Ottawa University Natural Area

Abstract

The Ottawa University Natural History Reservation, acquired in 1968, encompasses 30 acres of land on the south side of Middle Creek in the SW 1/, NW 1/4, Sec. 19, T. 18S, R. 19E, Franklin County, Kansas. The Reservation is accessible via county road from old U.S. 50 near Homewood. The Reservation has no roads, established trails, or facilities. The Reservation ecosystem is mature oak-hickory forest. Dominant tree species on upland slopes include shagbark hickory (Carya ovata), chestnut oak (Quercus muehlenbergii), white oak (0. alba), post oak (Q. stellata) and red elm (Ulmus rubra). Dominant trees in the riparian area of Middle Creek are hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), bur oak (Q. macrocarpa), and bitternut hickory (C. cordiformis). A total of 32 species of trees have been found at the Reservation, including 11 species of oaks known to occur in Kansas except Shumard's oak (Q. shumardii). Since the property was first deeded in 1865, no apparent major human disturbance, such as fire or clear cutting, has taken place. This view is supported by tree-ring samples which show some of the oaks of the Reservation are over 130 years old. The only change in community structure to occur during this century has been the loss of most American elms (U. americana) to Dutch Elm disease. The rock ledges along Middle Creek, which represent outcrops of the Tonganoxie Sandstone member of the Stranger Formation, contain extensive growths of ferns; thus the Reservation is often referred to as Ferndells. Common taxa include maidenhair ferns (Adiantum pedatum), Woodsia obtusa, and Polypodium sp. Associated with the ferns are mosses, lichens, and liverworts. On drier sites the understory consists of coralberry (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus) and wild gooseberry (Ribes missouriense). The rare puttyroot orchid (Aplectrum hyemale) is present at the base of rock ledges. Since the Reservation was acquired, the area has been used solely for field trips by biology classes from Ottawa University. Good inventories of trees and other woody plants, ferns and fern allies, wildflowers, and lichens have been made, and field studies have concentrated on plant community composition, soils, and leaf litter decomposition. Inventories of the fauna of the Reservation are incomplete. Although the larger mammals are well known (e.g., raccoon, opossum, and white-tailed deer), little is known of what species of small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and invertebrates are present.