Ecology Unit
Wallace Stegner said you knew you were in the prairie pothole region when you can see as much sky on the ground as above. The Brandon area sits between two significant divisions of the Central plains: about 30 miles to our south is the far northern stretch of the true tallgrass prairie, so we sit in a zone characterized by mixed grass prairie. Additionally, we sit at the southern edge of the prairie pothole region, extending from the Brandon area well into Canada. The prairie pothole region is an area of prairie that experienced extensive periods of glaciation, leaving shallow lakes, sloughs and wetlands across the area. Many areas of the prairie pothole region have a shallow water table (close to the surface) and thus shallow depression fill with water for at least part of the year. While our lakes may not be deep, cool and clear like those found in much of neighboring Minnesota, we should take pride in our local topography. Nationwide, we are known as North America's 'duck factory,' producing a remarkable number of waterfowl (and other wildlife) in the shallow wetlands that dot the thousands of square miles that comprise the North American prairie pothole region.
In the course of our ecology unit, we will be surveying local plants of grasslands and wetlands, water quality, our limited 'forests' and land management. Of particular interest to me, students this year will be the first to begin building the Brandon Valley High School Online Herbarium. Additionally, you will be responsible for a small-scale survey of a local nature area.
Assignment #1: Herbarium collection (see below)
Assignment #2: Flora survey of local nature area
Brandon Valley High School Online Herbarium
The purpose of this web page is to provide some record of plants observed in the Brandon area. In my classroom at BVHS, I will maintain a physical herbarium. This section of my web page is meant to be a record of what is in the herbarium. With the exception of a few specimens collected by myself, all entries will come from students.
Rubric: By October 22, 2003 (end of 1st quarter), each student in my biology course is responsible for turning in submissions to the BVHS online herbarium. At least four of the plants must be properly pressed in one of our classroom plant presses (to demonstrate that you know basic herbarium techniques) but others may include photos, drawings or flower pressings. Grades will be assigned based on the following rubric:
"A" 10 plants submitted to the herbarium, with at least 8 coming from local nature areas.
"B" 8 plants submitted to the herbarium, with at least 6 coming from local nature areas.
"C" 6 plants submitted to the herbarium, all should come from local nature areas.
"D" 4 plants submitted to the herbarium, all must come from local nature areas.
When collecting plants for the herbarium, students should follow these basic rules:
1. When a plant is selected, a few things are necessary for identification. The entire plant should be collected, including leaves, stems, flowers, and roots/underground structures. Students can check out the class plant presses, which will be filled with cardboard and blotting paper. The collected plant should be put between two pieces of blotting paper and properly folded, exposing both the underside and top of leaves and flowers. Next, a proper tag should be completed and put in with the pressing. The tag should include the following information: collection date, name of person collecting specimen, location of collection, and a tenative ID (if possible).
2. When the plant press is full, the chords will be cinched tight and the press will be kept in the classroom for 2-3 weeks. After that time, the plant will be properly glued (materials provided in classroom) and a final tag will be attached to the final herbarium specimen.
3. Identification will be a lengthy process. I will bring a number of my identification books to class and I am willing to help in the identification process. The ease of the job will be directly related to the completeness of the information you journal during the intial collecting process. Keep as much information as possible!
4. Preparation for online herbarium. Pressed plants will be added to the herbarium closet in our classroom. Students also need to add a record of the plant on the online herbarium. If the plant is already listed on the online herbarium, you need simply note that on your final project. If the plant is new to our herbarium, a tag should be completed, noting official name, common name, date of collection, habitat and geographic location of collection site, and name of collector.
If a plant is "collected" for the online herbarium, meaning it is photographed but not pressed, the following procedure should be followed:
1. Photograph as much of the plant as possible, including any flowers or seeds, leaves, stems showing how leaves are attached to stem and leaf arrangement.
2. Include a written record of the plant, include height and complete field tag information.
3. Identification of each plant must be completed using books available in the classroom. I am willing to provide help, but your job will be much easier if you collect a great deal of information during your collecting trip!
4. Information, including full information and photo(s) should be compiled into a web page format (see samples from online herbarium). Photos should be in thumbnail format, official tag format should be completed, and the document should be saved in format I can load onto the online herbarium.
