Grasslands Of The Southern Interior - British Columbia
SEIMS HATYS T IKSITA ROSB RUI M BCEN LICOGrasslandsof theSouthernInteriorGrasslandscover less thanone percent ofBritish Columbia’sland area.Ministry of Sustainable Resource ManagementMinistry of Water, Land and Air Protection
Why are grasslands of thesouthern interior at risk?n the hot, dry regions of the southerninterior of British Columbia lie grasslands dominated by bunchgrasses,wildflowers, and dryland shrubs.Grasslands were naturally limited inextent when European settlement beganin the mid-1800s, and significant areasof grasslands have been lost since thattime. Today, grasslands cover less thanone percent of British Columbia’s landarea and are one of Canada’s mostendangered ecosystems. Scattered grasslands also occur in coastal, central, andnorthern British Columbia; these grasslands are also threatened but have different ecological characteristics fromthose in the southern interior.The warm climate and dramatic setting of grassland ecosystems has long attracted humanhabitation, and today the loss ofgrasslands is evidenced by extensive vineyards, orchards, hay fields,human settlements, and commercial and industrial developmentsin southern interior valleys. Aboutone-third of the grasslands area inthe Okanagan Basin and BoundaryDistrict has been lost to development;the North Okanagan has lost nearlyhalf of its native grasslands. Ongoingpopulation growth will add increasingpressures to remaining grasslands. Mostof the losses and adverse effects are tovalley-bottom ecosystems, which arethe most valuable to biodiversity, themost fragile to disturbances, and theslowest to recover.Many remaining grasslands havebeen invaded by introduced plantssuch as knapweed, sulphur cinquefoil,and cheatgrass. Since grassland speciesare subtly different and often poorlyknown, changes from native to foreignIplants can go unnoticed, and reversingsuch changes can be difficult. Peopleoften recreate in grasslands, withoutrealizing that the fragile, easily disturbed crust of lichens, mosses, andalgae (known as a microbiotic crust),soils, and plants are easily damaged byboth motorized vehicles and mountainbikes. A single track can become anerosion site, become weed infested, andinvite further traffic. Expansion ofurban and suburban populations alsobrings more pets and recreation, whichcan in turn negatively affect grasslandsand the creatures reliant on them.Southern Interior grasslands have along history of intensive livestock grazing, which reduced many low-elevationand gently sloping grasslands to littlemore than bare soil in the early 1900s.Many grasslands have partially or wholly recovered throughGrasslands carefully managedare the most livestock grazing.However, unmanvaluable to aged livestock grazbiodiversity, ing has degraded orprevented the recovthe mostery of other grasslands by exposingfragile tomineral soil, damdisturbances. aging bunchgrasses,and promoting theinvasion of introduced plant species.Historically, natural fires maintained grasslands on moister sites andat higher elevations by preventing treesfrom establishing. For about a century,fire has been largely excluded fromgrasslands through fire suppression,cessation of burning by aboriginalpeoples, and removal of fine fuelsthrough domestic grazing. Subsequentforest invasion has reduced someCariboo-Chilcotin grasslands by morethan 30 percent since 1962. Althoughnot well documented, significant areasof many other grasslands have alsobeen lost. Ironically, as has happenedin the United States, the introductionof cheatgrass may result in too frequent, too intense fires in somevalley-bottom grasslands.What are they?rasslands of the southern interior aresemi-arid ecosystems dominated bybunchgrasses, shrubs, and non-grassplants known as forbs. Grasslandsoccur in the hottest, driest valleys,including the Okanagan, Thompson,Nicola, Fraser, Chilcotin, Kettle, andKootenay, and represent the northernextent of grasslands that once dominated what are now agricultural fields of theGreat Basin in the United States.These valleys lie in the rainshadowof the Coast, Cascade, or Columbiamountains, where winters are cool orcold with relatively little snow. Valleyheating and a flow of warm air fromthe Great Basin result in hot, dry summers. In this semi-arid environment,long summer droughts can preventtree seedlings from establishing. Mostgrasses, however, are well-adapted tocapturing limited moisture. The shapeof bunchgrasses