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This ecoregion represents a sheltered outlier within the more open and exposed
Maritime Barrens Ecoregion. Pure stands of Balsam Fir with a significant mixture
of White Birch and Yellow Birch dominate this region. Trembling Aspen is rare
and Black Spruce is only abundant on wet site types. The Avalon Forest Ecoregion
has been spared the ravages of fire that decimated forests in the surrounding
landscape, converting it to open heathland. The excessively moist climate and
ribbed moraine topography give this small (500 km2) ecoregion its
uniqueness. The excessive fog frequency is clearly expressed by the
abundance of pendant lichens hanging from the branches
of Balsam Fir. Aspect appears to be an important factor controlling forest
composition and growth (Delaney and Cahill 1978). North facing slopes are
dominated by the Dryopteris-Balsam Fir type whereas south slopes have
Clintonia-Balsam Fir and Nemopanthus-Kalmia-Black Spruce with Taxus
canadensis abundant. Gleyed Ferro-Humic Podzols with loam to silt-loam
texture dominate in the land-type.
Silviculturally, these sites are difficult
to manage because of the considerable difference in ecological conditions over a
very small area. Understocked sites (which are generally rare) have an
ericaceous heath vegetation on slope summits with birch and raspberry on the
slopes. Also, these forests are subject to considerable climatic stress from
wind and large clearcuts should be discouraged. The low abundance of Black
Spruce in these forests suggests they would be prone to softwood regeneration
failure after fire.
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