Alberta Rocky Research Articles

Characterization of sterile endophytic fungi from the mycorrhizae of subalpine plants

Isolates of 117 dematiaceous and 10 hyaline, septate, sterile fungi were obtained from the roots of 26 plants belonging to Poaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Rosaceae, Ericaceae, Primulaceae, and Asteraceae from a subalpine dwarf shrub heath in the Alberta Rocky Mountains. The isolates were sorted into 33 culture groups based on colonial morphology. Strains representative of the different culture groups were compared with fungi of known identity (Cenococcum geophilum, Hymenoscyphus ericae, Phialocephala dimorphospora, Phialocephala fortinii, Phialophora finlandia) using restriction fragment analysis of an amplified portion of ribosomal DNA. Cluster analysis and ordination based on restriction fragment polymorphisms indicated that two-thirds of the isolates were closely related to or conspecific with Phialocephala fortinii, which therefore appears to represent the dominant root endophyte of the subalpine site. In culture, many of the Phialocephala fortinii isolates had sclerotia composed of compact masses of darkly pigmented and irregularly lobed, thick-walled hyphae. Five of the isolates clustered independently of the known isolates and are probably each representative of species other than the known strains. Key words: subalpine mycorrhizae, Phialocephala fortinii, restriction fragment length polymorphism, ribosomal DNA.

Mountain restoration: Soil and surface wildlife habitat

Much wildlife habitat is being destroyed by extractive resource industries in mountain environments. This article illustrates how mountain wildlife habitat was restored in a devastated area. A strip mine for coal on the east slopes of the Alberta Rockies, occupied during its operations by Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis, Shaw 1803), was reclaimed as bighorn habitat. By considering the behaviour and habitat requirements of bighorns in conjunction with an operating coal mine and reclamation process, a large coal mining company has been able to reconstruct the mine site restoration to benefit mountain sheep. Although bighorn habitat requirements are well known, it was not until the animal and its requirements were studied against the backdrop of an operating coal mine that obvious recommendations regarding the maintenance and placement of high steep excavated rock faces were made and accepted by the government regulatory agencies. An open pit mine is a devastated landscape; trees, soil and overburden are removed to retrieve coal that may be up to 215 m underground. Overburden and soil are returned, but the disturbance compares to the barren landscapes left behind by glaciers. Contouring of the land, grading of overburden and soil, seeding with grass and legume mixtures and extensive fertilization are designed to speed plant colonization and soil development. By examining the bighorn's biological needs with respect to specific mining operations, a unique opportunity arose to employ McHarg's “design with nature” concept. This approach incorporates environmental and societal values into every aspect of development, and promotes the evaluation of the constraints and opportunities arising. The sheep numbered about 200. Their seasonal movements were similar to those found on native ranges. They used the reclaimed areas as winter range and for the mineral licks exposed during mining; in summer, the sheep moved to nearby alpine areas. Two thirds of all sightings were confined to 1.3 km2 of reclaimed grassland; its average productivity (4190 kg/ha) exceeded native ranges (1700 kg/ha). The body mass of female sheep in autumn equalled that of the largest in Alberta, but the skull dimensions were not larger than those of adjacent ranges. Infestation with lungworms was moderate. Lamb production and survival were high. Design criteria should be: feeding areas should be dry and lie within 300 m of escape terrain, which should have a slope of 40% and contain at least three benches. Rock piles should be placed on grazing areas. Mineral licks, a vital welfare factor, already existed within the high walls created by strip mining.

