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- Lamprey
- Any of the primitive, eel-like fishes of the family Petromyzontidæ, characterized by cartilaginous
skeletons, a single nostril between the eyes, and a round, sucking mouth full of small teeth. Yup, they're ugly
suckers. There are 17 species native to North America, including the Silver Lamprey (Ichthyomyzon
unicuspis) of the BWCA, and one exotic, the once notorious Sea Lamprey of the Great Lakes.
- Larch
- Any of several deciduous conifers of the genus Larix. Represented in the North Country by a single species,
the Tamarack (Larix laricina).
- Larva
- The immature instars, between the egg and pupal stages, of an insect having a
complete metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult). Larvæ feed and grow but can neither fly, nor reproduce.
Common larvæ include caterpillar, maggot, and grub.
- Latrine
- The backcountry toilet. Basically just a hole in the ground set well back from the water's edge and topped by
a molded one-plastic seat with cover. Formerly made of wood. With the Fire Grate,
one of the two required elements of an established BWCAW campsite. Also known as a Box Latrine or Pit
Toilet.
- Laurel People
- A hunter/gatherer,
pottery-making culture which inhabited the boreal regions of northern Minnesota and adjacent Canada during the
first millenium of the common era. Named for a specific type of clay pottery known as Laurel, itself named after
the town in Minnesota where it was first discovered.
- Laurentian
- Of or relating to the St. Lawrence River drainage and the Great Lakes region, as in the Laurentian Divide (separating
the St. Lawrence drainage from that of Hudson Bay) or the Laurentian Orogeny (a mountain building period
of the Early Precambrian).
- Layering
- A means of vegetative reproduction where branches root where they come into contact with the ground. Commonly
seen in Black Spruce (Picea mariana) growing in harsh environments
of bog or tundra.
- Leatherleaf
- A low ericaceous shrub (Chamædaphne calyculata)
with tough, evergreen leaves. The most common of the North Country shrubs of bog and fen.
- Lemming
- Any of several species of small, vole-like rodents of the Far North. The only southern species, and sole Canoe
Country representative, is Synaptomys cooperi, the Southern Bog Lemming.
- Length
- In canoe design and selection, a significant performace factor. Longer canoes have greater speed, tracking, and
carrying capacity; they are preferred for open water. Shorter canoes are more maneuverable and lighter in weight;
they are to be preferred for rivers and bushwhacking.
- Lentic
- In limnology, standing waters (lakes, ponds, etc.). Opposite of lotic.
- Lesser Cherry Portage
- A 90 rod Border Route portage on the Pigeon River, between Fan and Mountain Lakes.
- Lichen
- A mutualistic symbiotic relationship of a fungus and a photosynthetic algae,
functioning as a single plant. Common to rocky northern environments and a primary food for caribou. Well represented
in the BWCA by several species of Reindeer Lichen (Cladonia
spp.).
- Liftover
- A portage technique for surmounting small barriers, particularly in river travel. Most commonly required for
beaver dams.
- Lightning
- Perhaps the most common cause of fatalities in the BWCAW.
- Lima Mountain
- A 2238' summit with lookout tower just east of the BWCAW boundary in the Brule River drainage.
- Limnology
- The comprehensive scientific study of the functional relationships and productivity of freshwater communities
as they are affected by their physical, chemical, and biotic environment, and includes standing (lentic)
and running (lotic) waters.
- Linnaeus, Carolus
- The Swedish naturalist Carl Linné
(1707-1778), founder of modern taxonomy. Gave his name to the Twinflower (Linnaea
borealis) reputedly his favorite wildflower.
- Litter
- The accumulated plant debris of the forest floor, important as a means of returning nutrients to the soil and
as a fuel for fire. Can inhibit germination in some species.
- Little Knife Portage
- A 5 rod Border Route portage between Ottertrack and Knife Lakes.
- Little Vermilion Narrows
- The Border Route channel connecting Sandpoint and Little Vermilion
Lakes at the extreme western end of the BWCAW.
- Littoral
- The bottom of the lake basin colonized by macrovegetation. For the BWCA, generally considered to be waters to
15' in depth.
- Loam
- Soils with a particle size midway between the fine particles of the clays and the large particles of sand.
- Lobe
- The extension of a larger body; used in the description of glaciers, lichens, and leaf form, among others. The
Superior Lobe, for example, was a great tongue of ice out of the Superior Basin which reached as far south as the
Twin Cities some 20,000 years ago.
- Loess
- Windblown glacial deposits, often covering vast areas. Made up largely of silt size, angular particles, with
strong water holding ability. Extremely fertile and a major contribution to the highly productive agricultural lands
of the Midwest to the south.
- Loon
- The voice of the wilderness, in summer anyway. A circumpolar diving bird (Gavia immer) known in Britain
as the Great Northern Diver. Mag in the Ojibwe.
- Loon Lake Portage
- An 80 rod Border Route portage between Loon Lake and the Loon River.
- Looper
- A caterpillar in which some or all of the middle abdominal prolegs are wanting
and which moves by placing the posterior part of the abdomen next to the thorax,
forming a loop of the intervening segments, then extending the anterior part of the body forward.
- Loosestrife
- Any of several species of wetland herb of the genus Lysimachia. Represented in the North Country by Fringed
Loosestrife (Lysimachia ciliata), Swamp Loosestrife (Lysimachia terrestris), and Tufted Loosestrife
(Lysimachia thyrsiflora). Not to be confused with the Eurasian exotic and noxious weed Purple Loosestrife
(Lythrum salicaria).
- Lost Interval
- In the geological history of the North Country, a period of about 280 million years for which there is virtually
no evidence. In the rest of the world at this time, plants flowered and dinosaurs dominated a fauna which included
the first reptiles, birds, and mammals (including Homo). Except for the occasional iron formation, we don't
really know what happened in this region over that very long time. Thank erosion.
- Lotic
- In limnology, running waters (streams, rivers, etc.). Opposite of lentic.
- Lujenida
- A lake in the Kelso River drainage. Name derivation unknown.
- Lungwort
- Any of several herbaceous perennials of the genus Mertensia. Represented in the North Country by the Tall
Lungwort (Mertensia paniculata).
- Lutsen
- A small community on the North Shore of Lake Superior.
- Lyme Disease
- A serious illness caused by the bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, which is carried to humans by the Deer
Tick (Ixodes scapularis). As of 1997 data, the Minnesota
Department of Health reports Lyme disease exposure from St. Louis and Lake
counties but not Cook. Other tick-borne diseases that occur in Minnesota include
Babesiosis and Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis (HGE).
- Lynx
- The wild cat (Lynx canadensis) of the boreal forests. A retiring and rarely seen predator of the Snowshoe
Hare, notable, like the hare, for its huge paws. Bisîw in the Ojibwe.
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