Hello!
For our second course field trip we went to Cedar Bog State Nature Preserve and Batelle Darby Metro Park. These are both located in central Ohio. In terms of geology, they are both underlain by limestone and are a part of glaciated Ohio which has helped determine what plants can grow on the substrate it provides.
Cedar Bog
Cedar Bog is not actually a bog but instead is considered a fen. Both are always saturated, but a fen is a wetland type where water enters through springs/groundwater and rain and is continually flushed out through small streams. Bogs only have water enter through rain and they do not have the continual flushing. Cedar Bog was left by the glaciers of the Wisconsin glaciation after they retreated. The fen is surrounded by uplands that drain runoff into the fen when it rains providing water. Another way water is provided to the fen is through groundwater from filtering through glacial gravel and sand from the ancient Teays River Valley that was buried underneath the site of the fen. This water contains dissolved limestone causing the water to be neutral or alkaline. This greatly impacts the types of plants that can grow at the site. Cedar Bog Nature Preserve | Urbana Ohio | Owned by the state of Ohio, the site is operated by the non-profit Cedar Bog Association for the Ohio History Connection (cedarbognp.org)
Swamp Forest of Cedar Bog
The swamp forest of Cedar Bog is a densely vegetated forest inundated with water of various depths in different locations. There were also a few clearings with scattered trees and more groundcover with sun loving plants interspersed in the forest. The chemical conditions of the fen create alkaline soils and hosts plants that prosper in wetland habitats that are constantly inundated by water.
The Overstory:
The overstory of the forest was dense and diverse and contained some rare trees. One dominant tree was the Northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) which is actually a juniper and not considered a true cedar.
We discovered two species of ash tree, the common green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) and the less common black ash (Fraxinus nigra) growing in the overstory. Tulip trees (Liriodendron tulipifera) were also an abundant tree appearing in the overstory.
We were also able to find redbud (Cercis canadensis), chinquapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii), and basswood (Tilia americana) that were present in the overstory and are known to prefer calcareous soils.
Shrub Layer: The shrub layer of the understory contained many interesting plants. Considered a small tree or shrub, we found the northern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) which is a host plant for the largest butterfly species in North America, the giant swallowtail.
Some other shrubs characterizing the shrub layer that we found were spice bush (Lindera benzoin) and a species of holly called winterberry (Ilex verticilatta). We found the wetland shrub ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) and the distinct small tree/shrub the alternate leaf dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) which differs from the usually oppositely arranged leaves of all other dogwoods.
The shrub layer also contained the rare dwarf birch (Betula pumila) in a more open clearing area of the forest and poison sumac (Toxicodendron vernix) nearby.
Groundcover:
The groundcover in the swamp forest was dense and had many different species. One of the most abundant plants that we were able to see everywhere was skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) which is common in swamp forests. It covered the forest floor in many places and dominated in many spots, some of them growing quite large.
We found spikenard (Aralia racemosa) and cinnamon fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum) in the understory .
We were able to find meadow rue (Thalictrum dioicum) and the orchid species showy lady’s slipper (Cypripedium reginae) distributed near each other in a few spots with good sun. We found Canadian honewort (Cryptotaenia canadensis) and snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) which are known to associate with one another in the forest understory.
Conservative Plants
The plants of Ohio can be assigned a Coefficient of Conservatism which is an estimate of the degree to which a species is associated with high quality habitats that are undisturbed. Cedar Bog contains many plants with a high CC as a large portion of the preserve has been left relatively undisturbed by humans. Here are some:
Poison Sumac
Coefficient of Conservatism: 7
Showy Lady’s Slipper
Coefficient of Conservatism: 10
Shrubby Cinquefoil
Coefficient of Conservatism: 10
Dwarf Birch
Coefficient of Conservatism: 10
Ashes
We were able to find two different species of ash tree in the overstory of Cedar Bog. Both have the oppositely arranged, pinnately compound leaves characteristic of ash trees. Black ash however is much pickier in habitat and prefers areas that have been relatively undisturbed by humans. Black ash has sessile leaflets while green ash has a leaflet that tapers to a small petiole. Black ash tree leaves also usually have more leaflets (9-11) while green ash usually have less (7-9). Black Ash vs Green Ash: Identification – bplant.org
Black Ash
Coefficient of Conservatism: 7
Green Ash
Coefficient of Conservatism: 3
Battelle Darby Metro Park
Mesic Forest Community
The forest of Battelle Darby is a standard mixed hardwood forest. It has a relatively dense canopy with a river running through the forest. The soil is calcareous meaning it is abundant in calcium carbonate. The plants making up the communities of the forest are a reflection of this calcareous soil. Many of the species are considered calciphiles because they are found abundantly in calcareous soils and are able to outcompete other species.
