
The Wolf Lake research was done in cooperation with the Teslin Tlingit Council. The
assistance of Hugh Taylor, Georgina Sydney and Juanita Sydney of Teslin was also
greatly appreciated. The work could not have been carried out without the financial
support of the World Wildlife Fund, the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation, and the
Kinnear Foundation.
NATURAL VALUES
The Wolf Lake area is a relatively intact example of a northern boreal forest ecosystem. It
is particularly significant because the core area contains the range of a woodland caribou
herd in a landscape where there are no roads and intensive wildlife management has not
occurred. This intact predator-prey ecosystem, with woodland caribou as the dominant
ungulate is one of a dwindling number remaining in Western Canada. Few other areas in
Canada contain the full home range of an undisturbed woodland caribou herd, and none
are protected in their entirety.
Parks Canada (1998) identified a number of additional factors that make this region a
good candidate for a representative protected area:
• Includes part of three rugged, north-east trending mountain ranges that are
characteristic of the region: the Thirtymile Range, Englishman’s Range and the
Cassiar Mountains. These rise to 2,134 metres a.s.l., high enough to form permanent
snowfields and cornices. Alpine cirques with knife-edge ridges, steep slopes, talus
slopes and tarns occur along the northeast slopes. Avalanche activity is high.
•
Excellent examples of plateaus and lowlands that are typical of the region. These lie
between 750 and 1,220 metres in elevation, and are covered by glacial drift deposits
2
of varying thickness and countless lakes, ponds and swamps. The largest of the lakes
include Wolf, Morris, Wolverine, Fish and Caribou Lakes.
•
Part of the continental divide, including the headwaters of the Liard, Nisutlin and
Wolf River drainage basins.
•
Good altitudinal cross-section of regional land cover types and ecosystems including:
open white/black spruce-willow boreal forest up to about 1,050 metres; alpine fir
forests up to the treeline (1,370 metres); and, extensive dwarf birch-lichen flats,
alpine meadows and lichen-dominated alpine tundra communities to the mountain
peaks. Willow flats and sedge meadows are common in wet areas; aspen forests and
relict grasslands on steep, dry slopes.
•
The study area is considered by many biologists as one of the least disturbed, intact,
self-regulating, ‘predator-prey’ ecosystems on the continent.
•
Encompasses the home range of the Wolf Lake woodland caribou herd, which totals
about 2,000 animals. The herd winters in the boreal spruce-lichen forest around Wolf
Lake, calves in the alpine habitats of the northern Cassiar Mountains, then moves
outward to the home range edges for the summer, and returns to Wolf Lake in late
fall. This herd has been well studied for the past 15 years, providing baseline data for
the management of other caribou herds in Yukon. Two other woodland caribou herds
also frequent the area, the Little Rancheria Herd and Kawdy Herd. Both of these are
centered in the Jennings Lake study area in British Columbia.
•
A small, relict population of dark Stone’s sheep that frequents the relatively dry, wellvegetated northern parts of the Cassiar Mountains. This subspecies is at the northern
extent of its range in Canada. They are distinct from Dall sheep in the Rocky
Mountains to the southeast and Coastal Mountains to the west.
•
Other notable wildlife such as a small mountain goat population in the Cassiar and
Englishman’s Ranges; grizzly bears and black bears; an unregulated wolf population
(estimated at about 15 packs of 10-12 individuals); and excellent year-round habitat
for a large, viable moose population along ‘moose rivers’, such as the Wolf and
Nisutlin Rivers, and the moraine lake complex around and north of Wolf Lake.
•
Includes the Nisutlin River delta, one of the most important waterfowl staging areas
in the region and in the northwest section of the continent. It is also an important area
for shorebirds and waterfowl nesting, and fish spawning. Some 5,275 hectares of the
delta have been designated as a National Wildlife Area. Because of its extensive
marshlands, the Nisutlin River valley is particularly suited to moose, black bear and
waterfowl. Bald eagles and Kingfisher are also abundant. Some of the Yukon’s
oldest and largest stands of white spruce are found in the valley. The final agreement
of the Teslin Tlingit First Nation includes provisions to recognize and protect the
valley’s heritage and cultural significance.
3
•
Because of its wilderness character, intact ecosystems and self-regulating woodland
caribou herd, the area could be an important component of the Yellowstone to Yukon
Biodiversity Strategy, a large-scale conservation initiative to ensure the long-term
viability of large carnivore populations and the persistence of wilderness in the Rocky
Mountains.
This preliminary CPAWS survey and review of the literature determined the following
factors are also important:
• A number of rare plant species can be found here, including Angelica lucida, Primula
nutans, and, possibly, Artemisia michauxiana. Future research is likely to result in
more rare species being found. Amphi-Beringian species, those that occur only on
either side of the Bering Strait, also exist here.
•
Moose are abundant in the Wolf Lake area and along the Nisutlin River valley. The
numerous ponds and wetlands provide excellent habitat for moose populations. In
addition, Geist et al. (1974) noted that the warm and productive Wolf River, due to
annual flooding and reworking of alluvium, permits a moose population to flourish
year round. Geist et al. concluded that “the main reason for proposing the Wolf Lake
area as a major ecological reserve is that it will maintain - virtually indefinitely - a
viable, large moose population”.
•
The Wolf River and Nisutlin River watersheds provide important chinook salmon
spawning habitat. The salmon spawning also attracts bald eagles and grizzly bears to
these rivers in the late summer and fall.
HIGHLIGHTS OF FIELD TRIP FINDINGS
•
Elder Harry Morris and Stan Stewart provided many insights into the natural history
of the region, including observations on edible plants, the cultural significance of
amphibians, and the region’s trapping history.
•
Sixty-two different species of birds were observed along the shores of Wolf Lake and
in the surrounding forests. CPAWS researchers confirmed the breeding of five
species of birds: Herring gull, Common yellowthroat, Bald eagle, Barn swallow and
Tree swallow.
•
Night time bat calls were recorded in the wetlands at the mouth of Trout Creek.
These are suspected to be Little Brown Bats.
•
Moose, muskrat, beaver, and the wood frog appeared to be abundant in the wetlands
near Wolf Lake.
•
121 different species of plants were recorded in the Wolf Lake area, including several
rare species for the Yukon (Angelica lucida, Primula nutans, and possibly Artemisia
4
michauxiana). More species will likely be added to this list as further identifications
are completed.
•
Vegetation plots were conducted in a number of different habitats, including a
riparian white spruce forest, an alpine scrubland, a mixed white and black spruce
forest on shallow peat, and an aspen grove on a south-facing slope.
•
A preliminary list of bryophytes of the Wolf Lake area was developed, adding nine
new species to a previous list developed in the 1970’s. Further species will be added
to the list following laboratory work.
