Ecological Features
Mer Bleue is a boreal peatland, a type of ecosystem which is usually found in the boreal forest to the north. The sphagnum bog contains two main types of vegetation - the black spruce forest and the open heath vegetation. The black spruce (Picea mariana) forest is dominated by black spruce with some growth of larch (Larix laricina), trembling white aspen (Populus tremuloides) and grey or white birch (Betula spp.).
Sphagnum mosses are the dominant low lying form of vegetation in the bog. About 12 species of heaths (members of the family Ericaceae) thrive in the bog. The most common are Labrador tea (Rhododendron groenlandicum), leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne sp.), small cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccus), bog-laurel (Kalmia polifolia), and sheep-laurel (Kalmia augustifolia). At least nine species of orchids (family Orchidaceae) are found in Mer Bleue along with a variety of cottongrasses (Eriophorum spp.) and sedges (Carex spp.) in the family Cyperaceae.
The marsh areas around Mer Bleue are characterized by plants such as cattails (Typha latifolia, alders (Alnus rugosa), willows (Salix sps.), and a variety of sedges (Carex spp.). There are several aspen islands in the center of Mer Bleue consisting of an overstory of aspen and an understory dominated by bracken fern (Pteridium sp.). The edges of the islands are surrounded by small bands of cattail and some alder growth.
The ridges of the site extend from the center of the conservation area westwards. There is a wide mixture in the vegetation from early succession poplars and shrubs to some very large mature specimens of white pine, maple and ash. A section of this area includes a variety of hard and softwood plantations established by the Canadian Forest Service.
Read more about this topic: Mer Bleue Conservation Area
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