Biostratigraphy and biogeography of Frasnian, Upper Devonian conodonts

Analysis of Frasnian conodont sequences in the Montagne Noire, southern France, results in the recognition of a conventional zonation consisting of thirteen zones. Graphic correlation of eight Montagne Noire sections with a total of 11 sections in the Alberta Rockies, the Hay River-Trout River areas of the southern Northwest Territories, Canada, the Midcontinent and New York sequences in the United States, and the Canning Basin, Western Australia divides the Frasnian into 34 composite standard units. Most of these sections are dominated by conodonts of the outer-shelf to basinal Palmatolepis biofacies, but those of Hay River-Trout River are occupied by the quite contrasting inner-shelf Polygnathus biofacies. Correlation of the latter with the Montagne Noire zonation is effected only through graphic correlation. The taxonomy of many of the critical species involved in the correlations is based on shape analysis and multielement taxonomy of Palmatolepis.Prevailing opinion is that the Frasnian was a time of cosmopolitanism as exemplified both by benthic organisms, especially corals and brachiopods, as well as conodonts. This contrasts with the Early and Middle Devonian which was a time of significant endemism in benthic fossils and in conodonts. The high point in conodont endemism according to the zone-by-zone analysis of the Early and Middle Devonian (Klapper and Johnson, 1980) was the early Eifelian when there were about 70% endemic species. Although endemism did not reach this high in the Frasnian, analysis of a limited number of intensively collected and studied sections in the Montagne Noire, U.S. and Canada, Western Australia, and the Russian Platform demonstrates levels of endemism ranging from about 30 to 45% in three composites of two zones each. Endemic species occur in both the Palmatolepis and Polygnathus biofacies. Using the Probabilistic Index of Similarity of Raup and Crick (1979), the null hypothesis of randomness is rejected for some paired comparisons between localities representing different biofacies, as would be expected, but it is also rejected between some localities representing the same biofacies on different continents. Although the explanation of significantly dissimilar faunas can be accepted at 95% confidence levels in only a limited number of instances, there are dissimilarities of somewhat lesser magnitude among various paired comparisons. This seems to indicate that the Frasnian was not a time of conodont cosmopolitanism even within the Palmatolepis biofacies.

Upper Devonian Platform and Buildup Megasequences, Alberta Rocky Mountains

Upper Devonian Platform and Buildup Megasequences, Alberta Rocky Mountains

Endophytic fungi from the mycorrhizae of alpine ericoid plants

Strains of a slow-growing, sterile, darkly pigmented fungus were obtained from alpine mycorrhizae of the Alberta Rocky Mountains. Sporulating isolates of this fungus from the roots of Cassiope mertensiana and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Ericaceae) as well as from Luetkea pectinata (Rosaceae) were identified as Phialocephala fortinii. Axenic cultures of Menziesia ferruginea (Ericaceae) seedlings were grown with P. fortinii for characterization of the fungus–root association. Typically, dark, simple septate hyphae form extensive wefts on the root surface and produce intracortical sclerotia of compact, darkly pigmented and irregularly lobed, thick-walled hyphae. Intracellular coils are not produced. This association differs from the ericoid mycorrhizal type and represents a fungus–root association that is common in alpine plants. In addition, several isolates of Oidiodendron griseum, a species previously reported from mycorrhizae of ericaceous plants, were found to form intracellular coils within the cortical root cells of Loiseleuria procumbens (Ericaceae). Key words: alpine mycorrhizae, Ericaceae, Phialocephala fortinii, Oidiodendron griseum.

A geographic information system for prediction of design flood hydrographs

A geographic information system (GIS) supporting a flood hydrograph prediction software package is described. The hydrograph prediction method is based on the convolution of excess rainfall with a synthetic unit hydrograph, derived by the Soil Conservation Service runoff curve number and a regional dimensionless unit hydrograph method, respectively. The GIS uses a raster method to store the following data: land use and land cover, soil type, rainfall intensity–frequency–duration statistics, runoff curve numbers (CN), regional dimensionless unit hydrograph, and regional lag-time relationship. The GIS has also the capability of computing a number of watershed and hydrologic parameters required for predictions, such as a watershed average rainfall and CN value, area, centroid, stream length, etc. Most of the data for such computations are input from a digitizer. Substantial time and cost savings are possible once the data base has been created. Application of the system is illustrated by an example of predicting flood frequency curves for selected watersheds in Alberta's Rocky Mountain foothills. Key words: geographic information system, flood hydrograph, curve number, hydrologic simulation, flood frequency.

