•. • Report and Management Plan for Muscatatuck Seep Springs Research Natural Area at Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge Prepared by Division of Nature Preserves Natural Heritage Program Indiana Department of Natural Resources 1990 • United States • Department of the Interior U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Final Report The following report was undertaken to determine the management needs of the threatened and endangered species and the natural community within the Research Natural Area, Muscatatuck Seep Springs, located within Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge, in southern Indiana . • Acknowledgements This study was initiated in 1988 through the efforts of Jim Aldrich, former Heritage Program coordinator for the Division of Nature Preserves, and Donna Stanley, project coordinator for Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge. Without their perseverance, this study would not have been completed. A special thanks goes to The Nature Conservancy, who provided initial interest in designation of the site as a Research Natural Area, and partial funding for this project. We especially thank the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who provided most of the funding . • • Table of Contents A. Introduction . 1 1. General Description-.. -:-: . 1 2. Local History . 1 3. Additional Information . 1 B. Justification . 1 1. Outstanding Features . 1 2. Significance . 2 3. RNA Program . 2 4. Past Interest . 3 C. Location . ·. 3 1. Administrative Units . 3 2. Latitude and Longitude . 3 3. Legal Description . 3 4. Watershed . 3 5. Area Size . 5 6. Ownership . 5 7. Access . 5 D. Cover Type . 5 • 1. Natural Community Dominants and SAF Equivalents . 5 E. Present Conditions . 8 1. Physiography . 8 2. Climate ....................... -. 8 3. Geology . 8 4. Soil . 8 5. Vegetation Types . 8 6. Fauna................................................ 9 7. Flora . 10 F. Management Guidelines . 12 1. Purpose . 12 2. Conflicts . 13 3. Management Direction . 13 4. Management Prescription . 13 5. Specific Management Guidelines . .. 13 6. Monitoring . 13 7. Posting ....................... ·............. ·. 14 • e G. Administrative Records . 14 H. References . 14 I. Appendices -:--. -~ .- .-: ..... -:-:- . 15 • Appendix A: Species list for plant species occurring within Muscatatuck Seep Springs Research Natural Area as of 19 July, 1990 . 16 Appendix B: Black and White Photographs of Muscatatuck Seep Springs Research Natural Area . 19 J . Personnel Involved in this Report . 21 • ii List of Figures and Tables Figures _ Figure 1. Location of Muscatatuck Seep Springs within the Muscatatuck National • Wildlife Refuge, Jackson County, Indiana. 4 Figure 2. Black and white aerial photograph of Muscatatuck Seep Springs RNA (1988) and distribution of vegetation types within the area. 6 Figure 3. Location of state-listed plant species found within the Muscatatuck Seep Springs RNA. ~ . 10 Tables Table I. State-listed plant species that occur in Muscatatuck Seep Springs Research Natural Area. 2 Table II. Natural communities, SAF equivalents, acreage and percent cover for Muscatatuck Seep Springs Research Natural Area. 5 Table Ill. Bird species heard or seen in Muscatatuck Seep Springs Research Natural Area, summer, 1988 and 1990. 9 Table IV. Estimated population sizes for state-listed plant species that occur in Muscatatuck Seep Springs Research Natural Area. 11 •' iii Report and Management Plan for Muscatatuck Seep Springs Research Natural Area A. Introduction 1. General Description Muscatatuck Seep Springs (MSS) Research Natural Area (RNA) is within the Scottsburg Lowland Section of the Bluegrass Natural Region (Homoya 1985). This region is named not for the predominance of bluegrass (Poa spp.), but for similarities of the physiography and natural communities to the Bluegrass region of Kentucky. The Scottsburg Lowland Section consists of wide alluvial and lacustrine plains that border the major streams, particularly the Muscatatuck River, the East Fork of the White River, Silver Creek and their tributaries. The MSS contains an acidic seep spring natural community which occurs on a muck substrate that is saturated by a continuous, diffuse flow of acidic groundwater. The groundwater emerges at the base of a wooded slope onto the stream bottom. These conditions produce a lush, tropical-looking wetland. 2. Local History The Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge is one of the newer units in the national system. Much of the area now included in the Refuge was used for agricultural purposes prior to establishment of the Refuge. Many of the frequently flooded bottomlands were farmed and only the wettest, muckiest sites were left as unusable. Thus the MSS is left relatively undisturbed today, a surviving remnant in a largely modified landscape. 