ECOREGION DESCRIPTIONS
Wolf Lake falls within the Yukon Southern Lakes ecoregion. The surrounding area to the
east and north of the lake lie in the Pelly Mountains ecoregion. (This information is
adapted from Oswald and Senyk,1977, and Yukon Ecoregions Working Group, 1998)
Yukon Southern Lakes
The Yukon Southern Lakes ecoregion is characterized by a maze of freshwater lakes and
rivers amidst a mountainous setting. The lakes and numerous wetlands of the region are
used extensively by migrating waterfowl as well as animals such as moose. The
surrounding hills and plateaus are covered in open stands of white spruce with a carpet of
feathermoss, shrubs and forbs below. Black spruce grows on the wetter sites. Lodgepole
pine occurs in the burn areas. Dry aspen stands and sagewort grasslands can be found on
the south-facing slopes at lower elevations. Forest fires are frequent and extensive,
shaping the landscape of this ecoregion. Since the region is located in the rainshadow of
the Coast Mountain Range it is drier and colder in winter than more coastal regions.
The Yukon Southern Lakes area was glaciated during the last ice age, the McConnell
Glaciation. During melting and retreat of the glaciers, sands and gravels were deposited
by glaciers and meltwater streams throughout the lowlands of this region. As a result, the
lower elevation terrain of the Yukon Southern Lakes ecoregion is overlain with extensive
glacial deposits, including features such as terraces and kames (see Appendix A for a
glossary of italicized terms). At higher elevations shallow deposits of morainal and
colluvial material, as well as bedrock outcroppings, are found. Some of the high elevation
valleys show signs of having been scoured due to glacial activity.
This ecoregion lies in the discontinuous scattered permafrost zone. Permafrost features
such as peat plateaus, patterned fen and bog complexes, and beaded streams are common
at middle to upper elevations. Some hummocky terrain also occurs on lower north-facing
slopes. Above treeline other permafrost features such as stone nets and stripes are found.
Pelly Mountains
The Pelly Mountains ecoregion contains the Pelly and Cassiar Mountains as well as part
of the Nisutlin Plateau. Lakes occur mainly in the Nisutlin Plateau part of this ecoregion.
5
A large part of this area is above treeline and the high landscape intercepts weather
systems coming from the Pacific resulting in more rain here than in other inland regions.
Lichens and willows are common in the drier alpine tundra, sedge tussocks in the alpine
wetlands, while black and white spruce occur in the valleys and lower slopes of the
plateau. Lodgepole pine is found in areas following fire. Aspen and balsam poplar are
scarce and grow on the warmer floodplains. Feathermoss, sphagnum, shrubs and willows
cover much of the understorey while forbs are scarce.
Most of this ecoregion was glaciated during the last ice age and was the contact area of
the Cassiar Ice lobe which was flowing north and the ice from the Selwyn and Logan
Mountains which was flowing south and southeast. Intense glacial erosion took place in
this region. The major valley bottoms are all deeply overlain with materials deposited by
the glaciers and deposits that resulted from the ice melting often extend up the slopes to
mid elevations. Scree slopes can be found at the highest elevations where sedimentary
rock occurs. Rock glaciers remain in many areas.
Permafrost is common in the alpine regions of this ecoregion but at lower elevations is
more scattered and variable. At lower elevations perennially frozen peatlands can be
found. Peat plateaus are common on the large floodplains. Hummock fields and large,
peat-covered hummocks occur in some valleys. At higher elevations are the perennially
frozen features like stone nets, solifluction lobes and stripes. Fens may display polygonal
patterns that are relict signs of previous ice wedges.
BIRD LIFE
Bird observations were made in the Wolf Lake area from June 5 to June 10, 1998, by
Dennis Kuch and other members of the CPAWS research crew. Major emphasis was
placed on the wetlands of Miller Bay. Observations were also made on the lake in
general, in wetlands at the northern and southern ends of the lake, wetlands along Irvine
Creek, in a spruce-fir forest along Trout Creek, and in the subalpine surroundings of
Trout Lake (see Figure 2).
Further information was obtained from Pat and Pete Frederickson of Wolf Lake
Wilderness Camp who have been summer residents (June to mid-September) on the
western side of Wolf Lake for 20 years. Between 1978 and 1997, they recorded all birds
observed in the area and counted the number of gull eggs on Field Island. Of note in their
observations are an incidental sighting of migrating Sandhill cranes that put down on a
small lake behind their cabins during fog in the fall and a possible sighting of a Murre.
The Fredericksons noted that Trumpeter swans come through the area during spring
migration and Canada geese nest on May Lake. Denny Denison of Coyote Air reported
that a pair of Trumpeter swans has nested on Wolverine Lake for a number of years.
They were not seen this year.
Godfrey (1986) identified species suspected to breed in the area, based on earlier reports
from outside the region and informed speculation. The results of observations made by
6
CPAWS researchers, the Fredericksons and speculations by Godfrey (1986) are found in
Table 1. Species observed breeding in the area are marked with a “B”.
Table 1: Birds of the Wolf Lake Area
Species Observed
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Tundra Swan
White-fronted Goose
Canada Goose
Green-winged Teal
Blue-winged Teal
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Northern Shoveler
American Wigeon
Canvasback
Redhead
Scaup spp.
Harlequin Duck
Oldsquaw
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Golden Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Northern Goshawk
Swainson's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Gyrfalcon
Spruce Grouse
Blue Grouse
Willow Ptarmigan
Rock Ptarmigan
White-tailed Ptarmigan
Ruffed Grouse
Sharp-tailed Grouse
Sora
American Coot
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Golden Plover
Semipalmated Plover
1998
June1
197819972
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
B
X
X
X
X
X
X
Suspected3
Species Observed
X
X
X
X
Common Nighthawk
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Three-toed Woodpecker
Black-backed Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Western Wood-Pewee
Alder Flycatcher
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Say-s Phoebe
Horned Lark
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Gray Jay
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Boreal Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
American Dipper
Mountain Bluebird
Townsend's Solitaire
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Water Pipit
Bohemian Waxwing
Northern Shrike
European Starling
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Wilson's Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Red-winged Blackbird
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
B
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
7
1998 1978June1 19972
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
B
B
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
B
X
X
X
X
X
X
Suspected3
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Species Observed
Killdeer
Lesser Yellowlegs
Solitary Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Upland Sandpiper
Whimbrel
Ruddy Turnstone
Least Sandpiper
Common Snipe
Red-necked Phalarope
Bonaparte's Gull
Mew Gull
Herring Gull
Black-legged Kittiwake
Arctic Tern
Common Murre
Mourning Dove
Great Horned Owl
Northern Hawk-Owl
Great Gray Owl
Short-eared Owl
Boreal Owl
1998
June1
X
X
X
197819972
X
X
Suspected3
Species Observed
X
X
X
X
X
Rusty Blackbird
Rosy Finch
Pine Grosbeak
Purple Finch
Red Crossbill
White-winged Crossbill
Common Redpoll
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Pine Siskin
American Tree Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Golden-crowned sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Lapland Longspur
Snow Bunting
Smith’s Longspur
TOTAL SPECIES
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
B
B
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
1998 1978June1 19972
B?
