Mammals of the Indiana Dunes - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Thirty-seven species of mammals have been identified at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is a U.S. National Lakeshore located in northwest Indiana and managed by the National Park Service. It was authorized by Congress in 1966. The national lakeshore runs for nearly along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, from Gary, Indiana, on the west to Michigan...

. Four other species are thought to inhabit the park, but have not been documented: the northern long-eared myotis

Northern long-eared myotis

The Northern long-eared myotis is a small bat, typically 5-10 g and 84 mm in total length . The fur is dull brown on the dorsum and yellowish on the venter...

(Myotis septentrionalis), the Indiana bat

Indiana bat

The Indiana bat is a medium-sized mouse-eared bat native to North America. It lives primarily in eastern and midwestern states and in parts of the south of the United States. The Indiana bat is gray, black, or chestnut in colour and is 1.2–2 inches and weighs about 1/4 an ounce...

(Myotis sodalis), the hoary bat

Hoary bat

The hoary bat is a species of bat in the vesper bat family, Vespertilionidae. It occurs throughout most of North America and much of South America, with disjunct populations in the Galapagos and Hawaiian Islands...

(Lasiurus cinereus), and the southern bog lemming

Bog lemming

The genus Synaptomys is a group of North American lemmings.These animals live in wet forested and open areas. They are small round rodents with large heads, short ears, legs and tails. They eat green vegetation such as grasses and sedges...

(Synaptomys cooperi)

Common mammals seen by visitors and residents include the eastern cottontail

Eastern Cottontail

The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America.-Distribution:...

, the eastern fox squirrel

Fox Squirrel

The fox squirrel is the largest species of tree squirrel native to North America...

, the white-footed mouse

White-footed mouse

White-footed Mouse is a rodent native to North America. It ranges from Ontario, Quebec, Labrador and the Maritime Provinces to the southwest USA and Mexico. It is also known as the Woodmouse, particularly in Texas.Adults are in length, not counting the tail, which can add another . A young adult...

, the white-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...

, and the meadow vole

Meadow Vole

The Meadow Vole , sometimes called the Field Mouse or Meadow Mouse, is a North American vole found across Canada, Alaska and the northern United States. Its range extends further south along the Atlantic coast. One subspecies, the Florida Salt Marsh Vole , is found in Florida, and is classified as...

. Extirpated mammals include the common porcupine

Porcupine

Porcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend or camouflage them from predators. They are indigenous to the Americas, southern Asia, and Africa. Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents, behind the capybara and the beaver. Most porcupines are about long, with...

(Erethizon dorsatum), the gray wolf

Gray Wolf

The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...

(Canis lupus), the red wolf

Red Wolf

The red wolf is a North American canid which once roamed throughout the Southeastern United States and is a glacial period survivor of the Late Pleistocene epoch...

(Canis rufus), the black bear

American black bear

The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...

(Ursus americanus), the fisher

Fisher (animal)

The fisher is a medium-size mammal native to North America. It is a member of the mustelid family, commonly referred to as the weasel family. The fisher is closely related to but larger than the American Marten...

(Martes pennanti), the North American river otter (Lontra canadensis), the mountain lion (Puma concolor), the Canada lynx

Canada Lynx

The Canada lynx or Canadian lynx is a North American mammal of the cat family, Felidae. It is a close relative of the Eurasian Lynx . Some authorities regard both as conspecific. However, in some characteristics the Canada lynx is more like the bobcat than the Eurasian Lynx...

(Lynx canadensis), the bobcat

Bobcat

The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...

(Lynx rufus), the elk

Elk

The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...

(Cervus canadensis), and the American bison

American Bison

The American bison , also commonly known as the American buffalo, is a North American species of bison that once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds...

(Bison bison). There are two threatened or endangered species in the dunes. The American badger

American Badger

The American badger is a North American badger, somewhat similar in appearance to the European badger. It is found in the western and central United States, northern Mexico and central Canada, as well as in certain areas of southwestern British Columbia.Their habitat is typified by open...

(Taxidea taxus), on the Indiana

Indiana

Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

threatened list is known to inhabit the area. The Indiana Bat

Indiana bat

(Myotis indiana), on the federal endangered list is presumed to inhabit areas of the dunes.

