Oak Openings Research Forum
Metroparks of the Toledo Area
January 20-21, 2006
FRIDAY PRESENTATIONS (in order of presentations)
Title: Prescribed Burning and Oak Savanna Restoration
Presenter: Jared L. DeForest, University of Toledo (jared.deforest@utoledo.edu)
Affiliates: Gwendolyn Tenney, University of Toledo (gwendolyn.tenney@utoledo.edu)
Jiquan Chen, University of Toledo (jchen4@utnet.utoledo.edu)
Historically, the Oak Openings Region of northwest Ohio supported a landscape mosaic
of oak-dominated woodlands and savanna, in addition to wet prairie communities, that
formed on a series of post-glacial beach ridges and swales. This complex landscape
structure was maintained by natural disturbances like frequent flooding and wildfires,
which was suppressed since settlement. Protected from fire, the remaining oak savanna
has become oak woodland. Restoring oak savanna requires, in part, reducing the woody
understory and forest floor biomass. The prescribed burn is the preferred practice to
reduce forest floor and understory biomass because it imitates natural disturbance. The
removal the forest floor, however, can reduced the productivity of these soils via elevated
soil respiration (i.e., amount of carbon released from the soil) and capacity of the soils to
retain nutrients and moisture, which can help restore these soils to support an oak
savanna ecosystem.
Metroparks of the Toledo Area has been using the prescribed burn as a management tool
to restore oak savanna within the Oak Openings Preserve for many years. In April 2005,
around fifteen hectares were burned near the sand dune trail, which consumed 54% of the
forest floor biomass and top killed most of the understory. However, by mid summer,
most of the woody understory was recovered from the burn through stump sprouts and
after leaf fall, the forest floor biomass was near pre-burn levels. While the burn
significantly decreased soil respiration by 24%, when compared to unburned areas, this
reduction was temporary because soil respiration in burned areas over a year was similar
to unburned areas. Soil moisture and nutrient content was similar to unburned areas.
Overall, we have little evidence to suggest prescribed burns have lasting effects on soil
processes. Annual burning of historically oak savanna will eventually reduce the forest
floor enough to alter soil processes that are more indicative of oak savanna.
Title: The Karner Blue Butterfly: "Where do we go from here?"
Presenter: Bradley Pickens, Bowling Green State University (bpicken@bgsu.edu)
Affiliate: Dr. Karen V. Root, Bowling Green State University (kvroot@bgsu.edu)
The Karner blue butterfly (Karner), Lycaeides melissa samuelis, is a federally endangered
species found in the Oak Openings region. This specialist species has two broods of
butterflies per year and the larvae feed exclusively on wild blue lupine, Lupinus perennis.
The species was extirpated from Ohio by 1989, and since this time, have been
reintroduced with cooperation from The Nature Conservancy, Toledo Zoo, Ohio DNR,
and Michigan DNR.
We used Karner surveys and observations of females to identify how Karners responded
to lupine areas, which were burned, mowed, or unmanaged. We also investigated
management and vegetation characteristics, which affected the amount of nitrogen in
lupine leaves. Nitrogen levels have previously been shown to enhance larval growth and
dramatically increase butterfly fecundity. Our results showed female Karners were more
abundant in burned areas during the second brood. Karners also avoided ovipositing in
unmanaged areas, often characterized by high amounts of leaf litter. The leaf nitrogen
sampling revealed vegetation density, canopy cover, and aspect were all important
determinates of nitrogen levels. This study has demonstrated the complexity of Karner
blue butterfly biology, and we have found several characteristics which will be valuable
for evaluating habitat and management alternatives for this species.
Title: Protection, Management, and Plant Survey and Monitoring Efforts at Meilke
Road Savanna Wildlife Area
Presenter(s): Jennifer Windus, ODNR Division of Wildlife
(jennifer.windus@dnr.state.oh.us) and Timothy Walters, The Mannik & Smith
Group, Inc (TWalters@manniksmithgroup.com)
Meilke Road Savanna, located in Spencer Township in the Oak Openings and known for
many years by lepidopterists and naturalists, was finally protected by the Division of
Wildlife in late 2004. Several agencies had been working together to purchase the
primary 22-acre parcel since 1995. The Division of Natural Areas & Preserves signed a
management agreement with the Spencer Township Trustees in 1996 to conduct habitat
management on the Township’s fifteen acres which is adjacent to the 22-acre parcel.
After many years of negotiation with the landowner, the Division of Wildlife was able to
purchase the 22-acre parcel as a wildlife area. Now the Division is working
cooperatively with the Metropolitan Park District of the Toledo Area to manage the site.
Significant habitat management has been conducted on the combined 37 acres since 1996
by both the Divisions of Natural Areas & Preserves and Wildlife. The goal of the habitat
management is to restore high-quality oak savanna and barrens by selective tree and
shrub removal and prescribed burning. The site has been identified by the Ohio Karner
Blue Butterfly Recovery Team as a potential reintroduction site for the Federally
endangered Karner Blue Butterfly.
