Missouri Department of Conservation NEWS: April 2nd, 2012

source: http://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/three-cases-bat-disease-discovered-missouri

Three cases of bat disease discovered in Missouri

MDC confirms White-Nose Syndrome in bats from two caves in Lincoln County.

Article and image source: http://www.nrem.iastate.edu/research/patchburn/project/grg.html

As many earlier settlers entered into Iowa they found the vast prairies interspersed with open oak woodlands they described as very appealing to the eye.  They could drive a carriage anywhere through these woodlands.  The settlers were giving us a glimpse of the landscape and of the oak savanna that was a dominant woodland habitat at the time. Today, many of our woodlands have become overgrown with too many trees, brush and invasive species and efforts have begun to start restoring many of these woodlands.  The basic idea of restoring oak woodlands to savanna habitat structure is very straight forward:  Thin the understory brush and enough of the dominant overstory trees to achieve 40-60% canopy cover and burn to maintain the openness.  In reality, the restoration and management of oak woodlands can be a very labor intensive project with literally tons of debris to deal with after the thinning is complete.  Although the debris can be very beneficial to certain wildlife and plant species, too much can lead to problems and a less enjoyable experience for the landowner. A diverse approach to handling the excess woody material will make restoring oak savanna a positive experience and aid in the long-term health of the woodlands.

The first method for dealing with debris is to leave it in the savanna where it is cut.

Eventually, prescribed fires will consume the majority of the debris and “clean-up” the woodland floor. Depending on the weather conditions and the amount of trees cut, it may take several years to completely burn all the debris. All this debris in turn may impede access to the woodlands and make it less enjoyable to the landowner. One way to reduce the amount of wood on the ground is to girdle large trees and leave them standing. The standing dead tree will provide excellent habitat for cavity nesting birds, insects, fungi and other species.  Eventually, the limbs will fall from the tree and fire will consume the trunk, removing it from the site. To help speed the breakdown and decomposition of the woody debris that will be on the ground limb all the trees you cut and get the majority of the woody debris as close to the ground as possible. The debris that is close to the ground will be consumed more completely by fire and will also decay faster if it is in contact with the ground.

A second method is to remove some of the debris from the site.

Keep in mind that you will want to leave about 1/3 of the dead wood in the savanna. Many species of birds, plants, fungi and invertebrates utilize the dead wood and recycle nutrients into the soil. Also keep in mind that the goal is to thin the woodland and allow sunlight to the woodland floor – so you may harvest some of the wood for personal use. For example, many of the species being cut will make excellent firewood or fence posts.  Many larger trees may be marketable timber.  Removing some of the debris will speed the restoration process and allow fire to clear the smaller debris and brush more efficiently.

In some cases, the amount of debris may be so large, that it can impact the existing savanna trees.

Large debris piles could cause intense flame lengths and long duration heat during a prescribed fire if left in the savanna.  This is common when cutting large numbers of cedar trees from a savanna restoration site.  In these cases, there is little value to the debris, but it must be removed from the site, piled and burned.

Choose a site for the brush pile that is away from mature oak or hickory trees and is in an area that is not native prairie.  Often, a spot with dense brome grass or an area that has had a lot of disturbance can be located and used as the burn site.

Removing and piling the brush is much more labor intensive than just cutting and limbing the debris, but large debris piles within the restored savanna could negatively impact or kill existing oak savanna trees.

The best course of action for restoring savanna is a combination of all these methods.

When planning a savanna restoration, look for potential trees that need to be removed, but may have some value for you to harvest. Assess the woodland area and mark several trees that will be girdled and left standing on site.  Then, decide if there is too much debris in specific areas and plan for a burn pile to clean-up the brush.  Always remember that time is on your side.  If you are burning the woodland with frequent low intensity fires, you may want to thin trees in stages, starting with smaller trees and brush and working your way up to the larger trees.  In this manner, much of the smaller debris and re-sprouting brush will be burned during annual prescribed fires and you can avoid a large build-up of downed trees and brush.

