Virgin Douglas Fir on Saturna Island: 1979

T.P Sullivan published a paper on a survey of Saturna Island Ecological reserve provided a description of its virgin Douglas Fir  (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forest.  The vegetation was quantitatively analyzed with respect to structure and composition. The tree strata dominated the structure of this reserve followed secondarily by the low shrub ad bryophyte strata. Pseudotsuga menziesii was the most important tree species with Tsuga heterophylla ( Western Hemlock) and Thuja plicata ( western red cedar) probably limited by low precipitation and soil structure.   Gaultheria shallon ( salal) was the dominant understory species with Gaultheria shallon ( salal) and Hylocomium  splendens dominating the Bryophyte stratum .

 

See the PDf file: Sullivan_DouglasFirForest