The Upper Devonian (Frasnian) conodont sequence in the Lime Creek Formation of north-central Iowa and comparison with Lime Creek ammonoid, brachiopod, foraminifer, and gastropod sequences

The Upper Devonian (Frasnian) conodont fauna of the Lime Creek Formation of north-central Iowa is dominated by species of Polygnathus. Patterns of species composition and abundance are consistent with the Polygnathus biofacies described from the Frasnian of the Northwest Territories of western Canada. Consequently, the standard Frasnian conodont zones, defined on sequences developed in the Palmatolepis biofacies, are not applicable to the Lime Creek sequence. The Lime Creek conodont sequence correlates with Zones 4, 5 and Faunal Interval 7 of the Frasnian conodont sequence in the Alberta Rockies and with similar sequences in the southwestern United States. The Pb elements of Palmatolepis semichatovae Ovnatanova and Ancyrognathus? deformis (Anderson) are described and illustrated for the first time.In the Lime Creek Formation of north-central Iowa, brachiopods of the lowermost part of the Nervostrophia thomasi Zone of Day (1989a) occur in Zone 4, brachiopods of most of the N. thomasi, Douvillina arcuata, and Cyrtospirifer whitneyi Zones span conodont Zone 5, and the Elita inconsueta and Iowatrypa owenensis Zones occur in Faunal Interval 7. Species of the ammonoid Manticoceras and of the gastropods Floyda, Turbonopsis, and Westerna are restricted to Faunal Interval 7. Species of the calcareous foraminifer Nanicella first occur in Zone 5, and are joined by species of Multiseptida high in Zone 5.

Modelling-tracer study for risk assessment of a proposed sour gas facility

As an integral part of a risk assessment of a sour gas pipeline proposed for a recreational area in the Rocky Mountain foothills, the dispersion of hydrogen sulphide was assessed using meteorological monitoring, tracer gas concentration measurement and a complex terrain diffusion model. Sulphur hexafluoride was released into the nocturnal drainage winds of two valleys in the eastern slopes of the Alberta Rockies southwest of Calgary. The resulting concentrations were measured at several points on transects at various distances from the source. The NUVAL version of the dispersion model IMPACT (Integrated Model for Plumes and Atmospherics in Complex Terrain) was site tuned using the measured concentrations and concurrent meteorological data. Relative mean absolute errors of 24-50% were obtained. The Gaussian model (PLUMES) with modified stability classes gave relative mean absolute errors of 42-64% in predicting transect maxima. Dilution rates were found to be much larger than would be experienced under similar conditions over flat terrain.

Processing of willow leaves in two Alberta Rocky Mountain streams

Nylon bags of 3.5 mm and 0.25 mm mesh were used lo investigate the processing of Salix drummondiana Barratt leaves in two second order Alberta Rocky Mountain Creeks, Twin Creek and Cabin Creek. Micro‐organism processing and macroinvertebrate shredding of the leaves were significantly greater in Twin Creek where it was estimated that macroinvertebrate shredding was responsible for 45% of the weight loss. The decay coefficient (k = 0.0209) for the leaves in Twin Creek, the more typical Rocky Mountain stream, was similar to that reported for the fastest decaying leaves in warmer streams. The predominant shredder among the leaves in the mesh bags, Zapada columbiana (Classen) (Plecoptera, Nemouridae) was also the most abundant macroinvertebrate in the benthos of Twin Creek. In Cabin Creek the predominant organism in the benthos, Oreogeton sp. was poorly represented in the leaves. Low orthophosphate concentration of the water and precipitation of calcium carbonate onto the leaves may have inhibited the biotic processing of leaves in Cabin Creek.

The importance of sampling and sorting techniques in the elucidation of the life cycle of Zapada columbiana (Nemouridae: Plecoptera)

The life cycle of Zapada columbiana (Claassen) was shown to be of 2 years duration at three sites in Alberta, Canada, where the species was previously said to be univoltine. The erroneous conclusion of previous investigators was attributed primarily to the use of nets with too large a mesh size. However other factors such as sorting without magnification, inability to recognize young Z. columbiana, and erroneous assumptions regarding egg incubation times may also have contributed. It is suggested that the temperature regimes of the streams in the Alberta Rocky Mountains are such that Zapada columbiana cannot complete its life cycle in 1 year.

