Monitoring of Restored Vegetation in the Wolf Lake Wetlands
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Transcript of Monitoring of Restored Vegetation in the Wolf Lake Wetlands
Monitoring of Restored Vegetation in the Wolf Lake Wetlands
Rachel Shmagranoff
Wolf Lake Background
• 804 ha (450 acres)• Once part of Lake Michigan, but then 19th century
industrialization and roads disconnected it• Maximum depth of 5.5 m (18 feet)• Habitat for many species including– Franklin ground squirrel (Spermophilus
tridecemlineatus)– Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)– Black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Restoration
Pool #9
Pool #8
•Controls exotic species, creates new environments and diversity•Dredging in pool #9 to be caught by filtering wetland strips so it doesn’t contaminate pool #8
Field SiteThe area surveyed consisted of:
•Main shoreline stretching 370 linear meters
•13 islands
Timeline
May 15-May 30
Plot set up and analysis of main shoreline
June 6-June 15
Island plot set up and surveying
June 18-July 6
Shoreline and island clean up
June 27
Bird Nest survey
July 2 –July 30
Invertebrate sampling
July 31-August 10
Water sampling and algae analysis
Survey Technique for Main shore
Plot setup:1. Marker pole placed
every 20 meters• Made 36
shoreline plots2. 1x1meter plot set at
every pole3. Point-contact
method conducted4. Species identified
and tallied
Surveying the Islands
1. Shore line• 1x1meter plots every 20
meters2. Water line• 1x1meter plots every 20
meters3. Upland• 1x1meter plots every 10
meters
Shoreline Vegetation Tally Species Scirpus pungens
3-square sedge
Eleocharis palustris
spikerush
Rumex verticillatus
Swamp dock
Average Frequency(Touches/plots)
2,623/107 =
24.51
927/53=
17.49
548/77=
7.12
Picture
Water Vegetation TallySpecies Myriophyllum
spicatum
(Milfoil)
Scirpus validus
(Softstem bulrush)
Nymphaea odorata
(White water lily)
Average Frequency(Touches/plots)
1,129/71
15.90
993/59
16.83
795/81
9.81
Picture
Upland Vegetation TallySpecies Scirpus pungens
(3-squre sedge)
Schizachyrium scoparium
(Little Bluestem)
Solidago speciosa
(Goldenrod)
Average Frequency(Touches/plots)
512/27
18.96
371/33
11.24
117/16
7.31
Picture
Invasive Vegetation Problem• Phragmites frequency – Total plots/ total touches: 590/92 = 6.41
• Purple Loosestrife frequency – 648/103= 6.29
• Cattail frequency– 254/25= 10.16
Area Clean Up
wire
Metal spikes
Plastic mesh
garbage
Rope
cord
Restoration remnants
Bird Nest Survey
Birds Nests Found
10 Canadian geese
8 Red winged black
birds
4 sandpipers
3 mallards
3 Killdeer
1 Mute Swan
Sandpiper nest
Red winged black bird nest
Mallard nest
Red winged black bird nest
Invertebrates• Top species caught– 183 ephemeroptera (mayfly)– 175 amphipoda (shrimp)– 103 gastropoda (snails)– 39 hirudinea (leech)– 10 other species tallying 56
Water and Algae SamplingAlgae• 25 buckets of water poured
through filter• Algae trapped in container
at bottom• Algae identification and
volume to be assessed at a later date
Water• Dissolved oxygen
– Manganous Sulfate and Alkaline Iodide-Azide reagents
– Titration using Phenylarsine Oxide
• Conductivity• pH
Thank you!