The brush left over from savanna restoration can be a huge issue for most landowners.  Be conscious to the many uses of the debris and of the different methods available to reduce the amount of debris from you project site. Plan ahead so you know what to expect, and be flexible with the work you are completing.  You may get into a situation where you planned to only cut the trees and leave the material, but realize that you will have heavy dead fuel loading for the next fire.  You need to alter you thinning plan and remove some of the debris build-up to protect the savanna trees.  Savanna restoration can be challenging, but planning ahead and having some flexibility will make the savanna restoration project a fun and enjoyable experience. Utilizing the debris as a resource is a good idea, both for the birds and for you.

Galls are abnormal growths or swellings of plant tissue caused by the attack of a living organism. Insects, mites, nematodes, bacteria, fungi, and viruses produce these plant deformities. Galls also can form as a result or mechanical injury.

Description of common galls and gallmakers

There is a common problem faced by many of Iowa’s ponds and lakes. That problem is called “eutrophication”. Don’t let the size of the word scare you. Basically, eutrophication is the process by which a lake, pond, or river becomes high in dissolved plant nutrients. Although the eutrophication process affects rivers, the man subject of this article will concentrate on ponds and lakes.

Typically, there are two basic classification of lakes and ponds. Oligotrophic lakes generally have low concentrations of plant nutrients and are the least productive as far as plant life. Because of the low production of suspended plankton algae, these lakes are generally clear. Oligotrophic lakes have relatively high amounts of oxygen throughout the lake depths during both winter and summer. Lake Superior and Lake Tahoe are good examples.

In contrast, eutrophic lakes such as Lake LaShane in Lamoni, have high levels of plant nutrients and high levels of plant productivity. Lakes such as this have large plankton populations that reduce water transparency. Dissolved oxygen in the water is low during the summer. Shallow eutrophic lakes often “winter kill” because of the low amount of oxygen under the ice.

The process of eutrophication may be a slow one or it may be rapid. Nature, through time (often thousands of years), will eventually turn a oligotrophic lake into a eutrophic one. The actions of man can speed the process. Many lakes and ponds, such a Little River Lake, are instantly eutrophic. Eutrophication is not just a one-way process. Many lakes and ponds move back and forth between eutrophic and oligotrophic in response to land use changes surrounding it.

What causes rapid eutrophication? Agricultural runoff is the number one cause in Iowa. Soil erosion, feedlot runoff and chemical spraying add significantly to the eutrophication process. Many farmers have probably noticed large amounts of algae in their ponds after spraying nitrogen on a field above it. Although the noticeable effects of the spray (primarily the algae) may disappear in a few months, the not-so-noticeable effects will linger for years and years and will eventually add to the destruction of the pond. Typically, ponds located below feedlots will be choked with weeds and algae. As these weeds and algae die, the bacteria which decompose them will use up much of the oxygen in the pond – killing the fish and other animal life. Though agricultural activity is a major cause of eutrophication, it is not alone, sewage disposal and factory discharge also add their share.

For most uses, eutrophic lakes and ponds are considered of poorer quality than oligotrophic ones. From the standpoint of water supply, the high levels of algae in eutrophic lakes increase the amount of treatment needed. Some algae species contribute to bad taste and odor. High amounts of algae make eutrophic lakes unappealing for swimming and boating. From a fish standpoint, mildly eutrophic lakes and rivers are good for bass, catfish, bluegill etc… Highly eutrophic lakes such as the feedlot and nitrogen examples above, are less valuable to these species of fish and may result in winter kill or poor fishing.

Controlling eutrophication is somewhat simple. Good soil conservation practices, wise placement of feedlots and septic tanks, and limited or no chemical application in the watershed will all result in a clean, productive body of water.

by Gregg Pattison, Private Lands Biologist, U.S.F.W.S.

Interest in savanna restoration and prescribed burning in oak woodlands continues to rise as more accomplishments are completed here in southern Iowa.  SIOSA is working hard to expand partnerships and focus priority areas to increase outreach to landowners and create clusters of restoration projects that will have a landscape scale impact for wildlife habitat, native flora and water quality.

