Calcareous Fen
Counties:Adams, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Grant, Green Lake, Jackson, Jefferson, Kenosha, Marquette, Portage, Racine, Sauk, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara |
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Description:
Wisconsin calcareous fens are natural communities that occur in wetland areas with calcareous (high-calcium) soils and a high water table. These areas are characterized by the presence of vegetation adapted to wet, alkaline conditions, such as sedges, rushes, and various types of wetland wildflowers.
Calcareous fens are typically found in areas with cool, moist climates, and they are often associated with glacial outwash plains and kettles. They can be found throughout Wisconsin, particularly in the central and northern parts of the state.
Calcareous fens are important habitats for a variety of wildlife, including birds, amphibians, and small mammals. They also provide important ecosystem services, such as filtering and purifying water, protecting against erosion, and storing carbon.
Unfortunately, calcareous fens are vulnerable to a variety of threats, including drainage for agriculture and urban development, pollution, and the introduction of non-native plant species. It is important to protect and preserve these important natural communities for the benefit of both wildlife and humans.
Alternative Natural Community Names:
| Cowardin | Paulstrine; emergent; narrow-leaved persistent; and scrub/shrub, broad-leaved deciduous |
| Eggers & Reed | Calcareous fen |
| Hoffman | Calcareous fen |
| Shaw | Type 2: Inland fresh meadow |
| WI DNR | Calcareous fen |
| US National Vegetation Classification |
Typical Plant Species:
| Scientific Name | Common Name |
|---|---|
| Andropogon gerardii | big bluestem |
| Asclepias incarnata | swamp milkweed |
| Campanula aparinoides | marsh bellflower |
| Carex aquatilis | water sedge |
| Carex buxbaumii | Buxbaum's sedge |
| Carex haydenii | Hayden's sedge |
| Carex pellita | woolly sedge |
| Carex prairea | prairie sedge |
| Carex sterilis | dioecious sedge |
| Cornus sericea | red-osier dogwood |
| Cornus stolonifera | redosier dogwood |
| Cypripedium candidum | white lady's slipper |
| Dasiphora fruticosa | shrubby cinquefoil |
| Eleocharis rostellata | beaked spikerush |
| Eriophorum angustifolium | tall cottongrass |
| Glyceria striata | fowl mannagrass |
| Liparis loeselii | yellow widelip orchid |
| Lobelia siphilitica | great blue lobelia |
| Lycopus americanus | American water horehound |
| Lycopus uniflorus | northern bugleweed |
| Muhlenbergia glomerata | spiked muhly |
| Sarracenia purpurea | purple pitcherplant |
| Schoenoplectus acutus | hardstem bulrush |
| Utricularia intermedia | flatleaf bladderwort |
References:
Curtis, John T. The Vegetation of Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin Press. 1959.
Cowardin, Carter, Golet and LaRoe. Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States, second edition. Federal Geographic Data Committee. 1979, 2013.
Eggers, Steven D. and Reed, Donald M. Wetland Plants and Plant Communities of Minnesota & Wisconsin, second edition. US Army Core of Engineers. Final Report 1997.
Epstein, E.E. Natural communities, aquatic features, and selected habitats of Wisconsin. Chapter 7 in The ecological land- scapes of Wisconsin: An assessment of ecological resources and a guide to planning sustainable management. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, PUB-SS-1131H 2017, Madison.
Hoffman, Randolph M. Wisconsin’s Natural Communities: How to Recognize Them, Where to Find Them, second edition. University of Wisconsin Press. 2002.
Shaw, Samual P, and Fredine, C. Gordon. Wetlands of the United States. 1971.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Wisconsin Wetland Inventory Classification Guide. 1992.