From the Cedar Creek Wildflower Files: Parasitic Plants
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Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, z.umn.edu/ccEd Summer 2017 Field Notes Cedar Creek’s Education and Outreach Newsletter ContentsContents From the Cedar Creek Wildflower Files: • Parasitic Plants of CCESR ........... 1 Parasitic Plants • Coordinator’s Corner ................. 2 from Cedar Creek and compiled a • Red-headed Woodpeckers ....... 2 • Photographing Cedar Creek.....3 checklist of species found in the • Caught on Camera! ................... 6 area. Through the 1980s and 1990s, • Upcoming events ....................... 7 Barb Delaney updated this checklist, • Become a Member ...................10 adding invaluable information, to make it a comprehensive guide for any aspiring botanist. On this check- by Katrina Freund list, species are organized by family A stroll down the path to Cedar Bog with their scientific and common Lake at this time of year is abso- names, and information on their lutely delightful. A broad scan of habitats and relative abundance the landscape will reveal Asclepias is provided. (This checklist can be (milkweed) and Rubus (bramble- found on the Cedar Creek website berry) species with their conspicu- under the tab “Flora/Fauna”) There ous blooms, and a keener eye may are many fascinating species here notice various Galium (bedstraw) at Cedar Creek: beautiful orchids, species, Mitchella repens (partridge- carnivorous plants, even parasitic berry), or even Goodyera pubescens plants! Several parasitic plant spe- (downy rattlesnake plantain). It’s cies bloom during the summer and easy for a 20 minute walk to turn can be found this time of year. Katrina in a marsh marigold swamp into one an hour or two long! Sev- eral hundred vascular plant species What are parasitic plants? do produce chlorophyll and are call Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Plants typically get their energy capable of photosynthesis. Para- Reserve home, and they all have and nutritional requirements from sitic plants may attach to the host their own stories to tell. photosynthesis and from taking plant root or stem, and they may be water and nutrients up from the soil. obligate (cannot complete life cycle Plant diversity at Cedar Creek However, there are some plant spe- independent of host) or facultative Cedar Creek is truly a unique area in cies that obtain water and nutrients (can complete its life cycle indepen- Minnesota for vascular plant diver- by parasitizing other plants, either dent of host). sity, likely due to its wide range of directly or indirectly. Parasitic plants habitats. Although Cedar Creek rep- come in two categories. They can be Parasitic plants at Cedar Creek resents around one ten-thousandth classified as holoparasitic, meaning There are over 4000 parasitic plant of the area of the state, it hosts they are entirely reliant on their host species in the world, and at least approximately 40% of the vascular as they typically do not produce four parasitic species occur right plant species found in Minnesota! their own chlorophyll, or hemipara- here at Cedar Creek. These species In the 1960s, Dr. John W. Moore, the sitic, meaning they derive only some have been blooming this summer botanist for the University of Minne- of their nutritional requirements already, and some will continue to sota Herbarium, collected specimens from their host. Hemiparasitic plants bloom through July. (continued on pg. 4) The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. This publication is available in alternative formats upon request. 1 Please email [email protected] or call 612-301-2602. Field Notes, Summer 2017 Red-headed Woodpecker Portals by Siah St. Clair with support from the RHWO Research Team. Photos by Keith Olstad. We first had to locate previously active nest cavities in trees where the The Red Headed Woodpecker cavity was low enough for our 24 foot Recovery Project has been working ladder to reach. Most nest trees are throughout the winter to develop a dead with few branches so the ladder Coordinator’s Corner significantly expanded research plan must be placed so little weight will for the large red-headed woodpecker rest on the tree. After climbing to the CurabiturHappy July! The butterflyweed varius is nesting cluster at Cedar Creek nest cavity, we put a weighted string blooming, the deer flies are out, and Ecosystem Science Reserve. Under the into the cavity to determine how Cedar Creek's summer interns are hard lobortis lectus, expert guidance of Dr. Elena West and deep it was, and which direction from at work weeding in the Big Biodiversity Dr. Henry Streby, we are moving from quisplots. It's pharetra truly summer! Thank eros you for the nest hole the cavity had been simply monitoring our woodpecker excavated. After determining which dictumyour patience withsit this amet edition of Field population to asking and answering Notes - we had a busy and rewarding side of the tree the cavity was closest non volutpat