The Division of Natural Areas & Preserves established two 100-meter transects at the site
in 1997 to monitor plant community changes in response to management efforts. Data
have been collected from 40 one-meter square plots in these transects on plant
composition and abundance in 1997-2001 and again in 2005. Plant surveys were
conducted in 1997 and again in 2005 at the site. Preliminary results suggest that habitat
management efforts are greatly improving the oak savanna community. Over 230 plant
species have been documented, including at least seventeen state-listed species. Results
from the current floral survey identify several rare upland communities, many rare and
unusual species, and the presence of several non-native species.
Title: Bryophyte Flora of the Oak Openings
Presenter(s): Jim Toppin and Janet Traub (jtoppin@sbcglobal.net)
Mosses and liverworts were collected at sites in the Oak Openings to begin developing a
list for the region and to provide new county records to the Ohio Moss Database at Kent
State University. There is no database for Ohio liverworts. The last published county
distribution of liverworts (1964) showed two species from Lucas County, with very few
records from northwest Ohio. The bryophyte species identified were 67 mosses (24
families) and 10 liverworts (10 families). Major moss families in the Oak Openings
include the Amblystegiaceae, Brachytheciaceae, Hypnaceae, Polytrichaceae and
Sphagnaceae. Oak Openings bryophytes grow on soil, wood, and rock substrates. They
occupy habitats representing the entire range of moisture regimes, from aquatic to xeric.
Brachythecium reflexum collected at Wildwood Preserve was a new record for Ohio.
Thelia lescurii from Oak Openings Preserve is otherwise reported in Ohio only from
Adams County. Ptilium crista-castrensis (Knight's Plume Moss) from Oak Openings
Preserve has been reported from five other Ohio counties: two in the northeast and three
in the south near the Ohio River.
Title: Detecting Oak Savannas Using Ecological Indicators
Presenter: Marcus Ricci, Bowling Green State University, Department of Biological
Sciences (mricci@bgsu.edu)
Affiliates: Dr. Helen J. Michaels, Bowling Green State University
(hmichae@bgnet.bgsu.edu),
and Dr. Karen V. Root, Bowling Green State University, Department of
Biological
Sciences (kvroot@bgnet.bgsu.edu)
Agriculture and fire suppression have reduced Midwest oak savannas by 99%. The Oak
Openings of northwest Ohio, a mosaic of globally-significant ecosystems, has been
reduced from 78,600 ha to 33,700 ha. Regional conservation efforts are often difficult to
prioritize and implement due to a lack of habitat quality and location data. By taking
advantage of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), this project will greatly improve
the ability to locate, quantify and prioritize appropriate habitat for conservation efforts.
I am using ArcGIS 8.3.0 to build a model to detect oak savanna remnants and/or
potentially restorable habitat by determining the relationships between existing ecological
characteristics of remnant savanna patches (model training and verification sites) and
their relative patch quality. Characteristics considered, cover a broad ecological range
from biological, geological, and chemical to spatial and climatological. They include soil
traits, hydrology, topography, canopy cover, vegetation, precipitation and temperature. I
have compiled and am analyzing electronically available characteristic data (datasets,
GIS files, remote sensing data, aerial photography) to determine character/patch-quality
relationships. A binary (Boolean) model identifies areas with the same characteristics as
the model training sites as remnant/potential oak savanna habitat. Validation sites are
checked to ascertain if they have been identified properly. Analysis of the soil type data
has successfully reduced oak savanna search area by almost 80%. A key step to conserve
rare habitats is to identify where they are or could potentially be. This research produces
a quantifiable habitat model, that will more systematically and efficiently prioritize
conservation at a landscape scale.
Title: Ecology and Status of the Antenna-waving Wasp, Tachysphex pechumani
Presenter: Robert G. Jacksy Jr., Naturalist-Historic Interpreter, Metroparks of the Toledo
Area
(bob.jacksy@metroparkstoledo.com )
Affiliate: E. Kurczewski, Environmental and Forest Biology, State University of New
York
College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York
In the summer of 1998, a graduate student of Frank Kurczewski, recently retired
professor and curator in insects at the State University of New York’s College of
Environmental Science and Forestry, found the antenna-waving wasp (Tachysphex
pechumani) at the Oak Opening’s Girdham Road Sand Dunes. This insect is one of the
rarest insects in North America, yet does not benefit from Federal Endangered Species
status. The wasps are small, 8-11mm long, live as adults for two to three weeks and have
only one generation a year. They dig small tunnel-like nests in which they spend the
night, and bury the grasshoppers on which their eggs are laid. The wasps time their
nesting to coincide with the longest days of the year-- a time when only the most heatadapted creatures, such as the long-legged tiger beetles, are able to tolerate the searing
temperatures.
Throughout its range, the antennae waving wasp needs compacted sand in areas where
periodic fires occur. In Ohio’s natural areas, that translates into about a dozen sites in the
Oak Openings Region, including Oak Openings Preserve Metropark and Kitty Todd
Preserve. We hope these locations in northwest Ohio can sustain this fascinating insect.
