normal fires & habitat

[Alan Wormington]

Just a few comments about the posting below by Chris Durden regarding the
region of Cape Henrietta Maria in northern Ontario, an area that I know
quite well:

First of all, the tundra-like habitat here is not dependant on fire for
long-term presence.  A narrow strip of tundra exists along the Hudson Bay
coast of Ontario for the following reasons:  (1) the area has
perma-frost; (2) the ice on Hudson Bay often does not melt until July,
which often keeps the temperature much cooler than inland sites; (3)
persistant winds stronger than inland; and (4) shallow soil that is more
sandy and rocky than inland areas.

Most of the species listed for the area do in fact occur here, except the
following:

Papilio machaon (recorded only from extreme southern James Bay), Oeneis
calais (no record for Ontario section of James Bay), Erebia nephele (no
James Bay record), Colias pelidne (restricted to extreme southern James
Bay, other records to the north in Ontario are based on
misidentifications, probably of Colias palaeno), and Oeneis taygete (no
confirmed record for Ontario, despite published records).

Alan Wormington
Leamington, Ontario

On Thu, 18 May 2000 14:44:22 -0500 "Chris J. Durden"
<drdn at mail.utexas.edu> writes:
>   To see natural, lightning-started fires burning in sparsely 
> inhabited
> territory over the course of a summer, see these pictures from 1998-
> 
>
http://www.ccrs.nrcan.gc.ca/ccrs/tekrd/rd/apps/em/cchange/ontfire/jamesba
f.h
> tml
> 
>   This view shows about 48,400 sqare miles of Hudsonian and Canadian 
> Zone
> forest, taiga, nuskeg, string-bog, esker sandplains and raised 
> beaches to
> the southeast of Cape Henrietta Maria, Ontario. There are patches of
> subtundra near the cape and north shore. Forest in the southwest 
> corner is
> composed of seven tree species. Few people live in the area. The 
> Weenusk
> First Nation live near the northwest shore. The Mushkegowuk Cree
> Attawapiskat First Nation live near the southeast shore. European 
> contact
> was by Thomas James in 1631. A few Hudsons Bay Company Factors,
> missionaries, and military radar personnel have all come and gone. 
> There
> are a few recreational canoe trips down the major rivers each 
> summer. See
> also -
> http:/www.ontarioparks.com/pola.html
> 
>  Some of the butterflies of the coast are: *Erynnis borealis*, 
> *Pyrgus
> freija*, *Agriades (glandon) lacustris*, *Papilio machaon*, 
> *Coenonympha
> (tullia) inornata*. *Oeneis taygete*, *Oeneis (chryxus) calais*, 
> *Boloria
> (titania) boisduvalii*, *Boloria eunomia triclaris*, *Colias 
> palaeno*.
>  Some of the butterflies of the interior are: *Erynnis icelus*, 
> *Polites
> mystic*, *Incisalia niphon*, *I. polios*, *I. augustus*, *Epidemia 
> dorcas*,
> *E. epixanthe*, *Cupido amyntula*, *Celastrina lucia*, *Celastrina* 
> sp.,
> *Glaucopsyche lygdamus*, *Plebejides saepiolus*, *Lycaeides idas*,
> *Pterourus canadensis*, *Erebia (mancina) nephele*, *Oeneis (jutta)
> harperi*, *Oe. (jutta) ascerta*, *Phyciodes morpheus arctica*, 
> *Polygonia
> satyrus*, *P. progne*, *P. gracilis*, *P. faunus*, *Nymphalis 
> milberti*,
> *N. l-album*, *N. antiopa*, *Vanessa atalanta*, *V. virginiensis*,
> *Speyeria atlantis*, *Boloria selene*, *B, freija*, *B. titania*, 
> *B.
> frigga*, *B. bellona*, *B. eunomia dawsoni*, *Limenitis arthemis
> rubrofasciata*, *Pieris oleracea casta*, *Pontia occidentalis*, 
> *Colias
> philodice*, *C. interior*, *C. pelidne*.
> 
>   Two of these species, *Colias pelidne* and *Lycaeides idas* are 
> dependent
> upon maintenance of a "fire-heath" habitat by natural fires, and 
> many of
> the others prosper from successional vegetation after fire.  
> ........Chris Durden
>