The species composition, aboveground biomass and carbon content of vegetation in two basin bogs in the Experimental Lakes area, north-western Ontario

Abstract

The preflood species composition, aboveground biomass and carbon content of vegetation in an experimental basin bog, L979, and reference basin bog, L632, were studied as part of the Experimental Lakes Area Reservoir Project (ELARP) in northwestern Ontario. Using aerial photographs, six plant communities were delineated in L979 and two in L632. Communities were sampled in proportion to the area occupied by each. Cover was estimated for all trees ($>$10 cm circumference at breast height (CBH)), saplings and tall shrubs ($<$10 cm CBH, $>$1.5 m tall), tree and tall shrub seedlings ($<$1.5 m tall), low shrubs ($<$1.5 m tall), herbs, bryophytes and lichens in 1 m x 0.5 m plots. The eight communities were classified into physiognomic groups of open, or low to high density treed bog (11 to 54% tree cover, 362 to 2,726 trees ha$\sp{-1}$). The biomass of trees, saplings and tall shrubs was estimated using allometric regression equations, and the biomass of tree and tall shrub seedlings, low shrubs, herbs, bryophytes and litter was estimated from harvested samples. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)