Editing Manitoba (section)

=== Flora and fauna ===
[[File:Polarbär 1 2004-11-17.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=A bear with white fur and black eyes|Polar bears are common in northern Manitoba.]]
Manitoba natural communities may be grouped within five ecozones: [[Boreal Plains Ecozone (CEC)|boreal plains]], [[Prairies Ecozone|prairie]], [[Taiga Shield Ecozone (CEC)|taiga shield]], [[Boreal Shield Ecozone (CEC)|boreal shield]] and [[Hudson Plains Ecozone (CEC)|Hudson plains]]. Three of these—taiga shield, boreal shield and Hudson plain—contain part of the [[Boreal forest of Canada]] which covers the province's eastern, southeastern, and northern reaches.<ref>{{vcite book|author=Oswald, Edward T.; Nokes, Frank H. |title=Field Guide to the Native Trees of Manitoba|publisher=Manitoba Conservation|year=2016}}</ref>

Forests make up about {{convert|263000|km2|sqmi}}, or 48 percent, of the province's land area.<ref>{{vcite web|url=https://gov.mb.ca/forest/forestry/index.html|publisher=Government of Manitoba|title=Forestry|accessdate=2 April 2021 |archivedate=4 March 2021|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304180458/https://www.gov.mb.ca/forest/forestry/index.html}}</ref> The forests consist of pines ([[Pinus banksiana|Jack Pine]], [[Pinus resinosa|Red Pine]], [[Pinus strobus|Eastern White Pine]]), spruces ([[Picea glauca|White Spruce]], [[Picea mariana|Black Spruce]]), [[Abies balsamea|Balsam Fir]], [[Larix laricina|Tamarack (larch)]], poplars ([[Populus tremuloides|Trembling Aspen]], [[Populus balsamifera|Balsam Poplar]]), birches ([[Betula papyrifera|White Birch]], [[Betula pumila|Swamp Birch]]) and small pockets of [[Thuja occidentalis|Eastern White Cedar]].<ref name="Forestry">{{vcite web|url=https://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/forestry/forest-education/general.html |title=Manitoba Forest Facts |publisher=Manitoba Conservation |accessdate=11 April 2011 |url-status=unfit |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226181706/http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/forestry/forest-education/general.html |archivedate=26 February 2009 }}</ref>

Two sections of the province are not dominated by forest. The province's northeast corner bordering Hudson Bay is above the [[treeline]] and considered [[tundra]]. The [[tallgrass prairie]] once dominated the south-central and southeastern regions, including the Red River Valley. [[Mixed grass prairie]] is found in the southwestern region. Agriculture has replaced much of the natural vegetation but prairie can still be found in parks and protected areas; some are notable for the presence of the endangered [[Platanthera praeclara|western prairie fringed orchid]].<ref>{{vcite web|url=http://www.cosewic.gc.ca/eng/sct1/searchdetail_e.cfm?id=200&StartRow=1&boxStatus=All&boxTaxonomic=All&location=All&change=All&board=All&commonName=orchid&scienceName=&returnFlag=0&Page=1 |title=Fringed-orchid, Western Prairie |publisher=Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada |accessdate=7 November 2009 |url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706183933/http://www.cosewic.gc.ca/eng/sct1/searchdetail_e.cfm?id=200&StartRow=1&boxStatus=All&boxTaxonomic=All&location=All&change=All&board=All&commonName=orchid&scienceName=&returnFlag=0&Page=1 |archivedate=6 July 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite iucn |author=Goedeke, T. |author2=Sharma, J. |author3=Delphey, P. |author4=Marshall Mattson, K. |date=2008 |title=''Platanthera praeclara'' |volume=2008 |page=e.T132834A3464336 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T132834A3464336.en}}</ref>

Manitoba is especially noted for its northern [[polar bear]] population; [[Churchill, Manitoba|Churchill]] is commonly referred to as the "Polar Bear Capital".<ref>{{vcite book|author=Stirling, Ian; Guravich, Dan |title=Polar Bears|publisher=University of Michigan Press|year=1998|page=208|isbn=978-0-472-08108-0}}</ref> In the waters off the northern coast of the province are numerous marine species, including the [[beluga whale]]. Other populations of animals, including [[moose]], [[white-tailed deer]], [[mule deer]], [[American black bear|black]] and [[grizzly bear|brown bears]], [[coyote]], [[cougar]], [[red fox]], [[Canada lynx]], and [[grey wolf]], are distributed throughout the province, especially in the provincial and national [[List of protected areas of Manitoba|parks]]. There is a large population of [[garter snake|red-sided garter snakes]] near [[Narcisse, Manitoba|Narcisse]]; the overwintering dens there are seasonally home to the world's largest concentration of snakes.<ref>{{vcite book|author=LeMaster, MP; Mason, RT|title=Chemical signals in vertebrates|editor=Marchlewska-Koj, Anna; Lepri, John J; Müller-Schwarze, Dietland |publisher=Springer|year=2001|page=370|volume=9|chapter=Annual and seasonal variation in the female sexual attractiveness pheromone of the red-sided garter snake, ''Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis''|isbn=978-0-306-46682-3}}</ref>

Manitoba's bird diversity is enhanced by its position on two major migration routes, with 392 confirmed identified species; 287 of these nesting within the province.<ref>{{vcite web |url=http://www.naturemanitoba.ca/sites/default/files/MB_bird_checklist.pdf |author=Manitoba Avian Research Committee |title=Checklist of the Birds of Manitoba |publisher=Nature Manitoba |accessdate=26 July 2016 |url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421155557/http://www.naturemanitoba.ca/sites/default/files/MB_bird_checklist.pdf |archivedate=21 April 2016  }}</ref> These include the [[great grey owl]], the province's official bird, and the endangered [[peregrine falcon]].<ref>{{vcite book|author=Bezener, Andy; De Smet, Ken D|title=Manitoba birds|publisher=Lone Pine|year=2000|pages=1–10|isbn=978-1-55105-255-7}}</ref>

Manitoba's lakes host 18 species of game fish, particularly species of [[trout]], [[Pike (fish)|pike]], and [[goldeye]], as well as many smaller fish.<ref>{{vcite web|url=http://www.manitoba.ca/waterstewardship/fisheries/recreation/09guide.pdf|title=Angler's Guide 2009|year=2009|publisher=Manitoba Fisheries|page=5|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720135819/http://www.manitoba.ca/waterstewardship/fisheries/recreation/09guide.pdf|archivedate=20 July 2011}}</ref>