Study locations
In Canada, in 2019, we surveyed nine mountains in the D’ze Kant Bulkley
Valley) and Kitimat-Stikine regions of British Columbia (BC; 1000-1801 m
elevation). In Chile, in 2018, we surveyed 10 mountains in La Araucanía
and Los Ríos regions (1000-1700 m elevation). These sites fall within
the traditional unceded lands of the Wet’suwet’en, Gitxsan, and
Tsimshian First Nations in BC and the Mapuche peoples in Chile. The
farthest Boyle & Martin, 2015).
BC survey sites fall within biogeoclimatic zonesMountain Hemlock,
Engelmann Spruce-Subalpine Fir, Boreal Altai Fescue Alpine,nd Coastal
Mountain-heatherBritish Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural
Resource Operations, and Rural Development, 2018). Montane habitat is
primarily old growth . The subalpine consists of woody shrubs, grasses
and perennial herbs with some tree cover; the alpine is characterized by
the presence of fescue grasses, mosses, and lichens.
In Chile, montane habitats are dominated by old growth mixed
broadleaf-conifer forests, with about 10 % mid-successional forest.
Subalpine habitat is a mix of highland herbaceous meadows, shrubs, and
sparse patches of trees and/or krummholz. Perennial herbaceous plants,
shrubs, few or no trees, and bare rock/scree characterize alpine
habitat. Vegetation structure varies within- and among-mountains based
on natural disturbance (i.e. volcanic eruptions) and/or land use history
(Caviedes & Ibarra, 2017).