Our trip to LaVerne and Shirley today was exciting and different from ususal. We did spend some time looking in the pools and taking measurments (the water was very low), but we saw our very first and only salamander (A Red Back). After the ususal we moved on to evaluating some vegetative plots.
Plot one was an area close to LaVerne and Shirley. Our evaluation proved that we were infact in a wetland area. We found and identified Red Maple, Common High Bush Blueberry, Winterberry Holly, Sheep Laurel, and Sphagnum Moss, as the dominent plant species.
Plot two (which we also assumed was wetland) was not quite the same species as plot one. We were lucky and did infact have just enough species to qualify as wet lands, but just by the hairs of our chinny chin chins. The species there included: Hemlock, Red Maple, Red Oak, Pitch Pine, Black Huckleberry, and similar shrubs to the wetlands. We also saw a bunch of sphagnum moss and other moss that we were unable to identify.
Plot three was an area we believed would prove to be an upland area, which did indeed turn out to be the case. the case. It was dominated by Hemlock, Red Maple, bracken ferns, wintergreen, and both high and low bush blueberry.
So... we are celebrating! Our vegetation plots verified our hypotheseis about where the vernal pool wetland area lies, where its boundaries are, and where the uplands begin. This feels very good. Take a look........
Plot one was an area close to LaVerne and Shirley. Our evaluation proved that we were infact in a wetland area. We found and identified Red Maple, Common High Bush Blueberry, Winterberry Holly, Sheep Laurel, and Sphagnum Moss, as the dominent plant species.
Plot two (which we also assumed was wetland) was not quite the same species as plot one. We were lucky and did infact have just enough species to qualify as wet lands, but just by the hairs of our chinny chin chins. The species there included: Hemlock, Red Maple, Red Oak, Pitch Pine, Black Huckleberry, and similar shrubs to the wetlands. We also saw a bunch of sphagnum moss and other moss that we were unable to identify.
Plot three was an area we believed would prove to be an upland area, which did indeed turn out to be the case. the case. It was dominated by Hemlock, Red Maple, bracken ferns, wintergreen, and both high and low bush blueberry.
So... we are celebrating! Our vegetation plots verified our hypotheseis about where the vernal pool wetland area lies, where its boundaries are, and where the uplands begin. This feels very good. Take a look........
1 comment:
Using wetland vegetation analysis to confirm your vernal pool boundary was a success. It was a treat to spend some quality time with you at your beautiful site. The blueberries were tasty too!
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