Secwepemc (Shuswap) tree names: key to the past?

Turner, Nancy J.; Ignace, Marianne; Compton, Brian D.

doi:10.1515/9783110801255.387

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…This diversity of plant resources in subalpine forests adds support, in the form of contemporary ecological evidence, to the importance and practice of a “seasonal round,” where Indigenous stewardship practices create “patches of resources distributed over both time and space” (Peacock et al, 2016, p. 196). Turner et al (2016, p. 9) describe how, as part of this seasonal round in Secwepemcúl̓ecw, “families traveled around their territories in a patterned seasonal round, stopping and camping, sometimes for weeks at a time … to harvest and preserve the meat, roots, berries, and other resources they needed for year round living.” The Secwépemc seasonal round and calendar (Ignace, 2014) traces these plant resources throughout the year, from Pesll7éwten , the “melting month” (April), when the first plant shoots come out and early root plants are dug, through Pelltqelqél'tkemc , “getting ripe month” (July to early August), when numerous berries ripen and people harvest medicines in the high plateau, to Pesqelqlélten , the “many salmon month” (August to early September), when berries are harvested at higher elevations. However, as indicated above, the quantitative metrics of species richness, cover, or diversity do not indicate quality or condition, as defined by resource users (e.g., medicinal properties, suitability as construction material, and berry production and taste), of these plants following fire.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fire severity drives understory community dynamics and the recovery of culturally significant plants

Dickson‐Hoyle,

Eatherton,

Baron

et al. 2024

Ecosphere

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Anthropogenic influences are altering fire regimes worldwide, resulting in an increase in the size and severity of wildfires. Simultaneously, throughout western North America, there is increasing recognition of the important role of Indigenous fire stewardship in shaping historical fire regimes and fire‐adapted ecosystems. However, there is limited understanding of how ecosystems are affected by or recover from contemporary “megafires,” particularly in terms of understory plant communities that are critical to both biodiversity and Indigenous cultures. To address this gap, our collaborative study, in partnership with Secwépemc First Nations, examined understory community recovery following a large, mixed‐severity wildfire that burned in the dry and mesic conifer forests of British Columbia, Canada, with a focus on plants of high cultural significance to Secwépemc communities. To measure the effect of a continuous gradient of fire severity across forest types, we conducted field assessments of fire severity and sampled understory plants 4 years postfire. We found that native species richness and richness of species of high cultural significance were lowest in areas that burned at high severity, with distinct compositional differences between unburned areas and those that burned at high severity. These findings were consistent across forest types characterized by distinct historical fire regimes. In contrast, richness of exotic species increased with increasing fire severity in the dominant montane interior Douglas‐fir forests, with exotic species closely associated with areas that burned at high severity. Our study indicates that recent megafires may be pushing ecosystems outside their historical range of variability, with negative implications for ecosystem recovery and cultural use across these fire‐affected landscapes. We also found consistently higher plant diversity, and both native and cultural species richness, in subalpine forests. Collectively, our results provide strong evidence of the ecological and cultural significance of low‐ to moderate‐severity fire and subalpine forests, and the longstanding and ongoing role of Indigenous peoples in shaping these landscapes. As wildfires continue to impact ecosystems and human communities, this study offers novel insights into the recovery of important ecological and cultural values, while highlighting the need to support ethical research collaborations with Indigenous communities and Indigenous‐led revitalization of fire and plant stewardship.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fire severity drives understory community dynamics and the recovery of culturally significant plants

Dickson‐Hoyle,

Eatherton,

Baron

et al. 2024

Ecosphere

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“…Interior Douglas-fir is a moderately shade tolerant, early to late successional tree species and is able to regenerate under a full or partial canopy in the southern interior of British Columbia. It grows throughout the territory of the Secwepemc Nation, who know it as cq•ctp, and who use its strong wood and boughs for flooring and pit cooking, the seeds and sugars for food, the needles for tea, and the pitch for medicinal salves (Turner et al, 1992). The species is a foundational tree in pure and mixed forests, where it dominates the upper canopy for centuries, and is a highly valued timber species to the forest industry (Parish et al, 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Partial Retention of Legacy Trees Protect Mycorrhizal Inoculum Potential, Biodiversity, and Soil Resources While Promoting Natural Regeneration of Interior Douglas-Fir

