FLORA AND VEGETATION OF THE KOKIWANEE NATURE PRESERVE David J. Hicks and Teresa M. Michaelis Biology Department, Manchester College North Manchester, IN

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K ● Wabash ● North Manchester Huntington ● WABASH COUNTY

ACRES Land Trust, Inc. 2004

Salamonie State Forest Kokiwanee Nature Preserve (55 ha) Salamonie Dam & Reservoir ↔ Wabash CR 50S ↕ Wabash CR 600E Salamonie River

x 700 ft Kokiwanee Preserve ACRES, Inc. 139 acres

Current

FOREST VEGETATION

20 m 50 m Diameter of trees (>5 cm) Basal area (πr 2 ) for each species

20 m 50 m 25 1 m 2 quadrats for herbs, shrubs and seedlings Diversity = trees + species in m 2

Forest sample plot x

FOREST COMPOSITION

Late 1940’s (?) 2006

3 samples of young forest Low diversity (39 spp./plot)

Many small trees Peak in curve Few large trees Size structure of Young Forest 31 ± 6 m 2 /ha; 810 ± 187 trees/ha

Species % of basal area Acer saccharum/nigrum 38 Robinia pseudoacacia 14 Prunus serotina 10 Liriodendron tulipifera 9 Fraxinus americana/pensylvanica 8 Carya cordiformis 5 Pinus sylvestris 5 Others11 Kokiwanee Young Forest Trees ≥ 5% basal area

Woodlot

Some large beech and maple 3 woodlot samples Medium diversity (50 spp./plot)

Size structure of Woodlot 28 ± 2 m 2 /ha; 610 ± 187 trees/ha More large trees Fewer small trees

Species % of basal area Acer saccharum/nigrum 21 Liriodendron tulipifera 21 Fraxinus americana/pensylvanica 13 Ulmus americana 11 Prunus serotina 9 Carya cordiformis 5 Others20 Kokiwanee Woodlot Trees ≥ 5% basal area Only samples with Fagus grandifolia

1941 Late 1940’s 1951

Oak-dominated forest on bluff top High diversity (67 spp.) Unique species

Species % of basal area Acer saccharum/nigrum 29 Quercus alba 25 Juniperus virginiana 20 Quercus velutina 14 Quercus muhlenbergii 5 Others6 Kokiwanee Bluff Top Trees ≥ 5% basal area 24 m 2 /ha; 700 trees/ha HabitatC av Native % All species (432 spp.)4.4±2.485 Bluff top (60 spp.)5.3±2.092

5 samples of mesic forest Bluff face and base High diversity (56 spp./plot)

Uneven age structure with some large trees Size structure of Bluff Face 33 ± 3 m 2 /ha; 370 ± 105 trees/ha

Species % of basal area Acer saccharum/nigrum 26 Tilia americana 21 Fraxinus americana/pensylvanica 15 Juglans nigra 8 Celtis occidentalis 7 Others22 Kokiwanee Bluff Face Trees ≥ 5% basal area

ARE THE BLUFF-FACE FORESTS OLD GROWTH?

OLD GROWTH? Structure compared to known old growth Composition compared to known old growth Original survey data

Runkle criterionKokiwanee bluff High species diversity√ Uneven-aged√ Basal area >25m 2 /ha√ ≥7 trees/ha ≥ 75 cm dbh5 Large valuable trees√ Oldest trees >200 yrs? Tree density <250 trees/ha368 >30 dead trees/ha25 Tree-fall 0.6-1% of area? Old-growth species√ Undisturbed soils√ Little evidence of human disturbance √

SpeciesKokiwanee GinnBerkey Acer saccharum/nigrum Tilia america Fraxinus americana/pensylvanica Juglans nigra 8 <1 Celtis occidentalis 7 2<1 Fagus grandifolia Ulmus americana/rubra Liriodendron tulipifera 1 <114 Others Ginn Woods. Delaware County. Badger et al Proc. IAS 107 Berkey Woods. Kosciusko County. Friesner & Potzger Butler U. Bot. Stud. Comparison to mesic old-growth in northern Indiana

SpeciesKokiwanee GinnBerkey Acer saccharum/nigrum Tilia america Fraxinus americana/pensylvanica Juglans nigra 8 <1 Celtis occidentalis 7 2<1 Ulmus americana/rubra Liriodendron tulipifera 1 <114 Fagus grandifolia Others Ginn Woods. Delaware County. Badger et al Proc. IAS 107 Berkey Woods. Kosciusko County. Friesner & Potzger Butler U. Bot. Stud. Comparison to mesic old-growth in northern Indiana

Dry prairieBeech-maple Oak-hickoryWetland x Lindsey Ecology Original survey data (1820’s-1830’s)

PRESETTLEMENT VEGETATION Uplands (30 trees) Beech 60% Buckeye 17% Walnut 7% 5 others 17% Douglas Keller (Unpublished, 1988)

PRESETTLEMENT VEGETATION Salamonie River corridor (34 trees) White oak 18% Sugar maple 12% Buckeye 12% Elm 9% Sycamore 9% Ironwood 9% 7 others 31% Douglas Keller (Unpublished, 1988)

OLD GROWTH? History, structure, composition are compatible with old growth

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Eli Lilly Endowment Incorporated Office of Academic Affairs, Manchester College ACRES Land Trust, especially Tim Kimmel, Rachel Sherman and Carolyn McNagny Kelli Griewank and Dan Chudzynski