Hemlock forest habitat: In the Cisco Lake Region groves of hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) frequently occupy the lower parts of steep slopes adjoining the lakes. One such area studied is made up of practically a pure stand of hemlocks, the trunks being from about 6 to 18 inches in diameter. A few very old yellow birches are present, and also a few young sugar maples and arbor-vitae, the latter chiefly near the water's edge. Shrubs and herbs are nearly absent, and the forest floor is covered by a thick carpet of dead needles. There are many decaying logs, usually covered by a thin coat of moss. In the Little Girl's Point Region nearly pure stands of large hemlocks cover many of the lower parts of steep slopes and also occur commonly on well-drained soil elsewhere. In the vicinity of the north end of Gogebic Lake a few small groves of hemlocks were noted, but the ground in general is so low and swampy that the species mostly occurs as a part of the mixed forest of the region. Animals are rare in the habitat.
White pine forest habitat: White pine (Pinus strobus), which formerly was a common forest tree in northern Michigan, has now been mostly removed for lumber. Near Little Girl's Point a small natural grove of this species was studied, occupying a moderate southerly slope above a black spruce bog. The area is about 50 by 150 meters in size. White pines are by far the most numerous and dominant tree, the trunks measuring up to about five feet in diameter. In the grove yellow birch, some of large size, are common; toward the bottom of the slope hemlocks are also common; and near the edge of the bog there are a few arbor-vitae. Shrubs are almost absent, there being merely a few small seedlings of arbor-vitae, hemlock, and fir, mostly toward the bottom of the slope. A few scattered clumps of grass appear, but the forest floor is mostly covered only by a thick carpet of dry pine needles. Numerous dead limbs and sticks have fallen from the pines.
Wet hardwood forest habitat: The land adjoining much of Gogebic Lake is low and poorly drained. Here is found a mixed forest dominated by sugar maple (Acer saccharum), black maple, hemlock, yellow birch (Betula lutea), linden, elm (Ulmus americana), ash (not black ash), and ironwood (Ostrya virginiana). The hardwoods are decidedly dominant over the conifers. The forest crown is high and closed, and the trees are large. The underbrush in general is scanty, though in some places there is a thick growth of mountain maple (Acer spicatum) and of sugar maple seedlings. Leatherwood (Dirca palustris), hazel, ferns, and a few young firs (Abies balsamea) also occur.
Some of the lower forests in the Cisco Lake Region approach the wet hardwood forest type, though none are extensive in area, and they are usually surrounded and dominated by the dry forest condition.
Dry hardwood forest habitat: The highest development of the dry hardwood type of forest was found on the upper parts of the moderately high ridge near Little Girl's Point. The slopes in general are very gentle, but well drained. The forest here is dominated by the sugar maple (Acer saccharum), yellow birch (Betula lutea), and linden (Tilia americana). Hemlocks are rare, and only one elm was seen. The trees are large, the trunks frequently reaching diameters of two feet or more. The forest crown is high and heavy. Underbrush is scanty and low, being mostly young seedlings of sugar maple, though seedlings of linden are numerous. Other shrubs and herbs noted were the leatherwood (Dirca palustris), hazel (Corylus rostrata), yew (Taxus canadensis), gooseberry, ferns, false Solomon's seal, and grass. On the ground are many decaying leaves, these usually forming a heavy carpet; decaying logs and freshly fallen sticks are common.
In the Cisco Lake Region the drainage is not so good as in the vicinity of Little Girl's Point, and the forests of that district are of a type somewhat intermediate between the wet hardwood forest and the dry hardwood forest. In the Cisco Lake Region the topography is much broken, there being many small hills and ridges, and many small depressions, often poorly drained. In the damp depressions, if not wet enough for a bog, arbor-vitae and hemlock are common, while on the ridges sugar maple and linden are characteristic, though hemlock occurs here sparingly also. There is accordingly much local variation in tree forms, but the whole forest is decidedly of a hardwood type.
The dry hardwood forests of the Little Girl's Point Region are inhabited by many deer-mice, while only a few of this species are found in the wet hardwood forests near Gogebic Lake, bob-tailed shrews being there the most abundant mammal and red-backed voles being common, both of which are rare in the other districts. In the dry hardwood forest near Little Girl's Point four woodland jumping mice (Napaeozapus) were taken, while in the Cisco Lake Region only two were taken in a period twice as long, and at Gogebic Lake none were secured. These observations indicate that moisture conditions in hardwood forests have an important influence on the mammal fauna.
Mountains
Rock-bluff habitat: Rock exposures are rare in the region studied. However there are several high hills with steep exposures of rock a short distance north of Ironwood and Bessemer. These hills could not be studied in the time available, and the only cliff examined was on a small range of hills northeast of the station of Lake Gogebic. On one of these hills is a nearly perpendicular rock cliff about 200 feet high and facing to the southward. The small talus slope at the bottom is overgrown with shrubs and trees, and on the small ledges and gullies of the face of the cliff a few small trees, shrubs, and herbs are also growing. The most conspicuous plants of the rock habitat are scrub oaks, aspens, and heaths. No trapping was done in the habitat, and no notes on mammals were secured. Probably the mammal fauna is not very large.
Mountain-heath habitat: A narrow, poorly developed belt of heath fringes the upper edge of the rock cliff examined north of Lake Gogebic. Characteristic plants are the blueberry and bearberry, mixed with creeping juniper and a few scattered grasses. The habitat is very narrow and is closely encroached upon by shrubs and trees, such as sumac, cherry, white pine, jack pine, oaks, aspens, and paper birch. Signs of fox were noted at the edge of the cliff, but no trapping was carried on here.