[NatureNS] The rise and fall of Common Lady's Slippers (long)

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Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2012 04:30:53 -0800 (PST)
From: Paul MacDonald <paulrita2001@yahoo.com>
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An interesting account Dave.=0AI got some growing from stock from a test tu=
be operation - they hold on but not much more.=0ATheir tolerance for cold s=
eem variable. Along the Shelburne River=0Athere is a large stand - covers s=
everal hectares I would surmise. Very lovely.=0AThe interesting thing is ma=
ny plants are growing on top of granite boulders with the=0Aonly soil from =
decaying hardwood leaves - the temp of the soil must drop quite low=0Athere=
 in the winter - so their roots must be hardy.=0AOn the other hand they hav=
e a good supply of water during the growing season but no standing or very =
little=0Aat least in the winter to make ice. Oxygen does not look to be a p=
roblem.=0AUnfortunately or perhaps =A0fortunately it is not an easy spot to=
 visit but well worth the trip=0Afor me at least. Half the fun is getting t=
here - lol=0AHope we can get the snowshoes out soon=0APaul=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A__=
______________________________=0A From: David & Alison Webster <dwebster@gl=
inx.com>=0ATo: NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca =0ASent: Sunday, January 15, 2012 10=
:31:30 PM=0ASubject: [NatureNS] The rise and fall of Common Lady's Slippers=
 (long)=0A =0ADear All,=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 Jan 15, 2012=
=0ASUMMARY:=0A=A0  A stand of Cypripedium acaule (Common Lady's Slipper) th=
at became established (probably early to mid 1990s) along a section of pick=
 and shovel woods road that I built about 1984 gradually increased in abund=
ance until at least 2006. Sometime after this, drawing on memory between Ju=
ne 2009=A0 and summer 2010, abundance decreased abruptly throughout a mappe=
d area of 113 m^2. This abrupt decrease may have been triggered by an unusu=
al buildup of ice at the soil/snow interface caused by unusually cold soil =
and observed about 500 paces NW of this area, or the associated unusually d=
eep or prolonged penetration of frost.=0A=0ABACKGROUND:=0A=A0  In the years=
 2003 to 2006 inclusive I made rough maps of plant location in a small area=
 of the North Alton woodlot and recorded state (flowering, fruiting, not fl=
owering, browsed, damaged etc.) The total number of plants within the mappe=
d area increased each year; 90, 103, 114 and 120 for the years 2003 to 2006=
 respectively.=0A=0A=A0  In theory one could follow the state of individual=
 plants over years and initially this worked fairly well. But as plants in =
some groups became increasingly crowded the identity of some plants over ye=
ars became uncertain. So I discontinued both mapping and counting in 2006.=
=0A=0A=A0  Softwoods in this area had been cut about 1950, the woods were s=
till fairly open until about 2000 but had started to close in south and wes=
t of one portion of the mapped area=A0 by 2006 so I did some thinning in la=
te winter ( probably March of 2007 & 2008).=0A=0A=A0  When I hand-pollinate=
d some flowers in 2007, 2008 and 2009,=A0 in the previously mapped area, I =
noticed no change in stand density but by summer 2010 there were very few p=
lants in this area.=0A=0A=A0  The mapped area is not large, about 113 m^2, =
but is spread=A0 along aboout 100 paces of road as four relatively distinct=
 patches. Because all patches were affected it seems unlikely that either d=
isease or tree thinning was the cause.=0A=0A=A0  When cutting wood to the N=
W of this Lady's Slipper stand, in late winter of 2009, when there were sti=
ll scattered patches of snow, I noticed a very unusual condition.=A0 Temper=
ature at the soil/snow interface is usually close to 0o C with soil heat gr=
adually melting snow at this interface but ice was nearly always present at=
 this interface and up to about 10 cm thick. Ice at that interface would su=
ggest melting from above and subsequent freezing of percolated water when i=
t reached cold soil. It seems possible that stand loss was caused either by=
 cold injury or by direct or indirect effects of low soil oxygen.=0A=0A=A0 =
 This is of course conjectural but it is something to watch for.=0A=0AYours=
 truly, Dave Webster, Kentville
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<html><body><div style=3D"color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:ti=
mes new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><div><span>An interes=
ting account Dave.</span></div><div><span>I got some growing from stock fro=
m a test tube operation - they hold on but not much more.</span></div><div>=
<span>Their tolerance for cold seem variable. Along the Shelburne River</sp=
an></div><div><span>there is a large stand - covers several hectares I woul=
d surmise. Very lovely.</span></div><div><span>The interesting thing is man=
y plants are growing on top of granite boulders with the</span></div><div><=
span>only soil from decaying hardwood leaves - the temp of the soil must dr=
op quite low</span></div><div><span>there in the winter - so their roots mu=
st be hardy.</span></div><div><span>On the other hand they have a good supp=
ly of water during the growing season but no standing or very little</span>=
</div><div><span>at least in the winter to make ice. Oxygen does not
 look to be a problem.</span></div><div><span>Unfortunately or perhaps &nbs=
p;fortunately it is not an easy spot to visit but well worth the trip</span=
></div><div><span>for me at least. Half the fun is getting there - lol</spa=
n></div><div><span>Hope we can get the snowshoes out soon</span></div><div>=
<span>Paul</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span><br></span></=
div><div><br></div>  <div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new=
 roman', 'new york', times, serif; "> <div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; font-f=
amily: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "> <div dir=3D"ltr"> <f=
ont size=3D"2" face=3D"Arial"> <hr size=3D"1">  <b><span style=3D"font-weig=
ht:bold;">From:</span></b> David &amp; Alison Webster &lt;dwebster@glinx.co=
m&gt;<br> <b><span style=3D"font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> NatureNS@che=
bucto.ns.ca <br> <b><span style=3D"font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Sun=
day, January 15, 2012 10:31:30 PM<br> <b><span style=3D"font-weight:
 bold;">Subject:</span></b> [Nat