Tag Archive | Natural History
Earthworms and Sugar Maple Saplings
Who would have thought that something so small would have such an impact on ecosystems? Lumbricus terrestris – the common earthworm – may not be as friendly as one might think. This species plays a major role in most ecosystems; in gardens and agricultural lands they are typically beneficial, but are they harming the iconic […]
Shelf fungi’s growth preference between standing dead and fallen dead trees
The shelf fungus, or Polyporaceae, is a species with a fruiting body, containing pores or tubes which, as its common name suggests, is shaped like a round tablet. That being said, they come in many forms, colours and shapes (see figures 1 to 3). In fact, about 1700 species of these wood-rotting organisms were recorded in […]
Invasive Earthworms Posing Possible Threat to Yellow Birch Tree Population
The decline in tree populations around the world has become an alarming issue, as they play an important role in ecosystems, as well as in the economy. In the Saint Lawrence Lowlands, Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), a uniquely golden yellow barked tree with a wintergreen essence, is an especially interesting species. Commercially, the yellow birch […]
Invertebrate Diversity in Coniferous and Deciduous Forests of the Morgan Arboretum
Background Information on Invertebrates Representing the most dominant species in the animal kingdom (Spelman, 2012), and the majority of species diversity in terrestrial, marine, and freshwater ecosystems (New and Yen, 1995), invertebrates play a major role in the sustenance and health of the communities they thrive in. Some prime examples of their importance include their role in pollination […]
Pileated Woodpeckers and Their Relationship with Beech Bark Disease Infected Trees
Introduction Since its introduction to North America in the late 1800’s (McLaughlin and Greifenhagen 2012), beech bark disease (BBD) has become a widespread health problem in forests across eastern North America, including the St. Lawrence Lowlands. It has devastating effects on American beech trees (Fagus grandifolia), drastically changing eastern forest compositions, as well as significantly […]
The St. Lawrence Lowlands 