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bold;">Subject:</span></b> [Nat
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HI Paul and All=2C
Your comment reminded me that when hiking the Lake of Islands trail=2C o=
n the CBHNP dry barrons in 2009=2C we came across a number of pink & white =
Ladies Slippers growing in the trail side gravel. If memory serves the soi=
l was whitish and probably gypsum based. I was quite surprised to see them =
growing in conditions that are far from what I would consider normal but th=
ey must be very hardy=3B and cold tolerant=3B to be growing in what are one=
of the harshest environments in the province. All the best.
Fritz McEvoy
Sunrise Valley=2C CB
Date: Mon=2C 16 Jan 2012 04:30:53 -0800
From: paulrita2001@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] The rise and fall of Common Lady's Slippers (long)
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
An interesting account Dave.
I got some growing from stock from a test tube operation - they hold on but=
not much more.
Their tolerance for cold seem variable. Along the Shelburne River
there is a large stand - covers several hectares I would surmise. Very love=
ly.
The interesting thing is many plants are growing on top of granite boulders=
with the
only soil from decaying hardwood leaves - the temp of the soil must drop qu=
ite low
there in the winter - so their roots must be hardy.
On the other hand they have a good supply of water during the growing seaso=
n but no standing or very little
at least in the winter to make ice. Oxygen does not look to be a problem.
Unfortunately or perhaps fortunately it is not an easy spot to visit but w=
ell worth the trip
for me at least. Half the fun is getting there - lol
Hope we can get the snowshoes out soon
Paul
From: David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com>
To: NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca=20
Sent: Sunday=2C January 15=2C 2012 10:31:30 PM
Subject: [NatureNS] The rise and fall of Common Lady's Slippers (long)
Dear All=2C Jan 15=2C 2012
SUMMARY:
A stand of Cypripedium acaule (Common Lady's Slipper) that became establi=
shed (probably early to mid 1990s) along a section of pick and shovel woods=
road that I built about 1984 gradually increased in abundance until at lea=
st 2006. Sometime after this=2C drawing on memory between June 2009 and su=
mmer 2010=2C abundance decreased abruptly throughout a mapped area of 113 m=
^2. This abrupt decrease may have been triggered by an unusual buildup of i=
ce at the soil/snow interface caused by unusually cold soil and observed ab=
out 500 paces NW of this area=2C or the associated unusually deep or prolon=
ged penetration of frost.
BACKGROUND:
In the years 2003 to 2006 inclusive I made rough maps of plant location i=
n a small area of the North Alton woodlot and recorded state (flowering=2C =
fruiting=2C not flowering=2C browsed=2C damaged etc.) The total number of p=
lants within the mapped area increased each year=3B 90=2C 103=2C 114 and 12=
0 for the years 2003 to 2006 respectively.
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 incr=
easingly crowded the identity of some plants over years became uncertain. S=
o I discontinued both mapping and counting in 2006.
Softwoods in this area had been cut about 1950=2C the woods were still fa=
irly open until about 2000 but had started to close in south and west of on=
e portion of the mapped area by 2006 so I did some thinning in late winter=
( probably March of 2007 & 2008).
When I hand-pollinated some flowers in 2007=2C 2008 and 2009=2C in the p=
reviously mapped area=2C I noticed no change in stand density but by summer=
2010 there were very few plants in this area.
The mapped area is not large=2C about 113 m^2=2C but is spread along abo=
out 100 paces of road as four relatively distinct patches. Because all patc=
hes were affected it seems unlikely that either disease or tree thinning wa=
s the cause.
When cutting wood to the NW of this Lady's Slipper stand=2C in late winte=
r of 2009=2C when there were still scattered patches of snow=2C I noticed a=
very unusual condition. Temperature at the soil/snow interface is usually=
close to 0o C with soil heat gradually 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 suggest melting from above and subsequent fre=
ezing of percolated water when it reached cold soil. It seems possible that=
stand loss was caused either by cold injury or by direct or indirect effec=
ts of low soil oxygen.
This is of course conjectural but it is something to watch for.
Yours truly=2C Dave Webster=2C Kentville
=
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HI Paul and All=2C<BR>
 =3B =3B Your comment reminded me that =3Bwhen hiking the Lake =
of Islands trail=2C on the CBHNP dry barrons in 2009=2C we came across a nu=
mber of pink &=3B white Ladies Slippers growing in the trail side gravel=
. =3B If memory serves the soil was whitish and probably gypsum based. =
I was quite surprised to see them =3Bgrowing in conditions that are far=
from what =3BI would consider normal but they must be very hardy=3B an=
d cold tolerant=3B =3Bto be growing in what are one of the harshest&nbs=
p=3Benvironments in the province. =3BAll the best.<BR>
 =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B&nb=
sp=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B Fritz McEvoy<BR>
 =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B&nb=
sp=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B Sunrise Valle=
y=2C CB<BR>
<HR id=3DstopSpelling>
<BR>
Date: Mon=2C 16 Jan 2012 04:30:53 -0800<BR>From: paulrita2001@yahoo.com<BR>=
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] The rise and fall of Common Lady's Slippers (long)<=
BR>To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<BR><BR><BR>
<DIV>
<DIV style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff=3B FONT-FAMILY: times new roman=2C new=
york=2C times=2C serif=3B COLOR: #000=3B FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
<DIV><SPAN>An interesting account Dave.</SPAN&