In 2005, field research was concentrated at properties owned by The Nature Conservancy
within the Oak Openings Region. On three sites, seven wasps and twenty-five burrows
were located. The best location appears to be the Moseley Savanna, which is north of
Shaffer Rd., west of Whitehouse-Spencer Rd. At least nine wasps, and more than threedozen burrows were observed. The huge efforts put into restoring this landscape by The
Conservancy and their volunteers has really paid off, not just for our species of study, but
for other Oak Opening denizens such as lark sparrows, wild lupine, and dotted horsemint.
FRIDAY KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
Title: Mega-rarities of the Oak Openings
Presenter: Jim McCormac, Ohio Division of Wildlife (jim.mccormac@dnr.state.ohio.us)
Even though the Oak Openings comprises 130 square miles of Ohio’s surface area (ca.
.3%), it is without question one of the state’s most significant ecological resources. This
habitat is located on the ancient shores and beach ridges of modern day Lake Erie’s larger
predecessor, Lake Warren, which up until the last glaciations extended far into Lucas,
Henry, Fulton, and Wood counties. The Oak Openings are characterized by dry sandy
ridges and knolls cloaked with scattered oaks, and often with a highly specialized
herbaceous understory flora. Low-lying swales remain wet due to a high water table, and
harbor many species of very rare wetland flora and fauna.
Perhaps 1,000 species of vascular plants are found within this region, and Lucas County,
which contains the heart of the Oak Openings, has more documented state-listed rare
plant species than any other Ohio county. For example, forty-nine endangered plant
species are extant within the Oak Openings, which is 20% of all endangered plants found
in Ohio. The botanical influence here is profound, -- western prairie species, northern
species at the southern limits of their range, and disjunct Atlantic Coastal Plain species.
Many rare and interesting animals are found here as well. The Oak Openings, along with
the marshes of western Lake Erie, is by far the most significant habitat for breeding birds
in northwestern Ohio. Many species not found nesting elsewhere in the northwestern
quarter of the state occur here in numbers, including specialty birds like Blue Grosbeak,
Lark Sparrow, Summer Tanager, and Whip-poor-will. A number of other rare animals
occur too, like Blue-spotted Salamander, Spotted Turtle, and Antenna-waving Wasp.
Because of the highly specialized and extremely sensitive nature of Oak Openings
ecology, this ecosystem is very vulnerable to threats caused by incautious development.
In particular, disruption of water tables jeopardizes sensitive wetland communities.
Invasive plants, such as Glossy Buckthorn, have also proven to be a threat to native plant
communities. However, much has been learned in recent years as to how to best manage
Oak Openings habitats, and the Metroparks of the Toledo Area, the Ohio Department of
Natural Resources, and The Nature Conservancy have all made important contributions
to the preservation of this incredible ecosystem.
SATURDAY PRESENTATIONS (in order of presentations)
Title: An Overview of the Geological Investigations of the Oak Opening Region by
University of Toledo Geologists
Presenter: Dr. Timothy G. Fisher, The University of Toledo
(timothy.fisher@utoledo.edu)
Affiliate(s): Dr. David E. Krantz, Dr. Donald J. Stierman, and Dr. James M. MartinHayden
The University of Toledo
The Oak Openings Region (OOR) is a legacy of the ice ages. The sand ridge has long
been thought to represent a shoreline of a glacial lake in the Lake Erie basin, but few
details of the ridge are known, and the depositional environment in which it was
deposited is similarly poorly known. The high porosity and permeability of the ORR
makes it sensitive to fluctuations in water tables and contaminants. Predictions and
understanding of the ground-water flow requires a three-dimensional understanding of
the sediments making up the ORR. Consequently, the Department of Earth, Ecological,
and Environmental Sciences at The University of Toledo, has begun site-specific detailed
studies of the geomorphology and stratigraphy of the near-surface sediments in the ORR.
Our preliminary results have focused on identifying some of the major geomorphological
features. These include a spit with dunes at Secor Metropark, a ridged spit complex to the
south of the Oak Opening Metropark, large delta lobes extending from the main ridge, the
thickness of sand at Kitty Todd Nature Preserve, and the complex stratigraphy at Blue
Creek. Ubiquitous to the OOR are parabolic dunes indicating wind from the west that
reworked these coastal landforms as the glacial lake lowered approximately 13,000–
12,000 14C years before present (14,000–12,000 years BC). Beaches and dunes from
higher and lower levels of the glacial lakes in the Lake Erie basin are found elsewhere in
the basin, but with lesser volumes of sand than at OOR. The history of lake-level change
was investigated at Metroparks’ Blue Creek Conservation Area using shallow geophysics
and coring. A variety of geophysical methodologies used have provided information on
depth to bedrock, lithology of the sediment, and a preliminary three-dimensional
understanding of the sediment. There appears to be evidence for at least two cycles of
lake-level lowering and filling, with the sand at the surface reflecting a short-lived beach.
