Editing Bas-Saint-Laurent (section)

=== Flora ===
[[File:ChicChoc.jpg|thumb|right|[[Chic-Choc Mountains]] in [[Sayabec]]]]
Bas-Saint-Laurent is part of the natural province of the Appalachian Mountains in the ecological reference area of Quebec.<ref name="NBR">{{cite book |last1=Tingxian |first1=Li |last2=Jean-Pierre |first2=Ducruc |title=Les provinces naturelles : Niveau I du cadre écologique de référence du Québec |date=1999 |publisher=Ministère de l’Environnement du Québec |location=Quebec |isbn=2-551-19303-6 |url=http://www.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/biodiversite/aires_protegees/provinces/ |access-date=15 December 2018}}</ref> The forests of Bas-Saint-Laurent are 8,000 years old. Beyond inhabited areas, they cover the majority of the territory. They are boreal with a coniferous influence. The forests most important in order of superficy are those of [[Betula alleghaniensis|golden birch]], [[Betula papyrifera|paper birch]] and [[Picea glauca|white spruce]].{{sfn|Fortin|Lechasseur|1993|p=49}}

The dominant forest of the territory is composed of [[Betula alleghaniensis|golden birch]] trees, an [[Ecotone]] marking the transition between the temperate nordique area and the boreal area.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Quebec |title=Zones de végétation et domaines bioclimatiques du Québec |website=Ministère des Ressources naturelles du Québec |url=http://www.mrn.gouv.qc.ca/forets/connaissances/connaissances-inventaire-zones-carte.jsp |access-date=15 December 2018}}</ref> It is located mainly in the highest part of the Appalachian plateau. The main species of trees within it are the paper birch, the [[Abies balsamea|balsam fir]], and the white spruce, as well as rarer [[Populus tremuloides|quaking aspens]] and [[Jack Pine|jack pines]]. The second forest in superficy is composed of primarily golden birch, and covers 35% of the forested area of the region. It is mainly located in the centre of Bas-Saint-Laurent between [[Rivière-du-Loup]] and [[Rimouski]]. The main species of trees within it are the golden birch, [[Abies balsamea|balsam fir]], white spruce, [[Picea rubens|red spruce]] and the [[Cedrus|cedar]], as well as rarer quaking aspens, paper birches, [[Populus balsamifera|balsam poplars]] and [[Acer spicatum|mountain maple]].{{sfn|Fortin|Lechasseur|1993|p=49}}

However, a more profound analysis of the composition of the forests of Bas-Saint-Laurent allows to shed light on which trees grow at which elevations, type of soils and latitudes. Miroslav Grandtner categorized the south west end of the region, the littoral stripe before Rivère-du-Loup and the medium plateau in the golden birch forest, the high plateau as part of the paper birch forest, and finally, the [[Chic-Choc Mountains]] as part of the white spruce forest.{{sfn|Fortin|Lechasseur|1993|p=50}}