Scandinavian coastal conifer forests
Encyclopedia
The Scandinavian coastal conifer forest ecoregion, a Palearctic
ecoregion
in the Temperate coniferous forests
Biome
, is located in along the coast of Norway
. Within it are a number of small areas with botanical features and a local climate consistent with a temperate rainforest.
The Scandinavian coastal conifer forest PA0520 is a terrestrial ecoregion as defined by WWF. and National Geographic. The broad definition is based on climatic parameters and includes a long area along the western Norwegian coast from Lindesnes
and north to approximately Senja
(further north summers are too cool for pine
to grow in coastal areas); in essence areas along the Norwegian coast where precipitation is high and winters are fairly mild. It might include areas lacking naturally occurring conifer forests (as in Lofoten
, where the pine forest was cleared by man many centuries ago) and even islands and rocky headlands with little or no woodland and forest.
At somewhat higher elevations near the treeline in the Scandinavian mountains
is the Scandinavian montane birch forest and grasslands
ecoregion. In some areas along valleys, this ecoregion meet the taiga of the inland belonging to the Scandinavian and russian taiga
ecoregion without mountain barriers. Examples of such valleys include the Rauma
valley connecting Åndalsnes
to Lesja
and Dombås
and the Namdalen
valley connecting the Nord-Trøndelag
coast to the cold interior with connection into Sweden. The ecoregion is naturally fragmented by fjords and mountains. The pine forests in the northern part have some of the oldest trees in Scandinavia, some more than 700 years old in Forfjord valley at Hinnøya
.
for the latitude
(140 - 215 days, longest in the south) with plentiful and reliable precipitation all year, from 1,200 mm - 3,000 mm. July 24-hr average typically range from 12 - 15 °C, with daytime highs of 14 - 20°C (warmest days in sheltered fjord areas). Winters are fairly mild and rainy, January average range from -3° to 2°C with daytime high at or above freezing. The mean annual temperature is approximately 7°C on the southwestern coast (Bergen 7.6°C, Stryn 6.4), 5.5°C on the Trøndelag/central Norway coast (Åfjord
5.7°C) and 4°C in the northernmost area of this ecoregion (Bodø 4.5°C, Gryllefjord/Senja 3.6°C). This type of climate corresponds to the Köppen
type Cfb and Cfc, and is comparable to the climate along the coast of northern British columbia
and the Alaska Panhandle
.
For the smaller area classified as rainforest, there is at least 200 days/year with measurable precipitation. The minimum mean annual precipitation given in the sources varies somewhat but are generally around 1.400 mm, while the typical value on these locations are 1.500 - 2.200 mm annually. Summers are mild; warm weather usually does not last long, and really hot weather is virtually unknown or very short lasting. Winters are generally mild and rainy, sometimes with substantial snowfall, but the snow usually melts regularly throughout winter.
. The southern limit of the Norway Spruce
habitat in Norway is limited by mountains and fjords blocking the way, but possibly also because of winters being too mild for Norway spruce near the outer seaboard along the southwestern coast. Along the southwestern coast and fjords (Vestlandet
or Western Norway) is a temperate mixed forest with pine
, some yew
and deciduous trees (betula pendula, wych elm
, linden, oak, aspen
, hazel
, holly) in the lowlands and more typical boreal forest at higher altitudes.
The botanically richest areas here (following the coast north to Ålesund
, often the northern, south-facing shores of fjords, and patches further north along Trondheimsfjord
), even if less diverse than the Oslofjord
area due to migration barriers, is considered hemiboreal and might be considered as part of the Sarmatic mixed forests
PA0436 or North Atlantic moist mixed forests PA0429 ecoregion. Some of the wettest areas in this region, where annual rainfall might exceed 1,500 mm and even 2,500 mm, are sometimes considered hemiboreal rainforest.
include the Norway spruce, which has been planted for economic reasons in areas outside the natural range both on the southwestern coast and in the northernmost part of the ecoregion. In addition, sitka spruce has also been planted extensively, especially near the outer seaboard, even north to Vesterålen
and Harstad
.
