A Natural Areas Inventory of the - Kansas Natural Heritage Inventory ...

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Loggerhead shrike: Lanius ludovicianus Linnaeus Past Records. This small, predatory bird is an uncommon migrant and summer resident in eastern Kansas (Thompson and Ely 1992). There are numerous records for Leavenworth County and other sites northeastern Kansas. Loggerheads shrikes were observed on FLMR in the 1990s (J. Schukman personal comm., Freeman et al. 1997), the latter reporting them at three locations in the Missouri River floodplain. Available Habitat and Surveys. Shrikes prefer grasslands and other open habitats with scattered trees and large shrubs that are used for foraging perches and nesting sites (Thompson and Ely 1992). Short grass and herbaceous cover is preferred over tall, dense vegetation. Shrike habitat is limited on FLMR. Sites where shrikes were observed in 1995–1996 were revisited in this study, but none was found. Other observers have not seen loggerhead shrike in the past few years on FLMR (J. Schukman personal comm.). Potential for Occurrence on FLMR. The absence of recent shrike sightings may be due to regional population declines unrelated to conditions on the post. Alternatively, recent changes in land management at Sherman Army Airfield may have reduced habitat suitability for this species by converting mowed grassland and cropland to taller vegetation that is not suitable for shrikes. Recommendations. Shrike habitat could be improved by creating more short vegetation by mowing fields near the airfield. However, the advantages of this need to be weighed against the preferences of many other wildlife species for tall vegetation. Regal fritillary butterfly: Speyeria idalia (Drury) Past Records. This large, colorful butterfly is found in eastern Kansas and western Missouri (Ely et al. 1986). Specimens are known from Leavenworth County. Available Habitat and Surveys. The regal fritillary is found in prairies, where the larvae feed on violets. It can persist on small prairie remnants and is a good disperser. Very little suitable habitat exists on FLMR, and no surveys were conducted. Potential for Occurrence on FLMR. It is unlikely that this butterfly reproduces on the installation because of the extremely limited amount of suitable habitat. Dispersing individuals occasionally may find their way onto the installation. Recommendations. If existing prairie remnants are managed and expanded, it is possible that sufficient habitat on FLMR could be restored to support populations of this butterfly. Species Accounts–Other Rare Species Three state-rare species tracked by KSNHI, but which lack protection under federal or state endangered species laws, were documented during this study or in the previous Kansas Biological Survey study (Freeman et al. 1997). NATURAL AREAS INVENTORY OF FT. LEAVENWORTH II 64
A Broad-winged hawk, Buteo platypterus (Vieillot), was seen in 1995 in the oak-hickory forest in the vicinity of the National Cemetery (Freeman et al. 1997). This species was observed in 2002–2003 in the same general vicinity (Figure 3.6). Nesting has not been confirmed but it is likely that a pair is nesting somewhere between the National Cemetery and Hancock Hill. The great egret, Ardea alba (Linnaeus), has nested at FLMR from about 1992 to at least 1996 in the large colony of great blue herons in the mature floodplain forest (Figure 3.6). However, none was observed in this study. This is a conspicuous bird, so it probably was not present these two years, a fact perhaps related to drought conditions that may have reduced foraging habitat. Ovenbirds, Seiurus aurocapillus (Linnaeus) were recorded at two sites in upland forest in 1995– 1996 (Figure 3.6). This large, ground-nesting warbler occurs most often in large tracts of dry, upland woods with abundant leaf litter. Ovenbirds were not observed in 2002–2003. Faunistic Surveys Herpetological Survey. A report on a survey of snakes on FLMR is presented in Appendix E. In addition to that survey, other records were gathered of reptiles and amphibians encountered while conducting targeted surveys for protected species. Reptile and amphibian site locations are summarized in Figure 3.7. Most records are described in Appendix E. Floodplain Point Counts for Birds. Results of fixed-radius and unlimited-distance point counts for birds in three forest types (Figure 3.3) along a successional gradient are summarized in Table 3.8. Species richness was highest in the old-growth forest (43 species, unlimited distance; 36 species, fixed-radius), lowest in the mid-successional forest (36 species, unlimited distance; 29 species, fixed-radius), and intermediate in the early successional forest. Species composition exhibited high overlap among forest types, but each forest type had some unique species or at least some species whose relative abundance varied markedly with forest type. Species recorded only in old-growth forest included the red-shouldered hawk, yellow-throated warbler, and parula warbler. Species more abundant in this forest type included the pileated woodpecker, Acadian flycatcher, Carolina wren, and wood thrush. As expected, most of these birds prefer mature, closed-canopy forest. Species unique to early successional forest were open country or edgedwelling birds such as the northern bobwhite, eastern kingbird, eastern bluebird, brown thrasher, yellow warbler, and orchard oriole. As expected from its intermediate successional condition, the mid-successional forest had no species unique to it, and the relative abundance of most species was intermediate between the other two forest types. The only species that was markedly more common in mid-successional forest was warbling vireo, a species that prefers large cottonwoods. All three floodplain forest types support a relatively high diversity and density of breeding birds and contribute substantially to the native, avifaunal diversity of FLMR. However, it should be pointed out that the conservation status of different bird species does vary (Partners in Flight 2003). Higher priority species in Bird Conservation Region 22 (Eastern Tallgrass Prairie) that are found in the FLMR floodplain forest include, from higher to lower scores, cerulean warbler, red-headed woodpecker, wood thrush, prothonotary warbler, Acadian flycatcher, orchard oriole, NATURAL AREAS INVENTORY OF FT. LEAVENWORTH II 65
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A NATURAL AREAS INVENTORY OF THE FT
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TABLE OF CONTENTS List Of Figures .