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Suspected3
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
62
58
130
1
Observations made by Dennis Kuch and other CPAWS researchers
2
Observations made by Pete and Pat Frederickson of Wolf Lake Wilderness Camp
3
Birds suspected to breed in the Wolf Lake area, according to Godfrey (1986)
X = present
B = breeding confirmed
There are a number of bird species that are known to occur in the southeast corner of the
Yukon but not elsewhere in the Territory. These include Red-eyed vireo, Philadelphia
vireo, Magnolia warbler, Cape May warbler, Bay-breasted warbler, Black-and-white
warbler, Canada warbler, Mourning warbler, Western tanager, Ovenbird, Rose-breasted
grosbeak, LeConte’s sparrow, and Lark sparrow in the extreme southeast Yukon
watersheds of the Beaver and LaBiche Rivers. Species that occur further west of these
watersheds, toward Watson Lake, include Pileated woodpecker, Solitary vireo, Swamp
sparrow, Clay-coloured sparrow, Brewer’s blackbird, Black tern, and Eastern phoebe.
Although none of these species were observed by the CPAWS group there is a possibility
that the ranges of some of them extend into the Wolf Lake area.
The only earlier report of bird observations from the Wolf Lake area is that of Geist et al.
(1974). Although most of their observations were made in the Nisutlin River delta area,
seven species sightings were recorded on Wolf Lake. These included Common loon, a
Merganser species, Bald eagle, Sharp-shinned hawk, Spruce grouse, Spotted sandpiper,
and American robin. All of these species, except for the Sharp-shinned hawk, were
observed by the CPAWS trip participants.
CPAWS researchers confirmed the breeding of at least five species of birds: Herring
gull, Common yellowthroat, Bald eagle, Barn swallow, and Tree swallow. Rusty
blackbirds were seen carrying food and are thus considered probable breeders at Wolf
8
Lake. Denny Denison noted that Trumpeter swans often nest on Wolverine Lake and the
Fredericksons told us that Canada geese nest on May Lake.
The 1998 CPAWS research trip focused on only a small part of the Parks Canada study
area. To the west, at the eastern boundary of the study area is the Nisutlin River delta, one
of the most important waterfowl staging areas and nesting sites in the Yukon (see
Appendix B). This region of the study area has been investigated more extensively for
bird life by various government agencies.
MAMMALS
The mammal species listed in Table 2 are known or suspected to occur in the Wolf Lake
area based on existing distribution information (Banfield 1974, Youngman 1975, Alaska
Geographic Society 1996, Slough 1997). Species observed during the June 5 to 10, 1998
field studies (including observations of fresh scats, tracks, etc.) are denoted with a
checkmark (√). The distribution of most species is largely inferred, with very little
specific information available for the area. Taxonomy and scientific nomenclature is
based on Nagorsen (1990).
Table 2: Mammals of the Wolf Lake Area
Insectivores
Black-backed shrew
Common shrew
Pygmy shrew
Dusky shrew
Water shrew
Bats
√Little brown myotis
Lagomorphs
√Snowshoe hare
Collared pika
Rodents
Northern red-backed vole
Found in stomachs of lake trout captured in lake drained by Rain Fish
Creek, 3.5 km south of Wolf Lake (P. Frederickson, pers. commun.).
Observed occasionally during summer at Wolf Lake (P. Frederickson, pers.
commun.). Also observed at the Morley River (H. Morris, pers. commun.)
and Teslin area (P. Denison, pers. commun.). Bat calls recorded in wetlands
at Trout Creek mouth. These will be analyzed for species identification later.
Other species of bats may be present.
Apparently common in the talus of the Trout Lake area (S. Stewart, pers.
commun.; Slough et al. 1989).
Probably abundant since marten, whose prime food are red-backed voles, are
abundant (S. Stewart, pers. commun.).
Brown lemming
Long-tailed vole
Tundra vole
Meadow vole
9
Rodents (continued)
√Muskrat
Heather vole
Northern bog lemming
√Beaver
Bushy-tailed wood rat
Deer mouse
√Porcupine
Northern flying squirrel
Hoary marmot
Woodchuck
√Arctic ground squirrel
Least chipmunk
√Red squirrel
Meadow jumping mouse
Western jumping mouse
Carnivores
Coyote
√Gray Wolf
Red fox
Cougar
Lynx
Wolverine
River otter
Marten
Fisher
Ermine
Least weasel
Mink
√Black bear
√Grizzly bear
Ungulates
Mule deer
Mountain goat
Stone sheep
√Moose
√Woodland caribou
Abundant in Irvine Creek wetlands (Slough and Jessup 1984). Observed
during field trip in Trout Creek wetlands near mouth.
Abundant sign on Irvine Creek. Also observed on Wolf Lake.
An individual observed on Trout Lake trail near subalpine (J. Campana, pers.
commun.).
Present (S. Stewart, pers. commun.).
Found in alpine meadows of cirque above Trout Lake (S. Stewart, pers.
commun.).
Present, but not abundant, in subalpine/alpine along Trout Lake trail.
Common in the white spruce forests which dominate the Wolf Lake
shoreline.
Known only from 3 specimens from the South Canol Road (Youngman
1975, Beare 1981).
Not common in Wolf Lake area (S. Stewart, pers. commun.).
Abundant (S. Stewart, pers. commun.).
Not known in Wolf Lake area (S. Stewart, pers. commun.).
A small population exists in the Cassiar and Englishman’s Ranges
(Geist et al., 1974) (see Appendix C)
A small, relict population frequents the northern parts of the Cassiar
Mountains (Geist et al., 1974) (see Appendix D)
Appear to be abundant around Wolf Lake.
The Wolf Lake caribou herd occurs in this area (see Appendix E). Signs
seen on Trout Lake trail between Wolf Lake and Trout Lake.
The composite mammal species of the Wolf Lake area reflect the complex glacial history
and subsequent colonization of glaciated areas. The last glacial recession occurred only
15,000 to 10,000 years BP (before present). Eleven of the 47 mammals listed in Table 2 are
believed to be of Beringian origin (Youngman 1975). The others are southern immigrants or
they are from other refugia. Beringian species include the collared pika, northern red-backed
10
vole, brown lemming, tundra vole, beaver, ermine, least weasel, wolverine, grizzly bear,
Dall sheep and moose.
Several mammal species may reach their northern limit of distribution in the study area
including mule deer, cougar, fisher, western jumping mouse, and several bat species (see
Appendices F and G) (Slough 1998b). The only Yukon population of the western jumping
mouse may be in this area. The least weasel, more common to the west and north of the
area, is also expected here.
AMPHIBIANS
The wood frog was found to be abundant in the Irvine Creek wetlands and was also
observed in wetlands at the south end of Wolf Lake. The boreal toad is only known from
the Meister River in the greater Wolf Lake study area (Slough 1998a) and may reach its
northern limit of distribution here.