Sycamore maple
was introduced to private gardens and church yards more than 150 years ago, and has proven able to spread profusely along the southwestern coast, along the central coast (Trøndelag) the last decades, and, to a considerably lesser degree, north to Vesterålen. It is still most common near cities and villages, but seems certain to continue expansion along the coast and fjords.
There are many smaller introduced plants spreading, such as rosa rugosa. However, due to the often steep terrain, forestry has been somewhat limited in the coastal area, and many areas with original vegetation remain, but are often fragmented, especially so in the southern part of the ecoregion. American mink, originally escaped from fur farms, has colonized the whole country, and proven to be a threat to sea bird colonies in some areas, but have not reached the outermost islands, such as Røst, which have the largest sea bird colonies. The native otter seem to be dominant in areas with competition.
criteria. Much of the original forests have been destroyed, but a total of 250 forested areas, most of them not very large, have been classified as boreal rainforest. They are located from 63°20'N in Snillfjord
in Sør-Trøndelag
county and north along the coast to 66°N in Rana
in Nordland
county, but restricted to areas with high humidity; often shielded from the sun most of the day. Some inland locations are included; these are located in moist locations, often near waterfalls. This is the main area in Europe for boreal rainforest and Norway thus has a special responsibility for preservation. This coastal forest is mostly found at the lower elevations (below 200 m).
(Picea abies) but also included deciduous trees. Common Juniper
(Juniperus communis) is also common. There is a rich understory of moss
es and fern
s. However, most distinquishing feature is the diversity of lichens, some of which are endemic
for this forest, or have their only location in Europe
here (they are often found on the northwest coast of North America
). Approximately 15 of the most rare or typical species of lichens have been named Trøndelagselementet (named after the Trøndelag
region). Pseudocyphella crocata, Pannaria ahlneri and Erioderma padicellatum and Lobaria halli are examples of lichens. More than 60 unique species of lichen and moss can be found in the area.
There are two subtypes of this rainforest; the Namdalen
type and the Brønnøy
/Fosen
type. There are also broadleaf
trees scattered in this forest, especially in the Brønnøy/Fosen type. Broadleaf trees include birch
(Silver Birch
Betula pendula and Downy Birch
Betula pubescens), European Rowan
(Sorbus aucuparia), Aspen
(Populus tremula), Goat Willow
(Salix caprea), and Grey Alder
(Alnus incana). Rarer species are Wych Elm
(Ulmus glabra), Common Hazel
(Corylus avellana) and Black Alder
(Alnus glutinosa) (the latter only in the southern part of the area).
animals are moose
and red deer
(the latter only south of the Arctic circle
), as well as the smaller roe deer
. Reindeer
might occasionally come down to the coast north of Trondheimsfjord, but they usually stay at the highlands outside this ecoregion. Predators are few, as they have been hunted by man for centuries, exterminating brown bear
and grey wolf in the coastal area. In some areas, they roam further inland in the taiga ecoregion, and might on rare occasions get closer to the coast. Red fox
and the sea eagle are common predators in the area, the latter now being very common after decades of protection. There are also some lynx, mostly in the northern part. Hare
s, otter
s are common and one can even see european beaver
s although more rarely. There are also some amphibians including the common frog
and the smooth newt
; the european viper
can be seen south of the Arctic circle.
Palearctic
The Palearctic or Palaearctic is one of the eight ecozones dividing the Earth's surface.Physically, the Palearctic is the largest ecozone...
ecoregion
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
in the Temperate coniferous forests
Temperate coniferous forests
Temperate coniferous forest is a terrestrial biome found in temperate regions of the world with warm summers and cool winters and adequate rainfall to sustain a forest. In most temperate coniferous forests, evergreen conifers predominate, while some are a mix of conifers and broadleaf evergreen...
Biome
Biome
Biomes are climatically and geographically defined as similar climatic conditions on the Earth, such as communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, and are often referred to as ecosystems. Some parts of the earth have more or less the same kind of abiotic and biotic factors spread over a...
, is located in along the coast of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Within it are a number of small areas with botanical features and a local climate consistent with a temperate rainforest.