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LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1.1. Locatio
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LIST OF TABLES TABLE 2.1. Summary o
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This work was carri
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1.1. INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1. BACKGR
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intentionally or accidentally from
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east toward the Missouri River. Two
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Agriculture figures (1874), there w
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examined the status and ecological
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NATURAL AREAS INVENTORY OF FT. LEAV
Page 23 and 24: CHAPTER 2. NATURAL COMMUNITIES 2.1.
Page 25 and 26: TABLE 2.1. Summary of natural commu
Page 27 and 28: TABLE 2.3. Locations of vegetation
Page 29 and 30: green ash seedlings, and silver map
Page 31 and 32: Genus Species Common Name 1995-‘9
Page 33 and 34: ounding. Genus Species Common Name
Page 43 and 44: Phryma leptostachya American lopsee
Page 45 and 46: 1 2 3 4 5 Family Scientific name Co
Page 47 and 48: 1 2 3 4 5 Family Scientific name Co
Page 49 and 50: annuals initially. Eventually, herb
Page 51 and 52: NATURAL AREAS INVENTORY OF FT. LEAV
Page 55 and 56: TABLE 3.1. Animal species protected
Page 57 and 58: September. On 8 September, four tra
Page 59 and 60: warbler, ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapi
Page 61 and 62: TABLE 3.4. Carrion beetles (Coleopt
Page 63 and 64: Potential for Occurrence on FLMR. B
Page 65 and 66: Recommendations. The lack of suitab
Page 67 and 68: suggests that practices that degrad
Page 69 and 70: 1996, Freeman et al. 1997). Availab
Page 71 and 72: Potential for Occurrence on FLMR. R
Page 73: FLMR is the only site in northeast
Page 77 and 78: Species Old-growth Mid- Early- Succ
Page 79 and 80: (68%) have been confirmed since 199
Page 87 and 88: 4.1. INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 4. PLANTS
Page 89 and 90: Date Location Time Notes 39.3611°N
Page 91 and 92: plants (including all infraspecific
Page 93 and 94: TABLE 4.3. Number and cumulative pe
Page 95 and 96: limestone derivation. After the 200
Page 97 and 98: ock outcrops; it is often found wit
Page 99 and 100: hickory Forest on FLMR. Observation
Page 101 and 102: Scientific Name Carex crus-corvi Sh
Page 103 and 104: epresenting 5 families, 13 genera,
Page 121 and 122: with other considerations, includin
Page 123 and 124: existing natural areas information.
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these areas would enhance the prair
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Other trails and paths on the insta
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FIGURE 5.1. One of the small remnan
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While FLMR supports a diverse flora
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Sorghum halepense, previously repor
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Brumwell, M. J. 1951. An ecological
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Kansas State Board of Agriculture.
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Schwartz, C. W. and E. R. Schwartz.
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APPENDIX A. Directions to vegetatio
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The GPS reading is the SE corner of
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APPENDIX B. Checklist of vertebrate
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ORDER Species Common Name Presence
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Equisetum ×ferrissii Clute (Equise
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Daucus pusillus Michx. southwestern
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Aster oolentangiensis Riddell var.
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[Solidago nemoralis Ait. var. longi
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Thlaspi arvense L. field pennycress
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Commelina communis L. Asiatic dayfl
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Carex vulpinoidea Michx. fox sedge
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Dalea candida Michx. ex Willd. var.
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56. Hydrophyllaceae, the waterleaf
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Nothoscordum bivalve (L.) Britton y
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Spiranthes lacera (Raf.) Raf. slend
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Echinochloa muricata (P. Beauv.) Fe
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misidentified specimen of Sporobolu
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91. Rhamnaceae, the buckthorn famil
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99. Scrophulariaceae, the figwort f
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Phryma leptostachya L. American lop
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Net sets 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11
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However, Anabat recordings indicate
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APPENDIX E. Report on a 2003 field
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TABLE E.1. Reptiles and amphibians
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APPENDIX F. Exotic and Invasive Pla
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TABLE F.2. Life forms (habit) of ex
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are in bloom. Fire has not been pro
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Euonymus fortunei (Celastraceae; Ch
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disperse their seeds. They are foun
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Reed canary grass can become highly
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References Information on exotic an
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