VEGETATION
General Description
The main vegetation community found around Wolf Lake is white/black spruce boreal
forests on shallow peat deposits. These forests are about 150 years old, although more
data are needed to reconstruct age-class distribution and disturbance history in the area.
Many plant species characteristic of bogs (including some Sphagnum spp.) are found in
these spruce forests. White spruce and black spruce (Picea glauca and P. mariana) are
the main tree species, and ground cover is mostly stairstep moss (Hylocomium
splendens). Vascular species such as lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), blueberry
(Vaccinium spp.) and birch and willow shrubs (Betula glandulosa and Salix spp.), as well
as crowberry (Empetrum nigrum) and Labrador tea (Ledum groenlandica) are abundant.
Caribou lichen (Cladina mitis and C. rangiferina), Cladonia spp. and Peltigera spp. are
the main lichen representatives.
The area is pockmarked with small wetlands (potholes) and larger ponds bordered by
sedge/grass tussocks. Marsh cinquefoil (Potentilla palustris) and some mosses such as
Drepanocladus spp. and Calliergon spp. are common in wet depressions in between
tussocks.
The area shows little relief, and white/black spruce boreal forests dominate the low
elevation sites (1,000 m). Higher elevations (1,300-1,500 m) are more like birch/willow
scrubland than alpine, with some alpine communities on rocky outcrops. There is a good
example of a transitional subalpine fir forest (Abies lasiocarpa) on the trail to Trout Lake
(at about 1,100-1,200 m).
Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) is not a major species at the south end of the lake where
the soils seem to contain more clay and retain too much stagnant water for this species.
11
The sandier soils at the north end of the lake are more favorable to pine growth, and pine
trees are found there mixed with spruce and even in small monospecies stands close to
the Wolf River.
South-facing slopes, from grassy, very arid steep slopes to aspen groves on gentler,
somewhat moister slopes, are scattered throughout the area both in the uplands at the
southeast end of the lake and along the lakeshore. The plant communities found in these
harsh conditions are typical of xeric habitats in the boreal forest. Pasture sage (Artemisia
frigida), prickly saxifrage (Saxifraga tricuspidata), aspen (Populus tremuloides) and
various species of grasses are well adapted to those habitats.
Description of Vegetation Plots
For the locations of vegetation plots please refer to Figure 2. Site numbers in the text
correspond to numbers on the map.
Site 1. Riparian vegetation along Irvine Creek
Trees along Irvine Creek are about 150 years old (origin around 1860). Average tree
height at this site is 10-15 metres. White spruce trees (Picea glauca) cover 50% of the
site, and are the only tree species. An understorey of shrubs (total 35%) is 20% birch
(Betula glandulosa) and 15% willow. Low shrubs under spruce trees are mostly willow
(20%) and blueberry (Vaccinium sp., 10%), with some birch and Labrador tea (Ledum
groenlandicum) (5% each). Grasses are present. Low shrubs in the open are 70%
blueberry and 10% Labrador tea; a few spruce seedlings are also present.
Groundcover under the spruce trees is 25% stairstep moss (Hylocomium splendens), 20%
lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), 10% grasses, 5% crowberry (Empetrum nigrum),
5% dwarf nagoonberry (Rubus arcticus ssp. acaulis), and 5% Aulacomnium palustre.
Vetch (Hedysarum sp.) and lupine (Lupinus arcticus) are present. Groundcover in the
open is 50% stairstep moss, 5% lingonberry, and 5% each Polytrichum sp. and
Aulacomnium palustre. Crowberry, bearberry (Arctostaphylos rubra), dwarf nagoonberry
and grasses are also present.
Other species found at this site are high-bush cranberry (Viburnum edule), red swamp
currant (Ribes triste), bastard toadflax (Geocaulon lividum), shrubby cinquefoil
(Potentilla fructicosa), Aleutian mugwort (Artemisia tilesii), Pleurozium schreberi,
Peltigera spp., Cladina mitis, and Drepanocladus sp.
The soil consists of 10-15 centimetres of organic material over clay-sand deposits. The
absence of alder (Alnus sp.) at this site was puzzling because it is a riparian species and
can be expected here. Alder was not found along the lakeshore either. However, some
isolated individuals or groves may have been overlooked.
12
Site 2. Alpine scrubland at Trout Lake
This site is dominated by one to two metre tall birch shrubs (Betula glandulosa, 80%),
with a few willows (10%) and the odd short (5m) fir tree (Abies lasiocarpa).
Groundcover is complete, with Cladina mitis (25%), stairstep moss (20%), and crowberry
(20%) occupying most of the surface. Blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum, 10%),
lingonberry (5%), Peltigera spp. (5%), and other lichens (10%) make up the rest. Grasses
(Hierochloe alpina and Festuca altaica), coltsfoot (Petasites frigidus ssp. nivalis),
northern Labrador tea (Ledum decumbens), bearberry (Arctostaphylos alpina), Anemone
drummondii, prickly saxifrage (Saxifraga tricuspidata) and Labrador lousewort
(Pedicularis labradorica) are also present. The site has a very gentle slope (5 degrees) to
the east. Rocky outcrops in the area are mostly colonized by lichens with some blueberry
growing where crevices in the rock allow for 'soil' accumulation.
Site 3. White/black spruce forest on shallow peat on north side of peninsula (Miller Bay)
The species at this site are typical of a bog community, although the peat is not thick
enough for the site to be classified as a peatland.
The dominant tree stratum is 12% white spruce and 3% black spruce; there is also a
subcanopy of spruce of about the same relative composition. Tall shrubs (>2m) cover
20% of the site (15% birch, 5% willow). Low shrubs (<2m), mostly Labrador tea (15%)
and blueberry (10%), cover a total of 25% of the site.
Herbs and groundcover other than mosses represent only 20% of the lower vegetation;
there is bearberry (15%), cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus, 3%), lingonberry (2%),
Equisetum scirpoides and E. sylvaticum, Petasites sp., prickly rose (Rosa acicularis),
crowberry, Orthilia secunda, and louseworts (Pedicularis sp.). Mosses make up 90% of
the groundcover, with Tomenthypnum nitens (40%) and stairstep moss (30%) being the
most common. Also present are Aulacomnium palustre and A. turgidum (15% together),
Sphagnum sp. (5%), Polytrichum sp., Cladina mitis, C. rangiferina, Pleurozium shreberi,
and Peltigera spp. Bog rosemary (Andromeda polifolia) has been collected in similar
habitat near Wolverine Lake but was not found at Miller Bay.
The slope at this site is about 15 degrees, aspect north. Most trees are about 8-10 metres
high, and the tree age varies between 110 and 160 years.