List of mammals documented in the Dunes

	Common Name	Latin Name	Locations
1	Marsupial	(Order Didelphimorphia)
	Virginia opossum Virginia Opossum The Virginia opossum , commonly known as the North American opossum or tlacuache in Mexico, is the only marsupial found in North America north of Mexico. A solitary and nocturnal animal about the size of a domestic cat, and thus the largest opossum, it is a successful opportunist...	Didelphis virginiana	Miller Woods, Dune Park, and Portage Lakefront
5	Insectivores	Order Insectivora
	Masked shrew	Sorex cinereus	Miller Woods and Portage Lakefront
	Northern short-tailed shrew Northern Short-tailed Shrew The Northern Short-tailed Shrew is the largest shrew in the genus Blarina, and occurs in the northeastern region of North America. It is a semifossorial, highly active and voracious insectivore and is present in a variety of habitats. It is notable in that it is one of the few venomous mammals...	Blarina brevicauda
	Least shrew Least Shrew The North American Least Shrew is one of the smallest mammals, growing to be only up to 3 inches long. The North American Least Shrew has a long pointed snout and a tail never more than twice the length of their hind foot. It has a dense fur coat that is either grayish-brown or reddish-brown...	Cryptotis parva
	Eastern mole Eastern Mole The eastern mole or common mole is a medium-sized, overall grey North American mole and the only member of the genus Scalopus. Its large, hairless, spade shaped forefeet are adapted for digging...	Scalopus aquaticus	Millerwoods, and Portage Lakefront
	short-tailed shrew American short-tailed shrew The genus Blarina is a group of relatively large shrews with relatively short tails found in North America. They have 32 teeth and are in the red-toothed shrew subfamily....	Blarina brevicauda	interdunal ponds, the pines, and Portage Lakefront
5	Bats	Order Chiroptera
	Brown bat Brown bat Brown bat refers to any species of bat belonging to either of the following genera:* Myotis, see Little brown bat or* Eptesicus or Big Brown Bats...	Myotis lucifugus	Portage Lakefront
	Eastern red bat Red bat Red bat may refer to:Eastern Red Bat , a species of bat found in the Eastern United StatesWestern Red Bat , a species of bat found in Western United States, also called the "Desert red bat"...	Lasiurus borealis
	Silver-haired bat Silver-Haired Bat The Silver-haired Bat is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae and the only member of the genus Lasionycteris.- Habitat :...	Lasionycteris noctivagans
	Big brown bat Big brown bat The Big Brown Bat is larger in size than comparative species of bats, from about 4 to 5 inches in body length, with a 11-13 inch wingspan and weighing 1/2 to 5/8 ounce. The fur is moderately long, and shiny brown...	Eptesicus fuscus
	Red bat Red bat Red bat may refer to:Eastern Red Bat , a species of bat found in the Eastern United StatesWestern Red Bat , a species of bat found in Western United States, also called the "Desert red bat"...	Nycteris borealis
1	Lagomorphs	Order Lagomorpha
	Eastern cottontail Eastern Cottontail The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America.-Distribution:...	Sylvilagus floridanus	Millerwoods and Portage Lakefront
18	Rodents	Order Rodentia
	Eastern chipmunk Eastern Chipmunk The eastern chipmunk is a small squirrel-like rodent found in eastern North America, the sole living member of the chipmunk genus and subgenus Tamias....	Tamias striatus
	Woodchuck	Marmota monax
	Thirteen-lined ground squirrel Thirteen-lined ground squirrel The thirteen-lined ground squirrel , also known as the striped gopher, leopard ground squirrel, squinney, and as the leopard-spermophile in Audubon’s day, is a ground squirrel....	Spermophilus tridecemlineatus	Millerwoods and Portage Lakefront
	Eastern gray squirrel Eastern Gray Squirrel The eastern gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada...	Sciurus carolinensis	Millerwoods and Portage Lakefront
	Eastern fox squirrel Fox Squirrel The fox squirrel is the largest species of tree squirrel native to North America...	Sciurus niger	Millerwoods and Portage Lakefront
	American red squirrel American Red Squirrel The American Red Squirrel is one of three species of tree squirrel currently classified in the genus Tamiasciurus and known as pine squirrels...	Tamiasciurus hudsonicus	Millerwoods and Portage Lakefront
	Southern flying squirrel	Glaucomys volans
	American beaver American Beaver The North American Beaver is the only species of beaver in the Americas, native to North America and introduced to South America. In the United States and Canada, where no other species of beaver occurs, it is usually simply referred to as "beaver"...	Castor canadensis
	White-footed mouse White-footed mouse White-footed Mouse is a rodent native to North America. It ranges from Ontario, Quebec, Labrador and the Maritime Provinces to the southwest USA and Mexico. It is also known as the Woodmouse, particularly in Texas.Adults are in length, not counting the tail, which can add another . A young adult...	Peromyscus leucopus	Millerwoods and Portage Lakefront
	Northern deer mouse	Peromyscus leucopus noveboracenis
	Prairie deer mouse	Peromyscus maniculatus Peromyscus maniculatus Peromyscus maniculatus is a rodent native to North America. It is most commonly called the Deer Mouse, although that name is common to most species of Peromyscus and is fairly widespread across the continent, with the major exception being the southeast United States and the far north.Like other... bairdii	Portage Lakefront
	Brown rat Brown Rat The brown rat, common rat, sewer rat, Hanover rat, Norway rat, Brown Norway rat, Norwegian rat, or wharf rat is one of the best known and most common rats....	Rattus norvegicus
	House mouse House mouse The house mouse is a small rodent, a mouse, one of the most numerous species of the genus Mus.As a wild animal the house mouse mainly lives associated with humans, causing damage to crops and stored food....	Mus musculus
	Prairie vole Prairie Vole The Prairie Vole is a small vole found in central North America. The vole has long, coarse grayish-brown fur on the upper portion of the body and yellowish fur on the lower portion of the body...	Microtus ochrogaster
	Meadow vole Meadow Vole The Meadow Vole , sometimes called the Field Mouse or Meadow Mouse, is a North American vole found across Canada, Alaska and the northern United States. Its range extends further south along the Atlantic coast. One subspecies, the Florida Salt Marsh Vole , is found in Florida, and is classified as...	Microtus pennsylvanicus	Millerwoods and Portage Lakefront
	Woodland vole	Microtus pinetorum	Portage Lakefront
	Common muskrat Muskrat The muskrat , the only species in genus Ondatra, is a medium-sized semi-aquatic rodent native to North America, and introduced in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands and is a very successful animal over a wide range of climates and habitats...	Ondatra zibethicus	Millerwoods and Portage Lakefront
	Meadow jumping mouse Meadow jumping mouse The meadow jumping mouse is the most widely distributed mouse in the subfamily Zapodinae. It may be found from the Atlantic coast, to the Great Plains, as far north as the arctic tree lines in Canada and Alaska, and as far south as Georgia, Alabama, Arizona, and New Mexico.- Description :The...	Zapus hudsonius
9	Carnivores	Order Carnivora
	Coyote Coyote The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...	Canis latrans
	Red fox Red Fox The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...	Vulpes vulpes	Dunes
	Common gray fox Gray Fox The gray fox is a mammal of the order Carnivora ranging throughout most of the southern half of North America from southern Canada to the northern part of South America...	Urocyon cinereoargenteus
	Common raccoon	Procyon lotor	dunes, Millerwoods, and Portage Lakefront
	Long-tailed weasel Long-tailed Weasel The long-tailed weasel , also known as the bridled weasel or big stoat is a species of mustelid distributed from southern Canada throughout all the United States and Mexico, southward through all of Central America and into northern South America.-Evolution:The long-tailed weasel is the product of...	Mustela frenata	Portage Lakefront
	Least weasel Least Weasel The least weasel is the smallest member of the Mustelidae , native to Eurasia, North America and North Africa, though it has been introduced elsewhere. It is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN, due to its wide distribution and presumably large population...	Mustela nivalis
	American mink American Mink The American mink is a semi-aquatic species of Mustelid native to North America, though human intervention has expanded its range to many parts of Europe and South America. Because of this, it is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Since the extinction of the sea mink, the American mink is the...	Neovison vison	near water, and Portage Lakefront
	American badger American Badger The American badger is a North American badger, somewhat similar in appearance to the European badger. It is found in the western and central United States, northern Mexico and central Canada, as well as in certain areas of southwestern British Columbia.Their habitat is typified by open...	Taridea taxus
	Striped skunk Striped Skunk The striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis, is an omnivorous mammal of the skunk family Mephitidae. Found over most of the North American continent north of Mexico, it is one of the best-known mammals in Canada and the United States.-Description:...	Mephitis mephitis	Portage Lakefront
1	Artiodactyls	Order Artiodactyla
	White-tailed deer White-tailed Deer The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...	Odocoileus virginianus	Millerwoods and Portage Lakefront

Habitats

While this article breaks out mammal communities by habitats, one of the problems you'll encounter in the Dunes community is that the habitats are in flux. Razed Residential areas are slowly returning to the habitat of the surrounding area, whether that is a wetland hummock, or a savanna. At Mount Baldy forested areas are becoming open sand. While the process may take years, an area that once hosted a community of plants and animals may change in your lifetime.

Barren ground

Barren ground consists of open sand on the beaches and blowout

Blowout (geology)

Blowouts are sandy depressions in a sand dune ecosystem caused by the removal of sediments by wind.Blowouts occur in partially vegetated dunefields or sandhills. A blowout forms when a patch of protective vegetation is lost, allowing strong winds to "blow out" sand and form a depression...

s. Barren grounds are about 4% of the dunes areas and occur mostly along the beaches. Because of the scarcity of plants there are no permanent mammals living in the area. The normal process is for animals hunt on the beach at night. Some animals will live in the scattered clumps of plants that may remain or return to the blowouts. Evidence of animals in the barren areas is usually done through their tracks. Animals appear to go to the beach to feed and/or drink. In the blowouts, evidence of mammals is found near the clumps of grass (marrain grass and sea rocket).

