Wetland ecology at Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology – Day 10

Canoeing in Geneva Marsh.

Two weeks of wetland ecology completed!  We spent the morning doing some experiments with Sphagnum moss, to better understand the mechanism that allows it to acidify its environment.  We then built on yesterday’s field observations by examining the ecology of swamps and riparian wetlands in greater detail.  To celebrate the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, in the afternoon we loaded into canoes and spent a couple hours exploring Geneva Marsh – the largest marsh in Pennsylvania.  It was a relaxing way to end the week, and hopefully everyone will return on Tuesday rejuvenated and ready for one final week of full “immersion” in wetlands.

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PLE Day 10, a set on Flickr.

Wetland ecology at Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology – Day 9

Tallying macroinvertebrates from Geneva Marsh and Ponds.

We finished up our coverage of peatland paleoenvironmental archives this morning and then looked in more detail at the ecology of freshwater marshes.  We discussed the importance of seed banks in many marshes, and used the specific example of how droughts, seed banks, and muskrat population sizes can drive vegetation dynamics in prairie pothole wetlands.  The students then spent the rest of the morning working on identifying and quantifying their macroinvertebrate collections from Geneva marsh and ponds.

The shrub-dominated portion of Kingsville Swamp.

This afternoon we visited Kingsville Swamp and a nearby riparian area along Conneaut Creek in Ashtabula County, Ohio.  At Kingsville Swamp, we compared and contrasted the vegetation and water chemistry with Hartsville Swamp (adjacent to Pymatuning Reservoir), which we visited last week.  Given its high topographic position in the landscape, Kingsville Swamp likely receives a greater proportion of its water budget from precipitation, and its dark-brown water was much more acidic than Hartstown Swamp (5.2 versus 8.1 pH) and contained more dissolved organic carbon.  Along the swamp edge the canopy was dominated by silver maple, black ash, and hemlock.  As we progressed further into the swamp, there was more standing water and it became shrub dominated, with black chokecherry, highbush blueberry, and buttonbush creating a nearly impenetrable shrub-swamp.  In fact, only the bravest and most dedicated students ventured very far into the shrubs, despite my encouragement and the hordes of mosquitoes that were waiting to accept energy donations on behalf of the ecosystem.

Investigating the riparian zone of Conneaut Creek in Ohio.

Most of students enjoyed the creek and riparian area in the Blakeslee-Barrows Preserve more than the swamp.  Here we observed riparian vegetation and thought about the ecological and hydrological linkages between the creek and surrounding floodplain in preparation for tomorrow’s lecture on riparian wetlands.  We observed several locations where groundwater entering the margins of the stream, and noted that oxidized iron was being deposited at the interface of the creek and the groundwater entry point.  The students applied their knowledge of biogeochemistry to explain this observation.  It was a hot afternoon, and many students decided to take a swim in the creek.

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PLE Day 9, a set on Flickr.

Wetland ecology at Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology – Day 8

Lakeside Laboratory at PLE, where we spend most mornings.

 

Mid-term exam day.  After the exam and lunch we discussed peatlands, peatland hydrology, and peatland paleoenvironmental archives.  We then went out to Geneva Marsh and Ponds, where the students sampled and collected macroinvertebrates from two vegetationally different ponds and two different areas of the marsh.  Tomorrow they will be begin identifying and quantifying the macroinvertebrates in the lab, in an effort to assess differences among the locations.

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PLE Day 8, a set on Flickr.

Wetland ecology at Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology – Day 7

Photograph in the Tom Ridge Environmental Center at the base of Presque Isle Peninsula, showing the mosaic of old beach ridges and interdunal wetland swales that characterizes the Peninsula. This picture shows the tip of Gull Point, which is the youngest portion of the Peninsula.

Day 7 of wetland ecology began with a detailed look at the ecology of salt marshes, including the vegetation zonation that commonly emerges along the salinty, nutrient, and flooding gradient from the ocean to the upland.  Although the physical environment directly controls much of the zonation patterns, they are also the result of competitive dynamics among plant species.  We discussed how anthropogenic nutrient loading  alters these competitive dynamics, and may result in the compression or complete elimination of some vegetation zones, particularly the highly diverse high-marsh environment.  We also briefly talked about the detritus-based food webs that characterize salt marshes and then examined a few case studies where herbivory has played a particularly important role in shaping these systems, such as the trophic cascades caused by population expansions of particular species (e.g.,lesser snow geese, Littorina snails, nutria).

Diagram in the Tom Ridge Environmental Center at the base of Presque Isle Peninsula, highlighting an idealized cross-section of the dune-wetland complex.

We then drove up to Presque Isle Peninsula to observe the dynamic environment that characterizes coastal regions, and talked a bit about how the natural processes of deposition and erosion create and destroy wetlands in this setting. We walked out to Gull point to observe the youngest land surface on the peninsula – it is only a few decades old.  The hike meandered through Phragmites-dominated wetlands, which seemed fitting after the morning lecture.  As we walked, the students were hollering out common names and scientific names of wetland plants in preparation for the exam tomorrow…they made me proud.  Some pictures below.

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The class on the observation platform at Gull Pont.

PLE Day 7, a set on Flickr.

Wetland ecology at Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology – Day 6

Is this a hydric soil?