Site 4. Aspen grove on peninsula at Miller Bay
Tree cover totals 45% at this site, with 25% white spruce and 20% aspen (Populus
tremuloides). Shrubs taller than two metres only account for 10% of the vegetation cover,
with 5% willow and 5% aspen saplings. Low shrubs and groundcover vegetation consist
mainly of crowberry (60%) and toadflax (20%); also present are lupine (2%), lingonberry
(2%), grasses (2%), Orthilia secunda, Mertensia paniculata, twinflower (Linnaea
borealis), prickly rose, Labrador tea, and fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium). Stairstep
moss (5%) and litter (5%) complete the picture.
13
This 20-degree, south-facing slope has five centimetres of organic matter over mineral
soil.
Other Sites Examined (not formal plots)
Site 5. Wetlands around potholes
The few small wetlands surrounding the potholes and ponds visited were all very similar
in their vegetation composition. They consisted mostly of sedge and grass tussocks (e.g.
Calamagrostis canadensis, Carex utriculata) (80%), with 10% marsh cinquefoil and 10%
various mosses (Drepanocladus revolvens, Marchantia sp., Calliergon sp.) growing in
the wet depressions between tussocks. Other species found at these sites include Geum
macrophyllum, Equisetum species, Chrysosplenium tetrandum, and Galium trifidum.
Menyanthes (buckbean) would be expected to grow in this habitat but was not found.
Some of those wetlands had drier, peaty ridges either around them or creating a network
inside them. Typical bog species were found on those ridges: Sphagnum spp., Pleurozium
schreberi, Hylocomium splendens, Cladina mitis, Peltigera spp., black spruce, willow
species, shrub birch, grasses (Festuca altaica and others), crowberry, bearberry (A.
rubra), Labrador tea, Oxycoccus microcarpus, Vaccinium uliginosum, and V. vitis-idaea,
Pyrola asarifolia, yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and cloudberry.
Site 6. South-facing slope along north-east shore
The plant community found on this steep, south-facing slope is very typical of such sites
in the boreal forest. Xerophyte species such as sage (Artemisia sp.), prickly saxifrage
(Saxifraga tricuspidata), and common juniper (Juniperus communis) are well
represented. The Artemisia specimens collected at this site require further study but may
contain A. michauxiana, which is considered to be a rare species in the Yukon. Also
found here were Anemone multifida, Potentilla hyparctica, crowberry, toadflax,
bearberry, and kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi). Some species of willow, grasses
and sedges also grow on such sites. Balsam poplar suckers (Populus balsamifera) are
abundant at the bottom of the slope where it meets the lake and aspen were also present.
At the crest of the slope, where conditions are more mesic, shrub birch once again take
over, accompanied by lupine, soopolallie (Shepherdia canadensis), crowberry, bearberry
(A. rubra), blueberry (V. uliginosum), bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), toadflax, prickly
rose, and raspberry (Rubus idaeus).
Site 7. Gravel beach at northeast end of lake
This gravel beach was a jewel in this otherwise rather typical boreal forest. Blue
columbine (Aquilegia brevistyla), long-stalked starwort (Stellaria longipes) and the little
fireweed (Epilobium latifolium) competed for attention in a colourful display of blooms.
Of particular note here was Angelica lucida, a rare species for the Yukon which is known
only in four other locations. In addition to the white spruce and grasses such as Festuca
14
altaica, Calamagrostis canadensis, and Elymus trachycaulus, we collected Anemone
parviflora, Anemone richardsonii, Delphinium glaucum, Barbarea orthoceras, Fragaria
virginiana, Hedysarum alpinum, Pyrola asarifolia, prickly saxifrage, fireweed, yarrow,
Artemisia tilesii, goldenrod (Solidago multiradiata), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale),
Mertensia paniculata, Andromeda polifolia, dwarf nagoonberry, lingonberry,
kinnikinnick (A. uva-ursi), Equisetum arvense, and mountain death-camas (Zygadenus
elegans), a very poisonous plant. Teslin Tlingit elder Harry Morris pointed out cowparsnip, which he described as wild celery or (Heracleum lanatum, or Indian
celery/rhubarb). Total vegetation cover is about 40%.
Site 8. Sandy beach at south end of lake
On this beautiful sandy beach, we found Epilobium latifolium, Artemisia tilesii,
Cerastium arvense, Trisetum spicatum, Calamagrostis canadensis, Poa alpina, Carex
aquatilis, Equisetum palustre, Stellaria longipes, Arabis kamchatica, Rorippa palustris
and Hedysarum alpinum. Just to the west of this beach, in a spruce-birch bog, we found
Pedicularis sudetica and a Pinguicula species believed to be P. villosa (the flower is
smaller than P. vulgaris).
Site 9. Pine - shrub birch - lichen forest at Wolf River
Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and shrub birch are the two main vascular species in
these pine stands. These stands are by no means extensive but rather are small pockets
surrounded by white spruce and spruce/pine forests. Lichens, mostly Cladina mitis and C.
rangiferina, represented probably 85% of the groundcover vegetation, with some mosses
and toadflax adding variety. These stands were found on sandy soils, often on a slope of
10 to 20 degrees. Pine was also present on the eastern and western shores of Wolf Lake,
close to the north end of the lake, mixed with white spruce. Along the shoreline at this
site we found what we believe is Primula nutans, a rare species in the Yukon. A
specimen has been sent away for confirmation. Other species found here include Festuca
altaica, Juncus balticus var. alaskanus, and Anemone parviflora.
Site 10. Subalpine fir forest at mid-elevation between Wolf Lake and Trout Lake
Subalpine fir made the transition between the lowland white spruce forests and the alpine
scrubland at Trout Lake. Cooler, shadier conditions at this elevation foster the growth of
different small species such as lycopods (Lycopodium complanatum and L. annotinum),
bunchberry, horsetail (Equisetum arvense and E. sylvaticum), and a feather moss called
knight's plume (Ptilium crista-castrensis). Other species found in these forests are
crowberry, Mertensia paniculata, twinflower, lupine, toadflax, Labrador tea, rose,
Anemone richardsonii, dwarf nagoonberry, bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, A.
rubra), lousewort (Pedicularis labradorica), white spruce, the odd pine tree, and stairstep
moss. Balsam poplar trees and saplings are abundant in the flood zone of Trout Creek at
the big bridge; other plants collected here include a horsetail (Equisetum sylvaticum) and
Petasites frigidus ssp. nivalis. Harry Morris indicated that Petasites frigidus, like the cow
parsnip we found at the north end of Wolf Lake, could be eaten like celery. A south-
15
facing slope along the trail had aspen, juniper, soopolallie, high-bush cranberry,
lousewort (Pedicularis spp.), Mertensia paniculata, lupine, and stairstep moss, as well as
mountain death-camas (Zygadenus elegans).
