Alpine Bilberry

More info for the term: bog

bog blueberry
bog bilberry
alpine blueberry
alpine bilberry
bog huckleberry
bog whortleberry

More info for the term: cover

Bog blueberry presumably provides cover for a variety of small wildlife
species.  It often forms a dense understory layer that may serve as
hiding or resting sites for birds or small mammals.

More info for the terms: bog, fruit, rhizome, shrub

Bog blueberry is a low, highly branched, deciduous shrub.  It is
prostrate to erect in form and generally reaches 8 to 16 inches (20-40
cm) in height.  The leaves are oval and leathery, and twigs are slender.
Older twigs have gray, shreddy bark.  The flowers are white to pink and
are borne singly or in clusters at the ends of stems.  The fruit is a
blue to black berry [1,75,87].  Bog blueberry can form dense mats or
open extensive colonies [81].

Bog blueberry roots in the organic layer and is rhizomatous.  Rhizome
depth ranges from superficial to 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm) below the
surface [56].  Mycorrhizal associations exist on bog blueberry roots
that allow for increased plant nitrogen levels [28,48,78].  Bog
blueberry has a relatively high ratio of root biomass to shoot biomass
[32,69].  These adaptations are important for nutrient uptake in the
cold, poorly aerated, nitrogen-poor soils characteristic of bog
blueberry sites [10,32].

More info for the term: bog

Bog blueberry is distributed throughout Alaska, Canada, and Greenland.
It occurs south through New England, the northern portions of the Great
Lakes States, and western Washington and Oregon [1,34,72,75,87].  Bog
blueberry is also found in Japan, other parts of Asia, and in Europe
[34,38,87].

More info for the terms: bog, fire regime, severity

Bog blueberry sprouts from rhizomes or rootstocks following fire
[53,64,82].  It roots in the organic layer and therefore only survives
in patches where the organic layer is not consumed [9].  Fire destroys
the seeds, so bog blueberry must invade burned areas from off-site
sources [64].  Wildfires that occur in the wet sites that bog blueberry
often occupies are generally low in severity.

FIRE REGIMES :
Find fire regime information for the plant communities in which this
species may occur by entering the species name in the FEIS home page under
"Find FIRE REGIMES".

More info for the terms: bog, fruit, severity

Flower buds tend to be more numerous on new shoots, and periodic removal
of old shoots may increase flower production in many species of
Vaccinium [58].  Berry production, however, may be delayed for a few
years.  Ground fires of moderate severity favor growth and development
of bog blueberry, and prescribed burning is the recommended management
tool to increase berry yield [62].  Burning should take place in late
fall or early spring before growth resumes [74].

In Russia, low- to moderate-severity ground fires caused 2.2 to 3.1 fold
increases in the number of bog blueberry shoots per unit area.  Annual
growth increments also increased, and were nearly two times greater in
plants on burned areas than in plants on unburned areas.  Fruit
production resumed 3 years after fire, and berries in burned areas were
larger and healthier (more resistant to damage) than berries in other
areas.  Yield in burned areas was also greater than in adjacent unburned
sites [62].

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More info for the term: phanerophyte

   Phanerophyte

More info for the terms: bog, shrub, tundra, tussock

Bog blueberry occupies sites ranging from sea level to alpine zones
[71].  It occurs in organic or inorganic soils that are generally acidic
(pH 3.5 to 6.2) [81].  Bog blueberry can tolerate a wide range of soil
moisture conditions and is found on well-drained to poorly drained
sites.  Bog blueberry is found in sites characteristic of cool-temperate
to cool-mesothermal climates [47].

Bog blueberry occurs in a wide variety of habitats, such as coastal and
interior bogs [2,6,49,51]; cottongrass tussock tundra [5,6]; low shrub
tundra [2,5,9]; sedge meadows [6,39,46]; black or white spruce woodlands
[2,5,81]; forested areas [71,87]; rocky or sandy shores of lakes and
streams [8,11,42]; rock outcrops [12,72]; and barrens [23,72].