Location and description
Lindesnes
Lindesnes is a municipality in the county of Vest-Agder, Norway. Lindesnes was created as a new municipality on 1 January 1964 after the merger of the older municipalities of Spangereid, Sør-Audnedal, and Vigmostad....
and north to approximately Senja
Senja
Senja is the second largest island in Norway . It is located along the Troms county coastline with Finnsnes as the closest town. Senja is connected to the mainland by the Gisund Bridge. The municipalities located on Senja are Lenvik , Berg, Torsken, and Tranøy...
(further north summers are too cool for pine
Scots Pine
Pinus sylvestris, commonly known as the Scots Pine, is a species of pine native to Europe and Asia, ranging from Scotland, Ireland and Portugal in the west, east to eastern Siberia, south to the Caucasus Mountains, and as far north as well inside the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia...
to grow in coastal areas); in essence areas along the Norwegian coast where precipitation is high and winters are fairly mild. It might include areas lacking naturally occurring conifer forests (as in Lofoten
Lofoten
Lofoten is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, the archipelago experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude.-Etymology:...
, where the pine forest was cleared by man many centuries ago) and even islands and rocky headlands with little or no woodland and forest.
At somewhat higher elevations near the treeline in the Scandinavian mountains
Scandinavian Mountains
The Scandinavian Mountains or the Scandes, in Swedish Skanderna, Fjällen or Kölen , in Finnish Köli and in Norwegian Kjølen, with the three latter meaning The Keel, are a mountain range that runs through the Scandinavian Peninsula...
is the Scandinavian montane birch forest and grasslands
Scandinavian Montane Birch forest and grasslands
The Scandinavian Montane Birch forests and grasslands ecoregion, a Palearctic ecoregion of the Alpine tundra and Boreal forest Biomes, located in Norway, Sweden, and Finland. It is one of the terrestrial ecoregions determined and defined by the World Wildlife Fund...
ecoregion. In some areas along valleys, this ecoregion meet the taiga of the inland belonging to the Scandinavian and russian taiga
Scandinavian and Russian taiga
The Scandinavian and Russian taiga is an ecoregion within the Taiga and Boreal forests Biome as defined by the WWF classification...
ecoregion without mountain barriers. Examples of such valleys include the Rauma
Rauma, Norway
Rauma is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Romsdal region. The administrative centre is the village of Åndalsnes. Other villages include Vågstranda, Voll, Innfjorden, Veblungsnes, Verma, Isfjorden, Eidsbygda, Rødven, Åfarnes, and Mittet...
valley connecting Åndalsnes
Åndalsnes
is a town in the municipality of Rauma in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. Åndalsnes is the administrative center of Rauma. The town has a population of 2,207...
to Lesja
Lesja
Lesja is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lesja....
and Dombås
Dombås
The village of lies in the Dovre municipality and serves as an administrative center in the upper Gudbrandsdal, Norway. It lies at an important junction of roads: south leading to the current capital of Norway, Oslo, west via Lesja leading to Åndalsnes on the sea and north to the old capital,...
and the Namdalen
Namdalen
Namdalen is a traditional district in the central part of Norway, consisting of the municipalities Namsos, Grong, Overhalla, Røyrvik, Fosnes, Nærøy, Høylandet, Namdalseid, Flatanger, Lierne, Leka, Namsskogan, and Vikna, all in Nord-Trøndelag county. The district has two towns: Kolvereid and Namsos...
valley connecting the Nord-Trøndelag
Nord-Trøndelag
is a county constituting the northern part of Trøndelag in Norway. As of 2010, the county had 131,555 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth-least populated county. The largest municipalities are Stjørdal, Steinkjer—the county seat, Levanger, Namsos and Verdal, all with between 21,000 and...
coast to the cold interior with connection into Sweden. The ecoregion is naturally fragmented by fjords and mountains. The pine forests in the northern part have some of the oldest trees in Scandinavia, some more than 700 years old in Forfjord valley at Hinnøya
Hinnøya
-Geography and environment:Covering an area of , it is the fourth-largest island in the country, and the largest off the mainland. The western part of the island is in the Vesterålen district, while the southwestern part is in Lofoten. As of 2006, it had a population of 31,851, of which the only...
