Summer 2007: Volume 28, Number 3 - Missouri Prairie Foundation

Japanese pavement ant, movement of rattlesnakemaster pollinators, structure and organization ofurban butterfly communities, and interactionsbetween wild senna and herbivores.Restoration efforts began on site in 1989with the restoration of 10 acres of mesic to wetmesic prairie. The original restoration effortincluded grass seeds from a nursery near KansasCity and locally collected forb seeds. Prairie restorationhas continued with another two acresof prairie restored between 1999 and 2007.The seeds for this restoration were all collectedwithin 100 miles of the LREC. The big bluestemwas collected from Calvary Cemetery andis now being collected from the LREC restorationto contribute to the restoration of CalvaryCemetery’s prairie. The prairie restorations haveapproximately 216 plant species, of which 179are native to Missouri. Characteristic plants ofwet mesic prairie that are present at the LRECinclude big bluestem, prairie cord grass, switchgrass, sweet coneflower, foxglove beardtongue,rattlesnake master, bottle gentian, ragged orchid,and bunchflower.The 14 acres of bottomland forest at theLREC are in the process of restoration. Becauseof the proximity to Deer Creek, an urban stream,the forest often experiences flash flooding, sedimentdeposition, and the invasive plant speciesoutbreaks that follow. The creek also bringswater-loving wildlife to the area, however. Nearly100 species of birds, 18 species of mammals, 10species of amphibians, 23 species of reptiles, andmany species of invertebrates have been recordedat the LREC.Malinda W. Slagle, restoration ecologist,Litzsinger Road Ecology CenterThe LREC is not open to the public, but if you areinterested in conducting a K-12 field study or ecologicalresearch at the LREC, please contact MarthaSchermann at martha.schermann@mobot.org or314-442-6717.Canada wild rye grass,top, catches the lightat the Litzsinger RoadEcology Center prairie.Hundreds of studentsvisit the LREC prairieevery year, learningabout an ecosystem thatonce covered 17% ofSt. Louis County.CaptionBilL Davit Photos Heather Wells-sweeney19