Utilizing GIS technology, SIOSA has determined priority areas that surround the Bird Conservation Areas (BCAs) in Decatur, Clarke and Lucas Counties; and the highly restorable woodland acres of Decatur County as the primary focus areas for the next 5 years.  Partnerships between the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Iowa DNR, US Fish and Wildlife Service, NRCS, SIOSA and many landowners will help focus work in these areas through outreach and implementation.

The winter of 2010-11 proved to be a good year for accomplishing savanna restoration work.  Weather conditions made burning difficult at times during the year, but over 1,135 acres of savanna habitat were burned on 16 sites within SIOSA priority areas.   This includes approximately 540 acres by private landowners, 445 acres by conservation agencies and 150 acres of contracted burns.  Included in these totals are 145 acres of state managed wildlife areas or forest lands.  The contracted burns cost SIOSA approximately $3200, the remaining costs of burning will be included as cost share for the landowners or conservation agencies against previous or future savanna work – an estimated value of over $24,500.

Thinning and clearing work continued throughout the season, with some delays due to heavy snow conditions in mid-winter.  Significant work was accomplished because we were able to utilize four contractors and had several landowners completing project work.  In total project work was completed on 16 sites with 349 acres of savanna and woodland habitat being cleared of invasive species and thinned for improved habitat conditions.

A total cost of the restoration work was $83,710 or an average per acre cost of $240.00. The cost per acre ranged from $65/acre to $350/acre.  Differences in cost are reflect very different conditions in many woodlands and savannas.  The lower cost units were easily accessible and had minimal cutting and stump treatment, while more costly units are hard to access, have very dense vegetation, with lots of stump treatment and in some cases piling or removal of woody material.

Overall, a lot was accomplished on the ground this past season and lot of interest was shown with sign-ups for the 2011-12 winter season.  With good weather conditions, we should easily eclipse or accomplishments of the past season.

Dutch elm disease was introduced to North America in the 1930s and began killing millions of native elm trees. It has been identified in every county in Iowa and has claimed more than 95 percent of Iowa’s urban elm trees.

Unfortunately, Dutch elm disease became famous after devastating native elm populations. The fungus is native to Asia and was introduced to Europe shortly after World War I. From Europe, it traveled to North America in crates made from infected elm logs. The disease quickly infected elms across the United States since native elms did not have natural resistance to the introduced pathogen.

“It’s during this time of year that we are reminded that the disease is still out there; as numerous elms are currently dying in the landscape,” said Tivon Feeley, with the DNR’s forest heath program. This year, Dutch elm disease has been prevalent in urban landscapes and in woodlands. Wilted, bright yellow leaves draw attention to elm trees that are infected and begin to die.

Typically, the topmost leaves start to yellow, eventually turn brown and fall off the tree. Branches will then begin to die until the entire tree is killed. This process can take a few weeks or can stretch out over several months.

The fungus, Ophiostoma novo-ulmi, which causes Dutch elm disease, finds its way into elm trees in two ways. One way is elm bark beetles inadvertently carry the fungus on their backs and infect healthy trees when they feed and breed just under the bark. These beetles can move the fungus from diseases to healthy trees over a distance of several miles.

The other way is through the root system. The roots of elms located within 50 feet each other can root graft together allowing the fungus to travel through the roots systems. Trees that are infected this way usually die quickly.

Once inside a tree, the fungus does its damage by growing inside the water-conducting vessels, blocking the flow of water to the top of the tree and causing the typical wilting pattern. Although chemical treatments to prevent Dutch elm disease work, they have been reserved for the rare specimen tree due to the high cost of semi-annual treatments.

There may be hope for those who want native elms as part of their landscape. Researchers have been selecting and developing elms that are tolerant of the disease. Some of these elms are hybrids with Asian varieties, and some are true native American elms that have shown resistance. However, the elms that sprout up in yards and woodlands are extremelyunlikely to be resistant and should either be managed or removed before they grow into larger shade trees that are expensive to cut down.

Posted: May 24, 2011

(image from nicolerule.com)