The Overstory:
The first plant community we characterized is the overstory. We discovered Red Elm (Ulmus rubra) in a more open area, Basswood (Tilia americana) with its distinctively shaped leaves, and Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis). We identified the abundant calciphile species of trees chinquapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii) and blue ash (Fraxinus quadrangulata) that prefer calcareous soils.
Along with these we discovered another species of ash tree, green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica). Sugar maples (Acer saccharum) were also abundant in the overstory of the forest. We identified two species of hickory that were common in the forest called bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis) and shagbark hickory (Carya ovata).
Shrub Layer:
The shrub layer of Battelle Darby was made up of many different plants and was very diverse in species. For example, we saw Pawpaw (Asimina triloba), and hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata):
We also found the viburnum species called nannyberry (Viburnum lentago) which was common in the shrub layer.
Groundcover:
Groundcover was dense and diverse in the forest. There were many species present including quite a few flowers that were blooming or in fruit. We found False Solomons Seal (Maianthemum racemosum) and Canadian honewort (Cryptotaenia canadensis) which are both common in the understory of many Ohio forests. We also were able to find poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) covering the ground and winding its way up some trees. We were able to see the aerial roots that help poison ivy climb. We also found the monocarpic perennial species American columbo (Frasera caroliniensis) while it was in flower.
We found mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) with ripe fruit and the native wild rose species Carolina rose (Rosa carolina) flowering. We also identified thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana) and a member of the Apiaceae family called ramps (Allium tricoccum) also known as wild leeks. We also were able to identify a quite abundant plant in the understory Canadian wild ginger (Asarum canadense):
Limestone-loving Plants
The soil in Battelle Darby Metro Park is calcareous meaning it is rich in calcium carbonate which is what limestone is made of. Western Ohio is mainly underlain by limestone resulting in high-lime, clay rich soils. All of these factors are due to the glaciers that once covered Ohio but have since receded. Substrate is an important factor that determines what plants can grow where so many plants at Battelle Darby are considered calciphiles. The distribution of these plants is generally limited to these types of soils: Chinquapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii), hackberry, fragrant sumac, red cedar, and hophornbeam.
Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis):
Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica):
Red cedar (Juniperus virginiana):
Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana):
Individual Assignment
For my individual assignment I was tasked with finding 2 species of trees with uneven leaf bases at Battelle Darby.
Species 1: American Elm
The American elm tree can be distinguished by its alternate leaf arrangement and simple complexity with serrated margins. These leaves are ovate-elliptical in shape and are asymmetrical at the base with one side being shorter than the other. The American elm was devastated by Dutch Elm Disease, a fungal disease spread by bark beetles that blocks the vascular tissue of the tree preventing water and nutrient flow. Young trees are immune to the disease so can reach reproductive age before they die from the disease. Ulmus americana (American Elm, Common Elm, Gray Elm, Soft Elm, Water Elm, White Elm) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (ncsu.edu) American Elm | Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ohiodnr.gov)
Species 2: Basswood
The basswood tree is identifiable by its alternately arranged, simple leaves with serrated margins. The leaves have a distinctive heart-like or ovate shape to them but are slightly lopsided at the base. This tree is known to attract wildlife with many different pollinators being attracted to it and playing host to some species of butterfly. The basswood tree is known for attracting pollinators and is prized for the honey it produces. Tilia americana (American Basswood, American Linden, Basswood, Bee Tree, Carolina Basswood, Lime Tree, Linden, White Basswood, White Wood) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (ncsu.edu) AMERICAN BASSWOOD – TILIA AMERICANA | The UFOR Nursery & Lab (umn.edu)
Thanks!
Eva Hoban