Photo by Eric Epstein
- WDNR
State Rank: S3 Global Rank: GNR what are these ranks?
Lakes that are Large (>10 acres), Shallow (< 18 feet), Soft (alkalinity < 50 ppm), and Drainage (have both an inlet and outlet, and the main water source is from streams).
The submergent community of this lake type is often dominated by cosmopolitan species like coon-tail (Ceratophyllum demersum), water milfoils (Myriophyllum spp.), common waterweed (Elodea canadensis), fern-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton robbinsii), and wild celery (Vallisneria americana), even in high quality examples. While less abundant, other submersed species, including large-leaf pondweed (P. amplifolius) and slender naiad (Najas flexilis), provide excellent fish habitat. Floating lilies (Nymphaea odorata and Nuphar variegata) are common along lake margins, especially in shallow sheltered bays. Fish species associated with headwater lakes of this type include golden shiner, black bullhead, yellow bullhead, bluegill, and largemouth bass. Lowland lakes of this type have northern pike, black bullhead, yellow bullhead, bluegill, largemouth bass, and black crappie.
The following Species of Greatest Conservation Need are listed according to their level of association with the Lake--Shallow, Soft, 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 |
| A Predaceous Diving Beetle | Liodessus obscurellus | 2 |
| Robust Dubiraphian Riffle Beetle | Dubiraphia robusta | 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Alkali Bluet | Enallagma clausum | 2 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 2 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 2 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 1 |
| Fishes | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Chubsucker | Erimyzon sucetta | 2 |
| Lake Sturgeon | Acipenser fulvescens | 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 |
| Tricolored Bat | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Eleocharis robbinsii | Robbins' Spike-rush | 1 |
| Littorella uniflora | American Shoreweed | 2 |
| Nuphar microphylla | Small Yellow Pond Lily | 2 |
| Potamogeton oakesianus | Oakes' Pondweed | 2 |
| Potamogeton vaseyi | Vasey's Pondweed | 2 |
The following Ecological Landscapes have the best opportunities to manage for Lake--Shallow, Soft, Drainage, based on the Ecological Landscapes of Wisconsin Handbook.
| Ecological Landscape | Opportunity |
|---|---|
| Northern Highland | Major |
| North Central Forest | 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
This shallow, softwater drainage lake is within a vast wetland of marsh, meadow, fen, and bog. Black Lake SNA, Douglas 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.