Terrestrial lichen caribou forage transplant success: year 5 and 6 results

Abstract

The southern mountain caribou—a subpopulation of caribou found in British Columbia—is listed on Schedule 1 of the Federal Species at Risk Act as Threatened. Woodland caribou are diet specialists, relying on Cladonia subgenus Cladina lichen as a primary food source during winter months. Lichens are burned along with trees and other vegetation during stand-replacing wildfire events, a natural disturbance in caribou ranges. In an attempt to accelerate the return of post-fire forests to productive caribou winter terrestrial lichen habitat, this study examined the survival and cover of three species of transplanted lichens in a post-wildfire environment in north central British Columbia, Canada, both with and without forest litter amendments. Chlorophyll fluorescence was used to evaluate lichen survival by measuring potential photosynthetic activity. The results of this study demonstrate that transplanted fragments and mats of Cladonia subgenus Cladina had survived 5 and 6 years after being transplanted within a post-wildfire environment, and had significantly greater percent cover when compared to the controls. The Fv/Fm results indicated that transplanted lichens survived, regardless of species, propagule type, or whether amendments were applied.