MICHELLE WHEELER KEYSTONE COLLEGE OCT. 9, 2008 Prairie Pothole

What is a Prairie Pothole?

Prairie Potholes Shallow wetlands that can be permanent, saturated for 6 months to arid most of the year Direct precipitation, runoff from surrounding flats & groundwater

Where can you find them?

Diverse Flora Floating and submerged plants –  Includes: water lilies, pondweeds, southern naiad and duckweed in the open water zone Emergent zone –  Includes: cattails, bulrushes, bur heads, arrowheads and common reed Woody zone –  Includes: trees and shrubs like black willow, buttonbush, rattle bush and coffee bean, baccharis and Chinese tallow-tree

Diverse Fauna Provides great variety of habitats. Reptiles and Amphibians –  Including: alligators, snakes, moccasins, sliders, frogs… Birds –  Including: rails, cranes, wading birds, ducks, coots, common moorhens, snipe, blackbirds and grackles, shorebirds like killdeer, marsh and sedge wrens, swamp sparrows, and many migrating songbirds Almost all resident animals use the ponds to drink.  During drought, wildlife concentrate near the more permanent pothole

Threats Historically: Agriculture Today: Urban Sprawl  Federal wetland regulatory protections has not prevented the loss of these wetlands. 40 to 50 percent remain un-drained

Human Values Eco Tourism – Bird Watching  Songbirds, Shorebirds, Waterfowl Resident Wildlife Water and Forage for Livestock

Any Questions?