forêt à lichens

OBS: Les lichens vivent sur le sol des forêts (terricoles), sur le tronc ou les rameaux des arbres (corticicoles), à la surface des rochers ou sur les pierres des murs (saxicoles). [Ils] constituent souvent la seule végétation des hautes montagnes.

CONT: The boreal forest is divided into two great transcontinental belts of approximately equal size: the subarctic open lichen woodland and the closed crown forest. This major horizontal sectioning of the two areas reflects the steady dropping of temperature from south to north. The more northern subarctic lichen woodland is a handsome landscape mostly unknown to Canadians because of its few settlements and roads (and also very abundant black flies!). Northern stands of scattered spruce and jack pine, accompanied by balsam fir in Quebec, form attractive open-canopied areas carpeted with yellow, green and light grey lichens. Recently burned areas are covered with birch, blueberries and other small evergreen shrubs.