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World Wetland's Day - 50th Anniversary
A global celebration of wetlands and their protection on February 2, 2021
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 World Wetland's Day is nearly upon us!
On this 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Ramsar Convention, the Environmental Resources Center will partner with local organizations and the Allen County community to celebrate wise-use and protection of wetlands. The theme for this year is wetlands as a source of freshwater and encouraging actions we can take to restore them and stop their loss. The full schedule of events can be found at the bottom of this story and on our website.
ACRES Land Trust will kick off the day at 9 AM at Mengerson Nature Reserve. Join them on a casual hike to learn about how this urban preserve absorbs stormwater runoff and provides a sanctuary for plants and animals. The trails at this forested wetland are often muddy, please dress appropriately.
Join the City of Fort Wayne at 11:30 AM at Camp Scott Wetlands for a walk through this unique inner city constructed wetlands. Learn why the City constructed this wetlands and how it treats stormwater runoff and is now home for a diversity of wildlife.
At 1 PM, head to the Eagle Marsh barn for a celebration hike and seed scatter. Explore this incredible local wetland and learn all about why wetlands are important for wildlife and the community. Please dress for the weather, rubber boots are recommended. Face coverings are required.
At 4 PM, ERC Waterfield Sustainability Intern Deanne Zepp will give us a look into the tiny world of macroinvertebrates. Macroinvertebrates may be small, but they play a huge role in maintaining a healthy wetland, from cycling nutrients to acting as a food source. Their presence (or absence) gives us clues to the ecological state of aquatic systems. Learn about a dragonfly nymph’s lightning fast hunting style, how midge larvae survive in low oxygen water, and other facts about the fascinating lives of these wee creatures.
Tune in at 7 PM to listen to and chat with Bruce Kingsbury and Robert Gillespie from the ERC. Wetlands are not only wildlife wonderlands, they are also important filters of nutrients and pollutants. We will celebrate wetlands in general and then focus on how they help to keep the surrounding landscape, headwaters, and streams clean. After the presentation, there will be time for Q and A and general discussion.
SCHEDULE & EVENT DETAILS
9:00 AM. Hike at Mengerson Nature Reserve, 5895 Stellhorn Road, Fort Wayne. Hosted by ACRES Land Trust. Space is limited. RSVP to outreach@acreslandtrust.org or 260-637-2273 by February 1.
11:30 AM. Hike at Camp Scott, 3615 Oxford Street, Fort Wayne. Hosted by the City of Fort Wayne.
1:00 PM. Hike and Seed Scatter at Eagle Marsh, 6801 Engle Road, Fort Wayne. Hosted by Little River Wetland's Project. Attendance is limited. Please click here to RSVP at least 24 hours in advance.
4:00 PM. Macroinvertebrates: Big Players in a Little Wet World, a virtual presentation with Deanne Zepp. Hosted by Environmental Resources Center at Purdue University Fort Wayne. Please RSVP and get the Zoom link by sending an email to erc@pfw.edu.
7:00 PM. Wetland's: Natures Kidneys, a virtual presentation with Bruce Kingsbury and Robert Gillespie. Hosted by Environmental Resources Center at Purdue University Fort Wayne. Please RSVP and get the Zoom link by sending an email to erc@pfw.edu.
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Don't Blame the Woolly Bear!
Dr. Gillespie reveals the truth of the woolly bear's coat.
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The past few weeks have brought long nights and cold temperatures. So, I am reminded about the years that I lived on the “North Coast” near Cleveland, Ohio,  where winters could be harsh. It was there, that I became aware of woolly bear caterpillars. Pyrrharctia isabella, is the North American species of woolly bear. Much like the fabled story of Punxsutawney Phil, the woolly bear was touted as a predictor of temperature for the coming winter. TV meteorologists would find the “bears” locally in late fall and predict the “coldness” for the next few months based on the thickness and color of the caterpillar “coat”. Of course, the woolly bear was wrong most of the time, but the legend is too good to let go! In fact, the woolly bear coating is based on how long the caterpillar has b een feeding, its age, and species. A lesser known, but arguably, more interesting species of woolly bear moth, Gynaephora groenlandica, is native to the High Arctic in the Canadian archipelago, Greenland and Wrangel Island in Russia. This species is famous for its’ amazing adaptation to ultracold habitats as low as −70 °C. Take a look at this video to learn how the incredible Arctic wooly bear exemplifies, how “Life Finds A Way!” Oh, and don’t despair, spring is less than three months away!
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Biology Faculty Update: Dr. Jordan Marshall
Dr. Marshall shares a snapshot of his research on Great Lakes sand dunes
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Great Lakes sand dunes have been key ecological subjects since the late-1890s. Even with 130 years of research, there are still unanswered questions about sand dune ecosystems along the shores of Lakes Michigan and Superior. Jordan Marshall (PFW faculty member) has conducted research in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and Indiana Dunes National Park focused on plants and insects – pollinators of federally threatened Pitcher’s thistle, plant distribution, and impacts of invasive species.
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Pitcher’s thistle flower head being visited by a halictid wasp in Indiana Dunes National Park.
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A 15-year study forthcoming in the Natural Areas Journal (January 2021) by Dr. Marshall investigated plant community changes with the spread of spotted knapweed, an invasive species. Changes include shifts in dominance from normal dune plants to spotted knapweed and the colonization by several native woody species. Trees and shrubs naturally colonize the dunes through the process of succession, however, the number of added species suggests accelerated stabilization due to spotted knapweed invasion.
Other sand dune research in the Plant Ecology Lab at PFW include 1) mapping and modeling jack pine forest establishment in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore – even without fire, jack pine is the typically the first tree species that colonizes as sand dunes age; and 2) soil crust influences on plant communities in Indiana Dunes National Park (a collaboration with Tanya Soule) – investigating bacterial diversity importance in plant community development.
For more on Dr. Marshall's research, visit our website! A jack pine seedling in a stable area of Grand Sable Dunes, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
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