Families represented by the Brandon Valley High School Online Herbarium:
Apiaceae, Carrot Family
Apocynaceae, Dogbane Family
Asclepiadaceae, Milkweek Family
Asteraceae, Aster Family
Brassicaceae, Mustard Family
Crassulaeae, Stonecrop Family
Equisetaceae, Horsetail Family
Euphorbiaceae, Spurge Family
Linaceae, Flax Family
Fabaceae, Legume Family
Lamiaceae, Mint Family
Poaceae, Grass Family
Rosaceae, Rose Family
Salicaeae, Willow Family
Verbenaceae, Verbena Family
Apocynaceae, Dogbane Family
Official Name: Apocynum cannabinum
Common Name: Indian Hemp
Habitat: Upland prairie and edge of wetland at WPA
Geographic Position: Section 32 of Wall Lake WPA, Minnehaha County
Date of Collection: 24 June 2003
Collected by : Justin Lovrien Identified by: Justin Lovrien
Widely dispersed in the GPA. "Bleeds" a white latex milk when cut.
Native.
Asteraceae, Aster Family
Official Name: Achillea millefolium
Common Name: Common yarrow, wild yarrow
Habitat: Seeded in Lovrien's prairie ditch. Very common in fields, yards, rangeland, and prairies.
Geographic location: North end of Lake Madison, Lake County, SD
Date of Collection: 26 June 2003
Collection Method: Plant was photographed, but not collected.
Collected by: Justin Lovrien Identified by: Justin Lovrien
Native.
Asteraceae, Aster Family
Official name: Cirsium arvense
Common Name: Canada thistle
Habitat: Found dispersed in upland priarie, wetlands and along nearby ditches.
Geographic Postion: Section 32 and 33 of Wall Lake WPA, Minnehaha County, SD
Date of Collection: 24 June 2003
Collected by Justin Lovrien Identified by: Justin Lovrien
Collection Method: Photographed, collected and pressed both plant and floral components (currently in press).
Native.
Asteraceae, Aster Family
Official Name: Echinacea angustifolia
Common Name: Purple coneflower.
Habitat: Mr. Lovrien's prairie ditch; upland prairie
Geographic location: North end of Lake Madison, Lake County, SD
Date Collected: 26 June 2003.
Collection Method: Photographed only.
Collected by Justin Lovrien Identified by Justin Lovrien
Native. If you find a purple conflower, please photograph it only. The root has medicinal uses and many prairies have large quantities removed by people collecting the plant for use or sale. This picture is just before the flower is blooming, I plan to update a the pictures to include flowering coneflower plants.
Asteraceae, Aster Family
Official Name: Gaillardia artistata
Common Name: Blanket flower
Habitat: Mr. Lovrien's prairie ditch; upland prairie
Geographic location: North end of Lake Madison, Lake County, SD
Date collected: 26 June 2003
Collection method: Photographed only.
Collected by: Justin Lovrien Identified by: Justin Lovrien
Native. The bright colors seen in the photo below are common to the variety purchased at nurseries. This plant does grow in native prairie, but usually all petals are yellow, with no burgandy or red. While this specimen was seeded, it has self-seeded for the past five years, indicating it is well-adapted to our climate.
Asteraceae, Aster Family
Official Name: Ratibida columnifera
Common Name: Mexican hat
Habitat: Mr. Lovrien's prairie ditch; upland prairie
Geographic location: North end of Lake Madison, Lake County, SD
Date collected: 26 June 2003
Collection method: Photographed only.
Collected by: Justin Lovrien Identified by: Justin Lovrien
Native.
Asteraceae, Aster Family
Official Name: Silphium perfoliatum
Common Name: Cup plant
Habitat: Intentionally planted in Mr. Lovrien's Prairie ditch; a common plant along the bike trail along the Big Sioux River.
Geographical position: North end of Lake Madison, Lake County, SD
Date of Collection: 26 June 2003
Collection Method: Photographed, plant not collected.
Collected by: Justin Lovrien Identified by: Justin Lovrien
Native. This plant is now available at some nurseries and should be considered to be a valuable addition to your yard; beautiful and native! The clasping leaves will collect water, hence the common name 'Cup Plant.'
Brassicaceae, Mustard Family
Official Name: Hesperis matronalis
Common Name: Dame's Rocket, Field Phlox
Habitat: Mr. Lovrien's prairie ditch; upland prairie
Geographic location: North end of Lake Madison, Lake County, SD
Date Collected: 26 June 2003.
Collection Method: Photographed only.
Collected by Justin Lovrien Identified by Justin Lovrien
Nonnative, but widely naturalized in our area.
Fabaceae, Legume Family
Official Name: Amorpha canescens
Common Name: Leadplant
Habitat: Mr. Lovrien's prairie ditch; upland prairie
Geographic location: North end of Lake Madison, Lake County, SD
Date collected: 26 June 2003
Collection method: Photographed only.