The volume of sand and size of the OOR beach does not have a good modern analog, and
unraveling its origins will go a long way to understanding the deglacial history of the
greater Toledo area.
Title: Avian Responses to Management at Ostrich Lane, Oak Openings Metropark.
Presenter(s): Mark Shieldcastle, Black Swamp Bird Observatory
(bsbobird@thirdplanet.net)
Considerable change has occurred over the past 50 years to the remnant patches of the
native habitats of the Oak Openings. It is the objectives of this study to determine the
avian communities associated with grassland/prairie, scrub/shrub, heavily managed oak
savanna, and a control of unmanaged oak woodland; identify the habitat components
necessary for successful breeding of the wide variety of birds dependent on these
habitats; to provide direction in management efforts of the habitats; and to educate the
public on avian needs in the region.
A good over-view of the needs of the region was expressed by Louis Campbell (1968)
“To maintain variety in our bird species, the mere creation of park lands is not sufficient.
As these lands approach climax forest, the number of bird species will decrease. Some
sort of songbird management plan must be developed to serve all species just as game
areas and marshes are managed to furnish the best habitat for those species involved.”
This study has supported his philosophy. The shrub/scrub habitat, first thought as an area
that needed to be changed to either a grassland or savanna has been identified as the most
important habitat studied for diversity and abundance. Avian response to management
has also given insight into burn regime frequency. Annual burns have shown a reduced
avian use and major reductions in deep woods nesters. Grassland restoration has shown
the ability to improve habitat conditions for some species such as the lark sparrow.
Behavior requirements result in the recommendation that some shrubs be left during
restoration efforts to provide territory perches for breeding birds. Habitat management
needs to include area sensitive species in landscape plans. The lack of species such as
grasshopper sparrows indicate a size requirement that has not been met by the study site
but could be maintained elsewhere in the region.
Title: Beetle Surveys in the Oak Openings Area, 2005
Presenter: David J. Horn, Ohio Coleopterists and The Ohio State University
(horn.1@osu.edu)
Several members of the Ohio Coleopterists continued beetle surveys in the Oak Openings
area, concentrating on the Kitty Todd Nature Conservancy Preserve and the Girdham
Road dunes area of Oak Openings Preserve Metropark. Sampling was done by blacklight
and pitfall trapping, sweep netting and visual sampling during June, August and
September. Identification and data analysis are continuing. Preliminary results suggest
that much of the beetle fauna of the Oak Openings is composed of common and
widespread species with limited representation by more habitat-specific elements typical
of specialized faunas elsewhere (e.g. Indiana dunes). The Oak Openings beetle fauna thus
reflects a pattern well-known for Lepidoptera and other groups. We are combining our
beetle observations into a larger database for insects of the Oak Openings area and
propose this as a multidisciplinary multi-agency project.
Title: The Repopulation of Four Vernal Pools from Adjacent Soils in the Oak
Openings
Region
Presenter: Eileen Sawyer, Bowling Green State University, Metroparks of the Toledo
Area
(esawyer@bgnet.bgsu.edu)
Affiliate: Dr. Rex Lowe, Bowling Green State University, Department of Biological
Sciences
Life forms that live in the temporary wetlands known as vernal pools must be able to
survive flooding, low water and drought each year. To do so, some organisms use the
resting forms of eggs and cysts that over time create layers in the sediment that are called
an egg bank. Some of these eggs and cysts hatch with the return of water to the pool area.
This investigation used soils from present day or historical vernal pool sites in the Oak
Openings habitats of Lucas and Wood counties. Small tubs of the soils with water were
placed in a greenhouse for eight weeks and the water sampled twice a week. These
samples were investigated under a compound microscope and a running total was kept of
the living organisms seen.
Many types of organisms hatched from the soil samples. Heterotroph species included
rotifers, copepods, protozoa, water fleas, clam shrimp, and suspected fly larvae. Twentythree types of algae were identified. Many clam-shaped organisms were found in the
water samples, all of them probably fingernail clams. Last, several types of diatoms were
seen. The successful return to life of algae, diatoms and aquatic heterotrophs from these
soil samples implies that historical vernal pools have the potential to regenerate. This is
only possible if the egg bank and the habitat are protected from excessive disturbance.
Title: Mark-recapture Study of Oak Openings Turtles Targeting the Blanding’s
Turtle
Emydoidea blandingii
Presenter: Kent Bekker, The Toledo Zoo.(Kent.Bekker@toledozoo.org)
Affiliates: Tim Herman, Victoria Schneider, The Toledo Zoo
Turtle populations are becoming increasingly fragmented and isolated in Ohio and
throughout much of United States due to land development. The Blanding’s turtle,
Emydoidea blandingii
is a species that is particularly susceptible to local extirpation due to several life history
traits that have co-evolved with longevity. The Blanding’s turtle and several other
chelonian species have long been a documented member of the Oak Openings region
herpetofauna. Trapping and mark-recapture techniques were initiated to assess the turtle
population of a wetland system within a Toledo Metropark. Five turtle species were
documented and the system contained a reproducing population of the Midland Painted
turtle, Chrysemyspicta marginata. The population health of several other species is still in
question.
