Hemlock Crossing Restoration Lab Study Notes

Comprehensive flashcards reviewing the background, implementation, floristic quality assessment, monitoring outcomes, and species data for the Hemlock Crossing restoration project.

What was the historical pre-settlement vegetation recorded for Hemlock Crossing County Park?

Beech-sugar maple-hemlock forest.

Where is Hemlock Crossing County Park located, and what is its total acreage?

It is located in Ottawa County, Michigan, and encompasses $239\,\text{acres}$.

What was the land-use history and condition of the $11\,\text{acre}$ restoration parcel before restoration efforts began?

It was a former blueberry field acquired by Ottawa County Parks in $2000$, left fallow after shrubs and irrigation infrastructure were removed, and subsequently invaded by non-native species such as spotted knapweed.

What were the two primary restoration goals established for the Hemlock Crossing project?

To restore a native shortgrass prairie community and restore wetland hydrology along with a native wet prairie community.

According to regional historical context, how much prairie existed in lower Michigan in the early 1800s, and how much remains?

Approximately $60{,}500\,\text{acres}$ existed in the early 1800s, and fewer than $4\%$ (under $2{,}400\,\text{acres}$) remain today.

Which specific tree species were cleared from the shortgrass and wet prairie parcels in March 2008?

Scotch pine was removed from the shortgrass prairie area, and cottonwood trees were removed from the wet prairie area.

What method and timing were used to plant the 10-acre shortgrass prairie in 2008?

Native prairie seed was planted in June 2008 using a no-till drill.

What specific management interventions were implemented for the 1-acre wet prairie in August and November 2008?

Wetland excavation was carried out in August to address hydrology, followed by hand-broadcasting wetland seed in November.

Why were multiple management techniques (tree/shrub removal, herbicide, prescribed burning, mowing, and excavation) combined at Hemlock Crossing?

Tree/shrub removal and herbicide addressed unwanted vegetation; prescribed fire and mowing helped manage competing vegetation; seeding introduced desired native species; and excavation restored physical and hydrologic conditions.

What does the Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) represent in Floristic Quality Assessment?

A value on a scale from $0$ to $10$ assigned to native plant species reflecting their affinity for less-disturbed, higher-quality habitats, where higher numbers signify more conservative specialist species.

What does the Floristic Quality Index (FQI) measure?

It evaluates the floristic quality of a plant community based on native plant species composition and their degrees of conservatism.

Why does identifying a greater number of plant species at a site not necessarily signify higher floristic quality?

Floristic quality depends on the specific taxonomic identity and conservatism values (C-values) of the native species present, rather than overall species richness alone.

How did the planned shortgrass prairie planting list compare to the vegetation observed during the June 2009 monitoring in terms of species count, FQI, and Mean C?

The planting list comprised $36\,\text{species}$ with an $\text{FQI} = 36$ and $\text{Mean C} = 6$, whereas the June 2009 monitoring recorded $9\,\text{planted species}$ plus $48\,\text{other native and non-native species}$, yielding an $\text{FQI} = 15.1$ and $\text{Mean C} = 2$.

What were the FQI and Mean C metrics for the wet prairie reference community compared to its planting list?

The wet prairie reference had an $\text{FQI} = 33$ and $\text{Mean C} = 7.53$, while the wet prairie planting list had $33\,\text{species}$ with an $\text{FQI} = 28.7$ and $\text{Mean C} = 5$.

Which two early plant species exhibited the highest occurrences and frequencies in the 2009 shortgrass prairie monitoring data?

Blue toadflax ($32\,\text{occurrences}$; frequency of $0.64$) and spotted knapweed ($30\,\text{occurrences}$; frequency of $0.60$).

What was the recorded plot frequency and occurrence count of little bluestem in the 2009 shortgrass prairie monitoring?

It occurred in $11\,\text{plots}$ with a frequency of $0.22$.

Which two planted species were detected on site in 2009 exclusively outside of the established survey plots?

White wild indigo and June grass.

What is the scientific name of the compass plant included in the 2008 planting seed mix?

Silphium laciniatum.

Which prairie grass species noted in class discussion were absent from the supplied 2008 shortgrass prairie planting table?

Side-oats grama and big bluestem.

What were the specific reported costs for the shortgrass prairie seed and the wet prairie construction and seeding?

Shortgrass prairie seed (including travel) cost $\$2{,}300$, and wet prairie construction and seeding cost $\$10{,}000$.