Species found

Beaches: Virginia opossum

Virginia Opossum

The Virginia opossum , commonly known as the North American opossum or tlacuache in Mexico, is the only marsupial found in North America north of Mexico. A solitary and nocturnal animal about the size of a domestic cat, and thus the largest opossum, it is a successful opportunist...

, raccoon

Raccoon

Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...

, and prairie deer mice and white-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

.
Blowouts: masked shrew

Shrew

A shrew or shrew mouse is a small molelike mammal classified in the order Soricomorpha. True shrews are also not to be confused with West Indies shrews, treeshrews, otter shrews, or elephant shrews, which belong to different families or orders.Although its external appearance is generally that of...

, prairie vole

Prairie Vole

The Prairie Vole is a small vole found in central North America. The vole has long, coarse grayish-brown fur on the upper portion of the body and yellowish fur on the lower portion of the body...

, and meadow vole

Meadow Vole

Prairie

About 4.4% of the area of the dunes is Prairie

Prairie

Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...

. Three-fourths of that is dry prairie, the remainder is wet prairie.

Dry prairie

Dry prairie primarily is along the front of dunes. It is easily identified by open sand with stands of marram grass

Ammophila breviligulata

Ammophila breviligulata is a species of grass that is native to eastern North America, where it grows on sand dunes along the Atlantic Ocean and Great Lakes coasts...

and sand reed

Calamagrostis

Calamagrostis, or Small-reed or Reedgrass, is a genus in the Grass family Poaceae with about 260 species that occur mainly in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere and the southern hemisphere. Towards equatorial latitudes, species of Calamagrostis generally occur at higher elevations in...

. The increased plant life over the barren sand provides shelter for small mammals. Little bluestem

Little bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium, commonly known as little bluestem or beard grass, is a North American prairie grass. Little bluestem is a perennial bunchgrass and is prominent in tallgrass prairie, along with big bluestem , indiangrass and switchgrass...

grass may be mixed in or it may form dense clumps among the dunes. The plots with little bluestem grass often had a greater variety of plant species, especially when away from the Lakeshore.

Species found

Marram Grass, Sand Reed, Little Bluesteam dominated prairie:

Prairie deer mice

Peromyscus

The genus Peromyscus contains the animal species commonly referred to as deer mice. This is a genus of New World mouse only distantly related to the common house mouse and laboratory mouse, Mus musculus...

, white-footed mice

White-footed mouse

, meadow voles, Thirteen-lined ground squirrel

Thirteen-lined ground squirrel

The thirteen-lined ground squirrel , also known as the striped gopher, leopard ground squirrel, squinney, and as the leopard-spermophile in Audubon’s day, is a ground squirrel....

s, northern short-tailed shrews, and eastern cottontail

Eastern Cottontail

The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America.-Distribution:...

s. The prairie mice

MICE

-Fiction:*Mice , alien species in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy*The Mice -Acronyms:* "Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions", facilities terminology for events...

are the only small mamma1 that increase in numbers with less plant cover. Voles thrive only with good plant cover. When Short-tailed shrews use dry prairies only where they abut wetter areas.

Marram Grass, and Sand Reed only prairie:

Prairie deer mice

Peromyscus

, white-footed mice

White-footed mouse

, prairie voles, ground squirrels, eastern cottontail

Eastern Cottontail

The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America.-Distribution:...

s, and northern short-tailed shrew

Shrew

Little bluestem grass dominant areas

Prairie deer mice

Peromyscus

, white-footed mice

White-footed mouse

, northern short-tailed shrews, thirteen-lined ground squirrel

Thirteen-lined ground squirrel

The thirteen-lined ground squirrel , also known as the striped gopher, leopard ground squirrel, squinney, and as the leopard-spermophile in Audubon’s day, is a ground squirrel....

s, and eastern cottontail

Eastern Cottontail

The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America.-Distribution:...

.

Signs found
astern cottontail, the red fox

Red Fox

The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...

, white-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

, domestic dog

Dog

The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...

and the long-tailed weasel

Long-tailed Weasel

The long-tailed weasel , also known as the bridled weasel or big stoat is a species of mustelid distributed from southern Canada throughout all the United States and Mexico, southward through all of Central America and into northern South America.-Evolution:The long-tailed weasel is the product of...

. Sign have been seen that may be the southern bog lemming

Bog lemming

, but no animal itself has been found to confirm its presence. The bog lemming stays pretty much in bogs or wet areas. It does have a broad range of habitats around wetland areas. The thirteen-lined ground squirrel

Thirteen-lined ground squirrel

The thirteen-lined ground squirrel , also known as the striped gopher, leopard ground squirrel, squinney, and as the leopard-spermophile in Audubon’s day, is a ground squirrel....

stays mostly in mowed areas, i.e., lawns, pastures, and roadsides. There discovery may indicate that they lived in the dry prairie before settlement created artificially maintained (mowed) spaces.

Wet prairie

Shrub layer with of willow

Willow

Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...

, aspen

Aspen

Populus section Populus, of the Populus genus, includes the aspen trees and the white poplar Populus alba. The five typical aspens are all native to cold regions with cool summers, in the north of the Northern Hemisphere, extending south at high altitudes in the mountains. The White Poplar, by...

, and oak

Oak

An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...

. Some of the major grasses were reed canary grass and blue joint grass. Cattails and rushes

Juncaceae

Juncaceae, the rush family, are a monocotyledonous family of flowering plants. There are eight genera and about 400 species. Members of the Juncaceae are slow-growing, rhizomatous, herbaceous plants, and they may superficially resemble grasses. They often grow on infertile soils in a wide range...

were also dominant in some areas. Cover ranged from animals being able to hide in clumps animals able to move about without being seen.

Species found

The masked shrew was most prominent. Meadow vole

Meadow Vole

had been seen along the edge of wet areas at Hoosier Prairie. The white-footed mouse

White-footed mouse

and the northern short-tailed shrew

Northern Short-tailed Shrew

The Northern Short-tailed Shrew is the largest shrew in the genus Blarina, and occurs in the northeastern region of North America. It is a semifossorial, highly active and voracious insectivore and is present in a variety of habitats. It is notable in that it is one of the few venomous mammals...

also in abundance. Other mammals were prairie deer mice, common raccoon

Raccoon

s, meadow vole

Meadow Vole

, and meadow jumping mouse

Meadow jumping mouse

The meadow jumping mouse is the most widely distributed mouse in the subfamily Zapodinae. It may be found from the Atlantic coast, to the Great Plains, as far north as the arctic tree lines in Canada and Alaska, and as far south as Georgia, Alabama, Arizona, and New Mexico.- Description :The...

. Sign of the eastern mole

Eastern Mole

The eastern mole or common mole is a medium-sized, overall grey North American mole and the only member of the genus Scalopus. Its large, hairless, spade shaped forefeet are adapted for digging...

, the woodchuck, the common raccoon

Raccoon

and the white-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

were seen.

Terrestrial shrubland

No major terrestrial shrubland exists at the lakeshore. Instead, there is a shrubby area between the grass-covered dunes and the forested dunes. They consist of saplings of oaks

Oaks

-Horse races:"Oaks" is generally used to describe a Thoroughbred horse race restricted to 3-year-old fillies. Among the best-known races using the term are:*Epsom Oaks, The Oaks Stakes, at Epsom Downs Racecourse, Surrey, England; the original "Oaks" race...

