Retention of wooded ecosystems and plant and lichen diversity on a First Nations Reserve compared to three other land uses in the Central Boreal Mixed-wood of northeast Alberta, Canada

• Author / Creator

  Young, Natasha D

• This thesis represents the first inquiry into the retention of wooded ecosystems and plant and lichen diversity in a First Nation compared to three other land use units within the boreal mixed-wood of Canada. Forest retention was highest in the Provincial Park, followed by the Métis Settlement and the First Nations Reserve, as compared to the surrounding agro-environment. The Park stands were mostly coniferous yet stands in all other land use units were predominantly deciduous. The First Nation was primarily unforested. The Park site housed two distinct forest types, accounting for the highest floral diversity levels. Next to the Park, fragmentation metrics in the Settlement were most favourable to the protection of regional diversity and the First Nation plots contributed the most rare species. We conclude that forest stands in the two aboriginal land use units offer valuable contributions to the flora of the region.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Boreal mixed-wood
  • Plant and lichen diversity
  • First Nations Reserve
  • Wooded retention

• Graduation date

  Spring 2014

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Arts

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R37H6G

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.