Title: Aquatic Fauna of the Oak Openings
(See also “Fish Community Response” in Exhibit/Poster Session)
Presenter(s): Todd Crail, University of Toledo (todd.crail@utoledo.edu), Jeff
Grabarkiewicz,
Lucas County Soil and Water District (jeff-grabarkiewicz@oh.nacdnet.org)
An overlooked segment of biodiversity in the Oak Openings Region is communities of
aquatic organisms such as fish and freshwater mussels historically found in the wetlands
and streams of the region. The communities were assumed relegated to portions of Swan,
Blue and Ten Mile Creeks, but populations have recently been examined utilizing manmade channels such as Prairie, Wiregrass, and Drennan Ditches, and even have made
entry to the Patton Tract of Kitty Todd Preserve, a seasonally wet twigrush prairie. We
will look at the natural history of these communities and how they were interconnected
with Lake Erie, describe an academic study of two habitat types in the region, and feature
animals displaying the beauty and color of their prairie wildflower counterparts in shades
of blue, orange, yellow and red.
EXHIBIT / POSTER SESSIONS (in alphabetical order of title)
Title: Butterfly Monitoring on Two Transects in Oak Openings Preserve Metropark
Presenter: Linda Munger, Metroparks of the Toledo Area
(linda.munger@metroparkstoledo.com)
Butterfly monitoring in the Metroparks of the Toledo Area is done in association with a
long-term (20 year) statewide study sponsored by Ohio Division of Wildlife, Ohio
Lepidopterists, Cleveland Museum of Natural History and Ohio Biological Survey.
The transect is a fixed route chosen to represent different habitats in the locality as a
whole. Other information includes: beginning and ending time, temperature, percent
cloud cover, wind direction and speed, larval and nectar sources, and field notes.
Weather conditions must fall within stated parameters. We have two established
transects located in Oak Openings Preserve Metropark. The Campbell Prairie site was
established in 1999 and encompasses wet woods, oak woodland, oak savanna, dunes, wet
prairie and tallgrass prairie. In 2001, the Monclova Rd. sand pit area transect was
initiated. It passes through wetlands, vernal pool areas, an old railway-- now the NORTA
trail, and open meadow habitat.
In 2005, the Great Spangled Fritillary, Speyria cybele, was most numerous in both sites,
(322 Campbell, 212 Monclova Rd.) followed by the Spicebush Swallowtail, Papilio
troilus (218 Campbell, 182 Monclova Rd.). Though many of the more common
butterflies could be found in both areas, there were definite differences in quantity. There
was also a considerable difference in numbers for some of the smaller, more obscure
species. The Northern Broken Dash, Wallengrenia eger and the Dun Skipper, Euphyes
vestries were seen with some regularity at the Monclova site but were not found at
Campbell Prairie. The Tawny Edged Skipper, Polites themistocles was seen more often
at the Campbell Prairie site. The federally endangered Persius Duskywing, Erynnis
persius was not found at either site this year.
These fluctuations may be caused by habitat differences, weather conditions, land
management or outside influences. It is long term studies such as this that will provide
the information to manage for the greatest health for the greatest number of species.
Title: Digital Elevation Models of the Oak Opening Region and Lake Erie Basin
Glacial and Glacial Lake Landforms
Presenter(s): Dr. Donald J. Stierman (dstierm@geology.utoledo.edu), Dr. Timothy G.
Fisher and Dr. David E. Krantz, The University of Toledo
Two large-scale, color, digital elevation models (DEM) have been constructed. The first
uses LIDAR (Light detecting and ranging) data from the Lucas County Surveyors office
and shows in fine detail the landforms associated with the Oak Opening region (OOR).
Various landforms associated with the OOR are indicated on the map. The second DEM
includes much of the Maumee watershed and the ‘thumb’ of Michigan. This DEM
illustrates the glacial and deglacial landforms in which to place the OOR. Inlets, outlets,
and major beaches of the glacial lakes that occupied the Lake Erie basin between 14,000
to 12000 BC are indicated to show the evolution of the landscape.
Title: Fish Community Structure and Composition in Two Headwater Habitats of
the Ottawa River, Northwest Ohio.