, conifers, basswood; other trees soon to populate; and sometimes other species such as grape

Grape

A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...

, cherry

Cherry

The cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus, and is a fleshy stone fruit. The cherry fruits of commerce are usually obtained from a limited number of species, including especially cultivars of the wild cherry, Prunus avium....

, and bearberry

Bearberry

Bearberries are three species of dwarf shrubs in the genus Arctostaphylos. Unlike the other species of Arctostaphylos , they are adapted to Arctic and sub-Arctic climates, and have a circumpolar distribution in northern North America, Asia and Europe, one with a small highly disjunctive population...

Lowland terrestrial shrubland

This habitat may be willow

Willow

Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...

thickets, red maple

Red Maple

Acer rubrum , is one of the most common and widespread deciduous trees of eastern North America. It ranges from the Lake of the Woods on the border between Ontario and Minnesota, east to Newfoundland, south to near Miami, Florida, and southwest to east Texas...

thicket or an aspen

Aspen

thicket. Some are former sand mines which are returning as dry prairie

Prairie

, including clumps of little bluestem

Little bluestem

grass or red osier dogwood

Red Osier Dogwood

The Red Osier Dogwood is a species of dogwood native throughout northern and western North America from Alaska east to Newfoundland, south to Durango and Nuevo León in the west, and Illinois and Virginia in the east...

.

Species found

No species of mammal

Mammal

Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...

s were dominant or even abundant in this habitat. Mammals found include white-footed mice

White-footed mouse

, northern short-tailed shrew

Northern Short-tailed Shrew

s, thirteen-lined ground squirrel

Thirteen-lined ground squirrel

The thirteen-lined ground squirrel , also known as the striped gopher, leopard ground squirrel, squinney, and as the leopard-spermophile in Audubon’s day, is a ground squirrel....

s, Virginia opossum

Virginia Opossum

s, common raccoon

Raccoon

s, woodchuck, red squirrel

Red Squirrel

The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus common throughout Eurasia...

, and meadow vole

Meadow Vole

Sign may be seen of eastern cottontail

Eastern Cottontail

The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America.-Distribution:...

, white-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

, and the eastern mole

Eastern Mole

The eastern mole or common mole is a medium-sized, overall grey North American mole and the only member of the genus Scalopus. Its large, hairless, spade shaped forefeet are adapted for digging...

. The use of this area is transitory as the area habitat is transitory.

Upland terrestrial shrubland

Upland terrestrial shrubland are disturbed areas between grassy old field or savanna and wooded habitats.

Species found

The meadow vole

Meadow Vole

s and shrews reflect the former fields rather than the current shrubs. In the woody vegetation there is a range of animals from small to large including meadow voles, short-tailed shrew

Shrew

s, white-footed mice

White-footed mouse

, raccoon

Raccoon

s, masked shrew

Shrew

. prairie deer mouse, prairie vole

Prairie Vole

The Prairie Vole is a small vole found in central North America. The vole has long, coarse grayish-brown fur on the upper portion of the body and yellowish fur on the lower portion of the body...

, and meadow jumping mouse

Meadow jumping mouse

. Signs of white-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

, eastern cottontail

Eastern Cottontail

The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America.-Distribution:...

, eastern chipmunk

Eastern Chipmunk

The eastern chipmunk is a small squirrel-like rodent found in eastern North America, the sole living member of the chipmunk genus and subgenus Tamias....

, eastern fox squirrel

Fox Squirrel

The fox squirrel is the largest species of tree squirrel native to North America...

, domestic dog

Dog

, and red fox

Red Fox

were found.

Savanna

The lakeshore includes three types of savanna

Savanna

A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...

. Oak savanna

Oak savanna

An oak savanna is a type of savanna, or lightly forested grassland, where oaks are the dominant tree species. These savannas were maintained historically through wildfires set by lightning, grazing, low precipitation, poor soil, and/or fires set by Native Americans...

constitutes about 3% of the area, coniferous savanna about 0,196, and mixed deciduous savanna about 1.0%.

Oak savanna

s are grassy areas with a scattering of black oaks. These areas grade black oak forest. It is often difficult to decide between black oak forest and black oak savanna. The Oak

Oak

An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...

forest has a canopy of pure black oak. The understory is varied. Common shrubs in the understory include: oak saplings, blackberry

Blackberry

The blackberry is an edible fruit produced by any of several species in the Rubus genus of the Rosaceae family. The fruit is not a true berry; botanically it is termed an aggregate fruit, composed of small drupelets. The plants typically have biennial canes and perennial roots. Blackberries and...

, blueberry

Blueberry

Blueberries are flowering plants of the genus Vaccinium with dark-blue berries and are perennial...

, rose

Rose

A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...

, and Japanese honeysuckle

Japanese Honeysuckle

The Japanese Honeysuckle is a species of honeysuckle native to eastern Asia including China , Japan, and Korea. It is a twining vine able to climb up to high or more in trees, with opposite, simple oval leaves long and broad...

. Common herbs in the understory include major grasses or sedges. Bracken fern and goldenrod

Goldenrod

Solidago, commonly called goldenrods, is a genus of about 100 species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Most are herbaceous perennial species found in the meadows and pastures, along roads, ditches and waste areas in North America. There are also a few species native to Mexico, South...

are occasionally significant.

Species found

The white-footed mouse

White-footed mouse

was the most abundant mamma1 found. The prairie deer mice occur in the sparsely vegetated and dry areas. The white-footed mouse

White-footed mouse

is primarily in the woods but lives in a variety of habitats. Savanna

Savanna

is primarily a thinly wooded habitat that tends to favor the white-footed mouse

White-footed mouse

over the prairie deer mouse. The prairie deer mouse prefer areas where the canopy is thinner and when the undergrowth is thin. Additionally, this habitat included: masked shrews, thirteen-lined ground squirrel

Thirteen-lined ground squirrel

The thirteen-lined ground squirrel , also known as the striped gopher, leopard ground squirrel, squinney, and as the leopard-spermophile in Audubon’s day, is a ground squirrel....

s, eastern chipmunk

Eastern Chipmunk

The eastern chipmunk is a small squirrel-like rodent found in eastern North America, the sole living member of the chipmunk genus and subgenus Tamias....

s, southern flying squirrel

Flying squirrel

Flying squirrels, scientifically known as Pteromyini or Petauristini, are a tribe of 44 species of squirrels .- Description :...

, and the common raccoon

Raccoon

. Seen in the Oak Savanna were the white-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

; eastern mole

Eastern Mole

The eastern mole or common mole is a medium-sized, overall grey North American mole and the only member of the genus Scalopus. Its large, hairless, spade shaped forefeet are adapted for digging...

, woodchuck, and eastern fox squirrel

Fox Squirrel

The fox squirrel is the largest species of tree squirrel native to North America...

; eastern cottontail

Eastern Cottontail

The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America.-Distribution:...

, eastern chipmunk

Chipmunk

Chipmunks are small striped squirrels native to North America and Asia. They are usually classed either as a single genus with three subgenera, or as three genera.-Etymology and taxonomy:...

