Swamp forest - a photo on Flickriver

Swamp forest

            I haven't been getting out to take new photos lately, so I decided to post an older photo and use it to discuss the issue of invasive species and their effects on natural communities, and in some cases, cultural issues.  The site in this photo is a small kettlehole swamp of perhaps 3 acres located in Marshall County, IN.  This is in north-central Indiana not far south of the city of South Bend.  This swamp is largely dominated by Black Ash (Fraxinus nigra) with lesser amounts of Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor) and Red Maple (Acer rubrum).  It is habitat for numerous rare to uncommon habitat restricted plants, and at least one rare animal, the Four-toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum).  The rare plants include the beautiful Small Purple Fringed Orchid (Platanthera psycodes).  

Swamps such as this in Indiana once also had American Elm (Ulmus americana) as a significant community component, but the elms have been mostly eliminated by what is commonly called Dutch elm disease.  Some small American Elms will grow  for a few years, but they never attain full size and stature before getting the disease and dying.  I remember this disease first hitting the area where I grew up in northwest Ohio when I was a child.

Sometime in the next few years, the swamp in this picture will change drastically when it finally gets infested by Emerald Ash Borer (EAB).  All the Black Ash will die, and probably, the Swamp White Oak and Red Maple will then become dominant.  This sequence of events has already taken place in many places in northeast Indiana.  At Pokagon State Park in Steuben County, thousands of Black Ash have died.  In southern Michigan where this problem first took root in the U.S., millions of ash trees have died.

EAB will have serious financial impacts on the forestry industry.  White Ash (Fraxinus americana) is an extremely important timber tree providing wood for many things from furniture to baseball bats.  Black Ash has interesting connections to Native American culture where it is used extensively for basketry.  In olden times, it was used for practical, utilitarian daily uses by Native Americans, but has become important in modern times for baskets sold for artistic and decorative uses.  Black Ash splits easily, and is well-suited for basketry.  To learn more about those uses and to see videos of pounding logs to get it to split along the annual rings, do a Google search for Black Ash basketry.  I've purchased Black Ash baskets in recent years, and may get a few more before the price gets prohibitive.  

As one interested in natural communities, I think the loss of our ash trees is very sad.  I especially like our swamps with their Black Ash, Small Purple Fringed Orchids and Four-toed Salamanders.  The swamps will survive in one form or another, but they will be missing an important piece.  I am sad for the impending loss of an important cultural tradition for Native Americans.

Taken on: March 27, 2010

Tags:

swamp forest

four-toed salamander habitat

Emerald Ash Borer

invasive non-native insects

Platanthera psycodes habitat

EAB

black ash basketry « less

Sets appears in: • Invasive species • Natural communities more » • Fauna - Amphibians « less

Camera: Nikon D300, f/11.0, 1/100 sec, 20mm (=30mm), ISO 200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D300
Aperture:	f/11.0
Exposure Time:	0.01 sec (1/100)
Focal Length:	20mm (35mm equivalent: 30mm)
ISO:	200
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Aperture-priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Elements Organizer 9.0
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