Site 11. Alpine tundra above Trout Lake
This rocky outcrop above Trout Lake supports a sparse alpine community of prickly
saxifrage, bearberry, blueberry (V. uliginosum), lupine, crowberry, and low-lying
willows. Lichens are also present. A late-melting snow patch in a protected hollow was
watering a micro-community of grasses and Cassiope tetragona ssp. saximontana. Also
collected in this area were Lycopodium alpinum, Gentiana prostrata, and an Antennaria
species.
A preliminary list of plant species observed in the Wolf Lake area by both CPAWS
researchers and Geist et al. (1974), the only other study we are aware of that examined
the vegetation in the area, is attached in Appendix H. Some of the grasses and willows
collected from this trip will be included in this list after identification. A preliminary list
of bryophyte species is attached in Appendix I and will be added to as laboratory work is
completed. In addition, Pete and Pat Frederickson, owners of Wolf Lake Wilderness
Camp, provided a list of plants they have seen around the lake. Those not observed by
Geist et al. (1974) and CPAWS researchers, but reported by the Fredericksons, include
wild sweet pea, single delight, alpine arnica, white bog-orchid, black-tipped groundsel,
mountain harebell, rock-jasmine, bluebells of Scotland, Oeder’s lousewort, eschscholtz
buttercup, and western columbine. These were identified using The Alaska-Yukon Wild
Flowers Guide (1974).
Previous Vegetation Work
Geist et al. (1974) described a number of different vegetation communities in the Wolf
Lake and Wolf River area:
White Spruce – Willow Forest
These open but somewhat wet sites dominate the vegetation from 800 to 1200 metres
elevation and consist mainly of white spruce, willows and dwarf birch bushes. Shrubs are
dominated by willow and dwarf birch, though Ribes triste, Rubus idaeus and Rosa
acicularis are also common. In addition to white spruce there are some black spruce in
acid bogs, as well as a few paper birches (Betula papyrifera), lodgepole pine (Pinus
contorta) and alder (Alnus crispa). A moss layer is found on tall hummocks which tend to
be ice-cored.
Willow Flats and Sedge Meadows
These sites surround numerous small lakes and creeks and progress from white sprucewillow communities, becoming increasingly wetter. The spruce give way to tall willows
mixed with dwarf birch. Tall sedges, fescue, and Calamagrostis are numerous and large.
Where there is standing water, Equisetum fluviatile appears. Productivity of willows is
low.
16
Pine Forest-Dwarf Birch Communities
These communities are found on flat, well-drained sites. The forest floor consists mainly
of lichen and the herb and dwarf shrub layer is sparse. In a few places that are very dry,
meadows are found where dwarf birch dominate and the forest floor is covered with
dense growth of fescues, sedges and Calamagrostis in place of the lichens.
Wet Meadows Along Creeks
These meadows, well defined from the surrounding spruce and fir forests, have willow
bushes and a diverse herb community. Sedges and fescues are dense and tall. Some moss
hummocks occur here too.
Aspen Forests and Grasslands
The aspen stands on steep, south-facing slopes are minor communities in this area. The
main species here are Populus tremuloides, Calamagrostis and Lupinus arcticus. In drier
sites Festuca altaica is also found. There are some grasslands at the north end of Wolf
Lake on steep slopes that consist of plants like Calamagrostis, Arctostaphylos, Juniperus
and Artemisia.
Rubble Slopes
Tall alder, dwarf birch bushes and juniper dominate these sites. Below the bushes, lichens
and bryophytes are relatively rich. Woody plants and lichens are more common than
herbaceous and grass-like vegetation.
17
REFERENCES
Agriculture Canada. 1976. Glossary of terms in soil science. Agriculture Canada Publication No. 1459.
Ottawa, Ontario. 44pp. Cited in: National Wetlands Working Group. 1988. Wetlands of Canada.
Ecological Land Classification Series, No. 24. Environment Canada. 452pp.
Alaska Geographic Society. 1996. Mammals of Alaska: a comprehensive guide from the publishers of
Alaska Geographic. Alaska Geographic Guides, the Alaska Geographic Society, Anchorage, AK.
176pp.
American Geological Institute. 1976. Dictionary of geological terms. Anchor Books, Garden City, New
York. 472pp. Cited in: National Wetlands Working Group. 1988. Wetlands of Canada. Ecological
Land Classification Series, No. 24. Environment Canada. 452pp.
Archibald, W.R., and R.H. Jessup. 1984. Population dynamics of the pine marten (Martes
americana) in the Yukon Territory. Pages 81-97 in R. Olsen, F. Geddes, and R. Hastings, eds.
Northern ecology and resource management. University of Alberta Press, Edmonton.
Banfield, A.W.F. 1974. The Mammals of Canada. University of Toronto Press, Toronto. 438pp.
Bates, Robert L. And Julia A. Jackson (eds.). 1980. Glossary of geology. Second edition. American
Geological Institute, Falls Church, Virginia. 749pp.
Beare, S.S. 1981. Diversity and habitat selection of small mammals in southern Yukon. Progress report
#2, Department Zoology, University of Alberta, Edmonton. 21pp.
Beare, S.S. 1984. Relative abundance and habitat relationships of Clethrionomys rutilus in the southcentral Yukon Territory. M.Sc. thesis, University of Alberta, Edmonton. 195pp.
Brown, R.J.E. and W.O. Kupsch. 1974. Permafrost terminology. Associate Committee on Geotechnical
Research, National Research Council of Canada. Technical Memorandum No. 111. 62p. Cited in:
National Wetlands Working Group. 1988. Wetlands of Canada. Ecological Land Classification
Series, No. 24. Environment Canada. 452pp.
Geist, V., Ogilvie, R.T., Reid, D.E., Gubbe, D.H., and I.D. Hubbard. 1974. Report on Wolf Lake, panel
10, C.T. site 18. 238pp.
Godfrey, W. Earl. 1986. The birds of Canada. Revised edition. National Museum of Natural Sciences.
National Museums of Canada. 595pp.
Nagorsen, D. 1990. The mammals of British Columbia: a taxonomic catalogue. Royal British Columbia
Museum, Memoir No. 4. 140pp.
Parks Canada. 1998. Representative natural areas in the Northern Interior Plateaux and Mountains
(Natural Region 7). National Parks Directorate. 27pp.
Oswald,E.T. and J.P. Senyk. 1977. Ecoregions of Yukon Territory. Canadian Forestry Service. 115pp.
Slough, B.G. 1989. Movements and habitat use by transplanted marten in the Yukon Territory. Journal of
Wildlife Management 53: 991-997.
Slough, B.G. 1997. Frogs, toads & salamanders: amphibians of the Yukon and northern British Columbia.
Brochure prepared for the Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada and the Yukon
Department of Renewable Resources, Whitehorse, YT.
18
Slough, B.G. 1998a. Status of the boreal toad (Bufo boreas boreas) in Yukon. Prepared for Environment
Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service, Whitehorse, YT. 15pp.
Slough, B.G. 1998b. A survey of the bat fauna of the Yukon Territory. Prepared for the Northern
Research Institute, Yukon College, Whitehorse, YT. 20pp.