, and red fox

Fox

Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...

; and eastern gray squirrel

Eastern Gray Squirrel

The eastern gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada...

Coniferous savanna

Little coniferous savanna occurs in a narrow band between the grassy dunes and the black oak dunes. There is a layer of jack pine

Jack Pine

Jack pine is a North American pine with its native range in Canada east of the Rocky Mountains from Northwest Territories to Nova Scotia, and the northeast of the United States from Minnesota to Maine, with the southernmost part of the range just into northwest Indiana...

and a few black oak

Black oak

Quercus velutina, the eastern black oak or more commonly known as simply black oak, is an oak in the red oak group of oaks. It is native to eastern North America from southern Ontario south to northern Florida and southern Maine west to northeastern Texas...

s. The shrub layer is very dense, forming fair to excellent cover. Bearberry

Bearberry

and little bluestem

Little bluestem

grass are the dominant plants.

Species found

The white-footed mouse

White-footed mouse

was the abundant. Virginia opossum

Virginia Opossum

, thirteen-lined ground squirrel

Thirteen-lined ground squirrel

The thirteen-lined ground squirrel , also known as the striped gopher, leopard ground squirrel, squinney, and as the leopard-spermophile in Audubon’s day, is a ground squirrel....

, muskrat

Muskrat

The muskrat , the only species in genus Ondatra, is a medium-sized semi-aquatic rodent native to North America, and introduced in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands and is a very successful animal over a wide range of climates and habitats...

, and white-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

, eastern cottontail

Eastern Cottontail

The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America.-Distribution:...

, prairie deer mouse

Mouse

A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...

, meadow vole

Meadow Vole

, red fox

Red Fox

, and raccoon

Raccoon

identified.

The white-footed mouse

White-footed mouse

was favored in wooded area. The prairie deer mouse

Mouse

was found in open areas. Meadow vole

Meadow Vole

s and muskrat

Muskrat

s were found in moist areas with heavy cover and along interdunal ponds. The thirteen-lined ground squirrel

Thirteen-lined ground squirrel

The thirteen-lined ground squirrel , also known as the striped gopher, leopard ground squirrel, squinney, and as the leopard-spermophile in Audubon’s day, is a ground squirrel....

and the prairie deer mouse were found in dry, open areas.

Mixed deciduous savanna

The mixed deciduous savannas have scattered eastern cottonwoods with little bluestem

Little bluestem

grass. Other grasses were old witch grass and brome grass. Shrubs included grape

Grape

, sumac

Sumac

Sumac is any one of approximately 250 species of flowering plants in the genus Rhus and related genera, in the family Anacardiaceae. Sumacs grow in subtropical and temperate regions throughout the world, especially in Africa and North America....

, and bearberry

Bearberry

and others. This savanna had a lot of cover for small animals.
Species found

The white-footed mouse

White-footed mouse

was plentiful with northern short-tailed shrew

Shrew

s, prairie deer mouse, meadow vole

Meadow Vole

s, and raccoon

Raccoon

Upland forest

Upland forest is the most extensive habitat along the lake. It is divided between upland oak forest mixed deciduous forest, and coniferous forest.

Upland oak forest

Oak forest graded into oak savanna, and together the two habitats made up a major proportion of the area of the lakeshore. Black oak

Black oak

predominates on the higher drier areas and red oak in the lower interdunal areas of the many rows of oak dunes at the lakeshore. Eight plots were included in upland oak forest. Vegetation was studied in six of the eight plots. One was predominantly red oak. Black oak was dominant in the remainder. Black oak forest consisted primarily of rather low scrubby black oaks, with relatively little undergrowth. The shrub layer was often dense and diverse in this habitat, often containing black oak sprouts and blueberry

Blueberry

Blueberries are flowering plants of the genus Vaccinium with dark-blue berries and are perennial...

. The herbaceous layer was often diverse, it most often provided poor to fair cover. The dominant herbaceous plants were most often Pennsylvania sedge and bracken fern.

Species found

The white-footed mouse

White-footed mouse

, northern short-tailed shrew

Northern Short-tailed Shrew

s, two eastern gray squirrel

Eastern Gray Squirrel

The eastern gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada...

s, eastern chipmunk

Chipmunk

Chipmunks are small striped squirrels native to North America and Asia. They are usually classed either as a single genus with three subgenera, or as three genera.-Etymology and taxonomy:...

, and southern flying squirrel. Sign may be seen of white-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

; eastern chipmunk

Chipmunk

Chipmunks are small striped squirrels native to North America and Asia. They are usually classed either as a single genus with three subgenera, or as three genera.-Etymology and taxonomy:...

and eastern fox squirrel

Fox Squirrel

The fox squirrel is the largest species of tree squirrel native to North America...

, eastern mole

Eastern Mole

The eastern mole or common mole is a medium-sized, overall grey North American mole and the only member of the genus Scalopus. Its large, hairless, spade shaped forefeet are adapted for digging...

, eastern gray squirrel

Eastern Gray Squirrel

The eastern gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada...

, gray fox

Gray Fox

The gray fox is a mammal of the order Carnivora ranging throughout most of the southern half of North America from southern Canada to the northern part of South America...

, long-tailed weasel

Long-tailed Weasel

, and eastern skunk

Skunk

Skunks are mammals best known for their ability to secrete a liquid with a strong, foul odor. General appearance varies from species to species, from black-and-white to brown or cream colored. Skunks belong to the family Mephitidae and to the order Carnivora...

Upland coniferous forest

Conifers are short lived in the dunes. They exist briefly in the shrub stage before the oak forest moves in.

Species found

The white-footed mouse

White-footed mouse

, northern short-tailed shrews, eastern gray squirrel

Eastern Gray Squirrel

The eastern gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada...

s, eastern chipmunk

Chipmunk

Chipmunks are small striped squirrels native to North America and Asia. They are usually classed either as a single genus with three subgenera, or as three genera.-Etymology and taxonomy:...

, and a southern flying squirrel. Signs were seen for white-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

were recorded in three plots; eastern chipmunk

Chipmunk

Chipmunks are small striped squirrels native to North America and Asia. They are usually classed either as a single genus with three subgenera, or as three genera.-Etymology and taxonomy:...

and eastern fox squirrel

Fox Squirrel

The fox squirrel is the largest species of tree squirrel native to North America...

and eastern mole

Eastern Mole

The eastern mole or common mole is a medium-sized, overall grey North American mole and the only member of the genus Scalopus. Its large, hairless, spade shaped forefeet are adapted for digging...

, eastern gray squirrel

Eastern Gray Squirrel

The eastern gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada...

, gray fox, long-tailed weasel

Long-tailed Weasel

, and eastern raccoon

Raccoon

s, and eastern cottontail

Eastern Cottontail

The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America.-Distribution:...

Upland mixed deciduous forest

The upland mixed deciduous forest is dominated buy oak

Oak

An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...

s (black

Black oak

, red, white

White oak

Quercus alba, the white oak, is one of the pre-eminent hardwoods of eastern North America. It is a long-lived oak of the Fagaceae family, native to eastern North America and found from southern Quebec west to eastern Minnesota and south to northern Florida and eastern Texas. Specimens have been...