Collected by: Justin Lovrien Identified by: Justin Lovrien
Fabaceae, Legume Family
Official Name: Melilotus officinalis
Common Name: Yellow sweetclover
Habitat: Upland prairie, part of Wall Lake Waterfowl Production Area
Geographic Position: Section 32 of Wall Lake WPA, Minnehaha County, South Dakota
Date of Collection: 24 June 2003
Collected by Justin Lovrien, Identified by Justin Lovrien
Means of Collection: Photos taken, pressings taken (currently in press), written description
Very widespread in area. Commonly planted in area as a source of hay, and spreads to ditches, praires and other areas.
Nonnative
Linaceae, Flax Family
Official name: Linum lewisii
Common name: Wild Blue Flax
Habitat: Mr. Lovrien's prairie ditch; upland prairie
Geographic location: North end of Lake Madison, Lake County, SD
Date collected: 26 June 2003
Collection method: Photographed only.
Collected by: Justin Lovrien Identified by: Justin Lovrien
Native.
Poaceae, Grass Family
Official Name: Phleum pratense
Common Name: Timothy grass
Habitat: Common over entire upland area of WPA and common in many open areas in SE South Dakota.
Geographic Postion: Section 32 and 33 of Wall Lake WPA, Minnehaha County, SD
Collected by Justin Lovrien, Identified by Justin Lovrien
Nonnative. Commonly planted as hay or grazing cover.
Ranunculaceae, Buttercup Family
Official Name: Anemone canadensis
Common Name: Meadow anemone
Habitat: Near edge of large wetland, in moist soil.
Geographic position: Section 33 Wall Lake WPA, Minnehaha County, SD
Collected by: Justin Lovrien Identified by: Justin Lovrien
Collection data: Photographed, collected entire roots, rhizome, plant and flowers (currently in press).
Native. When collecting, pay attention to leaves as at least five other species of anemone grow in our area. Meadow anemone is common in wet soils and, due to extensive rhizomes (underground stems), usually occurs in large patches.
Rosaceae, Rose Family
Official Name: Potentilla recta
Common Name: Sulfur cinquefoil
Habitat: Upland areas of Wall Lake WPA
Geographic Information: Section 33 of Wall Lake WPA, Minnehaha County, SD
Collected by Justin Lovrien Identified by: Justin Lovrien
Collection Method: Photographed and two plants collected (currently in press).
Nonnative. While a number of cinquefoils are native, this is an introduced species that appears to be quickly spreading in the state. The palmate leaves and woody structure are tips that indicate a cinquefoil may be sulfur.
Rosaceae, Rose Family
Official Name: Rosa arkansana
Common Name: Prairie Rose
Habitat: Upland areas of Wall Lake WPA
Geographic Information: Section 33 of Wall Lake WPA, Minnehaha County, SD
Collected: 24 June 2003
Collected by: Justin Lovrien Identified by: Justin Lovrien
Native. State flower of both North Dakota and Iowa. While there are other 'wild roses' in the area, the prairie rose is easily identified by its habit of having flowers borne singularly (not in large clusters) and having leaflets in groups of 9 to 11. The fruit (rose hip) is bright red and is easily identified during a late season pheasant hunt. The hips are rich in vitamin C, in addition to providing interesting winter color.
Salicaceae, Willow Family
Official Name: Populus deltoides
Common Name: Plains cottonwood
Habitat: Upland areas of Wall Lake WPA
Geographic Information: Section 33 of Wall Lake WPA, Minnehaha County, SD
Collection date: 24 June 2003
Collect by: Justin Lovrien Identified by: Justin Lovrien
Collection method: Photographed, leaves and seeds collected and pressed (currenly in press).
Native.
Typhaceae, Cattail Family
Official Name: Typhus angustifolia
Common Name: Narrowleaf cattail
Habitat: Wetland area, in standing water
Geographic Position: Section 33 of Wall Lake WPA, Minnehaha County, SD
Collected by Justin Lovrien, Identified by Justin Lovrien
Collection Method: Photographed only.
Native.
Verbenaceae, Verbena Family
Official Name: Verbena stricta
Common Name: Wooly verbena
Habitat: Mr. Lovrien's prairie ditch; upland prairie
Geographic location: North end of Lake Madison, Lake County, SD
Date Collected: 26 June 2003.
Collection Method: Photographed only.
Collected by Justin Lovrien Identified by Justin Lovrien
Native.
