Mountain Bog Recovery & Expansion

Bog edge, before thinning (June 2015)

Bog edge, after thinning (July 2015)

The above images were taken near the perimeter of a so-called "mountain bog" in western North Carolina.  The first image shows the conditions before active restoration, the second image shows the same locale after clearing dense rhododendron invasion.  The only evident trees in the initial image are red maple and a lone pitch pine (Pinus rigida). After clearing the dense brush, a number of previously hidden stems of Pitch Pine in the heart of the wetland become apparent. The images also document (especially the second one) a small tributary creek feeding into the site from a black plastic culvert. Hugging the margin of this tributary (just past the lone pitch pine) is a grove of pitcher plants (see image below). 

Numerous pitcher plants (Sarracenia jonesii) hiding in this dense herbaceous foliage

At one time other rare plants were apparently present here when the creek was able to fan out gradually across the area, and the site was more open. However, years ago a road was constructed through the edge of the wetland. Several feet of fill material buried portions of the wetland, and altered the hydrology in some subtle and not so subtle ways (plans are in the works to remove the offending road section and culvert in hopes of restoring more natural water flows and reopening original wetland surface area for bog plants, stay tuned!). The dense thicket of shrubs that developed along the altered stream course excluded nearly all ground layer plant diversity directly underneath. In addition, the thick wall of green created both a sun and rain shadow across the nearby pitcher plants (these pitchers thrive in open sun, in saturated soils).   

Bog edge, before Rhododendron removal (June 2015)

Bog edge, after Rhododendron removal (July 2015) 

Numerous studies have shown that canopy vegetation can intercept and effectively remove up to 50% of seasonal or annual rainfall (Carlyle-Moses and Gash 2011, Forest Hydrology and Biochemistry). In contrast to deciduous plants, the evergreen rhododendrons continue to intercept rainfall all year long. At this site, the result could be losses of as much as 30" of water recharge per year! By removing the wall of rhododendrons we hope to create more open, sunlit conditions and add water back into the wetland system.  

Pile of Rhododendron previously removed from interior and margins of bog

We have been working on this restoration for several years, having been slowed mainly by lack of funding and resources to complete the task; the Friends of Plant Conservation (www.ncplantfriends.org) has recently established a means by which people can support this effort. 

Mountain Bog interior conditions in 2011, before restoration, note forked pine tree

Mountain bog conditions in 2014 after interior brush removal, note forked pine

Elsewhere on this blog I have discussed a few of the rare plants whose populations have begun to rebound due, in part, to these restoration efforts.  Won't you help this progress continue?

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Prairie Flora in North Carolina: Buffalo Clover

I don't get phone calls about Buffalo Clover (Trifolium reflexum) very often, but when I do I take them seriously! 

Threatened in North Carolina, barely half of the historically reported locations are believed to still be extant. Like many other species associated with open, historically fire maintained habitats, the populations have dwindled or disappeared along with the habitat.

Nearly all North Carolina sites have been documented in the Piedmont, so hearing of a potential site in the North Carolina mountains (Madison County, north of Asheville), was a bit unexpected. In fact, this would be the western-most population in the state. I traveled out to take a look.

Patti Waltz discoverer of the Buffalo Clover in Madison County.

My first surprise was the steepness. The site climbs approximately 300' in elevation (topping out around 1960') in less than 400 linear feet (that's an 80% slope)!

The site is densely bouldery with numerous ledges and crevices. Widely scattered prickly pear cactus (Opuntia humifusa) made resting on these problematic. Other open sun-exposed rocks have large clumps of species associated with high pH rocks; such as Limestone Goldenrod (Solidago sphacelata) and Shale-barren Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium). Spreading Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus) was apparent in places, while moister, shadier areas had dense patches of River Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium).

Patch of River Oats under Black Walnut above outcrop

Eastern red-cedar, black walnut, Biltmore Ash (Fraxinus biltmoreana), Georgia hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia), and Red bud are common trees along with patches of aromatic sumac (Rhus aromatica), coralberry (Symphyocarpus orbiculatus), and an occasional fringe-tree (Chionanthus virginicus). Where Patti Waltz removed invasive plants, especially Japanese honeysuckle, the rich, black soil is often exposed. In such pockets, the Buffalo Clover has emerged.

There are a few "protected" sites where Buffalo Clover occurs in the Piedmont, but none are found in such unusual ecological settings.  This is one of the reasons our goal is to protect multiple examples of each species across their natural range in North Carolina. 

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Bearded Wonders - Xerophyllum asphodeloides

Turkey Beard (Xerophyllum asphodeloides) is a lily-like plant whose foliage superficially resembles a bunchgrass.  Weakley's Flora places it in the Xerophyllaceae (or Beargrass) Family.  Only 2 species occur in the family, and X. asphodeloides is the only eastern US native. In North Carolina, and elsewhere in the Southern Appalachians, Turkey Beard may be found on dry or even xeric ridges and slopes where periodic fire was an important ecological process. However, most of these areas are now fire suppressed and the Turkey Beard shows little flower production. Bourg & Gill (2000) conducted a series of experimental treatments and found that fire and canopy opening resulted in "an immense flowering response"; we produced a similar result after thinning and prescribed fire in Transylvania County, North Carolina. Like Bourg & Gill's study, the flowering results were dramatic 2 years after treatment.

Sunlight streams in after restoration & Turkey Beard responds

Over 100 flowering stalks appeared in 2014 after brush clearing in late 2011 and prescribed fire conducted in May 2012. This was especially surprising given the poor vigor of many of the vegetative tussocks prior to restoration (see below) and essentially no flowering.  

A highly suppressed tussock of Turkey Beard, prior to brush removal and prescribed fire; this individual was persisting under dense rhododendron shade. Most Turkey Beards I have seen in the region persist in similar condition

One unusual aspect of this population, is its occurrence in a wetland.  As mentioned above, the plant is usually associated with dry, rocky slopes or ridges. I haven't spoken to anyone who has seen Turkey Beard in a wetland such as seen below, although last week I observed a few plants growing on a wet flat stream bank under dense Dog Hobble (Leucothoe fontanesiana); the private landowner intends to follow our example and clear around their plants hoping for a similar flowering response.

Turkey Beard flowering amidst dense Cinnamon Ferns in a "mountain bog" habitat

A robust flowering scape of Turkey Beard growing adjacent to Purple Mountain Pitcher Plants (Sarracenia purpurea var. montana) 

The distribution of Turkey Beard and its western relative present an interesting puzzle for those interested in biogeography. The range maps presented below show the two Xerophyllum species and their natural ranges (from http://www.efloras.org). How did that happen??

           

Thanks to efloras.org

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