funnels moisture toa vast network of fine roots that areparticularly effective at capturing moisture near the soil surface. Bunchgrassessurvive drought by actively growingonly during spring and late autumn.Although bunchgrasses characterizegrasslands, some shrubs and a greatdiversity of forbs also occur. In spring,moist soils bring the first flush ofblooms of easily overlooked sagebrush buttercup and yellow bells,which are soon followed by the brightpink and yellow splashes of bitterrootand arrow-leaved balsamroot. Thesequence of flowering continues untilthe hot, dr y months of summer,when the flashy colours of flowers arereplaced by the subtle beauty of tawnytones and textures of dormant grassesand plants. Fall brings the wind-pollinated flowers of big sagebrush andrabbit-brush shrubs. This diversity ofG
plant species is paralleled by a diversity of mammals, birds, amphibians,reptiles, and insects that are adaptedto and depend on grassland ecosystems for food, shelter, andbreeding sites.Underneath the more obviousplants of undisturbed grasslandslies a fragile, easily disturbed crust oflichens, mosses, and algae knownas a microbiotic crust. A carefulhands-and-knees look reveals atiny world of lichens and miniature mosses, many of which revealtheir brightest colours only after a rainfall. This crust binds the soil together inan irregular surface that enables soils tobetter capture moisture, prevents windand water erosion, and provides somenitrogen to grassland plants.Southern interior grasslands includeecosystems dominated by bunchgrasses,and ecosystems dominated by drylandshrubs such as sageA carefulbrush or antelopelook reveals brush with grassesand forbs. Thesea tinyshrub-dominatedecosystems are someworld oftimes referred to aslichens and shrub-steppe. Bothminiature livestock grazing andfire exclusion havemosses.likely resulted in theconversion of some bunchgrassdominated areas to shrub-steppe.Grasslands exhibit distinct ecological trends associated with moistureand temperature gradients, whichare in turn related to elevation changesand site conditions, including aspectand slope. In general, moisture, forbdiversity, productivity, and plant andlitter cover increase with elevation,while microbiotic crust cover and diversity decrease.Valley-bottoms are the hottest anddriest areas, and are commonly dominated by dryland shrubs with widelyspaced bunchgrasses such as bluebunch wheatgrass and needle-andthread grass, scattered forbs such asprickly pear cactus, and a diversemicrobiotic crust. These grasslands arethe most sensitive to disturbance, andhave been the most affected to date bylivestock, invasive plants, and development. Middle slopes of valleys are usually dominated by bunchgrasses with awider diversity of forbs; scattered areasof shrub-steppe also occur.At the upper edges of valleys andon adjacent plateaus, slightly coolerand moister climates result in conditions favourable for both forests andgrasslands. Here, frequent low-intensity fires likely played a key role inmaintaining grasslands in a mosaicwith open forests. With fire exclusion,many of these grassland areas havebeen invaded by trees and are shrinking rapidly. When undisturbed, thesegrasslands are dominated by rough orIdaho fescue in southern valleys, andby porcupine grass in the CaribooChilcotin. They have a wide diversityof forbs, although their microbioticcrusts are often less diverse and lesscontinuous because thicker litter layers limit their development.movalCogrepeextclimWhat is their history?n British Columbia, southern interiorgrasslands are ancient communitiesthat probably became established fromthe south about 10 000 years ago as thePleistocene glaciers were melting. During a warm climatic period from about9000 to 4700 years ago, species from thearid Great Basin west of the extolanelemotleyelansteofthtiointWcogeoernsmarehig
