Task #1
|
The Upper Liard River is fairly untouched and has plentiful forest which are large producers of O2. This area is considered the next frontier for oil and gas. The area is used for canoeing, kayaking, hot springs, hiking etc. It supports lots of wildlife and fish populations. The Upper Liard River Is a linkage area between 2 grizzly bear core habitats. This ecoregion supports important watersheds. The general terrain of this area is forest, River and a bit of beach you find at the river's edge. Also, the area is in Upper Liard National Park. |
Task #4
Animals & Plants
Dall Sheep:
Dall sheep, also known as thin horned sheep are an animal that lives in the Yukon and Northern BC. They have all white fur with tan coloured horns. The First Nations hunted the sheep with bow & arrows and snares. When the gold rush came the Dall Sheep almost went extinct because of the huge demand meat for new settlements. Dall Sheep numbers have recovered through protection but there's not nearly as many as before the gold rush. Their predators are bears, wolves, wolverines, golden eagles and humans. People hunt the Dall Sheep for their meat and thick fur. The fur is used for coats, blankets etc. |
Chum Salmon:
Chum Salmon have a silvery, blue-green colouration and are red with green mouths during spawning. They have a small set teeth and an upturned mouth. Because of this, they are also called dog salmon. Juvenile chum salmon eat zooplankton, insects and have been found to also eat cone jellies. Adult fish eat smaller fish. They are eaten by bears, humans and some other animals. They are fished because there meat is rich in vitamins like Omega3. Their eggs are also eaten. They are found in the Yukon, Alaska and Northern BC. Chum Salmon is served in a number of restaurants and is even found at some grocery stores. |
Willow Trees:
Willow Trees range from 20-65 meters tall. The bark on the tree is brittle which makes them vulnerable to wind damage. Branches on a willow tree are thick but there are also very thin droopy branches that dangle down from the thicker branches. Willow tree leaves are slim and they can be green, light green, green-yellow and yellow. |
Subalpine Fir:
The alpine fir is a coniferous tree (it has needles). It grows from 20-35 meters and in rare cases it can grow up to 50 meters. The needles on the tree are not sharp and are a blue-green colour with one white strip on top and two on the bottom. The needles on the tree tend to turn upward. The seed cones are a deep purple and the pollen cones are bluish. The tree has smooth grey bark when it is young and as it ages it turns darker and becomes scaly.
The alpine fir is a coniferous tree (it has needles). It grows from 20-35 meters and in rare cases it can grow up to 50 meters. The needles on the tree are not sharp and are a blue-green colour with one white strip on top and two on the bottom. The needles on the tree tend to turn upward. The seed cones are a deep purple and the pollen cones are bluish. The tree has smooth grey bark when it is young and as it ages it turns darker and becomes scaly.
What Makes This Region Unique:
What makes this region unique is that it is a linkage zone between 2 core grizzly bear habitats. If there wasn't this linkage zone the Grizzlies wouldn't be able to move between habitats, therefore their habitat would get smaller. Another unique thing is the Dall Sheep that live in the area. Dall Sheep almost went extinct during the gold rush because of the demand of meat in the new towns and cities. Their numbers have recovered, though nowhere near as many roam the Yukon and Northern B.C.
What makes this region unique is that it is a linkage zone between 2 core grizzly bear habitats. If there wasn't this linkage zone the Grizzlies wouldn't be able to move between habitats, therefore their habitat would get smaller. Another unique thing is the Dall Sheep that live in the area. Dall Sheep almost went extinct during the gold rush because of the demand of meat in the new towns and cities. Their numbers have recovered, though nowhere near as many roam the Yukon and Northern B.C.