Kamiak Butte 1
Jordan Bakken
11368499
Natrs 300
Final Writing Assignment
Climatic Conditions of Kamiak Butte
Introduction:
Recognized as a Natural Landmark across the Pacific North West, Kamiak Butte is the
second largest point in Whitman County with a peak elevation of over 3,500 ft [Kamiak, 2014].
The butte is composed of hundreds of plants and animal species differing drastically on one
side of the spectrum to the other due to altering climatic conditions. The Northern side of the
ridge is covered by tall old growth trees, primarily Ponderosa Pine and Douglas fir, as well as an
abundance of woody shrubs and smaller deciduous trees. Any remaining patches of ground are
blanketed by several different species of grasses. The Southern face of the ridge is much
warmer and as it virtually has no tree coverage blocking the sunlight from penetrating the
ground allowing several species of plants and grasses to grow (Figure 1 & 2).
Figure 1 Site 2 of Kamiak Butte facing the south (Dr.
Zamora 2014)
Figure 2 Site 1 of Kamiak Butte facing the North side (Dr. Zamora,
2014)
Kamiak’s Physical Attributes
Kamiak Butte can be separated into two different ecosystems as their species
populations that composes their ecosystem are not the same and require different atmospheric
conditions to flourish. The first identification that supports there are separate ecosystems is
determined by the amount of conifer trees that take up the land on the North side compared to
the Southern side. On the Northern face of the butte the land experiences significantly more
over-story coverage by conifer trees generating a cooler and wetter soils as lack of light
penetration prevents excess evaporation. Kamiak Butte is located in the rolling hills of the
Kamiak Butte 2
Palouse in eastern Washington State where the Marine-modified continental macroclimate
influences the land keeping it dry as lack of cloud cover allows more sunlight to penetrate the
ground. This differs from the western side of the state where the Marine climate is heavy with
dense clouds that keep the soils constantly
saturated with water as it rains nine
months of the year. Temperatures are
continently mild, ranging from 55 degrees
F – 68 degrees F night and day and
humidity is much higher. The eastern side
of the state experiences more extreme
Figure 3 Topographic map of Kamiak Butte (Zamora, 2014)
weather as the clouds from the Pacific
Ocean are dissipated from the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges. These drier, warmer
temperatures influence mass agricultural farming on the Eastern side of the state, with less
than 1% or native Palouse species remaining. Kamiake Butte is one of the remaining wildlife
preserves where native species have a chance to flourish once again.
Kamiak Butte’s physical attributes are based on three primary characteristics; amount of
over-story growth from large conifer trees preventing sunlight penetration, amount of water
saturation within the soils and the presence of bio-diverse insects and animals for reproduction
purposes from pollenating plant species. These individual variables are listed below (Table 1)
for both sites 1 and 2 in reference to differing climatic conditions of the butte;
Figure 4 Comparing Climatic Characteristics of site 1 and site 2 of Kamiak Butte, WA.
Site #
Location:
Elevation:
Aspect:
Slope %:
Position of Slope:
Average over story cover %:
Air temperature (°F):
Relative Humidity %:
Wind Velocity (mi/hr.):
Exposure:
PAR (micromoles/sec/m^2):
Hrs. of direct insolation:
Soil properties:
0
1
2
Picnic Area
2875ft.
5° N
7°
L 1/3
50%
52.2°F
35.8%
3.7 mi/hr.
Partial
55
5:30am-7:30pm
(14 Hrs.)
NA
Trail Location 1-Forest
2925ft.
20° NE
25°
M 1/3
60%
52.6°F
34.5%
0.0 mi/hr.
Partial
26
4:30am-6:30pm
(14 Hrs.)
Deep Soil, Palouse silt
(good for plants)
Ridge Top
3200ft.
180° S
25°
Top
0%
57.5°F
33.6%
5.5 mi/hr.
Full
1300
NA
NA
Kamiak Butte 3
Ecological Organization
Site #1’s population characteristics include several different trees, plants and grasses.
The common population of tree species that is seen in this location includes Ponderosa Pine
and Western larch; shrubs like Nutka Rose and Common snow berry; and few grasses. The
abundance of trees and the lack of grass in this location can be determined by the lack of direct
sunlight penetration that is able to reach the ground as the direct sunlight insolation occurs on
the southern face of the hill instead. The direction the sun faces determines the overall biomes
characteristics and what ecosystems can flourish. We determine with Kamiak Buttes conditions
that one single biome can have several different landscapes in close proximity thus having the
ability to create habitable land for a community of several individual populations of species. To
generally understand this concept, we can observe a simple list of identified species within
Kamiak butte and cross reference how specific populations can dwell within one landscape, but
not the landscape 50 feet away.
To get a better understanding of how biologically diverse Kamiak butte is, there must be
a clear idea of the interrelations taking place in each site. Metaphorically, the forests of site #1
& 2 can be described as a working city of plants and animals. Large cities are very complex with
interactions and underground networks for transportations of energy and removal of mass
waste as well as a series of networks above ground for transportation of human populations.