Bison Killing in the Southwestern Alberta Rockies

(1978). Bison Killing in the Southwestern Alberta Rockies. Plains Anthropologist: Vol. 23, No. 82, pp. 63-78.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE FOOD, FEEDING BEHAVIOUR, AND ASSOCIATED SENSE ORGANS OF GRYLLOBLATTA CAMPODEIFORMIS (GRYLLOBLATTODEA)

AbstractGrylloblatta campodeiformis Walker were collected from a site in the Alberta Rocky Mountains at an altitude of 1300 m. The gut contents in the autumn consist almost entirely of arthropods. Dominant among these was a tipulid fly, equally typical of the cold, montane habitat as Grylloblatta itself. In the laboratory, G. campodeiformis adults eat only live or recently killed animal prey, and neither adults nor larvae grow without animal food. Prey is detected by the antennae and then seized by the mandibles. Five types of sensilla, all of which are probably involved in prey identification, are described from the antennae and palpi.

Effect of climatic conditions on the annual activity and hibernation cycle of Richardson's ground squirrels and Columbian ground squirrels

In 1975 and 1976 the times of spring emergence, breeding, and entry into hibernation were compared for Spermophilus richardsonii and S. columbianus in an area of sympatry in the foothills of the southern Alberta Rocky Mountains. Both species emerged earlier in 1976, which had a warmer than normal spring, than in 1975, which had a cooler than normal spring. In both years S. richardsonii emerged earlier than S. columbianus and remained active longer. Juvenile S. richardsonii entered hibernation when 17–20 weeks old whereas juvenile S. columbianus were 10–11 weeks old. Yearling S. richardsonii bred, whereas yearling S. columbianus did not. Breeding success affected the time of entry into hibernation but not the time of emergence from hibernation in the next spring. A possible relationship between the periodic arousals during hibernation and the emergence pattern of squirrels in spring is discussed. The significance of flexibility of spring emergence, length of the active season, and age at breeding to survival and species ecology is considered.

Habitat selection by two parapatric species of chipmunks (Eutamias)

Eutamias minimus oreocetes and E. amoenus luteiventris are altitudinally parapatric in the southern Alberta Rocky Mountains; minimus occupies the alpine and amoenus occupies the forest. In the field, minimus was captured or observed in or near talus, while amoenus was captured or observed in or near forested areas. Field-experienced individuals of both species selected rock over trees during habitat-selection experiments in the laboratory. Laboratory-raised minimus selected rock over trees, while laboratory-raised amoenus had no significant preference. I conclude that minimus oreocetes has evolved an innate preference for the cover quality of talus because talus is the only cover with vertical depth that is available in the alpine. Amoenus luteiventris may learn to select talus because of its cover quality, but does not inherit such a preference because of the variety of cover types available in the forest. Based on the cues provided in the laboratory, habitat selection does not appear to restrict amoenus luteiventris to the forest, but may reinforce the restriction of minimus oreocetes to the alpine.

A Partial Holocene Pedological and Archaeological Record from the Southern Alberta Rocky Mountains

A Partial Holocene Pedological and Archaeological Record from the Southern Alberta Rocky Mountains

Stand Structure, Succession, and Use of Southern Alberta's Rocky Mountain Forest

Structural analysis of the subalpine forest in southern Alberta shows that the old—growth Picea—Abies forest has succeeded even—aged stands of Pinus contorta var. latifolia Engelm. that became established after fire 150—200 or more years ago. Because P. Contorta regeneration fails beneath its own canopy, an irregular— to uneven—aged understory of Picea engelmannii Parry x P. glaca (Moench) Voss. and Abies lasiocarpa (Hook) Nutt. becomes established. As the even—aged P. contorta overstory ages, sporadic death of overmature trees permits an irregular— to all—aged Picea—Abies forest to emerge and dominate, unless fire reinitiates the succession to even—aged P. contorta. Extensive and frequent fires in the past, mainly initiated by "dry" electrical storms, have prevented long—term successional development and have maintained most of the forest in the early P. contorta—dominated phase of the succession. Introduction of effective fire protection is now permitting progress toward the late successional phases. Widespread development of the Picea—Abies phase and the decadent Abies—Picea phase that follows are forecast. The ecological effects of such fire—protection policies are questioned. A silvicultural program of fire prescription is suggested for the maintenance of the fauna and wilderness value of the mountain national parks. Silvicultural alternatives in harmony with the ecology of the forest are suggested for the implementation of multiple—use policies in the Rocky Mountain Reserve.