.
Humid oceanic climate
This area has a long growing seasonGrowing season
In botany, horticulture, and agriculture the growing season is the period of each year when native plants and ornamental plants grow; and when crops can be grown....
for the latitude
Latitude
In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
(140 - 215 days, longest in the south) with plentiful and reliable precipitation all year, from 1,200 mm - 3,000 mm. July 24-hr average typically range from 12 - 15 °C, with daytime highs of 14 - 20°C (warmest days in sheltered fjord areas). Winters are fairly mild and rainy, January average range from -3° to 2°C with daytime high at or above freezing. The mean annual temperature is approximately 7°C on the southwestern coast (Bergen 7.6°C, Stryn 6.4), 5.5°C on the Trøndelag/central Norway coast (Åfjord
Åfjord
Åfjord is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Fosen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Årnes. Other villages in the municipality include Revsnes, Harsvika, and By...
5.7°C) and 4°C in the northernmost area of this ecoregion (Bodø 4.5°C, Gryllefjord/Senja 3.6°C). This type of climate corresponds to the Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
type Cfb and Cfc, and is comparable to the climate along the coast of northern British columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
and the Alaska Panhandle
Alaska Panhandle
Southeast Alaska, sometimes referred to as the Alaska Panhandle, is the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Alaska, which lies west of the northern half of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The majority of Southeast Alaska's area is part of the Tongass National Forest, the United...
.
For the smaller area classified as rainforest, there is at least 200 days/year with measurable precipitation. The minimum mean annual precipitation given in the sources varies somewhat but are generally around 1.400 mm, while the typical value on these locations are 1.500 - 2.200 mm annually. Summers are mild; warm weather usually does not last long, and really hot weather is virtually unknown or very short lasting. Winters are generally mild and rainy, sometimes with substantial snowfall, but the snow usually melts regularly throughout winter.
Subregions and species
The lack of spruce north of the Arctic circle (Saltfjell) and along the southwestern coast is mainly due to barriers such as fjords and mountain ranges, and planted spruce grows well north of the arctic circle as in TromsøTromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
. The southern limit of the Norway Spruce
Norway Spruce
Norway Spruce is a species of spruce native to Europe. It is also commonly referred to as the European Spruce.- Description :...
habitat in Norway is limited by mountains and fjords blocking the way, but possibly also because of winters being too mild for Norway spruce near the outer seaboard along the southwestern coast. Along the southwestern coast and fjords (Vestlandet
Vestlandet
Western Norway is the region along the Atlantic coast of southern Norway. It consists of the counties Rogaland, Hordaland, Sogn og Fjordane, and Møre og Romsdal and the region has a population of approximately 1.3 million people. The largest city is Bergen, second largest is Stavanger...
or Western Norway) is a temperate mixed forest with pine
Scots Pine
Pinus sylvestris, commonly known as the Scots Pine, is a species of pine native to Europe and Asia, ranging from Scotland, Ireland and Portugal in the west, east to eastern Siberia, south to the Caucasus Mountains, and as far north as well inside the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia...
, some yew
Taxus baccata
Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may be now known as the English yew, or European yew.-Description:It is a small-...
and deciduous trees (betula pendula, wych elm
Wych Elm
Ulmus glabra, the Wych elm or Scots elm, has the widest range of the European elm species, from Ireland eastwards to the Urals, and from the Arctic Circle south to the mountains of the Peloponnese in Greece; it is also found in Iran...
, linden, oak, aspen
Populus tremula
Populus tremula, commonly called aspen, common aspen, Eurasian aspen, European aspen, trembling poplar, or quaking aspen, is a species of poplar native to cool temperate regions of Europe and Asia, from the British Isles east to Kamchatka, north to inside the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia and...
, hazel
Common Hazel
Corylus avellana, the Common Hazel, is a species of hazel native to Europe and western Asia, from the British Isles south to Iberia, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, north to central Scandinavia, and east to the central Ural Mountains, the Caucasus, and northwestern Iran. It is an important component of...