Presenter(s): Todd Crail, University of Toledo (todd.crail@utoledo.edu), and Hans
Göttgens,
The University of Toledo
Vegetative encroachment in channelized streams and ditches and the resulting fluvial
geomorphological processes may improve water quality and produce a more-stable cross
section. We evaluated the ecological impact of the encroachment by comparing the
structure and composition of fish communities with and without vegetated encroachment
in the headwaters of the Ottawa River, a western Lake Erie watershed. Channel
morphology in six 20-m segments with encroachment (‘heterogeneous’ or HT) was
highly variable compared with that in six paired homogeneous segments (HO) expressed
as the coefficient of variation of 11 stream cross sections in each segment (HT=0.22,
HO=0.08). Fish communities were sampled by sweep and block seine in each segment
five times between June and Dec 2005. Measurements of pH, temperature, turbidity,
DO2, conductivity, canopy cover and discharge were comparable between HT and HO
segments at each sampling event. A total of 2,772 fish representing 18 species were
identified and released. Average Shannon diversity, richness and fish abundance, were
higher in HT (1.030.2, 5.00.2, 64.20.4, respectively) versus HO (0.660.36, 2.90.5,
28.20.7) segments. HT sites host a richer trophic structure (2-3 guilds per event) than
HO sites (1-2 guilds per event). Thus far, our data support the notion that agricultural
stream segments with vegetative encroachment support a richer and more diverse
ichthyofauna than segments without plant intrusion. Moreover, our study provides
information about fish communities in northwest Ohio, an aspect of our regional ecology
that is largely ignored in the published literature. The study will continue in the 2006
season.
Title: Geophysical Methods for Mapping Buried Glacial and Glacial Lake
Sediments of the Oak Openings Region
Presenter(s): Dr. Donald J. Stierman, University of Toledo
(dstierm@geology.utoledo.edu), Ms.
Tricia Gallant, and Ms. Jessica Brandeberry, University of Toledo
Many studies of the Oak Opening region have focused on its flora and fauna, but few on
the landform itself. Seismic refraction, electrical resistivity and ground-penetrating radar
(GPR) are geophysical methods proving useful in mapping variations in bedrock
elevation and sediments between the top of bedrock and the earth’s surface. These
sediments control groundwater movement and water table elevations in the subsurface
and have a major control on the resultant distribution of living organisms. GPR provides
excellent high-resolution images of shallow shoreline, delta and eolian sand deposits but
cannot penetrate clay. Electrical resistivity is useful for detecting clay and determining
depths to the water table and bedrock, while seismic refraction generally provides better
detail in mapping top of bedrock. With continued geophysical mapping in the Oak
Opening region, a more detailed and better understanding of its constituent deposits will
be reached. For example, GPR reflections from Kitty Todd and Secor Metropark profiles
reveal the direction of sediment transport as glacial Lake Warren rose. Resistivity and
seismic measurements at Metroparks’ Blue Creek Conservation Area suggest ‘depth of
refusal’ to auger probes does not represent the top of carbonate bedrock there, but may
instead show the presence of a stony till layer under soft lacustrine deposits sampled by
soil augers and vibrocores.
Title: Landforms and Sediment Layers at Blue Creek Conservation Area Record
Fluctuations of Glacial Lake Warren
Presenter(s): Dr. David E. Krantz, University of Toledo (david.krantz@utoledo.edu),
Ms. Tammy Henry, Mr. Matthew Seifert and Dr. Timothy G. Fisher, University
of Toledo
The Oak Openings Ridge (OOR) for some time has been interpreted as a shoreline of
glacial Lake Warren, which occupied the Lake Erie basin at approximately 12,800 14C
years before present (13,600 B.C.), with lake levels about 30 meters (98 ft) higher than
modern Lake Erie. However, relatively little is known about the specific environments of
deposition and evolution of the OOR and adjacent areas. This past fall (2005), graduate
students from the University of Toledo studied in detail the landforms (geomorphology)
and layers of sediment (stratigraphy) of Metroparks’ Blue Creek Conservation Area to
learn more of the geologic history of the OOR. This study builds on similar work last
year (2004) at Kitty Todd Preserve, Secor Metropark, and the western edge of Wildwood
Preserve Metropark. Overall goals of the study are to better understand the processes that
created the OOR, the source of such a large volume of sediment, and the effects of
changes in lake level during this period in the history of the Lake Erie basin.
This aspect of the study at Blue Creek focused on coring and ground-penetrating radar
(GPR) to interpret the near-surface layers of sediment at the site and the environments in
which they were deposited. Complementary data collection looked deeper to map the
depth to bedrock and the thickness of the glacial till. During the Lake Warren phase, the
Blue Creek site would have been about 1 to 1 ½ miles southeast and lakeward of the
OOR, covered by possibly 10 m (33 ft) of water. The general stratigraphy at the site
shows lake sediments overlying the glacial till that covers the limestone bedrock. The till
was eroded by wave action as the lake shoreline moved past the area, producing a
transgressive lag. This was followed by deposition of laminated silt-clays with fine sand
(rhythmites) during a moderately high lake level. At the end of this episode, water
drained from Lake Warren and would not again reach this elevation. The streams that
would become the modern Blue Creek drainage then began downcutting into the exposed
land surface. The presence of paleosols (soil horizons), in places buried beneath
lacustrine sediment indicates the presence of another much younger lake. At the base of
this younger lake sediment is a unit of wood fragments dated at 8800 ± 40 14C years
before present (7950 BC), which indicates that there was a much younger lake at the Blue
Creek site, that has now drained.
