Eagle Plateau
This ecoregion comprises the Mealy Mountains and an area south of Lake Melville in southern Labrador. It is sometimes referred to as the string bog ecoregion. The mean annual temperature is approximately 1°C, and ranges from 8.5°C in the summer to -11°C in the winter. The climate can be classified as continental. The mean annual precipitation ranges 900 to 1150 millimeters.
Forests and Vegetation
The growing season runs between 120 and 140 days. String bogs are extensive throughout, with water covering approximately 25-50% of the ecoregion. Fen vegetation includes sphagnum mosses, brown mosses, and sedges. String bogs are dominated by dwarf black spruce, tamarack, Labrador tea, and feathermoss. Spots of black spruce with an understory of lichen, mosses, dwarf birch, and Labrador tea are found on bedrock slopes near the Mealy Mountains. Black spruce is the climax species. Alder thickets exist along streams and rivers.
Topography
Elevation ranges from 500 meters to 670 meters above sea level. The topography is relatively level with some gently rolling surfaces and a few eskers. Permafrost is scattered, primarily in peatlands.
Wildlife and Human Activity
This ecoregion is suitable for black bear, lynx, red fox, moose, caribou, and waterfowl. Land use activities include hunting, trapping, and salmon fishing.