Simard

Roach

Beauregard

et al. 2021

Front. For. Glob. Change

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Clearcutting reduces proximity to seed sources and mycorrhizal inoculum potential for regenerating seedlings. Partial retention of legacy trees and protection of refuge plants, as well as preservation of the forest floor, can maintain mycorrhizal networks that colonize germinants and improve nutrient supply. However, little is known of overstory retention levels that best protect mycorrhizal inoculum while also providing sufficient light and soil resources for seedling establishment. To quantify the effect of tree retention on seedling regeneration, refuge plants, and resource availability, we compared five harvesting methods with increasing retention of overstory trees (clearcutting (0% retention), seed tree (10% retention), 30% patch retention, 60% patch retention, and 100% retention in uncut controls) in an interior Douglas-fir-dominated forest in British Columbia. Regeneration increased with proximity to legacy trees in partially cut forests, with increasing densities of interior Douglas-fir, western redcedar, grand fir, and western hemlock seedlings with overstory tree retention. Clearcutting reduced cover of ectomycorrhizal refuge plants (from 80 to 5%) while promoting arbuscular mycorrhizal plants the year after harvest. Richness of shrubs, herbs, and mosses declined with increasing harvesting intensity, but tree richness remained at control levels. The presence of legacy trees in all partially cut treatments mitigated these losses. Light availability declined with increasing overstory cover and proximity to leave trees, but it still exceeded 1,000 W m−2 in the clearcut, seed tree and 30% retention treatments. Increasing harvesting intensity reduced aboveground and belowground C stocks, particularly in live trees and the forest floor, although forest floor losses were also substantial where thinning took place in the 60% retention treatment. The loss of forest floor carbon, along with understory plant richness with intense harvesting was likely associated with a loss of ectomycorrhizal inoculum potential. This study suggests that dispersed retention of overstory trees where seed trees are spaced ~10–20 m apart, and aggregated retention where openings are <60 m (2 tree-lengths) in width, will result in an optimal balance of seed source proximity, inoculum potential, and resource availability where seedling regeneration, plant biodiversity, and carbon stocks are protected.

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Old growth forests and large old trees as critical organisms connecting ecosystems and human health. A review

et al. 2022

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Old forests containing ancient trees are essential ecosystems for life on earth. Mechanisms that happen both deep in the root systems and in the highest canopies ensure the viability of our planet. Old forests fix large quantities of atmospheric CO2, produce oxygen, create micro-climates and irreplaceable habitats, in sharp contrast to young forests and monoculture forests. The current intense logging activities induce rapid, adverse effects on our ecosystems and climate. Here we review large old trees with a focus on ecosystem preservation, climate issues, and therapeutic potential. We found that old forests continue to sequester carbon and fix nitrogen. Old trees control below-ground conditions that are essential for tree regeneration. Old forests create micro-climates that slow global warming and are irreplaceable habitats for many endangered species. Old trees produce phytochemicals with many biomedical properties. Old trees also host particular fungi with untapped medicinal potential, including the Agarikon, Fomitopsis officinalis, which is currently being tested against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Large old trees are an important part of our combined cultural heritage, providing people with aesthetic, symbolic, religious, and historical cues. Bringing their numerous environmental, oceanic, ecological, therapeutic, and socio-cultural benefits to the fore, and learning to appreciate old trees in a holistic manner could contribute to halting the worldwide decline of old-growth forests.

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Secwepemc (Shuswap) tree names: key to the past?

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

Fire severity drives understory community dynamics and the recovery of culturally significant plants

Fire severity drives understory community dynamics and the recovery of culturally significant plants

Partial Retention of Legacy Trees Protect Mycorrhizal Inoculum Potential, Biodiversity, and Soil Resources While Promoting Natural Regeneration of Interior Douglas-Fir

Old growth forests and large old trees as critical organisms connecting ecosystems and human health. A review

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