Although it may not be immediately obvious to the naked eye, landscapes and forest
ecosystems also are composed of a series of networks and systems that work at a much slower
speed than the rate of a city’s. Kamiak butte is located smack dab in the middle of the
anthropogenic influenced landscape of the Temperate Shrub lands & wood lands terrestrial
biome. The natural shrub and grass landscape of the rolling hills once was full of naturally
occurring shrubs and trees, but now is overwhelmed with the mass blankets of cash crop wheat
fields. Because of Kamiak buttes steep slope, wheat production is limited to the base of the hills
allowing for additional species to flourish like conifer trees and mosses enhancing biodiversity.
The community of site # 1 starts with the foundation of flourishing conifer trees that
consist primarily of Ponderosa Pine, Douglas fir and Western larch which take up approximately
87% of the over story cover. This abundance of trees is an intraspecific interaction as the space
for growing as soil is limited causing an intraspecific interaction as the trees are competing for
resources to grow. Large tree canopies are beneficial for other species like squirrels as close
proximity of branches creates large networks for the rodents to travel through off the ground
and away from predators creating an intraspecific relationship between vegetation and prey.
The reduction on sunlight causes two things to happen; more saturation of water as
temperatures are cool and lack of plant and grass growth as there is a lack of exposed sunlight
left to penetrate the ground. The shaded shallow remaining soils around the threes are home
to few shrubs and grasses, the most common being the Malo 9 bark covering an approximate
67% of ground cover.
Kamiak Butte 4
Figure 5 Intraspecific/Interspecific Relationships
Intraspecific Relationships
Tree Layer: Large Douglas fir trees compete for soil
space. [Site 1]
Shrub Layer: Malo 9 Bark competes for what
remaining sunlight penetrates through the dense tree
canopy. [site 1]
Interspecific Relationships
Tree Layer/herb layer: Lichen provide deer and
squirrel, deer and other animals in winter seasons
with food. [site 1, parts of site 2]
Herb Layers: Pollinators like honey bees and
butterflies reinforce reproduction for pollen plants.
A primary food source for the squirrels and deer that remain on the butte during winter seasons
is lichen, a dark stringy moss-like material. This material has been found to be useful for squirrels to also
use as a nesting material as it is very pliable and does a good job at insulating heat generating a
consumerism intraspecific relationship between the two species of organisms.
Ecological Processes
Kamiak Butte’s phenology is different on the opposing designated sites as the different plant
species inhibiting the surface all respond to biological cues different whether it is the time of season or
the time of day. Plants naturally have a phototrophic response to light cues throughout the day. Due to
a significant reduction in trees on the southern slope, open grassy patches are slowly being taken over
by smaller aggressive species of plants. The different responses to light from the different plants
determines how much understory growth will take up the ground floor. Due to a greater presence of
hardwood trees on the Northern slope, ground vegetation will be composed of different species that
have adapted to less light penetration (snowberry), which produces an altering composition of organic
material for a very important cycle of nutrients for future generations to grow.
Because of the alternating topography of the butte and the directions that the slopes face, the
Northern face experiences a different water cycle. There is a greater moisture content in the soil of site
# 1 because of the lack of sun exposure. This lack of exposure causes cooler and more saturated soils as
water vapor does not evaporate out of the ground as fast as it does on site # 2. Seasonal shifts also
contribute to the change of organic composition as many of the deciduous plants lose their green luster
in the fall months of the year, contributing more nutrients back into the soil as the fallen foliage decays
over the next several months. The overwhelming presence of grass on the Southern side helps insulate
the soils and the organisms that live within it when winter seasons pound the hill with feet of snow
accumulation. These grasses also prevent erosion control on steeper aspects of the slope as the fertile
soils are manipulated over the years by the harsh elements.
The understanding of these interacting ecological processes will help determine the rate of
biological degradation that is taking place in the Palouse. A better knowledge of changing patterns and
ecological cues will benefit future ecologists by providing them with the information we are
experiencing in site 1 & 2 of Kamiak Butte. All of the species that use kamiak butte as their home helps
contribute to the many ecological cycles and processes that take place whether it is preventing erosion,
cycling nutrients or providing other organisms with a source of food.
Kamiak Butte 5
Conclusion:
Kamiak Butte’s ecological organization that remains today is a good preview of what the entire
Palouse once may have looked like in specific areas pertaining to direct sun-exposure and non-direct sun
exposure throughout the fertile rolling hills that are now overwhelmed with agricultural impact. The
identified species in an ecosystem is the first indicator determining how that ecosystem functions as
specific populations of plants require specific functions to ensure optimal growth. The individual
variables that constitute an ecosystems specific niche like sun, air, h20, etc. are the determining factors
of what species of plants can live and what species will thrive. Naturally, plants with a low light tolerance
will not be found in desert-like conditions as this specific habitat does not support the qualities that
support growth, thus desert foliage consists of dry heat resistant plants with a hardy composition. These
species should be the first indicator that a certain ecosystem is extremely hot and dry.
Kamiak Butte 6
References:
"Kamiak Butte." Kamiak Butte. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.whitmancounty.org/ssi.aspx?ssid=81>.
Zamora, Benjamin. Kamiak Butte Topographic Map. 2014. WSU, Pullman WA. lms.wsu.edu. Web. 1 May
2014.