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This species is known to occur in association with the following cover types (as classified by the Society of American Foresters):

     1  Jack pine
     5  Balsam fir
    12  Black spruce
    13  Black spruce - tamarack
    38  Tamarack
   107  White spruce
   201  White spruce
   202  White spruce - paper birch
   204  Black spruce
   205  Mountain hemlock
   206  Engelmann spruce - subalpine fir
   218  Lodgepole pine
   224  Western hemlock
   225  Western hemlock - Sitka spruce
   227  Western redcedar - western hemlock
   228  Western redcedar
   251  White spruce - aspen
   253  Black spruce - white spruce
   254  Black spruce - paper birch

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This species is known to occur in the following ecosystem types (as named by the U.S. Forest Service in their Forest and Range Ecosystem [FRES] Type classification):

   FRES10  White - red - jack pine
   FRES11  Spruce - fir
   FRES23  Fir - spruce
   FRES24  Hemlock - Sitka spruce
   FRES26  Lodgepole pine
   FRES44  Alpine

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This species is known to occur in association with the following plant community types (as classified by Küchler 1964):

More info for the terms: bog, forest

   K001  Spruce - cedar - hemlock forest
   K002  Cedar - hemlock - Douglas-fir forest
   K004  Fir - hemlock forest
   K008  Lodgepole pine - subalpine forest
   K015  Western spruce - fir forest
   K093  Great Lakes spruce - fir forest
   K094  Conifer bog
   K095  Great Lakes pine forest
   K096  Northeastern spruce - fir forest

More info for the term: bog

Fire generally top-kills bog blueberry.  Moderate- to high-severity
fires may also kill underground vegetative structures.

More info for the terms: bog, lichens, litter

Bog blueberry is consumed by many species of wildlife.  Many songbirds
and game birds including ptarmigan and spruce grouse eat the berries,
often before they are ripe [57,80].  Bog blueberry leaves are important
in the diet of spruce grouse throughout the spring, summer, and fall
[20].  Many small mammals including chipmunks, squirrels, mice, and
rabbits also consume bog blueberry leaves or fruits.  Consumption of
leaves by snowshoe hares is highest in the spring [91].  Ninety-two
percent of the red-backed vole's fall diet consists of berries, many of
which are bog blueberries [90].

Caribou and moose browse on bog blueberry.  In northwestern Manitoba,
occurrence of leaves and twigs in caribou rumen samples was 75 percent
in April and 81 percent in November [61].  Bog blueberry was also
detected in samples in the winter months but may have been consumed as
litter as the caribou browsed on lichens [73].  Moose lightly browse bog
blueberry throughout the year [52].

When available, bog blueberries are one of the most important fruits
consumed by black bear in interior Alaska.  The berries are utilized
heavily from July to September [29].  Black bear browse on bog blueberry
leaves in the spring [55].  Brown bear are also known to eat bog
blueberries [60].
   

More info for the terms: bog, codominant, forest, fruit, lichens, peatland, shrub, tree, tundra

Bog blueberry can occur as a dominant or codominant in a variety of
habitats within its range.  It may occur as an understory component in
open or closed forest habitats, primarily with black or white spruce
(Picea mariana; P. glauca) [25,65,76,85,70].  Bog blueberry can also
dominate or codominate in dwarf shrub types, bogs or muskegs, and on
open tundra [27,43,86].

Other associated tree species include:  Alaska-cedar (Chamaecyparis
nootkatensis), quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), balsam poplar (P.
balsamifera), and paper birch (Betula papyrifera).

Associated understory species include:  willows (Salix spp.), alders
(Alnus spp.), bog birch (Betula glandulosa), dwarf arctic birch (B.
nana), Labrador tea (Ledum groenlandicum and L. palustre), lignonberry
(Vaccinium vitis-idaea), bunchberry dogwood (Cornus canadensis),
rustyleaf menziesia (Menziesia ferruginea), crowberry (Empetrum nigrum),
red fruit bearberry (Arctostaphylos rubra), leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne
calyculata), bog laurel (Kalmia polifolia), cloudberry (Rubus
chamaemorus), bog rosemary (Andromeda polifolia), salal (Gaultheria
shallon), fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium), Labrador lousewort
(Pedicularis labradorica), entire leaf mountain avens (Dryas
integrifolia), Mt. Washington mountain avens (D. octopetala), bluejoint
reedgrass (Calamagrostis canadensis), altai fescue (Festuca altaica),
cottonsedge (Eriophorum vaginatum and E. angustifolium), and various
sedges (Carex spp.), feathermosses (Hylocomium, Pleurozium, and
Stereocaulon spp.), clubmosses (Lycopodium spp.), sphagnum mosses
(Sphagnum spp.), and lichens (Cladonia and Cladina spp.).