, and pin

Pin oak

Quercus palustris, the Pin oak or Swamp Spanish oak, is an oak in the red oak section Quercus sect. Lobatae.-Distribution:...

) and maple

Maple

Acer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...

s, (red

Red Maple

and silver

Silver Maple

The silver maple —also called creek maple, river maple, silverleaf maple, soft maple, water maple, or white maple—is a species of maple native to eastern North America in the eastern United States and Canada...

). Some areas are beech-maple forest

Beech-maple forest

A beech-maple forest is a climax mesic closed canopy hardwood forest. It is primarily composed of American Beech and Sugar Maple trees which co-dominate the forest and which are the pinnacle of plant succession in their range...

. Cherry

Cherry

, ash, and elm

Elm

Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...

dominate in a few areas. The shrubs most prevalent are witch hazel, Japanese honeysuckle, blueberry

Blueberry

Blueberries are flowering plants of the genus Vaccinium with dark-blue berries and are perennial...

, spicebush, and saplings of several tree species. The ground cover can be sparse or dense.

Species found

The most abundant species is the white-footed mouse

White-footed mouse

. Other mammals found include, the common raccoon

Raccoon

, northern short-tailed shrew

Northern Short-tailed Shrew

s, Virginia opossum

Virginia Opossum

, meadow vole

Meadow Vole

, woodchuck, red squirrel, eastern mole

Eastern Mole

The eastern mole or common mole is a medium-sized, overall grey North American mole and the only member of the genus Scalopus. Its large, hairless, spade shaped forefeet are adapted for digging...

, eastern fox squirrel

Fox Squirrel

The fox squirrel is the largest species of tree squirrel native to North America...

, and the white-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

Ephemeral lowland forest

Ephemeral lowlands have a dense leaf cover of many different species. Silver

Silver Maple

or red maple

Red Maple

are common with oak

Oak

An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...

and ash, aspen

Aspen

and sassafras

Sassafras

Sassafras is a genus of three extant and one extinct species of deciduous trees in the family Lauraceae, native to eastern North America and eastern Asia.-Overview:...

present. The shrubs may be closely packed or providing an open sparse cover. Spicebush is common. Numerous seedlings of the trees are present.

Species found

white-footed mice

White-footed mouse

, northern short-tailed shrew

American short-tailed shrew

The genus Blarina is a group of relatively large shrews with relatively short tails found in North America. They have 32 teeth and are in the red-toothed shrew subfamily....

s, eastern chipmunk

Chipmunk

Chipmunks are small striped squirrels native to North America and Asia. They are usually classed either as a single genus with three subgenera, or as three genera.-Etymology and taxonomy:...

s, common raccoon

Raccoon

s, long-tailed weasel

Long-tailed Weasel

s, red squirrels, masked shrew, eastern cottontail

Eastern Cottontail

The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America.-Distribution:...

, meadow vole

Meadow Vole

, woodchuck, white-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

; eastern mole

Eastern Mole

The eastern mole or common mole is a medium-sized, overall grey North American mole and the only member of the genus Scalopus. Its large, hairless, spade shaped forefeet are adapted for digging...

and eastern cottontail

Eastern Cottontail

The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America.-Distribution:...

Perennial lowland forest

These forest retains water for 6 or more months each year. Vegetation varies greatly in this habitat. Maple are a dominant tree followed by pin oak

Pin oak

Quercus palustris, the Pin oak or Swamp Spanish oak, is an oak in the red oak section Quercus sect. Lobatae.-Distribution:...

, black oak

Black oak

, aspen

Aspen

, elm

Elm

, birch

Birch

Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...

and wild black cherry

Black Cherry

Prunus serotina, commonly called black cherry, wild black cherry, rum cherry, or mountain black cherry, is a woody plant species belonging to the genus Prunus...

. These trees are common in the shrub layer, along with others, including blueberries and winterberry. The herb layer varies with graminoids and ferns

Fern

A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...

. The herb and shrub layers were often clumped in hummocks.

Species found

The white-footed mouse is very common with raccoon

Raccoon

s; northern short-tailed shrew

Northern Short-tailed Shrew

s; eastern chipmunk

Chipmunk

Chipmunks are small striped squirrels native to North America and Asia. They are usually classed either as a single genus with three subgenera, or as three genera.-Etymology and taxonomy:...

s; Virginia opossum

Virginia Opossum

, masked shrew, meadow vole

Meadow Vole

, woodchuck, and eastern fox squirrel

Fox Squirrel

The fox squirrel is the largest species of tree squirrel native to North America...

. White-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

and chipmunk

Chipmunk

Chipmunks are small striped squirrels native to North America and Asia. They are usually classed either as a single genus with three subgenera, or as three genera.-Etymology and taxonomy:...

s are also found. There is evidence of red squirrels, eastern moles, domestic dog, eastern cottontail

Eastern Cottontail

The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America.-Distribution:...

, meadow vole

Meadow Vole

, woodchuck, and meadow vole

Meadow Vole

.

The star-nosed mole

Star-nosed mole

The star-nosed mole is a small mole found in wet low areas of eastern Canada and the north-eastern United States, with records extending along the Atlantic coast as far as extreme southeastern Georgia...

may be present from evidence of burrows. The western most site recorded for the star-nosed mole is at Trail Creek at the southern edge of Michigan City just east of the park. Shrews may be more prevalent than the 1988 study found due to the dry conditions that year.

Wetlands

A variety of wetlands exists through the dune lands. Most wetlands are marsh

Marsh

In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....

, then aquatic shrub land, swamp

Swamp

A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...

, and bog

Bog

A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....

Marsh

Marsh habitat includes the Great Marsh. Many muskrat

Muskrat

s occur in here marshes, Much of the marsh is cattail, with bulrushes

Schoenoplectus

Schoenoplectus is a genus of about 80 species of sedges with a cosmopolitan distribution. Note that the name bulrush is also applied to species in the unrelated genus Typha...

, sedges

Cyperaceae

Cyperaceae are a family of monocotyledonous graminoid flowering plants known as sedges, which superficially resemble grasses or rushes. The family is large, with some 5,500 species described in about 109 genera. These species are widely distributed, with the centers of diversity for the group...

, and sometimes buttonbush. Cowles Bog

Cowles Bog

Cowles Bog is named for Henry Chandler Cowles of the University of Chicago. Dr. Cowles is credited with the creation of the concept of Ecology. It was here at Cowles Bog that Dr. Cowles did his pioneering work. The bog is a National Natural Landmark. Cowles Bog is more than 8,000 years old and...

is a marsh rather than a bog because cattail is the dominant plant. However, it has a floating mat of vegetation typical of a bogs, and it does have some typical bog species grass of Parnassus

Grass of Parnassus

The genus Parnassia, also known as Grass of Parnassus or bog-stars, are plants in the family Celastraceae. The plants occur in arctic and alpine habitats, as well as in dune systems and fens, swamps, moist woods, and across the Northern Hemisphere. It is actually not a grass, but an herbaceous dicot...

and pitcher plant

Pitcher plant

Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants whose prey-trapping mechanism features a deep cavity filled with liquid known as a pitfall trap. It has been widely assumed that the various sorts of pitfall trap evolved from rolled leaves, with selection pressure favouring more deeply cupped leaves over...

