Classification

• Province: Laurentian Mixed Forest
  • Section: Northern Superior Uplands
    • Subsection: Border Lakes
• System: Fire Dependent Woodland

Description:

• The Alder/Willow Wetland, about 2.5% of the BWCAW by surface area
• Slow moving subsurface water with dense, nearly impenetrable cover of tall shrubs
• Signature Species
• Speckled Alder, Alnus incana
• Willows, Salix spp.

Indicator
Species:

Trees

• Black Spruce, Picea mariana
• Tamarack, Larix laricina
• Jack Pine, Pinus banksiana

Shrubs

• Speckled Alder, Alnus incana
• Labrador Tea, Ledum groenlandicum
• Bunchberry, Cornus canadensis
• Bog Rosemary, Andromeda glaucophylla
• Leatherleaf, Chamaedaphne calyculata
• Creeping Snowberry, Gaultheria hispidula
• Bog Laurel, Kalmia polifolia
• Late Low Blueberry, Vaccinium angustifolium
• Velvet Leaf Blueberry, Vaccinium myrtilloides
• Small Cranberry, Vaccinium oxycoccus

Herbs

• Sedges, Carex ssp
• Cotton Grass, Eriophorum spp.
• Bog False Solomon's Seal, Smilacina trifolia
• Bluebead Lily, Clintonia borealis
• Stemless Ladyslipper, Cypripedium acaule
• Dwarf Rattlesnake Plantain, Goodyera repens
• Tall Northern Bog Orchid, Habenaria hyperborea
• Blunt Leaf Orchid, Habenaria obtusata
• Bristly Clubmoss, Lycopodium annotinum
• Indian Pipe, Monotropa uniflora
• Cinnamon Fern, Osmunda cinnamomea
• Purple Pitcher Plant, Sarracenia purpurea
• Starflower, Trientalis borealis

Ground Cover

• Schreber's Feather Moss, Pleurozium schreberi
• Reindeer Mosses, Cladonia spp.
• Dicranum Moss, Dicranum spp
• Hair Cap Mosses, Polytrichum spp
• Sphagnum Moss, Sphagnum angustifolium
• Sphagnum Moss, Sphagnum fuscum
• Sphagnum Moss, Sphagnum magellanicum

Landform & Topography:

Soils & Hydrology:

Identification:

• The Black Spruce and Tamarack Bog Forests, about 9.5% of the BWCAW by area
• Advanced succession bog capable of supporting trees
• Signature Species
  • Black Spruce, Picea mariana
  • Tamarack, Larix laricina
  • Labrador Tea, Ledum groendlandicum
  • Feathermosses,
• Sub-types
• Black Spruce Bog Forest
• Tamarack Bog Forest

Species which reach their highest density in the bog:

• Spruce Grouse, Dendragapus canadensis
• Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Empidonax flaviventris
• Palm Warbler, Dendroica palmarum
• Connecticut Warbler, Oporonis agilis
• Northern Waterthrush, Seiurus noveboracensis
• Lincoln's sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii

Species common to the bog:

• Olive-sided Flycatcher, Contopus borealis
• Nashville Warbler, Vermivora ruficapilla
• Rusty Blackbird, Euphagus carolinus
• Three-toed Woodpecker, Picoides tridactylus
• Black-backed Woodpecker, Picoides arcticus
• Gray Jay, Perisoreus canadensis
• Golden-crowned Kinglet, Regulus satrapa
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Regulus calendula
• Tree Swallow, Tachycineta bicolor
• Boreal Chickadee, Parus hudsonicus
• Hermit Thrush, Catharus guttatus
• Swainson's Thrush, Catharus ustulatus
• Solitary Vireo, Vireo solitarius
• Red-eyed Vireo, Vireo olivaceus
• Black-and-White Warbler, Mniotilta varia
• Cape May Warbler, Dendroica tigrina
• Yellow Rumped Warbler, Dendroica coronata
• Blackburnian Warbler, Dendroica fusca
• Bay Breasted Warbler, Dendroica castanea
• Common Yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas
• Evening Grosbeak, Coccothrastes vespertinus
• Dark Eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis
• Chipping Sparrow, Spizella passerina
• White Throated Sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis
• Swamp Sparrow, Melospiza georgiana

• Common Porcupine, Erethizon dorsatum
• Moose, Alces alces
• White Tail Deer, Odocoileus virginiana
• Black Bear, Ursus americana
• Timber Wolf, Canis lupus
• Woodland Caribou, Rangifer tarandus caribou
• Southern Bog Lemming, Synaptopmys cooperi
• Northern Bog Lemming, Synaptopmys borealis
• Masked Shrew, Sorex cinereus
• Water Shrew, Sorex palustris
• Pygmy Shrew, Microsorex hoyi
• Meadow Jumping Mouse, Zapus hudsonius
• White Foot Mouse, Peromyscus leucopus
• Southern Red Back Vole, Clethrionomys gapperi

Natural
History

• History

Other
Communities:

Last updated on 30 June, 2004