3. Additional Information The primary purpose for establishing the Refuge was to provide lands and protection for migrating ducks and geese. However, as is true of many such protected lands, other forms of plant and animal life have benefitted. MSS, with its diverse seep spring flora, are among the beneficiaries. B. Justification 1. Outstanding Features MSS is a very good example of an acid seep spring natural community. It contains more than 80 vascular plant species. Six of these are state-listed (Table 1) . • 1 'i' Table I. State-listed plant species (Indiana Natural Heritage Program, IDNP, 1990, unpubl.) that occur in Muscatatuck Seep Springs Research Natural Area. Species indicated by (*) were discovered as a result of this study. Scientific Name Common Name State Status * Panax quinquefolius American ginseng watch list Platanthera clave/lata club spur orchid rare * Platanthera f/ava var. flava + southern rein orchid endangered Poa paludigena bog bluegrass threatened Triadenum walteri Walter's St. Johnswort rare * Viola blanda Smooth white violet rare + This species was tentatively identified based on vegetative characters only. Although identification is nearly certain, positive identification is impossible without flowering condition. The cold, acidic groundwater yields a unique assemblage of plant species; this is not just any wetland. Many of the plants which occur here are restricted to these exact environmental conditions. These conditions are extremely uncommon in the landscape, especially in southern Indiana. 2. Significance In Indiana, acid seep springs are documented from only seven locations. One of these, Baxter's Bog, was destroyed with the creation of Monroe Reservoir. This community is also ranked G3 (Globally Rare) in the Natural Heritage system, an international network of biological and conservation data bases, coordinated by The Nature Conservancy. Poa paludigena (bog bluegrass) is a U.S.F.W.S. Category 2 species (Federal Register 1990), is ranked as globally rare in the Heritage system, and is listed as threatened in Indiana. Platanthera flava var. flava (southern tubercled orchid) is endangered in Indiana and known definitively from only one site in the state. Platanthera clave/lata (club spur orchid), Viola blanda (smooth white violet) and Triadenum walteri (Walter's St. Johnswort), are listed as rare in Indiana. Panax quinquefolius (American ginseng) is on the watch list. 3. RNA Program The acid seep springs community was not represented in the RNA program prior to the designation of the MSS in 1987. RNA designation will help to protect the unique features included in the MSS. Also, the location of MSS RNA within the larger Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge, which is in itself a protected landscape, will help to insure maintenance of the hydrological conditions necessary for the continued good health of the acid seep springs and its rare • 2 floristic elements. It will be necessary to conduct basic inspections of the community and rare plant populations every two to three years to determine their general condition and health. As was mentioned in the RNA designation documentation, unnatural flooding and drainage should be avoided. Since groundwater is the controlling environmental factor for this natural community, maintenance of this natural hydrological regime should serve to maintain the community. It would also be useful at some time to conduct at least three research projects in the MSS RNA: 1) long-term monitoring of flooding and its effect on the vegetation of the MSS; 2) determine the hydrology of the seep springs; and 3) describe the population biology of the Poa paludigena. Results from each of these projects would yield substantial insight into seep spring ecology, including the relationship between hydrology and Poa paludigena survival. 4. Past Interest Prior to its assessment in 1985 by IDNR biologists, the significance of the MSS was unknown. The area was nominated for RNA designation and was so designated in July, 1987. C. Location 1. Administrative Units The MSS is located within the Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge in Jackson County in southern Indiana (Figure 1). The Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is within the Department of the Interior. 2. Latitude and Longitude The approximate center of MSS RNA lies at latitude 38° 57' 30" North and longitude 85° 49' 0" West. 3. Legal Description Muscatatuck Seep Springs RNA occurs on the Chestnut Ridge U.S.G.S. 7.5' Quadrangle, and lies wholly within Section 23, Township 6 North, Range 6 East. More specifically, the RNA occurs in most of the southeast quarter and part of the south half of the northeast quarter of Section 23. 4. Watershed Although MSS RNA appears to drain into a small tributary which flows northward into Mutton