. This is very little canopy with some scattered willows or elms. The shrub layer consisted of thick buttonbush, willow, or Ribes

Ribes

Ribes is a genus of about 150 species of flowering plants native throughout the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It is usually treated as the only genus in the family Grossulariaceae. Seven subgenera are recognized....

. The herb layer was often cattail, sedges, or blue joint grass, with occasional false nettle

Boehmeria

Boehmeria is a genus of about 100 species of flowering plants in the nettle family Urticaceae, native to Asia and North America. The species include herbaceous perennials, shrubs and small trees. Although related to nettles, this genus does not have stinging hairs...

.

Species found

Three species were of near equal importance-the masked shrew, the white-footed mouse

White-footed mouse

, and the meadow vole

Meadow Vole

. The next most common are the northern short-tailed shrew

Northern Short-tailed Shrew

, the raccoon

Raccoon

, and the white-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

. Other species include the eastern cottontail

Eastern Cottontail

The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America.-Distribution:...

, the eastern chipmunk

Chipmunk

Chipmunks are small striped squirrels native to North America and Asia. They are usually classed either as a single genus with three subgenera, or as three genera.-Etymology and taxonomy:...

, the meadow vole

Meadow Vole

, woodchuck, the prairie vole, the common muskrat

Muskrat

, and the long-tailed weasel

Long-tailed Weasel

. The muskrat

Muskrat

is a major species in the marshes, lakes, and ditches near open water.

Aquatic shrublands

There is little canopy in the aquatic shrub lands and what little there is consist of oak

Oak

An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...

. The shrub layer is aspen

Aspen

, willow

Willow

Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...

, or oak

Oak

An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...

. The herb layer is blue joint grass or cattails.

Species found
The northern short tailed shrew

American short-tailed shrew

The genus Blarina is a group of relatively large shrews with relatively short tails found in North America. They have 32 teeth and are in the red-toothed shrew subfamily....

, the white-footed mouse

White-footed mouse

, and the meadow vole

Meadow Vole

were the mammals most widespread in this habitat. The meadow jumping mouse

Meadow jumping mouse

was the largest single species. The eastern cottontail

Eastern Cottontail

The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America.-Distribution:...

, the prairie vole, the common raccoon

Raccoon

, and the white-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

are present.

Swamp

A very small portion of the lakeshore is swamp, about 1%. The woody canopy is a mix of eastern cottonwood or black willow

Black Willow

Salix nigra is a species of willow native to eastern North America, from New Brunswick and southern Ontario west to Minnesota, and south to northern Florida and Texas.-Description:...

. Willow dominant the lower layer with blackberry or grape vine. These area have thick ground cover was of blue joint grass, sedges, and cattails.

Species found

Much of the swamp habitat is water. Of the smaller animals, meadow vole

Meadow Vole

s were found and so were white-footed mice

White-footed mouse

. Also found were common raccoon

Raccoon

s and fox squirrel

Fox Squirrel

The fox squirrel is the largest species of tree squirrel native to North America...

s. During this survey, signs of the eastern cottontail

Eastern Cottontail

The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America.-Distribution:...

were found. In another survey by J. 0. Whitaker and R. E. Mumford in the fall of 1978 the swamp areas were found to be populated by masked shrew

Shrew

s, white-footed mice

White-footed mouse

, and northern short-tailed shrews. Based on the two surveys done in the swamps, the researchers suspect that the shrew population has been dropping between 1978 and 1994.

Bogs

Pinhook Bog

Indiana’s only true bog is a special geologic feature of this region which preserves a large variety of plants with extraordinary adaptations for survival. See insect eating plants and tamarack trees; walk on a boardwalk that is placed upon a floating mat of sphagnum moss. Pinhook Bog is about , a...

and Cowles Bog

Cowles Bog

are both acidic and calcareous with poor drainage. There is a mats of Sphagnum

Sphagnum

Sphagnum is a genus of between 151 and 350 species of mosses commonly called peat moss, due to its prevalence in peat bogs and mires. A distinction is made between sphagnum moss, the live moss growing on top of a peat bog on one hand, and sphagnum peat moss or sphagnum peat on the other, the...

over parts of the bogs. Typical plants include pitcher plants, sundew

Sundew

Drosera, commonly known as the sundews, comprise one of the largest genera of carnivorous plants, with at least 194 species. These members of the family Droseraceae lure, capture, and digest insects using stalked mucilaginous glands covering their leaf surface. The insects are used to supplement...

, cotton grass, and poison sumac

Poison Sumac

Poison sumac is a woody shrub or small tree growing to 7 m tall. All parts of the plant contain a resin called urushiol that causes skin and mucous membrane irritation to humans...

. Shrubby areas, called heaths

Heath (habitat)

A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...

include leatherleaf, blueberries, bog rosemary

Rosemary

Rosemary, , is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which includes many other herbs, and is one of two species in the genus Rosmarinus...

, and cranberries

Cranberry

Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus Oxycoccus of the genus Vaccinium. In some methods of classification, Oxycoccus is regarded as a genus in its own right...

. The perimeter is dominated by Tamarack.

Pinhook Bog is a typical bog and used in the last study of mammals. Two areas were study; one was atypical for a bog and the other more typical. In the atypical plot, the dominant plant in the canopy was willow

Willow

Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...

. The shrub layer included buttonbush, winterberry, poison ivy

Poison ivy

Toxicodendron radicans, better known as poison ivy , is a poisonous North American plant that is well known for its production of urushiol, a clear liquid compound found within the sap of the plant that causes an itching rash in most people who touch it...

, wild rose

Wild Rose

Wild Rose is the name given to certain flowering shrubs:*Genus Rosa:** Rosa acicularis, or Wild Rose, a rose species which occurs in Asia, Europe, and North America...

. The dominant grasses were blue joint grass and smartweed --- water heartsease (Polygonurn coccineum). The typical plot had a canopy of tamarack and some pines

Pines

Pines may refer to:*Pine, coniferous trees of the genus Pinus, in the family Pinaceae*PINES or Public Information Network for Electronic Services- People with the surname :...

and willows. In the shrub layer were bog rosemary

Rosemary

, leatherleaf, blueberry

Blueberry

Blueberries are flowering plants of the genus Vaccinium with dark-blue berries and are perennial...

, and huckleberry

Huckleberry

Huckleberry is a common name used in North America for several species of plants in two closely related genera in the family Ericaceae:* Vaccinium* GaylussaciaHuckleberry may also refer to:-Plants:...

. The lowest layer, the herb layer was dominated by contained sphagnum

Sphagnum

, sedges, and pitcher plant

Pitcher plant

.

Species found

The white-footed mouse was the only mammal taken in more than one study area. Other species include northern short-tailed shrew

Northern Short-tailed Shrew

s, one eastern cottontail, eastern chipmunk

Chipmunk

Chipmunks are small striped squirrels native to North America and Asia. They are usually classed either as a single genus with three subgenera, or as three genera.-Etymology and taxonomy:...

, and common raccoon

Raccoon

. In 1978, 70 small mammals were identified, including masked shrew

Shrew

s, northern short-tailed shrews, white-footed mice

MICE

-Fiction:*Mice , alien species in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy*The Mice -Acronyms:* "Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions", facilities terminology for events...