, holly) in the lowlands and more typical boreal forest at higher altitudes.
The botanically richest areas here (following the coast north to Ålesund
Ålesund
is a town and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sunnmøre, and the center of the Ålesund Region. It is a sea port, and is noted for its unique concentration of Art Nouveau architecture....
, often the northern, south-facing shores of fjords, and patches further north along Trondheimsfjord
Trondheimsfjord
The Trondheimsfjord , an inlet of the Norwegian Sea, is Norway's third longest fjord at long. It is located in the west central part of the country, and it stretches from Ørland in west to Steinkjer in north, passing the city of Trondheim on its way...
), even if less diverse than the Oslofjord
Oslofjord
The Oslofjord is a bay in the south-east of Norway, stretching from an imaginary line between the Torbjørnskjær and Færder lighthouses and down to Langesund in the south to Oslo in the north....
area due to migration barriers, is considered hemiboreal and might be considered as part of the Sarmatic mixed forests
Sarmatic mixed forests
thumb|237px|[[Pinophyta|Coniferous trees]] are dominating this sarmatic mixed [[forest]] in southernmost [[Finland]]The Sarmatic mixed forests constitute an ecoregion within the Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests Biome, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature classification...
PA0436 or North Atlantic moist mixed forests PA0429 ecoregion. Some of the wettest areas in this region, where annual rainfall might exceed 1,500 mm and even 2,500 mm, are sometimes considered hemiboreal rainforest.
Introduced species
Introduced speciesIntroduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
include the Norway spruce, which has been planted for economic reasons in areas outside the natural range both on the southwestern coast and in the northernmost part of the ecoregion. In addition, sitka spruce has also been planted extensively, especially near the outer seaboard, even north to Vesterålen
Vesterålen
Vesterålen is a district and archipelago in Nordland, Norway, just north of Lofoten.-The name:The Norse forms of the name were Vestráll and Vestrálar . The first element is vestr n west, the last element is áll m ' sound, strait'...
and Harstad
Harstad
is the second largest city and municipality by population, in Troms county, Norway – the city is also the third largest in North Norway. Thus Harstad is the natural centre for its district. Situated approximately north of the Arctic Circle, the city celebrated its 100th anniversary in...
.
Sycamore maple
Sycamore Maple
Acer pseudoplatanus, the sycamore maple, is a species of maple native to central Europe and southwestern Asia, from France east to Ukraine, and south in mountains to northern Spain, northern Turkey, and the Caucasus. It is not related to other trees called sycamore or plane tree in the Platanus...
was introduced to private gardens and church yards more than 150 years ago, and has proven able to spread profusely along the southwestern coast, along the central coast (Trøndelag) the last decades, and, to a considerably lesser degree, north to Vesterålen. It is still most common near cities and villages, but seems certain to continue expansion along the coast and fjords.
There are many smaller introduced plants spreading, such as rosa rugosa. However, due to the often steep terrain, forestry has been somewhat limited in the coastal area, and many areas with original vegetation remain, but are often fragmented, especially so in the southern part of the ecoregion. American mink, originally escaped from fur farms, has colonized the whole country, and proven to be a threat to sea bird colonies in some areas, but have not reached the outermost islands, such as Røst, which have the largest sea bird colonies. The native otter seem to be dominant in areas with competition.
Boreal rainforest
Within this long area is a smaller area classified as boreal rainforest based on botanicalBotany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
criteria. Much of the original forests have been destroyed, but a total of 250 forested areas, most of them not very large, have been classified as boreal rainforest. They are located from 63°20'N in Snillfjord
Snillfjord
Snillfjord is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Fosen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Krokstadøra. Other villages in Snillfjord include Ytre Snillfjord, Hemnskjela, and Vutudal....
in Sør-Trøndelag
Sør-Trøndelag
- References :...
county and north along the coast to 66°N in Rana
Rana, Norway
Rana is the second largest municipality in Nordland county – and the third largest in North Norway – by population. By area, Rana is largest in Norway south of Finnmark , taking in large areas of mountains and forested valleys. It is part of the Helgeland traditional region...
in Nordland
Nordland
is a county in Norway in the North Norway region, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is...
county, but restricted to areas with high humidity; often shielded from the sun most of the day. Some inland locations are included; these are located in moist locations, often near waterfalls. This is the main area in Europe for boreal rainforest and Norway thus has a special responsibility for preservation. This coastal forest is mostly found at the lower elevations (below 200 m).