Slough, B.G, W.R. Archibald, S.S. Beare and R.H. Jessup. 1989. Food habits of martens (Martes
americana) in the south-central Yukon Territory. Canadian Field-Naturalist 103: 18-22.
Slough, B.G., and R.H. Jessup. 1984. Furbearer inventory, habitat assessment, and trapper utilization of
the Yukon River basin. Yukon River Basin Study, Project Report: Wildlife No. 1. 87pp + Append.
Strahler, Arthur and Alan Strahler. 1983. Modern physical geography. Second edition. John Wiley & Sons,
New York. 532pp.
White, H.M. and V. Howie. 1974. The Alaska-Yukon wild flowers guide. Alaska Northwest Publishing
Company, Anchorage, Alaska. 218pp.
Youngman, P.M. 1975. Mammals of the Yukon Territory. National Museum of Canada, Publ. in Zool.,
No. 10. Ottawa, Ont. 192pp.
Yukon Ecoregions Working Group. 1998. Ecoregions of the Yukon. In preparation.
Personal Communications
Joseph Campana, Whitehorse.
Denny Denison, Coyote Air, Teslin.
Patty Denison, Teslin.
Pete and Pat Frederickson, Wolf Lake Wilderness Lodge.
Harry Morris, Teslin.
Stan Stewart, Teslin.
19
APPENDIX A: Glossary of Terms
beaded stream: Streams that consist of pools or small lakes that are connected by short stream segments. The
pools are caused by melting of ground ice. (Oswald and Senyk, 1977)
bedrock outcropping: That part of a geologic formation or structure that appears at the surface of the Earth;
also, bedrock that is covered only by surficial deposits. (Bates and Jackson, 1980)
bog: Waterlogged, spongy ground, consisting primarily of mosses, containing acidic, decaying vegetation that
may develop into peat. (Bates and Jackson, 1980)
colluvial: deposit of sediment or rock particles as a result of erosion caused by ice sheets at higher slopes
(Strahler and Strahler, 1983)
fen: Waterlogged, spongy ground containing alkaline decaying vegetation, characterized by reeds, that may
develop into peat. (Bates and Jackson, 1980)
glacial scour: The eroding action of a glacier, including the removal of surficial material and the abrasion,
scratching and polishing of bedrock surface by rock fragments dragged along by the glacier. (Bates and
Jackson, 1980)
hummock: A small elevation or mound with an ice core in arctic environments, or with a gravel core and
dense vegetation core in southern areas. (American Geological Institute, 1976)
kame: An irregular ridge or hill of stratified glacial drift deposited by glacial meltwater. (Agriculture Canada,
1976)
morainal: Of, or relating to, forming, or formed by a moraine. (Bates and Jackson, 1980)
moraine: A mound, ridge, or other distinct accumulation of unsorted, unstratified glacial drift, predominantly
till, deposited chiefly by direct action of glacier ice. (Bates and Jackson, 1980)
patterned ground: A general term used for any ground surface that exhibits a discernible, ordered and
symmetrical pattern at the micro-physiographic level. (Oswald and Senyk, 1977)
peat plateau: A low, flat-topped expanse of peat rising one or more metres above the general surface of the
area. A layer of permafrost exists inside. (Oswald and Senyk, 1977)
stone net: A type of patterned ground, with fine-grained soils occupying the centre and coarse-grained, rocky
material forming rims around the centres in an irregular network. (Oswald and Senyk, 1977)
solifluction: Slow downslope flow of saturated unfrozen earth materials over a surface of frozen material.
(Brown and Kupsch, 1974)
stripes: Patterned ground with a striped pattern as a result of parallel lines of vegetation-covered ground and
relatively bare ground. (Oswald and Senyk, 1977)
APPENDIX H: Vascular Plants of the Wolf Lake Area
Species
Lycopodiaceae – Club-moss Family
Lycopodium alpinum
Lycopodium annotinum
Lycopodium complanatum
Equisetaceae – Horsetail Family
Equisetum arvense
Equisetum fluviatile
Equisetum hyemale
Equisetum palustre
Equisetum pratense
Equisetum scirpoides
Equisetum sylvaticum
Cupressaceae – Cypress Family
Juniperus communis
Pinaceae – Pine Family
Abies lasiocarpa
Picea glauca
Picea mariana
Pinus contorta
Poaceae – Grass Family
Agropyron sp.
Calamagrostis canadensis
Deschampsia caespitosa
Elymus trachycaulus
Festuca altaica
Hierochloe alpina
Poa alpina
Trisetum spicatum
Cyperaceae – Sedge Family
Carex aquatilis
Carex concinna
Carex utriculata
Eriophorum sp.
Juncaceae - Rush Family
Juncus balticus var. alaskanus
Luzula parviflora
Liliaceae – Lily Family
Veratrum viride
Zygadenus elegans
Salicaceae – Willow Family
Populus balsamifera
Populus tremuloides
Salix sp.
Salix bebbiana
Salix glauca
Salix reticulata
Betulaceae – Birch Family
Alnus crispa
Common Name
CPAWS1
Geist2
Alpine club-moss
Stiff club-moss; Bristly club-moss
Ground-cedar; Flatbranch club-moss
X
X
X
Common horsetail
Swamp horsetail
Scouring rush
Marsh horsetail
Meadow horsetail
Dwarf scouring rush
Wood horsetail
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Common juniper
X*
X
Subalpine fir
White spruce
Black spruce
Lodgepole pine
X
X
X
X
X
X
X*
X
Bluejoint
Tufted hairgrass
Slender wild rye
Altai fescue; Northern rough fesue
Alpine sweetgrass; Alpine holy grass
Alpine blue grass
Spike trisetum
X
X
Water sedge
Hay sedge
Beaked sedge
Cottongrass
X
Arctic rush
Small-flowered woodrush
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Indian hellebore
Mountain death-camas
X
Balsam poplar
Trembling aspen
X*
X
X
X
Bebb’s willow
Grey-leaved willow; Blue-green willow
Net-veined willow
Green alder
Appendix H: Vascular Plants of the Wolf Lake Area (page 1 of 4)
X
X
X
X
Species
Betula glandulosa
Betula papyrifera
Santalaceae – Sandalwood Family
Geocaulon lividum
Caryophyllaceae – Pink Family
Cerastium arvense
Silene sp.
Stellaria longipes
Ranunculaceae – Crowfoot Family
Aconitum delphinifolium
Anemone drummondii
Anemone multifida
Anemone parviflora
Anemone richardsonii
Aquilegia brevistyla
Delphinium glaucum
Brassicaceae – Mustard Family
Arabis kamchatica
Barbarea orthoceras
Draba sp.