Title: Metroparks of Toledo Area Cavity Nesting Bird Monitoring
Presented by: Metroparks of Toledo Area
Amanda Bradford (amanda.bradford@metroparkstoledo.com)
Karen Menard (karen.menard@metroparkstoledo.com)
Metropark volunteers have been monitoring Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis) and other
secondary cavity nesters for over twenty years. In 2005, twenty-six volunteers monitored
cavity nesting species once a week and spent a total of 462.5 hours gathering and
recording data. Each volunteer is responsible for determining the individual species
inhabiting the box, as well as recording the number of eggs, young, and fledglings that
each box produces. Data collected in 2005 indicates that 355 young successfully fledged
from the 106 monitored boxes located within Oak Openings Preserve Metropark. Totals
included: Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis), 219; House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon), 128;
Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), 8. While Black-Capped Chickadees (Poecile
atricapillus) attempted to lay eggs in some of the boxes, the eggs did not hatch and the
clutches were not successful. House Sparrows (Passer domesticus), a non-native species,
did not invade any of the monitored boxes.
As in past years, Metroparks will continue to focus on the breeding success by examining
the rates of predation. Nest boxes are mounted on PVC pipes to prevent predators from
climbing up the box, and a wire predator guard at the box opening prevents predators
from reaching into the box to remove eggs or young. Although the overall rate of
predation has remained relatively constant at 30 to 35%, predation rates do vary among
different cavity nesting species. In 2005, 38.8% of all nests reported were preyed upon.
Predation rates, as well as land management techniques will continue to be monitored to
determine whether or not these factors are playing a significant role in the survival of
cavity nesting birds.
Title: Oak Openings Natives Plants at The Toledo Botanical Garden
Presenter: Chris Boggs, Toledo Botanical Garden (horticulture@toledogarden.org)
The Toledo Botanical Garden (TBG) has been growing Oak Opening native plants since
2003. TBG grows native plants for retail to the public as well as supplying plants
wholesale to customers in the landscape industry and other retail outlets. Long time
advocate of native plants, Tom Schoen, owner of Vintage Gardens Gift Shop at TBG, is
the on-site retail outlet for Oak Openings natives.
Modern growing facilities and expertise in growing plants have helped establish TBG as
the place to contact for Oak Openings plant needs. Approximately 10,000 plants are
propagated annually from seed with over 55 varieties of forbs and grasses.
The Toledo Botanical Garden’s mission to ‘enrich your life through gardens, the arts and
nature’ continues with projects highlighting the Oak Opening native plants. TBG has
been involved directly with supplying native plants in the local area involving
commercial business sites. We have supplied plant material to Cleveland Metroparks,
The Nature Conservancy, The Toledo Zoo, local golf courses, and numerous residential
areas. The recent request of from Guy Denney to supply Oak Opening plants to the
Governor’s garden is an indication of how well the region and TBG is known throughout
the State.
The Toledo Botanical Garden continues to offer Oak Opening plants to residential
homeowners through retail sales, along with education in how together we can make a
difference in the region’s landscape. Each year brings a renewed awe for the species of
plants we proudly call Oak Openings Natives.
Title: Oak Openings Preserve Frog Survey: 1994 to 2005
Presenter: Kim High, Metroparks of the Toledo Area (kim.high@metroparkstoledo.com)
The Oak Openings Preserve Frog Survey raises awareness of local frog species through
volunteerism, helps monitor the ecological health of the Oak Openings, and assists
Metroparks in making wise land management decisions. It operates nightly from March
1 through May 31, along a 0.9-mile linear transect of a former railroad, now an allpurpose trail in Oak Openings Preserve Metropark. Trained volunteers walk the transect
each night beginning one-half hour after sunset, and identify and record per .1 mile
sections the species and numbers of anurans that they hear calling in the adjacent ditches.
In 2005, frog surveyors recorded 3,855 calling events, which is 9.2% of the 42,448
calling events that have been recorded since 1994. About 76% were Spring Peepers,
followed by 19% Western Chorus Frogs, and 3% Wood Frogs. Decreasingly smaller
percentages of Gray Tree Frogs, Leopard Frogs and American Toads were heard,
respectively. Green Frogs are usually heard every year on this transect in small numbers,
but were not heard this year. Fowler’s Toads and Bull Frogs have been heard
occasionally in some years on this transect, but were not heard in 2005.
The data volunteers have recorded illuminates yearly fluctuations in calling events for
each species, seasonal breeding patterns, the relationships between frog advertisements
and weather conditions like wind, temperature, cloud cover and precipitation, and more.
Visit the Oak Openings Frog Survey web site at http://home.earthlink.net/~stellarlc/ to
learn more. In 2005, the volunteer corps was expanded to include the Zoo Teens from
the Toledo Zoo. Thanks to all the Frog Survey volunteers who made the survey possible.