Botanical criteria for boreal rainforest
Due to the long history of human settlement (millennia) with agriculture and more recently forestry management, only fragments remain of the original forest. The boreal rainforests is made up mostly of Norway SpruceNorway Spruce
Norway Spruce is a species of spruce native to Europe. It is also commonly referred to as the European Spruce.- Description :...
(Picea abies) but also included deciduous trees. Common Juniper
Juniperus communis
Juniperus communis, the Common Juniper, is a species in the genus Juniperus, in the family Cupressaceae. It has the largest range of any woody plant, throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere from the Arctic south in mountains to around 30°N latitude in North America, Europe and Asia.-...
(Juniperus communis) is also common. There is a rich understory of moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
es and fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s. However, most distinquishing feature is the diversity of lichens, some of which are endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
for this forest, or have their only location in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
here (they are often found on the northwest coast of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
). Approximately 15 of the most rare or typical species of lichens have been named Trøndelagselementet (named after the Trøndelag
Trøndelag
Trøndelag is the name of a geographical region in the central part of Norway, consisting of the two counties Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag. The region is, together with Møre og Romsdal, part of a larger...
region). Pseudocyphella crocata, Pannaria ahlneri and Erioderma padicellatum and Lobaria halli are examples of lichens. More than 60 unique species of lichen and moss can be found in the area.
There are two subtypes of this rainforest; the Namdalen
Namdalen
Namdalen is a traditional district in the central part of Norway, consisting of the municipalities Namsos, Grong, Overhalla, Røyrvik, Fosnes, Nærøy, Høylandet, Namdalseid, Flatanger, Lierne, Leka, Namsskogan, and Vikna, all in Nord-Trøndelag county. The district has two towns: Kolvereid and Namsos...
type and the Brønnøy
Brønnøy
Brønnøy is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland region. The administrative and commercial centre is the town of Brønnøysund. A secondary centre is the village of Hommelstø. Other villages include Tosbotn, Lande, Trælnes, and Indreskomo.The Brønnøysund Register...
/Fosen
Fosen
Fosen is a traditional district in Trøndelag, consisting of the municipalities Osen, Roan, Åfjord, Bjugn, Ørland, Rissa, Agdenes, Snillfjord, Hemne, Hitra and Frøya. The district is dominated by forested valleys, lakes, coastal cliffs but also shallow areas, and in the interior mountains reaching...
type. There are also broadleaf
Dicotyledon
The dicotyledons, also known as dicots, are a group of flowering plants whose seed typically has two embryonic leaves or cotyledons. There are around 199,350 species within this group...
trees scattered in this forest, especially in the Brønnøy/Fosen type. Broadleaf trees include birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
(Silver Birch
Silver Birch
Betula pendula is a widespread European birch, though in southern Europe it is only found at higher altitudes. Its range extends into southwest Asia in the mountains of northern Turkey and the Caucasus...
Betula pendula and Downy Birch
Downy Birch
Betula pubescens is a species of birch, native and abundant throughout northern Europe, Iceland, northern Asia and also Greenland....
Betula pubescens), European Rowan
Rowan
The rowans or mountain-ashes are shrubs or small trees in genus Sorbus of family Rosaceae. They are native throughout the cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the highest species diversity in the mountains of western China and the Himalaya, where numerous apomictic microspecies...
(Sorbus aucuparia), Aspen
Aspen
Populus section Populus, of the Populus genus, includes the aspen trees and the white poplar Populus alba. The five typical aspens are all native to cold regions with cool summers, in the north of the Northern Hemisphere, extending south at high altitudes in the mountains. The White Poplar, by...