questions about feeding and nesting to, we drew a 5 inch square on the spring with more than 2000 K-12 behavior, migration, dispersal and students visiting on field trips, and my outside of the tree on that side with Sed non nulla tellus, tristique ultrices nest success. spare time to work on the newsletter the bottom of the square just above leo. Aliquam eu ligula mi, eget congue vanished like a spring ephemeral. the bottom of the cavity. turpis. Aliquam consectetur, nisl quis One of our primary goals this summer interdum vulputate, felis enim semper There are always new projects getting is to place high-tech tracking devices mi, id gravida erat orci id justo. Morbi started at Cedar Creek, and I'm excited on nestling red-headed woodpeckers consectetur ultrices arcu, a aliquet to feature two of them in this summer's to determine where they go after diam blandit ac. Integer sodales, neque newsletter: our ramped up red-headed leaving the nest. To accomplish this non ultricies consequat, felis lectus woodpecker research project and our goal, a minimally intrusive method is bibendum ante, in tempor tortor justo brand-new membership program. Your hendrerit magna. required to gain access to the young membership allows us to fund citizen woodpeckers while they are still in science projects like the woodpecker Pellentesque venenatis arcu felis. the nest. The technique we have project, as well as providing scholarships Vestibulum nulla tellus, consectetur decided to use after consultation with and transportation subsidies for our in facilisis nec, tempor vitae est. Proin other ornithologists is to cut a portal Measuring nest depth from a ladder. student visitors, so we hope you'll scelerisque felis commodo quam into the side of the nest cavity just consider getting involved with Cedar scelerisque consectetur sit amet a Once the tree/ladder climbing Creek on a new level. Plus - lots of great large enough to reach in, remove a nulla. Nulla quis tortor quis ante viverra volunteer was safely connected membership perks, including a set young bird and quickly replace it after vestibulum. Suspendisse sit amet by harness to the tree and had of beautiful greeting cards featuring outfitting it with a tracking device in a nulla arcu. Phasellus adipiscing arcu a clambered to the height of the nest photos from the talented Jacob Miller! small backpack. purus consectetur tempor. Vestibulum cavity, we raised and lowered tools by fermentum felis sed nisl pharetra at There are also quite a few new outreach In mid April, we received all the rope from helpers on the ground. We faucibus mauris eleifend. Praesent events, programs and classes taking permissions required to accomplish drilled a hole into the corner of the sollicitudin metus non nulla faucibus place this summer. Whether you're drawn square closest to the top of the vestibulum. Suspendisse ut lacus this work and began figuring how to interested in plants, water, climate nest hole, then used a reciprocating elit. Donec consectetur ullamcorper make our portal plans a reality. We change, literature, birds or astronomy, saw to cut the portal. eleifend. Aenean tincidunt nunc ac needed portals in about 15-20 active we've got a program for you! We hope turpis interdum quis consectetur velit nests to meet our goals. As it turned you'll be able to join us! Plus, we'll be dapibus. out, the process to cut the portals was celebrating our 75th anniversary in a bit involved. September, with tours, activities, hikes Vivamus viverra velit id nisi dictum and more. See you then! mollis. Morbi lectus ipsum, eleifend non hendrerit sit amet, condimentum As always, get in touch if there's a et nisi. Maecenas vel tellus nulla, eu program you'd like to see at Cedar Creek, euismod dui. Quisque sapien sapien, or if you have CCESR stories to share! iaculis non blandit vitae, adipiscing in urna. Vivamus sed nulla vel nisl vehicula Siah carefully cuts the portal opening from the Sincerely, safety of his harness. sollicitudinDr. Caitlin non Barale eget augue. Potter Nunc 612-301-2602, [email protected] Jim Howitz and Siah St. Clair cut a practice portal (continued on pg. 5) 2 Just Another Newsletter Title to perfect their techniques. Field Notes, Summer 2017 Photographing Cedar Creek by Earl Bye, Master Naturalist pleasure to watch what must have headed Woodpecker Recovery We first had to locate previously been close to 80 of them swimming Project of the Audubon Chapter of Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science active nest cavities in trees where the and diving as a group. Minneapolis has been working here Reserve (CCESR) contains an cavity was low enough for our 24 foot at Cedar Creek for years to support enormous diversity of natural ladder to reach. Most nest trees are On May 13, International Migratory and monitor the woodpeckers. environments and wildlife. My dead with few branches so the ladder Bird Day, I started at Fish Lake The reserve now has a healthy name is Earl and I am a recent must be placed so little weight will Nature Trail at dawn.