André-Michaux Ecological Reserve Explained

André-Michaux Ecological Reserve
Alt Name:Réserve écologique André-Michaux
Iucn Category:Ia
Map:Canada Quebec
Relief:yes
Nearest City:Denholm, Quebec, Canada
Coordinates:45.8334°N -75.8869°W
Area Ha:450
Established:12 May 1993

The André-Michaux Ecological Reserve, or Réserve écologique André-Michaux, is an ecological reserve in Quebec, Canada. It protects a variety of vegetation types typically of the Canadian Shield.

Location

The Réserve écologique André-Michaux is at 45.8334°N -75.8869°W, with an average elevation of .It is south of Île du Plomb, west of Denholm and east of Martindale.It is about northeast of the municipality of Low, in La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau Regional County Municipality.It covers beside the Gatineau River.It is named in honour of the botanist and horticulturist André Michaux (1746-1803) who worked and published in Quebec and Europe.

Terrain

The site is typical of the Canadian Shield highlands, with elevations ranging from 140to.Rocks are paragneiss, amphibolites and granites.Surface deposits are mainly tills.Soils include Dystric Brunisols, Humo-Ferric podzols and lithosols on the rocky ridges.

Ecology

The reserve protects representative ecosystems of the Lower Gatineau ecological region, including stands of maple-basswood and maple-yellow birch.Depending its location on the slopes the vegetation may be xeric, swampy, or a range of intermediate groups.Xeric vegetation on the upper slopes with convex forms includes white pine and red pine, with red oak in the driest places, and stunted red oak in extremely arid places.On poorly drained flat land there is fir / white spruce, sphagnum and black ash / grey alder.There are grasses and swamp shrubs along the edges of lakes.In the intermediate areas of moderate drainage there are maple / basswood groves, and some drier varieties such as red oak or bur oak, maple / yellow birch, and hemlock. Galearis spectabilis may also be found.Fauna include white-tailed deer, beaver, heron, ruffed grouse and black duck.