Lecture 18

Question 1

Birds in the Prairie GLSL

Answer 1

• Franklin’’s Gull (fish-eating)
• American Pelican (fish-eating, breeds inland)
• Yellow-headed Blackbird

Question 2

What are the two regions of the GLSL Forest Region on the GLSL physiographic region?

Answer 2

• Ottawa-St. Lawrence Lowland (OttSL)

- Great Lakes Lowland (GLL)

Question 3

Characteristics - GLSL Forest Region on the GLSL physiographic region

Answer 3

• Bedrock is marble/crystalline limestone
• can find calciphilic plants
• flat (sedimentary rock, glacial deposits)

Question 4

Rivers flowing through the OttSL (2):

Answer 4

• Ottawa River

- Mississippi River

Question 5

What causes decomposition in the wetlands along the rivers in the OttSL?

Answer 5

Bacteria (either anaerobic or aerobic)

Question 6

Periodic flooding/drawdown

Answer 6

Cattail marshes are flooded due to melting snow; nutrients/oxygen flow in/out

Question 7

Characteristics of marshes

Answer 7

• Shallow, lentic systems
• Type of wetland
• Dominated by cattails

Question 8

Types of cattails

Answer 8

• Broadleaf Cattail (native)
• Narrow-leaved Cattail (non-native)
• Hybrid is invasive/the most common

Question 9

Cattail roots + dead organic matter form a floating mat on water. How is this different from peatlands?

Answer 9

More decomposition, as the GLSL is warmer

Question 10

Animals that eat cattails (2):

Answer 10

• Cattail moth

- Muskrat

Question 11

Plants in marshes (2):

Answer 11

• Marsh fern

- Blue flag/wild iris

Question 12

Birds in marshes (6)

Answer 12

• Red-winged blackbird
• Common Yellowthroat
• Marsh Wren
• Swamp Sparrow
• Rails
• Pied-billed Grebe

Question 13

Why are rails (the birds) able to walk through plants in marshes?

Give one example of a rail

Answer 13

• Bodies are compressed laterally

Virginia Rail

Question 14

Which bird has lobed toes that help it swim through aquatic vegetation?

Answer 14

Pied-billed Grebe

Question 15

3 layers of life in cattail marshes (+ example for each)

Answer 15

• Emergents that stick out above water (e.g. cattail)
• Submergents that are underwater (e.g. greater bladderwort)
• Floating vegetation on the water’s surface (e.g. duckweed)

Question 16

This common marsh damselfly lives on water as larvae:

Answer 16

Marsh bluet

Question 17

What is the main predator of dragonflies?

Answer 17

Bullfrogs

Question 18

Dragonflies living in lentic water systems are usually _____

Answer 18

skimmers

Question 19

Turtles in the GLSL (2) - which one is freeze-tolerant?

Answer 19

• Painted turtle (freeze-tolerant in their first winter)

- Snapping turtle (northern limit in GLSL, found in Carolinian)

Question 20

Cedar Woods/Swamps

Answer 20

Mostly wetland, with trees adapted to wet conditions (Eastern White Cedar, Black Ash)
- calcium-rich

Question 21

How do plants in cedar swamps - which are shady habitats - get food?

Answer 21

• Large leaves (e.g. round-leaved orchid)

- Mycorrhizae on roots

Question 22

This lady’s slipper is found in cedar swamps

Answer 22

Yellow lady’s slipper

Question 23

Most common wetland habitats in the lowlands (2):

Answer 23

• Cattail marshes

- Cedar swamps

Question 24

Why are peatlands rare in the lowlands?

Answer 24

• Higher decomposition rate due to warmer climate

- More nutrients

Question 25

Peatlands in the GLSL are usually (nutrient-)rich ____

Answer 25

fens

Question 26

Orchids found in White Lake Fen (3):

Answer 26

- Rose pogonia - Grass pink - Arethusa

Question 27

This dragonfly, found in the White Lake Fen, is the smallest one in N. America:

Answer 27

Elfin Skimmer

Question 28

This plant is found only in the White Lake Fen + Richmond Fen - eaten by the ____ Moth Caterpillar

Answer 28

Bogbean

Question 29

Other GLSL peatlands

Answer 29

- Alfred Bog - Mer Bleue - Newington Bog

Question 30

Species in Alfred Bog (2):

Answer 30

- Palm Warbler | - Grey Birch

Question 31

Species in Mer Bleue (7):

Answer 31

- Labrador tea, leatherleaf - Pitcher plant - Black spruce, tamarack - Witch's broom - Spotted turtle

Question 32

Species in Newington Bog ():

Answer 32

- Labrador tea, leatherleaf, bog laurel, rhodora | - Bog Elfin (butterfly)

Question 33

How did the Champlain Sea affect the OttSL?

Answer 33

Left large clay/sand deposits

Question 34

T/F: there are fossils + clam shells in the sand deposits left by the Champlain Sea

Answer 34

True

Question 35

This threatened beetle lives in the white sand of the Slack Road sand dunes

Answer 35

Ghost Tiger Beetle

Question 36

This plant lives in the Constance Bay Sands:

Answer 36

Orange Milkweed

Question 37

Why are deposits important for birds?

Answer 37

They can create holes in sandbanks and live in them

Question 38

Name two bank-burrowing birds:

Answer 38

- Belted Kingfisher | - Bank Swallow

Question 39

Why are the OttSL and GLL suited for agriculture?

Answer 39

- Low, level | - rich soil