The Mountain-Ear
The voice of the Peak to Peak
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| Naturally Speaking: “Land Above the Trees” |
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| Written by administrator | |
| Wednesday, 05 August 2009 | |
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Dave Hallock ELDORA August is tundra month. In most years the afternoon showers are over, so you can linger in the high country above treeline and not worry as much about being chased down by a thunderstorm. The temperatures are still warm. But fall is not far away and becomes evident on the high peaks before it does in the lower forests. For every one-hundred feet you go up in elevation, fall comes one day earlier. Living so close to alpine tundra is one of the special perks of living here. Only 15 of the lower 48 states have any tundra, these being in the West and New England. Boulder County has two types of grasslands for bookends: prairie on the east and tundra on the west. Tundra begins around 11,400’ locally; the air is thin, which makes you go slow and appreciate its beauty. What is alpine tundra? It is best described in the book Land Above the Trees by Ann Zwinger and Betty Willard: “The alpine tundra has five months of temperatures below freezing and summers when temperatures never rise above 63 degrees F. It has measurably lower soil temperatures, less protective snow cover and less moisture, half as long a growing season, and twice as much wind as the subalpine zone – but the contrast between tall flowers and dwarf flowers, between trees and no trees, makes an unmistakable comment on growing conditions with more impacts than any statistics. Subalpine forests are thick and dark and somber – dead branches snagging on clothes, blocked vistas, deep shadows. After walking through a closed subalpine forest, the tundra seems free and expansive, like leaving the city for the country. After being enveloped in shadow, intimidated by invasions of one’s own three-dimensional space, the tundra seems such an open vacuum that one is physically drawn towards it. It is the landscape of ultimate freedom.” I had the pleasure of taking a week long course on tundra ecology from Dr. Willard in Rocky Mountain National Park some 25 years ago. We learned about the subtle differences between ecosystems, from the hardy, diminutive cushion plants in fell fields, such as the blue alpine-forget-me-nots and pink moss campions, to lush grasses, sedges and forbs in meadows, including the large, yellow sunflower old-man-of-the-mountain, to the rich wildflower displays of mertensia, wallflower and skypilot in the “gopher gardens,” meadows disturbed by pocket gophers. You could literally have each of your feet standing in a different ecosystem! What makes August and early September special is all the insect and bird activity. Most of the flowers are past their prime. But insects, particularly grasshoppers, peak in August. It is hard to take a step without one flying up. And the animals that like to feed on insects are there to take advantage. Birds in particular are some of the major benefactors. American pipits and horned larks, which breed on the tundra, are starting to form flocks in August and find an abundance of food to get ready for migration. Many other bird species will fly up to the tundra after breeding below to feed on the insects and seeds, particularly sparrows and bluebirds. Others will use the tundra as part of their migration route. I have regularly encountered flocks of lark buntings, our state bird, on the tundra in the fall. Following the smaller birds to the tundra are the larger birds: hawks and eagles. Fall is a good time to see northern harriers, red-tailed hawks, American kestrels, Swainson’s hawks, ferruginous hawks and golden eagles soaring overhead or staying low to the ground looking for food, whether it is grasshoppers, sparrows, ptarmigan, or a small mammal. And the prey is easy to spot in the open country. In essence, the tundra becomes a food chain hot-spot, from grasshopper to sparrow to hawk. It will only last a few weeks, starting in August and running through the first half of September. Eventually the cold will wipe out the insects and get the birds to move south or to lower elevations. August is normally a continuation of summer. But the last half can bring harbingers of fall, including the first frost and the appearance of yellow on a few aspen leaves. Other August nature happenings in the Nederland area are: Most of our wildflowers will be past their peak, though the colors may linger with adequate moisture and mild temperatures. The yellow showy golden-eyes are one of the last composites to have a major bloom. This can also be a good month for blooming gentians; look for the white arctic gentian on the tundra. Warm season grasses, such as mountain muhly, bloom this month. Berries ripen; start looking for huckleberries during the last half of the month. Like the flowers on which they depend, butterflies are also past their prime. But many will linger while the weather permits. The dark-colored small wood-nymphs will dominate mountain meadows. The yellow and orange Meade’s sulphurs will be active on the tundra. Look for the large black-and-white Weidemeyer’s Admiral around aspen and willows. Mammals will provide hints of fall. Elk will still be in their summer herds, but some bugling will be heard towards the end of the month. Pine squirrels will start dropping cones from trees, building up their winter food reserves. Underground pocket gopher activity will increase, evidenced by more mounds of dirt in meadows. Black bear scat will begin to change in composition from grass to berries. Birds are finishing getting their young out of the nest. They will start forming flocks, getting ready for migration. |
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 12 August 2009 ) |
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