moved northward into the hot, dryRange of southern interior grasslands.valley bottoms of southern BritishColumbia. Grasslands covered a muchgreater area during this warm climaticperiod, but shrunk to their currentextent about 4000 years ago when theclimate became moister and cooler.Fire was historically a strong shaping influence in grasslands. Fires,started both by lightning and traditional burning by aboriginal peoples,are estimated to have occurred every10 to 20 years. Most grassland plantshave structures that are able to survive of grasslands are privately owned, 10fires moving through the fine grass percent are within Indian Reserves,fuels and thrive on the flush of nutri- and less than half are on Crown land.ents released by burning. Tree seed- Of publicly owned grasslands, aboutlings were able to establish only where 90 percent are under grazing tenures.there was more moisture orJust over three-quartersFire wasin an unusually moist year,of private land grassand most did not acquirehistorically lands lie within the Agrithick, fire-resistant bark incultural Land Reserve.astrongtime to survive the next fire.Only a small percentDuring the past 140 years, fireageof our grasslands areshapingexclusion has allowed treesprotected – Eight perinfluence in cent lie within Crownto invade and shrink grasslands, especially at highergrasslands. protected areas, andelevations and on cooler,non-government conmoister sites.servation organizations have purGrasslands have been grazed by cat- chased less than one percent of pritle, horses, and sheep for the last 140 vately held grasslands for protection.years. Human populations in grass- Larger grassland protected areasland-dominated valleys have increased include Lac du Bois Grasslands Prosteadily since the mid 1800s. Both tected Area near Kamloops, Southof these factors have played a role in Okanagan Grasslands Protected Areathe present condition and distribu- west of Oliver and Osoyoos, and Churntion of British Columbia’s southern Creek Protected Area west of theinterior grasslands.Fraser River from Clinton.Nearly all grassland and shrubsteppe natural plant communities areWhat is theirconsidered at risk. Presently, 15 ofconservation status?rasslands in the southern interior these plant communities have beenoccupy less than one percent blue-listed (special concern) or red(662 872 ha) of British Columbia’s listed (endangered); evaluations forland area. Because grasslands are other grassland plant communitiesgeographically restricted to hot south- are pending. Many other plant comern interior valleys and occupy a very munities associated with grasslandsmall portion of British Columbia’s land landscapes, such as wetlands, aspenarea, these ecosystems are considered copses, and woodlands, are alsohighly endangered. More than 40 percent endangered.GWhy are they important?rasslands have a wide range ofimportant values, one of which istheir intrinsic value – they are anessential part of British Columbia’sand North America’s unique biodiversity and natural heritage. Grasslandsare naturally rare and have been substantially reduced by human activities.All of us are reliant on the ecosystemservices that grasslands provide,including the safe capture, storage, filtration, and release of water and cleanair. Grasslands provide places for recreation, education, eco-tourism, ranching, and hunting. Healthy grasslandswith dense grass are more resistant toinvasion of non-native plants and provide more forage and wildlife habitatthan degraded grasslands. Grasslandsare important to aboriginal peoples, forharvest of bitterroot, balsamroot, andother plants found in grasslands. Grasslands provide a scenic backdrop formany communities and are places toenjoy nature and observe wildlife.The warm climate and aesthetic valuesof grasslands have contributed toincreased real estate values in manyvalleys – ironically this has increasedthe threats to the beauty and biodiversity that has attracted people tolive there.Many of the values of grasslandlandscapes lie in the diversity of ecosystems that occur there, includingwoodlands, old forests, wetlands,riparian areas, aspen copses, cliffs,rock and talus. Most of these ecosystems are also considered threatenedor endangered, and together thisdiverse mosaic of ecosystems withinthe grassland environment provideshabitat for a wide diversity of plants,mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates.Although grasslands cover a verysmall portion of British Columbia’sland area, they provide habitat formore than one-third of the province’sG
