East of Index, Washington: May 12, 2012

Location: East of Index, Washington by a few miles, in Snohomish, Washington, USA (47.82338333129883, -121.51809692382812)

Date: May 12, 2012

Time: 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM

Weather Conditions: Sunny, temperatures in mid 60’s (°F)

Summary of Observations: Stopped along Highway 2 in a temperate rainforest comprised of primarily Spruces, Western Red Cedars, and Bigleaf Maples- also some Vine Maple. Saw lots of mosses and epiphytic ferns growing on the Bigleaf Maples- specifically, lots of Licorice Fern. We discussed how these epiphytic relationships are fostered by abiotic forces: this region gets at least two times more rainfall than Seattle, which creates a nice, moist habitat on the trees for moss to grow on, creating a good habitat for ferns.
Understory primarily Salmonberry, Elderberry and Ribes bracteosum. Groundcover of ferns (Sword, Lady, and Wood), as well as Pacific Bleedingheart, False Lily of the Valley, Hookers Fairybells, Stinging Nettle, Piggyback Plant and Devils Club. The Devil’s Club was greener and had more growth than the species I saw on Cougar Mountain in April. Dominant Trillium Ovatum in tree gaps.
Also saw a colony of Artists Conch growing on a fallen tree log. We discussed how this fungi produces a huge number of spores, and in some regions can live up to twenty or thirty years old. You can tell the age of this fungi by looking at the pore layers; a similar technique to using rings of growth on a tree.
We also heard some Pacific Wrens while exploring, and saw Rufus Hummingbirds.

Species List

1. Acer macrophyllum (Big Leaf Maple)
2. Thuja plicata (Western Red Cedar)
3. Acer circinatum (Vine Maple)
4. Rubus spectabilis (Salmonberry)
5. Sambucus racemose (Elderberry)
6. Ribes bracteosum (Stinking Currant)
7. Polystichum munitum (Sword Fern)
8. Athyrium felix-femina (Lady Fern)
9. Polypodium glycoriza (Licorice Fern)
10. Dryopteris expansa (Wood Fern)
11. Dicentra formosa (Pacific Bleedingheart)
12. Maianthemum dilatatum (False Lily of the Valley)
13. Disporum hookeri (Hookers Fairybells)
14. Urtica dioica (Stinging Nettle)
15. Tolmiea diplomenziesii (Piggyback Plant)
16. Oplopanax horridus (Devils Club)
17. Trillium ovatum (Western/Pacific Trillium)
18. Ganoderma applanatum (Artists Conch)
19. Troglodytes pacificus (Pacific Wren)
20. Selasphorus rufus (Rufus Hummingbird)

Posted on June 3, 2012 05:57 PM by sophiejhart