Castle Lake Limnological Research Station

Overview

Algae needs more than sunlight to grow. The mountain alders on the southeast side of Castle Lake help to provide the algae with the essential nutrient nitrogen for their growth. All species of alder have the unique ability to convert nitrogen from the atmosphere into the soil. From the soil, the nitrogen is then filtered into the water which feeds the algae.

Partial Species List

Trees

Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa)
Red Fir (Abies Magnifica)
White Fir (Abies Concolor)
Lodgepole Pine (Pinus Contorda)
Incense Cedar (Libocedrus decurrens)
Alder

Plants & Bushes

Green Manzanita (Arctostaphylos patula)
Dwarf Mountain Manzanita (Arctostaphylos neuadensis)
Tan Oak (Lithocarpus densiflorus)
Pitcher Plants (Darlingtonia californica)

Flowering Plants

Wood Rose (Rosa gymnocarpa)
Shasta Lupine (Lupinus albicaulis)
Red/Crimson/Scarlet Columbine (Aquilegia truncata)
Tiger Lily (Lilium pardalinum)
Pine-drops (Pterospora andromedae)
Douglas Spiraea (Spiraea douglasii)
Scarlet Paintbrush (Castilleja pinetorum)
Alpine Paintbrush (Castilleja arachnoidea)
Dwarf Paintbrush (Castilleja miniata)
Alpine Saxifrage (Saxifraga nidifica)
Shasta Pentstemons (Pentstemon laetus)
Alpine Buckwheat (Eriogonum pyrolaefolium)
Tofield's Swamp Lily (Tofieldia occidentalis)