Iowa Limestone Prairie EarthCache
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Located in Manikowski Prairie State Preserve . It is a limestone prairie in Clinton County. This 180 acre property protects virgin limestone prairie and is a dedicated state preserve. It is the largest remain limestone prairie left in Iowa.
A limestone prairie is defined as an area where limestone lies just under or at the surface of the soil. This prevents many of the deep-rooting plants from growing. Many of the plants have roots growing in the limestone cracks.
Manikowski Prairie is a 180-acre prairie on dry, shallow soils over a limestone bedrock. The area was purchased by Clinton CCB with the assistance of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation in 1985 from the Manikowski family and dedicated as a biological and geological preserve in the same year. Located in the easternmost portion of the Southern Iowa Drift Plain landform region, this prairie grows in thin soil among low rock outcrops of Silurian-age dolomite (430 M years old). The prairie is dominated by little bluestem and sideoats grama with over forty species of plants including shooting star, rockcress and indigo bush.
Unique features of this site include the areas of the hilltops where the soil is so shallow that patches of mosses and lichens replace the vascular plants, and the dry 'cliffs' where ferns are tucked into pockets and crevices in the rock surfaces.
CAUTION: Hunting is allowed, in season, on the preserve.
ATTENTION: For the preservation of this locality, collection or picking is prohibited by law.
PARKING is along the road near N 41° 58.675 W 090° 22.743.
Enter the area near the sign. As you walk in, there is no clearly marked trail but there are trail signs along the fence line.
As you walk around have a good look at how the weather and elements have worked on the limestone where it is exposed . Several forces join in the erosion of the limestone. Some of the forces of erosion that have shaped the exposed rock, chemical erosion such as the acids secreted by lichens which weaken the rock, and mechanical erosion such as the roots of plant life growing in and widening the cracks in the rock and water in the cracks freezes also widening the cracks further.
To log this cache, we are going to take you on a little walk to see some of the area and exposed rock. You will need to e-mail the aproximate dimensions of the largest rock near the posted coords & post (not email) a picture of that rock with your GPSr in it. Pictures of individuals and groups are always welcome.
HAVE FUN!!
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Treasures
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