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Subnivian

In our title graphic above, a wee chipmunk curls in a heat-conserving snuggle of fur and tail fluffiness, as it hibernates well below the subnivian zone. Some chipmunks build 12-foot burrow systems that include a nest chamber three feet underground, several food storage chambers and escape tunnels besides. Chippies hibernate, not when it's cold necessarily, but when there's a low winter food supply.

Source of the Word Subnivian

The subnivian space is the area above the soil and below the top of a snowpack. It is several millimeters to several centimeters thick. The modern word subnivian is made up of three components: Latin prepositional prefix sub ‘under’ + Latin noun nix nivis ‘snow’ + common English adjectival suffix -ian derived from a common classical Latin adjectivizing suffix -ianus.

Seek not the Subnivian Within the Staid Bounds of Word Books

Shockingly, this frequently used scientific word is not yet to be found within the plump precincts of fat dictionaries. Neither the Oxford English Dictionary or the unabridged Merriam-Webster has seen fit to include the word subnivian.

What is the subnivian space and how does it form?

Here’s an explanation quoted from the Internet.

“The subnivian space is a thin air layer found between the covering snow and the surface of the soil and its vegetative debris. This space forms especially well when the snow fall becomes established prior to the hard freezing of the soil and is particularly pronounced in complexly structured, "natural" soil-litter systems. Falling snow gathers on the surfaces of the irregular profile of the leaf litter and forms complex arches and domes over and above the dead plant materials. Heat from the unfrozen soil and also from the decomposition of the organic molecules in the leaf litter melts the contact snow layer which quickly re-freezes to form thin ice sheets which add to the structural strength and also to insulating potential of the forming snow pack. A winter with a continuous snow cover will allow a significant and continuous subnivian space to form.”

 

An arctic vole nibbles on berries.

The Salvation of Subnivian Rodents

“What animals might be found in the subnivian space (and why are they there)?

Within this space a great variety of living organisms can be found. The micro-climatic conditions of the subnivia are sufficiently mild to allow temperature sensitive invertebrates (like beetles, collembola, mites and spiders) to continue their ecological activities of decomposition and predation throughout the winter season. Many small mammals (like voles, shrews and white footed mice) use the insulated subnivian space as shelter against the harsh surface conditions and also as a safe conduit between forage sites and their burrows. In the photo opposite, a Spanish snow vole peeps out at spring.

“Within the subnivian space wee voles and teeny mice are hidden from surface avian and mammalian predators like red foxes and over-wintering red tail hawks and owls. These predators can be observed in the winter standing very still on the snow surface using their keen senses of hearing rather than vision to detect these subnivian rodents. Track histories of red foxes in particular can be found reflecting the slow stalking, pausing and explosive digging through the snow cover in the foxes' search for their subnivian prey.

A diminutive pine vole devours a tasty treat.

Subnivian and Intranivian

“In this subnivian world, these small mammals nest in grasses and feed on the inner bark of young plants without having to go above and expose themselves to harsh conditions and possible predators. If trips to the surface are made, they are made through tunnels which also serve as ventilation shafts and light sensors.

“Above, the intranivian layer provides shelter to different animals. In this area, ruffed grouse may tunnel deep into the snowpack to seek shelter from cold temperatures or a severe storm.

“While these nivian worlds sound peaceful, they present their own set of dangers. The formation of a thick crust of ice at the snow's surface can trap and suffocate those below. Snow melt can lead to animals getting wet and hypothermic.

“Further, denizen citizens of the subnivian layer are not entirely exempt from danger above. Owls, hawks, and foxes employ their acute hearing to pinpoint prey. Using talons or feet, they crash through the snow, collapse the subnivian space and its tunnels, and trap and capture their prey.

“Snow can give both plants and animals a head start on spring. With the increasingly frequent melts and refreezes that occur as spring nears, the snow becomes more transparent and conducive to light penetration. This spurs the growth of some plants that can emerge and even bloom while snow persists. In the shelter of the subnivian space, some animals produce large numbers of offspring.

The next time you're walking, skiing, or snowshoeing, think about the world under your feet and step lightly.”

So, to return for one sentence actually written by moi, Bill Casselman, remember, dear reader, a creature is not in oblivion who merely dwells in the subnivian. Like, he's in the zone, dude.

 

 

 

Any comments, emendations, additional word lore?

Please email it to me at

canadiansayings@mountaincable.net

 

 

© 2008 William Gordon Casselman

 

 

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