Title: Restoration of the Inactive King Landfill in Sylvania Township
Presenter: Kristopher D. Barnswell, University of Toledo (krisbarns36@hotmail.com)
Affiliate: Daryl. F. Dwyer, University of Toledo (daryl.dwyer@utoledo.edu)
A restoration plan for the inactive King Road Landfill (KRL) in Sylvania township, OH,
is being designed with two goals: (1) Limit the formation of landfill leachate by creating
an evapo-transpiration (ET) cover using plants acclimated to the local climate (i.e. found
growing at the KRL); and (2) restore vanishing habitat by incorporating plant species
native to the endangered Oak Openings Region (OOR). A survey method of the United
States Forest Service was used to identify 191 vascular plant species at the KRL.
Eighteen were considered appropriate for an ET cover: i.e. native to Ohio, perennial,
widely dispersed, and with high density or significant ground coverage. A concurrent
survey of vascular plants in four woodland communities (floodplain, sand barren,
savanna, and deciduous forest) in the Oak Openings Preserve Metropark (OOMP) was
made to aide in identifying which plants at the KRL are native to the OOR. The two
surveys resulted in the identification of 23 plant species not found in previously
published surveys of the region (confirmed by Tim Walters and John Jaeger). The
species composition of the plant community at the KRL did not resemble any of those of
the OOMP (Jaccard Index values were < 0.15). This suggests that creating an ET cover
using established plant species might not result in habitat that is truly representative of
the OOR. However, the KRL contained state-endangered plant species, including
Digitaria filiformis, Elymus trachycaulus, Eupatorium album, Lupinus perennis, and
Panicum lindheimeri, which does suggest that the landfill can be used as a refuge for
plants that may otherwise be lost from the region.
Title: The Green Ribbon Initiative
Presenter: Rick Bryan, Green Ribbon Initiative (oakopen.org)
The Green Ribbon Initiative is a grassroots effort to save the Oak Openings. The
coalition of organizations hopes to protect high-quality land between these (protected
areas) creating a “green ribbon” of protected habitat across the region This initiative is a
true partnership utilizing every organization’s strengths and abilities to acquire land
adjoining existing preserved properties, gain conservation easements, teach landowners
to restore their property and
educate communities about the important role of preservation in their master
plans and zoning.
Title: Vernal Pools in the Metroparks of the Toledo Area 2004-2005
Presenter(s): George Thompson, Metroparks of the Toledo Area
(gsthompson@verizon.net), and Eileen Sawyer, Bowling Green State University,
Metroparks of the Toledo Area (esawyer@bgnet.bgsu.edu)
Vernal pools are temporary pools that are home to an astonishing variety of organisms.
Usually small, they are essential breeding areas for salamanders, wood frogs, and fairy
shrimp as they lack the fish predators found in ponds. A total of five vernal pools have
been studied in the past two years: three in the Oak Openings Preserve, one in Secor
Metropark, and the other an oxbow in Swan Creek Metropark. Very different habitats
were found in the three parks, which led to a different mix of species at each pool site.
There were two main goals of this survey: first, to explore the biodiversity of two vernal
pools in the Oak Openings Preserve; and second, to raise the awareness of the public to
the importance of vernal pools as habitat and breeding areas. This qualitative study
looked at the diversity of life both in the vernal pools and in the immediate area and
included plants, amphibians, reptiles, aquatic organisms, water chemistry and bird life.
Surveys were completed twice a month at all pools until they dried completely. We
performed one night survey this year, which was excellent. Some highlights included
capturing over 1000 tadpoles in one day, catching water scorpions in two of the pools,
netting grass perch and discovering buttonbush at Swan Creek’s oxbow. The resulting
data was entered in an Excel database and was shared with the local, state, and national
agencies. We would like to thank the forty-one volunteers who helped in the program this
year. Through all kinds of weather, they logged over 370 hours of monitoring time in
2005.
Title: Volunteer Plant Monitoring in the Metroparks and Oak Openings Corridor
Presented by: Metroparks of the Toledo Area
Bunny Rossnagel (bunny.rossnagel@metroparkstoledo.com)
Kim High (kim.high@metroparkstoledo.com)
The 2005 plant monitoring year was very productive, with 44 rare species monitored. The
number of plant locations have substantially increased due to new property acquisitions
in the Oak Openings Corridor and more volunteers joining the effort. Trained in the field
with staff, volunteers learn to identify the specific plant species and record data on the
standardized recording sheet. This includes the number of species present along with the
habitat conditions. The habitat information is useful for land management restoration and
maintenance efforts.
Highlights of 2005 include the discovery of new locations of several rare species. Some
of the rare species found at new sites include: Gentianopsis crinita, fringed gentian (500
plants!), Prenanthes racemosa, prairie rattlesnake-root, and Plantanthera flava var.
herbiola, tuberculed rein-orchid. New locations and high numbers of Helianthemum
bicknellii, plains frostweed were also found and tracked in Oak Openings and Wildwood
Preserves. These successes are the result of the increased efforts and enthusiasm of our
trained plant monitoring volunteers. In 2004, 21 volunteers spent 260 hours monitoring
rare plants. This past year, volunteer time increased by over 200 hours and the
participation rate rose by nearly 33%.