Threatened dry grasslands in the continental boreal forests of Wood Buffalo National Park: commentary

Abstract

There are three primary types of graminoid-dominated communities in or near Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada: freshwater meadows and marshes composed of Calamagrostis canadensis (Michx.) Beauv., Carex atherodes Spreng., Carex aquatilis Wahlenb., Scolochloa festucacea (Willd.) Link, and Poa L.; saline meadows composed of Hordeum jubatum L., Puccinellia nuttalliana (Schult.) A.S. Hitchc.,Agropyron trachycaulum (Link) Malte, Calamagrostis stricta (Timm) Koeler, and Calamagrostis inexpansa A. Gray; and dry grasslands composed of Agropyron trachycaulum, Stipa L., Carex siccata Dewey, Carex obtusata Lilj., and Koeleria macrantha (Ledeb.) J.A. Schultes f. Except for the Peace Point area, it is not known whether dry grasslands have declined in areal extent. Including various wetlands under "dry grasslands", and concluding that these areas no longer support dry grassland is misleading. Dry grasslands exist in Wood Buffalo National Park, but most graminoid-dominated communities in the park are, and have been, freshwater and saline meadows and marshes. A clear understanding of the ecological factors operating in these different ecosystems is critical to informed management.Key words: fire, grassland, prairie, vegetation, wetland, Wood Buffalo National Park.