Photo by Eric Epstein
- WDNR
State Rank: S3 Global Rank: GNR what are these ranks?
Lakes that are Large (>10 acres), Deep (> 18 feet), Hard (alkalinity > 50 ppm), and Drainage (have both an inlet and outlet, and the main water source is from streams).
Muskgrasses (Chara spp.) are well-adapted to live in hard water drainage lakes and can often be found growing in dense mats along the lake bottom. These macroalgae play a valuable role in the lake's ecological community by preventing sediment re-suspension and helping to maintain clear water. Other common members of the submergent community in these lakes include cosmopolitan species such as coon-tail (Ceratophyllum demersum), common waterweed (Elodea canadensis), naiads (Najas spp.), and water celery (Vallisneria americana). Floating lilies (Nymphaea odorata and Nuphar variegata) are also common. Associated fish species vary depending on water depth and hydrology.
The following Species of Greatest Conservation Need are listed according to their level of association with the Lake--Deep, Hard, Drainage natural community type, based on the findings in Wisconsin's 2015 Wildlife Action Plan.
Scores: 3 = high association, 2 = moderate association, and 1 = low association. See the key to association scores for complete definitions.
| Amphibians | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Blanchard's Cricket Frog | Acris blanchardi | 3 |
| Mink Frog | Lithobates septentrionalis | 3 |
| Pickerel Frog | Lithobates palustris | 2 |
| Beetles | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| A Crawling Water Beetle | Haliplus apostolicus | 2 |
| Birds | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Black Tern | Chlidonias niger | 2 |
| Common Goldeneye | Bucephala clangula | 2 |
| Purple Martin | Progne subis | 2 |
| Common Tern | Sterna hirundo | 1 |
| Forster's Tern | Sterna forsteri | 1 |
| Dragonflies and damselflies | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Alkali Bluet | Enallagma clausum | 3 |
| Lake Emerald | Somatochlora cingulata | 3 |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 3 |
| Mottled Darner | Aeshna clepsydra | 3 |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Gomphus graslinellus | 3 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 3 |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 3 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 3 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 2 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 1 |
| Fishes | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Sturgeon | Acipenser fulvescens | 3 |
| Lake Chubsucker | Erimyzon sucetta | 2 |
| Least Darter | Etheostoma microperca | 2 |
| Longear Sunfish | Lepomis megalotis | 2 |
| Pugnose Shiner | Notropis anogenus | 2 |
| Redfin Shiner | Lythrurus umbratilis | 1 |
| Mammals | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Big Brown Bat | Eptesicus fuscus | 3 |
| Little Brown Bat | Myotis lucifugus | 3 |
| Northern Long-eared Bat | Myotis septentrionalis | 2 |
| Silver-haired Bat | Lasionycteris noctivagans | 2 |
| Eastern Pipistrelle | Perimyotis subflavus | 1 |
| Water Shrew | Sorex palustris | 1 |
| Reptiles | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Blanding's Turtle | Emydoidea blandingii | 3 |
| Eastern Ribbonsnake | Thamnophis sauritus | 1 |
Please see Section 2. Approach and Methods of the Wildlife Action Plan to learn how this information was developed.
The Natural Heritage Inventory has developed scores indicating the degree to which each of Wisconsin's rare plant species is associated with a particular natural community or ecological landscape. This information is similar to that found in the Wildlife Action Plan for animals. As this is a work in progress, we welcome your suggestions and feedback.
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Callitriche hermaphroditica | Autumnal Water-starwort | 2 |
| Eleocharis equisetoides | Horsetail Spike-rush | 3 |
| Eleocharis quadrangulata | Square-stem Spike-rush | 3 |
| Eleocharis robbinsii | Robbins' Spike-rush | 1 |
| Najas gracillima | Thread-like Naiad | 3 |
| Nuphar microphylla | Small Yellow Pond Lily | 2 |
| Potamogeton bicupulatus | Snail-seed Pondweed | 1 |
The following Ecological Landscapes have the best opportunities to manage for Lake--Deep, Hard, Drainage, based on the Ecological Landscapes of Wisconsin Handbook.
| Ecological Landscape | Opportunity |
|---|---|
| North Central Forest | Important |
| Northern Highland | Important |
| Southeast Glacial Plains | Important |
| Central Lake Michigan Coastal | Present |
| Central Sand Hills | Present |
| Central Sand Plains | Present |
| Forest Transition | Present |
| Northeast Sands | Present |
| Northern Lake Michigan Coastal | Present |
| Northwest Lowlands | Present |
| Northwest Sands | Present |
| Southern Lake Michigan Coastal | Present |
| Superior Coastal Plain | Present |
| Western Prairie | Present |
Major (3 on map)
A major opportunity for sustaining the natural community in the Ecological Landscape exists, either because many significant occurrences of the natural community have been recorded in the landscape or major restoration activities are likely to be successful maintaining the community's composition, structure, and ecological function over a longer period of time.
Important (2 on map)
Although the natural community does not occur extensively or commonly in the Ecological Landscape, one to several occurrences do occur and are important in sustaining the community in the state. In some cases, important opportunities may exist because the natural community may be restricted to just one or a few Ecological Landscapes within the state and there may be a lack of opportunities elsewhere.
Present (1 on map)
The natural community occurs in the Ecological Landscape, but better management opportunities appear to exist in other parts of the state.
Conservation actions respond to issues or threats, which adversely affect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) or their habitats. Besides actions such as restoring wetlands or planting resilient tree species in northern communities, research, surveys and monitoring are also among conservation actions described in the WWAP because lack of information can threaten our ability to successfully preserve and care for natural resources.
Threats/issues and conservations actions for natural communities
Click to view a larger version. Please considering donating your photos to the Natural Heritage Conservation Program for educational uses. Photo use
Inland Lake: Deep, Hard, Drainage type. Johnson Lake SNA, Northern Highland-American Legion SF, Vilas County.
Photo by Eric Epstein.
Note: photos are provided to illustrate various examples of natural community types. A single photograph cannot represent the range of variability inherent in a given community type. Some of these photos explicitly illustrate unusual and distinctive community variants. The community photo galleries are a work in progress that we will expand and improve in the future.