Rorippa palustris
Saxifragaceae – Saxifrage Family
Chrysoplenium tetrandum
Parnassia fimbriata
Ribes triste
Saxifraga tricuspidata
Rosaceae - Rose Family
Fragaria virginiana
Geum macrophyllum
Potentilla fructicosa
Potentilla hyparctica
Potentilla palustris
Potentilla pennsylvanica
Rosa acicularis
Rubus arcticus ssp. acaulis
Rubus chamaemorus
Rubus idaeus
Fabaceae Pea Family
Astragalus alpinus
Hedysarum alpinum
Lupinus arcticus
Empetraceae – Crowberry Family
Empetrum nigrum
Elaeagnaceae – Oleaster Family
Shepherdia canadensis
Onagraceae – Evening Primrose Family
Epilobium angustifolium
Epilobium latifolium
Hippuridaceae – Mare’s-tail Family
Hippuris vulgaris
Apiaceae – Parsley Family
Angelica lucida
Common Name
Scrub birch
Paper birch
CPAWS1
Geist2
X
X
X
Bastard toad-flax; northern comandra
X
Field chickweed
X
Long-stalked starwort
X
X
X
Mountain monkshood
Drummond’s thimbleweed
Cut-leaf anemone
Northern anemone
Yellow anemone
Blue colombine; small-flower
columbine
Tall larkspur
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Lyre-leaved rockcress
Winter cress
X
Marsh yellow cress
X
Northern water-carpet
Fringed grass-of-parnassus
Red swamp currant; Wild red currant
Three-toothed saxifrage
X
X
X
X
X
X
Wild strawberry
Large-leaved avens
Shrubby cinquefoil
Arctic cinquefoil
Marsh cinquefoil
Prairie cinquefoil
Prickly rose
Dwarf nagoonberry
Cloudberry
Red raspberry
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X*
X
X*
X
X
X
X
X
X*
X
X
X
Alpine milk-vetch
Alpine sweet-vetch; Liquorice-root
Arctic lupine
X*
X
Crowberry
X
X
Soopolallie; Soapberry
X
X
Fireweed
Broad-leaved willowherb
X
X
X
X
X
Common mare’s-tail
Sea-coast angelica
Appendix H: Vascular Plants of the Wolf Lake Area (page 2 of 4)
X
Species
Heracleum lanatum
Cornaceae – Dogwood Family
Cornus canadensis
Cornus stolonifera
Pyrolaceae – Wintergreen Family
Pyrola secunda (=Orthilia secunda)
Pyrola asarifolia
Ericaceae – Heath Family
Andromeda polifolia
Arctostaphylos alpina
Arctostaphylos rubra
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Cassiope tetragona
Ledum decumbens
Ledum groenlandicum
Oxycoccus microcarpus
Vaccinium uliginosum
Vaccinium vitis-idaea
Primulaceae – Primrose Family
Primula nutans
Gentianaceae – Gentian Family
Gentiana prostrata
Polemoniaceae – Phlox Family
Polemonium caeruleum (=P. acutiflorum)
Boraginaceae – Borage Family
Mertensia paniculata
Scrophulariaceae – Figwort Family
Castilleja sp.
Pedicularis labradorica
Pedicularis sudetica
Penstemon sp.
Lentibulariaceae – Bladderwort Family
Pinguicula villosa
Rubiaceae – Madder Family
Galium boreale
Galium trifidum
Caprifoliaceae – Honeysuckle Family
Linnaea borealis
Viburnum edule
Valerianaceae – Valerian Family
Valeriana sitchensis
Asteraceae – Composite Family
Achillea millefolium
Antennaria sp.
Arnica sp.
Artemisia campestris
Artemisia frigida
Artemisia michauxiana (not yet confirmed)
Artemisia tilesii
Aster sibericus
Petasites frigidus
Petasites frigidus ssp. nivalis
CPAWS1
Geist2
X*
X
Bunchberry
Red-osier dogwood
X
X
One-sided wintergreen
Pink wintergreen
X
Bog rosemary
Alpine bearberry
Red bearberry
Kinnikinick
Four-angled mountain-heather; arctic
white heather
Northern Labrador tea
Labrador tea
Bog cranberry
Bog blueberry
Lingonberry
X
Common Name
Cow parsnip
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X*
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Sleepy primrose
X
Moss gentian
X
X
Tall Jacob’s-ladder
Tall bluebell
X
Labrador lousewort
Sudeten lousewort
X
X
X
X
X
Hairy butterwort
X*
Northern bedstraw
Small bedstraw
X
Twinflower
Highbush cranberry
X
X
X
X
X
X
Sitka valerian
Yarrow
X
X
X
X
X
Northern wormwood
Pasture sage
Michaux’s wormwood
Aleutian mugwort
Arctic aster
Sweet coltsfoot
Sweet coltsfoot
Appendix H: Vascular Plants of the Wolf Lake Area (page 3 of 4)
X
X*
X
X
X
X
X
X
1
CPAWS
Species
Common Name
X
Petasites sagittatus
Arrow-leaved coltsfoot
Senecio sp.
X
Solidago multiradiata
Northern goldenrod
X
Taraxacum officinale
Common dandelion
1
CPAWS= plant species collected or observed on the CPAWS research trip in June 1998. * indicates
species not collected.
2
GEIST= plant species recorded by Geist et al. (1974) in 1970 and 1971
Species in shaded boxes are considered rare in the Yukon.
Appendix H: Vascular Plants of the Wolf Lake Area (page 4 of 4)
Geist2
X
X
APPENDIX I: Bryophytes of the Wolf Lake Area
Species
Alectoria nigricans
Alectoria ochroleuca
Alectoria pubescens
Aulacomnium palustre
Aulacomnium turgidum
Cetraria cucullata
Cetraria islandica
Cetraria nivalis
Cetraria richardsonii
Cladina alpestris
Cladina mitis
Cladina rangiferina
Cladina stellaris
Cladonia amaurocrea
Cladonia coccifera
Cladonia cornuta
Cladonia elongata
Cladonia ecmocyna
Cladonia gonecha
Cladonia gracilis
Cladonia pyxidata
Cornicularia divergens
Dactylina arctica
Dicranum fuscescens
Hylocomium splendens
Hypogymnia physodes
Marchantia polymorpha
Nephroma arcticum
Parmeliopsis ambigua
Peltigera aphthosa
Peltigera canina
Pertusiaria dactylina
Pleurozium schreberi
Polytrichum juniperum var. gracilius
Ptilium crista-castrensis
Stereocaulon alpinum
Tomenthypnum nitens
Umbilicaria hyperborea
1
CPAWS= species collected on the CPAWS research trip in June 1998.
2
GEIST= species recorded by Geist et al. (1974) in 1970 and 1971
Bryophytes collected but not yet identified to species:
Calliergon spp.
Cladonia spp.
Dicranum spp.
Drepanocladus spp.
Peltigera spp.
Polytrichum spp.
Sphagnum spp.
Appendix H: Vascular Plants of the Wolf Lake Area (page 5 of 4)
CPAWS1
Geist2
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X