Published classifications listing bog blueberry as a major component of
plant associations (pas), community types (cts), or vegetation types
(vts) are as follows:

   AREA                  CLASSIFICATION            AUTHORITY
 
interior AK            postfire forest cts       Foote 1983
nw AK                         cts                Hanson 1953
AK                       gen. veg. pas           Viereck & Dyrness 1980
AK: Seward Peninsula          cts                Kelso 1989
YT                            vts                Stanek and others 1981
OR: Willamette NF        gen. veg. pas           Hemstrom and others 1987
Newfoundland              peatland pas           Pollett 1972
N.W.T.                        cts                Black & Bliss 1978

More info for the term: shrub

Shrub

More info for the terms: bog, cover, frequency, hardwood, peat, rhizome, seed, softwood

Leaf production of bog blueberry increased in response to overgrazing by
caribou in arctic Canada.  Average cover was 9 percent in overgrazed
areas but only 2 percent in areas that were not overgrazed [31].

In one study, bog blueberry showed no significant response to
fertilization or irrigation [40].

White spruce stands on Willow Island, Alaska were subjected to clearcut
and shelterwood treatments.  Second year average percent cover and
average percent frequency of bog blueberry in the stands were as follows
[18]:

              Control   Clearcut   Shelterwood, 46 ft.  Shelterwood, 30 ft.
                                     (14 m) spacing       (9 m) spacing
              _____________________________________________________________
Cover           0.3        0.1            +                   0.5
Frequency       6.0        7.0           3.0                 13.0


Vegetative propagation of bog blueberry has been more successful with
root or rhizome cuttings than with stem cuttings.  Rooting percentages
from both hardwood and softwood stem cuttings were poor, whereas 52
percent of rhizome cuttings produced shoots when planted immediately
after collection [36].

Blueberries can also be grown from seed.  In general, the seeds should
be planted in a mixture of sand and peat.  Seedlings grown in the
greenhouse can be transplanted 6 to 7 weeks after emergence but should
not be transferred to the field until after the first growing season.
Blueberries are exacting in their site requirements and are difficult to
establish on sites that do not meet their specific needs.  Naturally
occurring stands can usually be managed successfully [13].

More info for the term: bog

The nutritional value of bog blueberry is not well documented.  However,
Vaccinium species in general have sweet berries that contain high
concentrations of mono- and disaccharides [77].  They are rich in
vitamin C, high in energy content, and low in fat [68].

     AK  CA  ME  MI  MN  NH  NY  OR  VT  WA
     WI  AB  BC  LB  MB  NB  NF  NT  NS  ON
     PE  PQ  SK  YT

More info for the terms: bog, fresh, fruit

Bog blueberries are edible and have good flavor [37].  The berries are
often picked in large quantities [1,87] and used in jams, jellies, and
pies [37,38].  They are the most popular fruit of Native Americans in
the Fort Yukon region [35].  Fresh or dried leaves can be used for tea
[71].  Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) leaves, flowers, and rhizomes have
been used for medicinal purposes [81].

Bog blueberry has no economic importance [8], but its cold hardiness
(including late flowering) and resistance to the blueberry fungus
Fusicoccum putrefaciens make it useful for hybridizing with more
economically important species [33,81].

A high correlation exists between concentrations of uranium, copper, and
lead in bog blueberry leaf tissues and levels of these metals in the
surrounding soil.  The ability of bog blueberry to reflect heavy metal
concentrations in till favors its use as a tool in mineral exploration.
The advantages and disadvantages of using bog blueberry for
biogeochemical prospecting have been considered [15].

Palatability of Vaccinium species as browse is rated as fair to moderate
[14].

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Bog blueberry flowers from June to early July.  Fruits ripen from late
July through September [23,42,75].

More info for the terms: bog, cover, frequency, tundra, tussock

Bog blueberry sprouts from surviving rhizomes or rootstocks after low to
moderate-severity fires.  Burned aerial stems may also sprout [64,88].
Bog blueberry grows rapidly for the first 50 to 60 years after fire [9],
and reaches its highest postfire cover and frequency 50 to 120 years
after burning [4].  Bog blueberry leaves are larger in burned areas,
even after 5 years [89].

Dyrness [17] found that bog blueberry in black spruce stands increased
in biomass production after light summer fires.  The increase in biomass
production corresponded to an increase in nutrient uptake.  Nutrient
levels (percent dry weight) in lightly burned versus unburned areas were
as follows:

                     N          P         K          Ca        Mg
                   ________________________________________________
unburned            .613       .074      .192       .172      .056
lightly burned      1.85       .324      .966       .394      .130

In the 4 years following the Wickersham Dome Fire near Fairbanks,
Alaska, bog blueberry in black spruce stands increased in percent cover
and biomass production, but did not reach control levels.  Recovery in
lightly burned stands was much greater than in heavily burned stands
[86].

