Monitoring of Restored Vegetation in the Wolf Lake Wetlands

Rachel Shmagranoff

Wolf Lake Background

• 804 ha (450 acres)• Once part of Lake Michigan, but then 19th century

industrialization and roads disconnected it• Maximum depth of 5.5 m (18 feet)• Habitat for many species including– Franklin ground squirrel (Spermophilus

tridecemlineatus)– Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)– Black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

Restoration

Pool #9

Pool #8

•Controls exotic species, creates new environments and diversity•Dredging in pool #9 to be caught by filtering wetland strips so it doesn’t contaminate pool #8

Field SiteThe area surveyed consisted of:

•Main shoreline stretching 370 linear meters

•13 islands

Timeline

May 15-May 30

Plot set up and analysis of main shoreline

June 6-June 15

Island plot set up and surveying

June 18-July 6

Shoreline and island clean up

June 27

Bird Nest survey

July 2 –July 30

Invertebrate sampling

July 31-August 10

Water sampling and algae analysis

Survey Technique for Main shore

Plot setup:1. Marker pole placed

every 20 meters• Made 36

shoreline plots2. 1x1meter plot set at

every pole3. Point-contact

method conducted4. Species identified

and tallied

Surveying the Islands

1. Shore line• 1x1meter plots every 20

meters2. Water line• 1x1meter plots every 20

meters3. Upland• 1x1meter plots every 10

meters

Shoreline Vegetation Tally Species Scirpus pungens

3-square sedge

Eleocharis palustris

spikerush

Rumex verticillatus

Swamp dock

Average Frequency(Touches/plots)

2,623/107 =

24.51

927/53=

17.49

548/77=

7.12

Picture

Water Vegetation TallySpecies Myriophyllum

spicatum

(Milfoil)

Scirpus validus

(Softstem bulrush)

Nymphaea odorata

(White water lily)

Average Frequency(Touches/plots)

1,129/71

15.90

993/59

16.83

795/81

9.81

Picture

Upland Vegetation TallySpecies Scirpus pungens

(3-squre sedge)

Schizachyrium scoparium

(Little Bluestem)

Solidago speciosa

(Goldenrod)

Average Frequency(Touches/plots)

512/27

18.96

371/33

11.24

117/16

7.31

Picture

Invasive Vegetation Problem• Phragmites frequency – Total plots/ total touches: 590/92 = 6.41

• Purple Loosestrife frequency – 648/103= 6.29

• Cattail frequency– 254/25= 10.16

Area Clean Up

wire

Metal spikes

Plastic mesh

garbage

Rope

cord

Restoration remnants

Bird Nest Survey

Birds Nests Found

10 Canadian geese

8 Red winged black

birds

4 sandpipers

3 mallards

3 Killdeer

1 Mute Swan

Sandpiper nest

Red winged black bird nest

Mallard nest

Red winged black bird nest

Invertebrates• Top species caught– 183 ephemeroptera (mayfly)– 175 amphipoda (shrimp)– 103 gastropoda (snails)– 39 hirudinea (leech)– 10 other species tallying 56

Water and Algae SamplingAlgae• 25 buckets of water poured

through filter• Algae trapped in container

at bottom• Algae identification and

volume to be assessed at a later date

Water• Dissolved oxygen

– Manganous Sulfate and Alkaline Iodide-Azide reagents

– Titration using Phenylarsine Oxide

• Conductivity• pH

Thank you!