Vegetation of Rock Glaciers in
Debouille Public Reserved Lands in northern Maine
Physical weathering of bedrock outcrops often forms large fields of boulders, called talus slopes, by the gradual accumulation of rocks that fall down slope. Talus fields possess little vegetation compared to surrounding areas yet often host unique and rare plants, ferns, lichens and mosses. Some talus slopes develop persistent ice within the spaces between the boulders. In some cases, this ice can be sufficiently deep and widespread that it begins to move down hill, like a glacier, moving the talus with them. These talus slopes are sometimes called rock glaciers.
Our project, funded by the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund and the Universities of Maine at Presque Isle and Fort Kent, seeks to understand what biotic and abiotic variables are related to patterns in vegetation cover and species diversity in five, separate inactive rock glaciers in northern Maine.