rare and endangered vertebrates;many rare plants and invertebratesalso occur in grasslands. Rare grassland mammals include the nowendangered Badger which burrowsextensively in grasslands, huntingfor ground squirrels, small mammals, and larger insects. BurrowingOwls are one of the many animalsreliant on abandoned Badger burrows. These owls have been extirpated from British Columbia’s grasslands, and re-introduction programsare in place. Sharp-tailed Grousehave greatly declined and no longeroccur in many grasslands. Springdawn can bring the rare sight of acluster of male Sharp-tailed Grousestomping and clucking on a lowrise in the grasslands in effortsto attract females. Stranger still isthe Great Basin Spadefoot, a threatened amphibian that breeds in waterin spring, develops quickly, and survives the harsh grassland summersby using spurs on its feet to digitself underground.Grasslands are also home tomany smaller and less showy endangered creatures including a hugediversity of insects such as the immaculate green hairstreak butterfly.Many endangered plants occur ingrasslands, including the showyand rare Lyall’s mariposa lilyand silvery sagebrush.With climate change, healthygrasslands may provide corridors for movement and sourcesof plant and animal speciesmoving north or to higher elevations. Many grassland speciesare at the edges of their range;such populations are often moreadaptable to change and have thebest chance of surviving climatechange. Loss, fragmentation,and degradation of grasslandsmay limit the survival and spreadof many species in the future.as the Grasslands Conservation Council ofBritish Columbia andraise awareness throughlocal activities. Supportgrassland purchases,raise awareness, andassist in developingplans and bylaws toprotect these and othersensitive ecosystems.Learn how to identify introduced invasive plants that threaten native grasslands.Learn how to avoidspreading them furtherand to control them.If you enjoy recreatingin grasslands, learnhow to do so with asensitivity that will notdamage them. Alwaysstay on existing trailsand roads and avoid - areas already infested with invasive plants to . Kristi Iverson photoavoid spreading theirseeds. If you own land, you can conHow can we protecttact a conservation organizationgrasslands?e all need to take part in saving to find out how you can protect yourgrassland ecosystems. Their sub- grasslands in perpetuity throughtle and fragile beauty has often conservation covenants, land donabeen overlooked in the past. Today tions, and other options.The Grasslands Conservation Counthese ecosystemsGrasslands are at risk. What cil of British Columbia, which becamecan we do? Begin a society in 1999, was the outcome ofprovideby learning more discussion in 1996 of a group of peohabitat for about grasslands by ple concerned about grasslands. Thespending time in Council is a strategic alliance ofmore thanthem. Watch for diverse organizations and individualsone-third of changes through that is committed to raising awareness,the province’s the seasons, learn stewardship, and conservation ofthe flowers and British Columbia’s grasslands.rare andBy working together and raisingplants, and watchendangered some of the many awareness, we may be able to conservefascinating crea- British Columbia’s endangered southvertebrates. tures that inhabit ern interior grasslands.them. Join and support natural historyand conservation organizations suchW Carmen Ca Universitwww.invas
. Kristi Iverson photo , . Kristi Iverson photo .Carmen Cadrin photo , ’ , .Mike Miller photo , :B.C. Conservation Data Centre, Ministry of Sustainable Resource ManagementPO Box 9358, Stn. Prov. Govt., Victoria, British Columbia V8W 9M2http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/cdcFor more information on grasslands:Forest and Range Practices Act www.for.gov.bc.ca/codeGrasslands Conservation Council of British Columbia www.bcgrasslands.orgNature Conservancy of Canada www.natureconservancy.caSouth Okanagan-Similkameen Conservation Program www.soscp.orgThe Land Conservancy of British Columbia www.conservancy.bc.caThe Nature Trust of British Columbia www.naturetrust.bc.ca .University of Idaho Archives, University of Idaho,www.invasive.org - - - . , Printed in British Columbia on recycled paper with vegetable inks
conservation status?G rasslands in the southern interior occupy less than one percent (662 872 ha) of British Columbia's land area. Because grasslands are geographically restricted to hot south-ern interior valleys and occupy a very small portion of British Columbia's land area, these ecosystems are considered highly endangered. More than .
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grasslands appear to be the most diverse, followed in order by Mediterranean, Temperate, Tropical Montane, and finally Cool Semi -Desert grasslands. Alpine vegetation was not well-represented. Thus, definitions of highly biodiverse grasslands
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