Morgan's+Ecosystem+Project


 * __ The Ontario Boreal Forest __**

** The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources defines the Boreal Forest using ** ** Rowe’s Forest Regions (Dr. J. Stan Rowe is awell-known ecologist and writer born in Alberta, 1918). It does not include the taiga, which is the area where the boreal forest turns into the tundra. The total land and water in Ontario covered by the boreal forest is 49,845.8 hectares (ha) and the total land and water in Canada covered by boreal forest is 290,775.8 ha. The Boreal Forest extends from Great-Lakes and St. Lawrence forest to the Hudson Bay lowlands and makes up two-thirds of Ontario's forests. The boreal forest stores large quantities of water in the wetlands and lakes, and carbon in trees, soil and peat (carbonized vegetable matter). ** ** The forest gets warm summers and cold winters. Its temperatures range from -10C to 20C and the annual amount of precipitation ranges from 800mm to 1000mm. ** ** Ontario’s Boreal Forest has different soil types that allow different trees to grow. For example, black spruce, and larch are found in poorly drained areas while trembling aspen, white birch and balsam poplar are all found in well-drained uplands or rocky sites. Softwoods (jack pine, black spruce, white spruce, larch and balsam fir) and hardwoods (trembling aspen, white birch and balsam poplar) are found in stands (groups of trees) where the trees are all the same age and size. ** ** The boreal forest in Ontario can support a variety of animals such as wolves and lynx (predators), moose and caribou (large ungulates or hoofed mammals), marten, varying hare, red fox and porcupine (small mammals), and approximately three hundred migratory birds that range from the great grey owl to the tiny winter wren. ** ** Forest fires, insect infestations, and extreme weather are the main causes of natural disturbances in the boreal forest. The extreme weather can cause ice and snow damage, and along with heavy winds, can blow down large areas of trees. Insects such as the spruce budworm or the forest tent caterpillar can defoliate huge areas of forest. **
 * __ Intro __**

** The Boreal Forest has many human disturbances that cause major problems. Forest fire suppression causes the forest to become older than would naturally occur. Forest fires can be seen as having a positive affect on the forests regeneration. The rich soil created by the fire allows the forest to renew itself much faster. The reason we extinguish forest fires is because humans find fire to be a threat to our own “ecosystem” and it forces the animals caught in the fire to flee out of the forest into human civilization. ** ** Timber harvesting and clear-cutting causes habitat change, fragmentation and destruction. The living organisms (plants, insects, birds and animals) will be forced to change habitats or they die. This in turn alters the water cycle (no roots to pick up excess water from the ground), the nitrogen cycle (the roots of the plant don’t take up any nitrogen from the decomposers and there will be no food for the consumers), and the carbon cycle (photosynthesis and respiration cannot occur if there are no plants and therefore the air will be full of carbon dioxide). ** ** Pollution caused by car emissions and other such things, causes air, ground and water pollution. This affects all parts of the food chain. The pollution that is created by humans seeps into the ground and makes its way into different ecosystems. Soil pollution affects the plants (producers) and can make them poisonous to the animals and birds (consumers). The waste from the consumer is decomposed and the pollution goes back into the soil. Animals and plants breathe in the pollution in the air as well, which can also make them sick. **
 * __ Human Disturbances __**

** In Ontario, efforts are being made to rejuvenate our Boreal Forest, along with all Canadians endeavouring to do the same for the boreal forests throughout Canada. ** ** In order to accomplish this, the Provincial Government passed the Crown Forest Sustainability Act, which took two years to produce and revise and replaces the Crown Timber Act in 1994. The Crown Forest Sustainability Act is based on the 127 recommendations of the Class Environmental Assessment for Timber Management on Crown Lands in Ontario (also known as Class EA), and its purpose is to provide sustainability to the crown forest (boreal forest) and everything in it. For example, if you have a license to harvest trees, but you do not keep a record, there is a fine of $5,000. If you don’t have a license and you continue harvesting trees, you are liable to a $15,000 fine. All monies collected through harvesting fees are placed into the Forest Renewal Trust Fund to pay for the replanting of trees. ** ** There are other laws and acts that the government has passed in an attempt to bring the Boreal Forest back such as: ** · ** The Public Lands Law monitors the use of government-owned land such as forests and parks. **  · ** The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act regulates hunting, fishing and trapping of certain species. **  · ** The Provincial Parks Act permanently protects and maintains the biodiversity in the provincial parks and their ecosystems. **  · ** The Forestry Act regulates forestry activity on privately owned land and permits a degree of municipal regulation of forestry and silviculture (the growing and cultivation of trees) ** ** The Endangered Species Act (ESA 2007) was updated in 2007. The improvements are providing protection for all species at risk, increased fines and more effective enforcement, stronger commitment to recovering species, and providing habitat protection. **
 * __ What Humans Are Doing to Help __**
 * All the laws and acts that were passed are subject to the Environmental Bill of Rights (1993) citizen and public protection of all environmental matters. **


 * __ Conclusion __**
 * The Ontario Boreal Forest is a huge part Ontario. It is important that we preserve it for future generations because it provides us with a large source of our water, generating oxygen and regulating climate. It also has great value in forestry, hydro, oil and natural gas activity. And last but not least, it is the home to endangered and non-endangered species from animals to plants to insects that lived here long before us. We treat our houses with respect keep it in good repair, we should do the same with the Earth because it is the only home we have. **

**Images:**
 * __ Bibliography __**
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 * http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2005/11/25/forests_051125.html **
 * Figure 1: http://c1.redgreenandblue.org/files/2008/07/dreamstime_2650145.jpg **
 * Figure 2: http://www.uwec.edu/math/Calculus/Math114-Spring2002/Canada%20lynx%20-%20Hinterland%20Who%27s%20Who%20-%20Canadian%20Wildlife%20Service%20-%20Environment%20Canada_files/lynx.jpg **
 * Figure 3: http://greenrightnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/clear_cut_forest.jpg **