Peatlands – Beaver Pond Swamp EarthCache
HITECHTEAM: Time to let this one go.....it had a nice ride.
Hitechman & Hitechgal
Peatlands – Beaver Pond Swamp
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(not chosen)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
The Beaver Pond Swamp began its formation over 10,000 years
ago when the last great glacier retreated and left a chunk of ice
buried in sand and gravel. When the ice melted, it left a
steep-sided basin in the glacial till, which filled with water to
become a small kettle lake.
The Beaver Pond Swamp is a 130 acre dumbbell shaped peatland
that is approximately 2.4 miles in circumference (.9 mile long East
to West and .4 mile long North to South). It is a rather small area
(as far as swamps go) located in the Ward Hills range of the
Manistee National Forest. Peatlands include bogs and fens
(marshes), as well as conifer, hardwood, and shrub, swamps. The
Great Lakes region contains the most extensive peatlands in the
United States.
There is a small, intermittent creek flowing out of the swamp
towards McCarthy Lake (another kettle lake) towards the NE. The
drainage (West to East) indicates that water is also entering this
swamp—nutrients are replenished by this process, and it
prohibited this area from following the bog (no inflow or outflow
of water which reduces or eliminates most of the nutrients)
succession route.
Sometime in the past (probably within the last 200 years) a beaver
population moved in and dammed the creek. Nutrients flowed in, but
little water flowed out. The water stagnated. The lake began the
process of eutrophication (accumulation of large amount of
nutrients) at a faster rate because of this. Dead plants sank to
the bottom and decayed at an extremely slow rate
(anaerobic—lack of oxygen). The lake slowly filled in and
marsh plants, shrubs, and trees began to grow.
Stages of Lake Succession:
1—OPEN FRESHWATER: Deep freshwater will not support
rooted, submerged plants because there is not enough light for
photosynthesis in the depths. There will be micro-organisms and
plankton floating in the water.
2—SUBMERGED PLANTS: Over time, sediments will be
transported into the lake (or pond) by streams or rainwater
draining into it from the land. Large amounts of sediment can be
deposited in this way. The water depth will gradually decrease,
allowing rooted, submerged plants to grow. Waterlilies, which are
rooted, but with floating leaves may also become established.
3—MARSH: Plants that are adapted to grow in partially
submerged conditions, will gradually die out as the marsh floor
progressively rises above the water level. Some plants, which grow
equally well in swamp or marsh conditions, will continue to
grow.
4—SHRUB SWAMP: The soil remains wet, but no longer
completely waterlogged and anaerobic. Small shrubs such as willows,
and tag alder will move in and take over. The undergrowth is
replaced by a variety of woodland floor plants including sedges,
rushes, ferns and small flowering herbs which are adapted to low
light levels and which will flourish in wet conditions.
5—HARDWOOD SWAMP / CLIMAX WOODLAND: Climax tree
species include Oak, Ash and Beech. They are slow growing, but
because they are also tall and long-lived, in time, they will come
to dominate an area. The particular climax tree species, which will
eventually dominate the woodland, will depend on soil type and
other environmental conditions. The types of species making up the
woodland understory is dependent on the amount of sunlight that
reaches the ground. If the ground is not too heavily shaded, herbs
and smaller plants will flourish. The area will remain flat, wet,
and prone to flooding.
This swamp is somewhat immature—plenty of standing-open
water. Water levels vary greatly and are dependent on precipitation
and snow melt.
The Beaver Pond Swamp is eutrophic—rich in
nutrients—meaning that it has very high productivity and
species diversity. Aquatic insects and amphibians inhabit this area
in great numbers. Water birds will visit and even nest here. Some
species of small fish, requiring low levels of oxygen, may be
present.
If you visit in the spring, early summer, or fall, you will
probably observe standing water covering the coordinates. Summer
observation will probably show very little water, but the soil is
mucky. The USFS roads used to access this EarthCache are not plowed
in the winter, but the area is accessible via snowmobile.
A big thank you to Les Russell, district ranger (USFS, Manistee
National Forest, Baldwin), for allowing the placement of this
EarthCache. As always, handle this fragile ecosystem with care,
and leave no trace of your visit.
Platinum EarthCache Master
BE CAREFUL—THE MUCK CAN GET
DEEP
There is no need to enter the water as all logging requirements
can be made from the “shore” boundary. To log your
visit you must (no exceptions to these requirements will be
made):
1) Make an estimate as to the diameter of the open area
(water) to the west woods line—at right angles to the road
(in feet).
2) Record the elevation at the listed coordinates.
3a) Obtain a pH test strip (inexpensive--most pool stores
sell this) and measure the pH of the water.
3b) As an alternative to requirement #3a you
may tell me which stage this marsh is in by using the stages listed
above.
4a) Take a soil sample from the pond bottom and have it
analyzed for pH, nitrate, and specific soil type (any extension
office or agricultural suppy will do this for you, usually at no
cost).
4b)As an alternative to #4a, you can take (and
post with your log) a picture near the coordinates clearly
showing some aspect of the geology of the area near this site.
You do not have to include you/your team in the photo, but
feel free to do so.
Each cacher must e-mail me the answers to
questions 1, 2, 3a or 3b, and 4a (unless you post a photo with your
log), or your log will be deleted—do not post them in your
log.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Vg znl abg or cbffvoyr gb zrrg gur ybttvat erdhverzragf va gur urnil fabj bs jvagre. Or pnershy vs lbh qevir va naq cnex ba gur "pvepyr qevir"--ybgf bs fnaq ba gur jnl bhg naq lbh zvtug trg fghpx.