Chauncey Marsh contains the best remaining example of what is called a Wabash Border Marsh Ecosystem, with marshes, dry and wet prairie, lush bottomland forest and thriving riverine communities. During late July and early August beautiful pink and white hibiscus and hairy rose mallow are in bloom.
Chauncey Marsh is an inland freshwater marsh found along the fringe of the Wabash river where the water table, the upper surface of underground water, is very high. Marshes that occur along rivers are called riparian marshes. These marshes serve two ecological roles: to absorb excess water when river levels are high and to release water when river levels are low. These balancing forces help prevent floods and droughts.
In addition, the presence of marshes in a watershed helps to reduce damage caused by floods by slowing and storing flood water. As water moves slowly through a marsh, sediment and other pollutants settle to the substrate, or floor of the marsh. Marsh vegetation and microorganisms also use excess nutrients for growth that can otherwise pollute surface water such as nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer. This wetland type is very important to preserving the quality of surface waters. In fact, marshes are so good at cleaning polluted waters that people are now building replicas of this wetland type to treat waste water from farms, parking lots, and small sewage plants.
There are three major types of areas at the Chauncey Marsh.
One area of the Chauncey marsh is composed of hardwood bottoms and flood during times of heavy rain or when the Wabash River overflows its banks. Water oak and hickory trees are dominant in this area.
A second type of area is upland prairie or wet meadow and does not have standing water for most of the year. It does not support aquatic plants. Plants establish seeds on a yearly basis, and only bloom with annual or biannual flooding of the meadow. Vegetation includes prairie grass and other types of grasses.
The third type of area is a wetland in which is normally void of living trees and contains water during much of the year. Vegetation includes cattail and other forms of water grasses.
To receive credit for this earthcache send an email to me with the following:
1. Describe the type of area at Earthcache coordinates,
2. Describe the type of area at Stage 2,
3. Describe the type of area at Stage 3. It is not necessary to go all the way to Stage 3 unless you want to.
4. In your own words tell me how and why you think the Chauncey Marsh ecosystem helps and/or interacts to help improve the environment.
Do not post answers or photographs on the Earthcache page and
HAPPY EARTHCACHING!
Permission granted from the Park Manager at Red Hill State Park.