, meadow jumping mice, meadow vole

Meadow Vole

s, and house mice. In 1994, there were no masked shrews in Pinhook. The house mouse while abundant around cultivated fields it is not usually caught in native habitats.

Pannes

Between the dune ridges, directly behind the beach front dunes are shallow depressions called pannes. Because they are low spots, they can contain water most of the year and will be surrounded by grass and shrubs. Pannes are open and without a canopy layer. Around the edges is a dense shrub layer, often containing red osier dogwood

Red Osier Dogwood

, willow

Willow

Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...

, and Kalm's St. John's wort

Clusiaceae

The Clusiaceae or Guttiferae Juss. is a family of plants formerly including about 37 genera and 1610 species of trees and shrubs, often with milky sap and fruits or capsules for seeds. It is primarily tropical...

. The herb layer, closest to the ground tends to be excellent cover through summer and fall. Included in this layer are twig rush

Juncaceae

, and lake shore rush, strawberry

Strawberry

Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...

, mountain mint and others.

Species found

Meadow vole

Meadow Vole

was the only regularly occurring species White-footed mice

White-footed mouse

and prairie deer mice were also identified. While both of these species were found in pannes, they were never found in the same panne. Larger species included the Virginia opossum

Virginia Opossum

and the northern short-tailed shrew

Northern Short-tailed Shrew

Razed residential

Razed Residential areas have sparse canopy of eastern cottonwood with some maple

Maple

, elm

Elm

, ash, and others. The shrub layer is thin but consist of eastern cottonwood, ash, and willow

Willow

Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...

seedlings, wild

Wild Rose

Wild Rose is the name given to certain flowering shrubs:*Genus Rosa:** Rosa acicularis, or Wild Rose, a rose species which occurs in Asia, Europe, and North America...

and multiflora rose

Multiflora Rose

Rosa multiflora is a species of rose native to eastern Asia, in China, Japan and Korea....

, Japanese honeysuckle

Japanese Honeysuckle

, blackberry

Blackberry

, grape

Grape

, and red osier dogwood

Red Osier Dogwood

. The herb layer is fair to excellent cover of grasses, goldenrods, and asters. There is no well-developed mammal community.

Species found
The white-footed mouse

White-footed mouse

was the most common mammal present. Other mammals include the raccoon

Raccoon

, northern short-tailed shrew

Northern Short-tailed Shrew

, eastern mole

Eastern Mole

The eastern mole or common mole is a medium-sized, overall grey North American mole and the only member of the genus Scalopus. Its large, hairless, spade shaped forefeet are adapted for digging...

, meadow vole

Meadow Vole

, woodchuck, eastern fox squirrel

Fox Squirrel

The fox squirrel is the largest species of tree squirrel native to North America...

, striped skunk

Skunk

,and white-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

Rights-of-way

Rights-of-way include areas along roads, railroads, or bike trails

Segregated cycle facilities

Segregated cycle facilities are marked lanes, tracks, shoulders and paths designated for use by cyclists from which motorised traffic is generally excluded...

. Various types of habitats may be disturbed by a right-of-way. Disturbed wet woodland tend to have a quaking aspen canopy and blackberry

Blackberry

as the shrub layer. Blue joint grass and touch-me-not. (Impatiens) are the dominant herbaceous plants. There is seldom a canopy layer on Rights-of-ways. The shrub layer ranges from sparse to thick but is sparse in most right-of-ways. Blackberries

Blackberry

are a dominant shrub with rose

Rose

, grapes, Japanese honeysuckle

Japanese Honeysuckle

, Spiraea

Spiraea

Spiraea , is a genus of about 80-100 species of shrubs in the family Rosaceae, subfamily Spiraeoideae. They are native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere, with the greatest diversity in eastern Asia....

, and shining sumac

Sumac

dominant in some areas. Many herbaceous plants are present. Some dominant species are blue joint grass, other grasses, and rushes. Other plants like marsh fern

Thelypteris palustris

Thelypteris palustris, or the marsh fern, is a fern native to eastern North America and across Eurasia. It prefers to grow in marshy situations in full sun.-References:*...

can be present.

Species found

The mammals of this habitat are the eastern cottontail

Eastern Cottontail

The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America.-Distribution:...

and the white-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

. Other mammals include the meadow vole

Meadow Vole

, woodchuck and the prairie deer mouse. They are common in areas with the least amount of ground cover. Other species that may be found are the eastern mole

Eastern Mole

The eastern mole or common mole is a medium-sized, overall grey North American mole and the only member of the genus Scalopus. Its large, hairless, spade shaped forefeet are adapted for digging...

, white-footed mouse

White-footed mouse

, eastern fox squirrel

Fox Squirrel

The fox squirrel is the largest species of tree squirrel native to North America...

, prairie vole

Prairie Vole

The Prairie Vole is a small vole found in central North America. The vole has long, coarse grayish-brown fur on the upper portion of the body and yellowish fur on the lower portion of the body...

, meadow vole

Meadow Vole

, and meadow jumping mouse

Meadow jumping mouse

Excavated

Excavated areas were where open sand existed because of human activities. Examples include former fly ash seepage and the site of an acid spill. All sites lack a canopy and have poor cover with scattered grasses, including little bluestem

Little bluestem

grass, sand reed

Poaceae

The Poaceae is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of flowering plants. Members of this family are commonly called grasses, although the term "grass" is also applied to plants that are not in the Poaceae lineage, including the rushes and sedges...

, and nodding wild rye

Elymus canadensis

Elymus canadensis is a species of wild rye known by the common name Canada wild rye. This grass is native to much of North America, being most abundant in the central plains and Great Plains...

. Other area may have Joe-pye weed

Eutrochium

Eutrochium is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in Asteraceae. They are commonly referred to as Joe-Pye weeds. They are native to Eastern North America and have non-dissected foliage and pigmented flowers. It includes all the purple flowering North American species of the genus Eupatorium as...

, bulrush

Schoenoplectus

Schoenoplectus is a genus of about 80 species of sedges with a cosmopolitan distribution. Note that the name bulrush is also applied to species in the unrelated genus Typha...

, and spikerush

Eleocharis

Eleocharis is a genus of 250 or more species of flowering plants in the sedge family, Cyperaceae. They are known commonly as spikerushes, although spikesedges is a more technically appropriate name and most scientists who study them in earnest refer to them as such...

.

Species found

Few animals use this habitat, such as meadow vole

Meadow Vole

s and common raccoon

Raccoon

s. This is not a good habitat for mammals. Animals that may pass through include the Virginia opossum

Virginia Opossum

, the eastern mole

Eastern Mole

The eastern mole or common mole is a medium-sized, overall grey North American mole and the only member of the genus Scalopus. Its large, hairless, spade shaped forefeet are adapted for digging...

, woodchuck, prairie deer mouse

Peromyscus maniculatus

Peromyscus maniculatus is a rodent native to North America. It is most commonly called the Deer Mouse, although that name is common to most species of Peromyscus and is fairly widespread across the continent, with the major exception being the southeast United States and the far north.Like other...

, red fox

Red Fox

, and white-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

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