A Partial Holocene Pedological and Archaeological Record from the Southern Alberta Rocky Mountains

A Partial Holocene Pedological and Archaeological Record from the Southern Alberta Rocky Mountains

Shelterwood Felling in Late Successional Stands in Alberta's Rocky Mountain Subalpine Forest

The silviculture of the spruce-pine phase of the Alberta subalpine forest is discussed in relation to ecological problems and previous work.A trial of uniform shelterwood felling combined with seedbed preparation is described and followed to the third year.The abundant regeneration confirms the importance of shelter for spruce reproduction and suggests that practical methods be advised to provide it.Progressive strip cutting with scarification is suggested.

Electron microprobe study of magnesium distribution in some Mississippian echinoderm limestones from western Canada

Electron microprobe techniques were used to examine the distribution of Mg, Ca, and Fe in six samples of Mississippian skeletal and oölitic limestones from the Alberta Rocky Mountains. All samples show extremely low values of Fe. The following distributions of Mg (in wt % MgCO3) were observed: in four samples from the Loomis Member (Meramec) of the Mount Head Formation, echinoderm grains show highly variable Mg content averaging 1.11–1.43, whereas sparry calcite cement and the outer rings of oöids show much more uniform values averaging 0.73–0.84. In one sample from the Livingstone Formation (Osage), echinoderm grains show large Mg variation with a mean of 0.95; sparry calcite cement shows more uniform values with a mean of 0.50. A second, highly recrystallized sample from the Livingstone Formation has echinoderm grains which show large Mg variation with a mean of 0.43. The stroma canal structure characteristic of living echinoderms is not generally preserved in the grains. All of the echinoderm grains analyzed contain abundant dolomite crystals 1 to 6 μ in diameter which appear to account for the variable values of Mg distribution, but are not obviously related to the original stroma canal structure. Sparry calcite cements and oöid rings are free of dolomite crystals. The small size of the dolomite crystals, combined with their widespread distribution within and restriction to echinoderm grains, suggests an exsolution origin. Exsolution is suggested to have taken place subsequent to a) loss of most of the Mg from the original magnesium-rich echinoderm calcite, and b) precipitation of pore-filling calcite within the echinoderm grains. The minute dolomite crystals are thus interpreted as representing a late stage exsolution product of small residual amounts of Mg from both the original grains and their pore-filling calcite.

Stratigraphy, Age, and Interregional Correlation of the Exshaw Formation, Alberta Rocky Mountains

ABSTRACT The Exshaw Formation of the Alberta Rocky Mountains and foothills consists of a lower, black shale unit and an upper, siltstone unit, which are separated by a gradational contact. At the type section on Jura Creek, near Exshaw, Alberta, the upper contact of the Exshaw is redefined so that the formation includes all, rather than merely the lower part, of an unbroken sequence of dark-yellowish orange-weathering calcareous siltstone. At the type section, the black shale unit is 33 ft thick and the siltstone unit 127 ft. X-ray diffraction data from the type section indicate that the shale is composed mostly of quartz and contains only minor amounts of illite, feldspar, and carbonates. The siltstone has considerably more calcite and dolomite than most of the shale. Throughout its area of outcrop, the Exshaw unconformably overlies limestones of the Devonian Palliser Formation, and is sharply (disconformably?) overlain by shales at the base of the Mississippian Banff Formation. The silts and clays, and some of the carbonaceous material in the black shale unit, were probably derived from soils and deposited in shallow-marine, euxinic lagoons. The siltstone unit was deposited in a regressive, marginal-marine environment of widespread, well-oxygenated tidal flats. Physical continuity is demonstrated between the Exshaw Formation and a) the lower two members of the Bakken Formation in the subsurface of southeastern Alberta and Saskatchewan, b) the Sappington Member of the Three Forks Formation in Montana. Conodont evidence from the Exshaw Formation and circumstantial conodont and spore evidence from the Sappington Member and Bakken Formation show the age of the Exshaw to be Devonian and Mississippian. The systemic boundary is probably positioned near the middle of the black shale unit. Evidence previously cited for the age of the Exshaw at Crowsnest Pass is shown to be more pertinent to the age of the overlying Banff Formation. End_Page 32-------------------------