David J. Hicks
Biology, Manchester College
Floristics and vegetation of the Kokiwanee Nature Preserve
Abstracts of presentations to Indiana Academy of Science 2006 Annual Meeting
Vegetation and flora of Kokiwanee Nature Preserve, Wabash County, IN. Forest vegetation. Teresa M. Michaelis* and David J. Hicks, Biology Department, Manchester College, North Manchester, IN
Kokiwanee is a 55 ha property owned by ACRES Land Trust, Inc. This area comprises floodplain, bluffs and uplands on calcareous bedrock adjacent to the Salamonie River. Historic air photos show that forests on the bluff, in small stream valleys, and on part of the floodplain have had minimal disturbance since at least the 1940s. Quadrat studies indicate that these forests have many features that are typical of old-growth forests. Dominants include Acer saccharum, A. nigrum, Tilia americana, Juglans nigra, Fraxinus americana, Liriodendron tulipifera and Ulmus spp. These forests have less Fagus grandifolia and Quercus spp. than other old-growth stands in northeastern Indiana, and do not appear to fit into the national vegetation classification system. Submesic forest dominated by Acer saccharum and Quercus spp. occurs at the edge of the bluff. Early successional forests are dominated by Acer saccharum, Prunus serotina, Fraxinus americana, and introduced conifers.
Vegetation and flora of Kokiwanee Nature Preserve, Wabash County, IN. Wetland vegetation and floristic summary. David J. Hicks* and Teresa M. Michaelis, Biology Department, Manchester College, North Manchester, IN
Nonforested wetlands occur at this 55-ha site in Wabash County. Sites receiving groundwater flow with relatively low mineral content are dominated by Symplocarpus foetidus and Impatiens capensis; those receiving water with higher mineral content contain many species typical of fens. The known flora (as of August, 2006) contains 432 species and well-marked varieties. Of these, 85% are native to Indiana. The floristic quality index is 4.5. Approximately 43% are county records; a number of common species qualify as county records, indicating that the flora of Indiana is not well documented. No species with special status at the state or national level are known to occur, but there are a number of species that are near the edge of their range. The best represented families are Asteraceae (56 spp. and marked var.), Cyperaceae (33, including 26 Carex), Poaceae (30 spp.), Liliaceae s.l. (19), and Rosaceae (18). Invasive plant species are significant problems only in limited areas.