Parks Canada

The second largest concentration of common terns (Sterna hirundo) in North America is found on Tern Islands, a set of three small barrier islands separated by water at high tide located within Kouchibouguac National Park. These seabirds are indicators for the condition of coastal, marine, as well...

The influence of water temperature on the ecology of aquatic organisms with optimal thermal ranges is quite substantial, as these regimes regulate activity, growth, survival, and spawning behaviour. In consequence, a deviation from normal temperature ranges often cause displacement, disease, or...

The piping plover (Charadrius melodus) is a small endangered shorebird listed under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). This species uses ocean shorelines as breeding grounds and nests in soft sandy areas with sparse vegetation above the high tide water line. These birds are indicators for...

Songbirds are indicators of habitat conditions within forest or bog ecosystems, as these species have a high level of specialisation to various ecological niches and are extremely sensitive to natural processes. In consequence, these communities can demonstrate a rapid response to a broad range...

The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) has designed a Water Quality Index (WQI) to translate complex water quality data into an overall integrated score from 0-100. This score is based on the number of measured variables, which have observations exceeding water quality...

River otters (Lontra canadensis) are semi-aquatic mammalian predators closely associated to freshwater resources but also linked to terrestrial habitat features, at the aquatic-terrestrial interface of riparian zones. This species is an indicator of freshwater ecosystem conditions as healthy...

Peatlands are valuable ecosystems due to their critical ecological functions, however these sensitive habitats are vulnerable to various anthropogenic (e.g., peat-moss extraction, forestry or land-use practices, hydrological modifications, fragmentation, infrastructures); atmospheric (e.g., acid...

The Acadian forest in a natural state is one of the richest and more diverse temperate forests in the World, however it has been listed as one of six endangered forests in North America and is also the predominant ecosystem within Kouchibouguac National Park. A few key tree species of priority...

Plethodontid salamanders are ‘early warning’ indicators of biodiversity and forest conditions due to the high densities of populations in addition to the keystone role of this species in ecosystem processes as well as in food web dynamics. The purpose of the salamanders monitoring program at...

On insular Newfoundland, the Arctic Hare reaches the southernmost limit of their distribution and are typically found in mountainous areas where elevation and climate have created an arctic-like landscape therefore making it an important herbivore species within the Tundra/Barrens ecosystem. A...

In eastern Canada, Harlequin ducks are uncommon and are listed by COSEWIC as a species of special concern. Resident of fast flowing-rivers and streams during the breeding season, their presence and abundance reflects the health of these ecosystems. The park censuses harlequin ducks on four rivers...

Herb willow is dominant Arctic-alpine plant in snowbeds and, being a low-growing species, could potentially be crowded out if southern species colonise these sites. Herb willow is being monitored at 14 snowbeds in Gros Morne. At each snowbed willow is sampled along a 1 m x 15 m permanent strip...

Overbrowsing of balsam fir saplings by introduced moose can lead to stand conversion to non-forest. The park measures the browse rates of fir saplings in mature forest stands, which will indicate whether non-browsed advanced regeneration is sufficent to allow stand replacement following...

Birds are an important component of the biodiversity of boreal forests and bird populations can serve as a useful measure of forest health. The monitoring of winter forest bird assemblage combines a passive point count with broadcasts of chickadee and Red Crossbill calls. The survey is done for...

Beavers are important ecosystem architects, creating wetland habitats, thickets and meadows by damming streams and cutting down woody vegetation along stream banks. This measure consist of an aerial survey of the number of active beaver colonies in lowland forests of Gros Morne National Park. It...

Intensive moose browsing appears to have led to a large reduction in woody plant abundance and diversity in Gros Morne National Park mature forests.This measure assess the biodiversity of native shrubs and tree saplings in the understory of mature balsam fir forest stands. Stems are being...

The Island of Newfoundland is home to the most southerly population of Rock Ptarmigan in North America and is the only place where the subspecies Lagopus mutus welchi can be found. Rock Ptarmigan are the only species of bird that live year round in the Alpine tundra of Gros Morne. This measure...

Stream thermal regime has important consequences for aquatic organisms, and is sensitive to climate and land use. The Park is monitoring thermal regimes at 10 sites annually from spring to fall using temperature loggers. The water temperature is recorded hourly and these data used to assess the...

Atlantic salmon are an ecologically and culturally important species in healthy aquatic systems of western Newfoundland. This measure determines the status and trend, over a 10 year period, of Atlantic salmon returning to spawn in three rivers in Gros Morne - Western Brook, Trout River and Deer...

Introduced Moose, lacking natural predators in Gros Morne, are causing widespread damage in park forests. Park-wide Moose density will be monitored using aerial surveys and estimated using the Gasaway (1986) stratified random block method. Bull, cow, calf and unknown Moose are counted in...