Biomass production in bog blueberry decreased following a summer fire in
tussock tundra near Fairbanks, Alaska.  Production in burned areas was
significantly lower (P less than .05) than in adjacent unburned areas 13 years
after the fire [24].

More info for the terms: caudex, root crown, seed

   survivor species; on-site surviving root crown or caudex
   survivor species; on-site surviving rhizomes
   off-site colonizer; seed carried by animals or water; postfire yr 1&2

More info for the terms: bog, layering, seed, stratification

Bog blueberry is capable of vegetative and sexual reproduction.  It
regenerates vegetatively by layering or sprouting from rhizomes.

Seeds of most Vacciniums are not dormant and require no pretreatment for
germination [13].  In one study, however, bog blueberry seeds exhibited
shallow dormancy, and a 30-day cold stratification at 35 degrees
Fahrenheit (2 deg C) increased germination success.  Very few stratified
or unstratified seeds germinated at temperatures below 59 degrees
Fahrenheit (15 deg C) [7].  Seed viability of most Vacciniums is of
short duration [85].

Seeds are readily dispersed by the birds and animals that eat bog
blueberry fruits [63].  Bog blueberry seedlings can colonize exposed
mineral soil [59], but seedlings are rare in established adult
populations [21].

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This species can be found in the following regions of the western United States (according to the Bureau of Land Management classification of Physiographic Regions of the western United States):

   1  Northern Pacific Border
   2  Cascade Mountains

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More info for the terms: bog, climax, cover, forest, frequency, shrub, succession, tundra, woodland

Bog blueberry remains an important component of forest and woodland
understory through the early, mid-seral, and late stages of succession
[9,19].  It is important in the early shrub stages of tundra succession,
as well as in climax stages [83].  Bog blueberry can also be found in
dense, mature-climax forest stands [16,25].

Bog blueberry can sprout from underground plant parts following fire and
remains important throughout successional stages.  The following cover
and frequency percentages were found in black spruce stands in interior
Alaska [25]:

  Stage              Years after fire    Frequency(%)    Cover(%)
___________________________________________________________________
Newly burned             0 - 1              38.0      less than 0.5
Moss-herb                1 - 5              62.0           3.0
Tall shrub-sapling       5 - 30             40.0           5.0
Dense tree              30 - 55             65.0           8.0
Mixed hardwood-spruce   55 - 90             59.0           5.0
Spruce                  90 - 200+           42.0           2.0

Vaccinium occidentale A. Gray

More info for the term: bog

The currently accepted scientific name of bog blueberry is Vaccinium
uliginosum Linnaeus [1,34,37,41,72]. It has been placed within the
section Vaccinium of the taxonomically complex genus Vaccinium [81].
Recognized subspecies and varieties based on morphological
characteristics or distribution are as follows:

Vaccinium uliginosum subsp. alpinum (Bigel.) Hulten [37,87]
Vaccinium uliginosum subsp. microphyllum Lange [37,41,81]
Vaccinium uliginosum subsp. pubescens (Wormsk. ex Hornem.) Young [41,75,81]
Vaccinium uliginosum subsp. occidentale (Gray) Hulten [41,81]
Vaccinium uliginosum subsp. pedris (Harshberger) Young [41,81]
Vaccinium uliginosum subsp. gaultherioides (Bigel.) Young [81]
Vaccinium uliginosum var. alpinum Bigel. [23,37,72,75,87]
Vaccinium uliginosum var. salicinum (Cham.) Hulten [37,81]
Vaccinium uliginosum var. uliginosum Linnaeus [1,34,37,41,72]

More info for the terms: bog, reclamation, seed, tundra

Bog blueberry has been successful at naturally colonizing local seismic
lines in the subarctic [44].  It has also naturally colonized borrow
pits in tundra regions of northwestern Canada and may be of use in
managed reclamation projects [45].

Bog blueberry is tolerant of high concentrations of heavy metals in the
soil.  Leaf tissues can accumulate uranium, copper, lead, zinc, nickel,
and iron in large quantities with no apparent detrimental effects to the
plant [15].  The ability to inhabit soils with high concentrations of
these metals may favor the use of bog blueberry in certain revegetation
programs.

Bog blueberry could not be established from seed during the first
growing season in simulated pipeline trenches near Fort Norman,
Northwest Territories.  Bog blueberry has, however, successfully
germinated after one or two growing seasons when planted in other areas
[59].