(Populus tremula), Goat Willow
Goat Willow
Salix caprea , is a common species of willow native to Europe and western and central Asia....
(Salix caprea), and Grey Alder
Grey Alder
Alnus incana is a species of alder with a wide range across the cooler parts of the Northern Hemisphere....
(Alnus incana). Rarer species are Wych Elm
Wych Elm
Ulmus glabra, the Wych elm or Scots elm, has the widest range of the European elm species, from Ireland eastwards to the Urals, and from the Arctic Circle south to the mountains of the Peloponnese in Greece; it is also found in Iran...
(Ulmus glabra), Common Hazel
Common Hazel
Corylus avellana, the Common Hazel, is a species of hazel native to Europe and western Asia, from the British Isles south to Iberia, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, north to central Scandinavia, and east to the central Ural Mountains, the Caucasus, and northwestern Iran. It is an important component of...
(Corylus avellana) and Black Alder
Black Alder
Alnus glutinosa is an alder native to most of Europe, including all of the British Isles and Fennoscandia and locally in southwest Asia....
(Alnus glutinosa) (the latter only in the southern part of the area).
Fauna
There are a large number of species of migrating birds in this ecoregion, as well as some that stay all year. Larger herbivoreHerbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
animals are moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
and red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
(the latter only south of the Arctic circle
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
), as well as the smaller roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
. Reindeer
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
might occasionally come down to the coast north of Trondheimsfjord, but they usually stay at the highlands outside this ecoregion. Predators are few, as they have been hunted by man for centuries, exterminating brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
and grey wolf in the coastal area. In some areas, they roam further inland in the taiga ecoregion, and might on rare occasions get closer to the coast. Red fox
Red Fox
The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...
and the sea eagle are common predators in the area, the latter now being very common after decades of protection. There are also some lynx, mostly in the northern part. Hare
Hare
Hares and jackrabbits are leporids belonging to the genus Lepus. Hares less than one year old are called leverets. Four species commonly known as types of hare are classified outside of Lepus: the hispid hare , and three species known as red rock hares .Hares are very fast-moving...
s, otter
European Otter
The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
s are common and one can even see european beaver
European Beaver
The Eurasian beaver or European beaver is a species of beaver, which was once widespread in Eurasia, where it was hunted to near extinction both for fur and for castoreum, a secretion of its scent gland believed to have medicinal properties...
s although more rarely. There are also some amphibians including the common frog
Common Frog
The Common Frog, Rana temporaria also known as the European Common Frog or European Common Brown Frog is found throughout much of Europe as far north as well north of the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia and as far east as the Urals, except for most of Iberia, southern Italy, and the southern Balkans...
and the smooth newt
Smooth Newt
The Smooth Newt, also known as the Common Newt, Lissotriton vulgaris is the most common newt species of the Lissotriton genus of amphibians. L...
; the european viper
Vipera berus
Vipera berus, the common European adder or common European viper, is a venomous viper species that is extremely widespread and can be found throughout most of Western Europe and all the way to Far East Asia. Known by a host of common names including Common adder and Common viper, adders have been...
can be seen south of the Arctic circle.
See also
- Scandinavian Montane Birch forest and grasslandsScandinavian Montane Birch forest and grasslandsThe Scandinavian Montane Birch forests and grasslands ecoregion, a Palearctic ecoregion of the Alpine tundra and Boreal forest Biomes, located in Norway, Sweden, and Finland. It is one of the terrestrial ecoregions determined and defined by the World Wildlife Fund...
- Scandinavian and Russian taigaScandinavian and Russian taigaThe Scandinavian and Russian taiga is an ecoregion within the Taiga and Boreal forests Biome as defined by the WWF classification...
- Sarmatic mixed forestsSarmatic mixed foreststhumb|237px|[[Pinophyta|Coniferous trees]] are dominating this sarmatic mixed [[forest]] in southernmost [[Finland]]The Sarmatic mixed forests constitute an ecoregion within the Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests Biome, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature classification...
- Vegetation of Norway