The morning of Day 6 in wetland ecology at Pymatuning Lab was spent investigating adaptations that allow hydrophytic vegetation to survive in wetland environments.  Students observed, dissected, and drew examples of a range of adaptations including aerenchyma tissue, floating leaves, gas-exchange mechanisms, carnivory, and carbohydrate-rich rhizomes.  This included some observations on Wolffia (watermeal), which has the honor of being the smallest flowering plant.

In the afternoon, Brian Pilarcek of the Soil Conservation District (Crawford County) led us through the details of wetland delineation, with a particular emphasis on the identification and description of hydric soils.  The students learned firsthand about the sorts of challenges that are faced when doing a delineation, and observed very clear changes in soils over a short distance along the edge of a wetland.

Tomorrow, we head up to Presque Isle State Park to observe coastal processes, and examine how these processes destroy and create wetlands in this dynamic environment.

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Examining adaptations of hydrophytic vegetation to the wetland environment. Phragmites seems pretty well adapted with that venturi-induced convection….

PLE Day 6, a set on Flickr.

Wetland ecology at Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology – Day 5

Vegetation sampling in Pymatuning/Hartstown Swamp.

Day 5 of wetland ecology at PLE began with an overview of phosphorus dynamics in wetlands and a summary of intrinsic and environmental controls on productivity and decomposition rates.  We headed to the field a bit earlier than the past few days, exploring the vegetation of nearby Pymatuning Swamp (also called Hartstown Swamp).  We spent some time talking about Sphagnum ecology, as there were some scattered Sphagnum hummocks in the swamp, and the students collected data using transect and quadrat methods.  They quickly found that surveying swamp vegetation was more challenging than marsh vegetation, because of both the higher overall diversity but also because of the multiple strata involved (herbaceous vegetation, shrubs, and trees).  All the students (and the TA) were lamenting, “So many Carex species, so little time.” (grin)

The students are learning a lot and having a good time.  However, several may be getting a bit delirious, as I overheard them today making up songs about spicebush (Lindera benzoin).

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PLE Day 5, a set on Flickr.

Wetland Ecology at Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology – Day 4

Day 4 of wetland ecology began with an overview of wetland biogeochemistry and included a whirlwind ride on the “redox ladder,” a summary of the ways that wetland microbes “make a living,” and a look at the huge effects that microbial activities have on the wetland environment. After the student’s brains were fully oxidized (or reduced?), we headed out to Pymatuning Creek Marsh to collect quantitative data on marsh plant communities. Aaron Stoler also provided some guidance on macroinvertebrate sampling methods, and we collectively conducted a quick survey of invertebrates in the marsh.

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PLE Day 4, a set on Flickr.

Wetland Ecology at Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology – Day 3

Day 3 of wetland ecology at Pymatuning Lab challenged us bit, but it ended well with some fun botanizing and a few students sinking far enough in the muck to submerge their waders (what fun would it be if nobody got wet?).  This morning, we discussed aspects of wetland hydrology and hydrophytic vegetation, and then departed for the field  – when one of the vans promptly got a flat tire.  Luckily we were at the housing site so the students had an early lunch while the situation was resolved.  We made it to Pymatuning Creek Marsh by the early afternoon, and the students learned to identify some common wetland plants in preparation for quantitative data collection tomorrow.  We also installed a few temporary surface wells equipped with water-level loggers to monitor water-level variability over the next week – hopefully we will be able to see diurnal fluctuations.

Biogeochemistry and more plant ecology tomorrow!

Pictures and video below..

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PLE Day 3, a set on Flickr.

Wetland Ecology at Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology – Day 2

The PLE wetland ecology and management class at Morgan Swamp Preserve with Karen Adair.

Day two of wetland ecology at Pymatuning was fantastic (at least for me!).  After everyone’s brains were awash with wetland hydrology (including mine), the class went to visit Morgan Swamp Preserve in nearby Ashtabula County in Ohio.  Karen Adair of the Nature Conservancy led us on a wonderfully wet tour of the preserve, where we observed a range wetland types including emergent marsh, swamp forest, and vernal pools.  We also had some great discussion on historical wetland drainage in Ohio, the ecological significance of vernal pools, the effects of invasive species, and the sorts of things that students interested in field-oriented environmental careers should consider.  I told the students that they could forgo the waders on this trip (grin), and of course this just added to the fun.

Tomorrow we start collecting data!  Videos and pictures below.

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PLE Day 2, a set on Flickr.

Wetland ecology at Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology – Day 1

PLE Day 1, a set on Flickr.

Today was the first day of an intensive three-week field course in wetland ecology and management. The students visited several nearby wetland sites and began thinking about what a wetland is, the diversity of wetland types, the biogeochemical processes that take place in these systems, and how plants deal with submerged and waterlogged conditions. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s field trip to Morgan Swamp Preserve in Ohio.

We stopped at the Pymatuning reservoir spillway for lunch.  It is unbelievable to me that they allow (and promote) the feeding of the carp.  The continual influx of bread (there really are people out there throwing bread into the water all day, particularly on the weekends) has led to big phosphorus problems and algal blooms.  The video below shows the unreal density of the carp.

Here is the course website: https://sites.google.com/site/wetlandecologymanagement/

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