Lecture 14

Question 1

Importance of dead trees in west Algonquin

Answer 1

• Food

- Growth site for fungi (e.g. turkey tails, bracket fungus)

Question 2

T/F: the direction of a fungus’ growth can change if a tree falls over

Answer 2

T: its mycelium grows in a direction that lets spores fall

Question 3

Ruffled Grouse

Answer 3

• Ground-nesting
• Drum on dead trees while mating
• Named for neck feathers - used in courtship

Question 4

Is there a salamander that does not lay eggs in ponds? If so, where does it lay its eggs, and what is different about its larval stage?

Answer 4

Red-backed salamander

• hangs eggs in rotting logs
• larval stage occurs in eggs, not the water

Question 5

Why do blue-spotted salamanders live under logs?

Answer 5

• Moist

- Lots of invertebrates to eat

Question 6

Ephemeral ponds

Answer 6

Temporary ponds that appear in spring due to melting snow; salamanders and freeze-tolerant frogs lay eggs here

Question 7

T/F: ephemeral ponds contain fish

Answer 7

F: would be unsafe for baby salamanders & tadpoles

Question 8

Where do American Beech and Eastern Hemlock each grow?

Answer 8

AB: warm south-facing slopes
EH: cool, north-facing slopes

Question 9

Name 3 birds found in hemlock groves:

Answer 9

• Black-throated green warbler
• Blackburnian Warbler
• Golden-Crowned Kinglet

Question 10

Characteristics of eastern hemlock needles

Answer 10

• short
• flat
• not grouped in clusters

Question 11

Rows/columns of holes in trees indicate where this bird has looked for sap:

What 3 trees does it commonly check?

Answer 11

Yellow-bellied sapsucker

hemlocks, American Beech, white birch

Question 12

Which type of plant vascular tissue do birds tap into when looking for sap in trees?

Answer 12

Xylem

Question 13

T/F: insects also benefit from sapsucker holes

Answer 13

True

Question 14

This invasive species of insect competes with hummingbirds for sap:

Answer 14

European Hornet

Question 15

What do sawflies like to eat?

Answer 15

Hemlock needles

Question 16

T/F: Hemlocks have very large cones

Name one bird that is able to open them and eat the seeds

Answer 16

False

Pine siskin

Question 17

Why are trees in Algonquin Park more exposed to cold?

Answer 17

Higher elevation

Question 18

Why is there little animal life in Algonquin in the winter?

Answer 18

Many animals depend on foliage

Question 19

White pines used to be common in the hardwood forests. What happened?

Answer 19

• Cut down by loggers

- Can’t grow back b/c seedlings aren’t fully shade-tolerant

Question 20

What conifers (3) can be found in east Algonquin?

Answer 20

• White pine
• Red pine
• Jack pine

Question 21

What is the dominant ground cover in pine forests? Why?

Answer 21

Lichens; located on Canadian Shield = acidic

Question 22

Why do wildflowers in pine forests have large leaves parallel to the ground?

Answer 22

Capture more sunlight

Question 23

List of wildflowers that like shade + acidic conditions (4):

Answer 23

• Pink Lady’s slipper
• Clintonia
• Canada mayflower
• bunchberry

Question 24

What is the main insect group that eats coniferous needles?

Answer 24

Sawfly larvae (e.g. red-headed pine sawfly)

Question 25

What is the most common warbler in east Algonquin?

Answer 25

Pine warbler

Question 26

T/F: pines are a consistent source of food for nomadic/irruptive birds

Answer 26

False

Question 27

Name 2 beetles that eat pine wood as larvae.

Answer 27

- Longhorn borer | - Pine sawyer

Question 28

What does the presence of birch/poplar trees indicate?

Answer 28

A fire passed through the area recently

Question 29

This butterfly eats poplar leaves

Answer 29

Canadian Tiger Swallowtail

Question 30

Why do porcupines + beavers flourish in east Algonquin?

Answer 30

More poplar trees = more food

Question 31

T/F: black bears climb trees and destroy sapsucker nests/eat their eggs

Answer 31

True

Question 32

Name two lakes that the Petawawa River flows through.

Answer 32

- Lake Travers | - Radiant Lake

Question 33

T/F: there are lots of mud flats along the Petawawa River

Answer 33

F: it's sand, with very few invertebrates; fools migrating sandpipers

Question 34

What is fallout (hint: birds)? What birds can be found among them?

Answer 34

Many birds of various species land in one area - Semipalmated plovers - Hudsonian Godwit

Question 35

Which animal eats fish in the Petawawa River?

Answer 35

Minks

Question 36

Is there something that signals when snakes are about to shed their skin?

Answer 36

Liquid grows between their eye and the scale over it

Question 37

Is the Wood Turtle endangered? How does it get food?

Answer 37

Yes Taps on the soil to bring earthworms to the surface

Question 38

Name two animals that can be found along the Petawawa River system.

Answer 38

- Pickerel frogs | - Northern water snakes

Question 39

Why are species such as the pickerel frog, northern water snake, and wood turtle found near the Petawawa River?

Answer 39

Connectivity w/Ottawa River

Question 40

Hummingbirds pollinate these flowers found near the Petawawa River.

Answer 40

Cardinal-flower

Question 41

Why can hummingbirds pollinate cardinal-flowers, but insects can't?

Answer 41

Nectar is held in its spurs, which are elongated and thus only accessible by animals w/long tongues or beaks

Question 42

These two calcipihilic plants are found on the Canadian Shield rock by the Petawawa River:

Answer 42

- Cardinal-flower | - Purple-fringed orchid

Question 43

Jack pines dominate these habitats, left by a glacial spillway.

Answer 43

Sand plains

Question 44

2 birds associated w/jack pines:

Answer 44

- Kirtland's warblers | - Spruce grouse

Question 45

What are characteristics of the places where grouse nest?

Answer 45

- low - more moisture - moss, black spruce, balsam fir are common

Question 46

This butterfly is associated w/jack pines, found mostly in northern Canada, but also near Lake Travers

Answer 46

Macoun's Arctic

Question 47

T/F: Macoun's Arctic takes two years to become a butterfly, and thus only occurs in Algonquin in even-numbered years

Answer 47

True

Question 48

What species benefit from increased acorn production from red oaks?

Answer 48

- Blue Jays (store for winter) - Red Squirrels (store for winter) - Bears (acorns are fat-rich) - Beetles