Life on the Outer Coast

Yesterday morning I was finally able to start sampling bryophytes on cedar and western hemlock. I walked up the Gavan hill trail to the upper cross trail to access the hill slope that had a promising mix of both species. It took about 3 hours from the trail head to walk up and back and sample 5 trees of each species. The first couple of trees were a little slow, but as I continued it was a more efficient process. The 20cm square quadrat worked pretty well for assigning a cover class. That size is alot easier to deal with than the larger ones I've used for herbaceous vegetation. I sampled on the north and south side of each tree at the base and at 1m. I'd like to sample again at 2m, but need a step stool to reach. Not happening at this point in time. I got busy with other projects so didn't get the data out of my notebook and into a spread sheet yet.

On the way up the trail I saw my first winter chanterelles of the season near the tall pines and some past prime Russula (xeramphelina -like) in the same area. I noticed some escaped Spiraea in the last fen-like muskeg before the woods begin. It's the domestic Spiraea from the old experimental station that is so abundant in the field by the observatory and the same one that I transplanted to the island garden.

Young Laetiporus sulfureus on a hemlock along the trail home this evening. It will make a nice meal this week. Not sure how I missed it this morning, must have been sleep-walking to not see the bright yellow and orange. Maybe I was distracted by the fox sparrow on the boardwalk.

I did find some more information about Oxytropis in southeast. Brad has found another species (?) on Trap Mtn and somewhere near Hoonah on limestone. Not sure about the geology of Coronation Island. Jordan also found Androsace lehmaniana, Silene acaulis, Erigeron humilis, Zigadenus elegans and Viola orbiculata. I guess I'll add Coronation island to my list of places to visit.