[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]



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                     Maryland Coastal Zone Management Program

                              Grant No. NA170ZO497-01

                                    Final Report






                                      TASK B


                          Protection of Nontidal Wetlands
                             and Critical Habitat Areas





                                            Of M








      William Donald Schaefer Maryland Department of Natural Resources     Torrey C. Brown, M.D.
           Govemor                  Tawes State Office Building             Secretary
                                  Fish, Heritage and Wildlife Administration
                                         580 Taylor Avenue
                                       Annapolis, Maryland 21401
                                            April 8, 1993



           MEMORANDUM


           TO:        Suzanne Aucella
                      Coastal and Watershed Resources Division


           VIA:       Janet McKegg
                      Natural Heritage Program

           FROM:      Katharine McCarthy
                      Natural Heritage Prog am

           SUBJ:      Final Report of Progress in Protection of Nontidal
                      Wetlands and Critical Habitat Areas (Contract C299-92-
                      005)


           Educational Proiects

                Mobile Educational Display: Attached are copies of the
           final text and final layout for the display. We have had delays
           in obtaining the photo enlargements due to new restrictions in
           DNR's procurement process that required us to formally bid the
           work. All titles/headings have been produced and other graphics
           are in preparation. We have obtained the display hardware and
           expect to receive the maps, graphics, and photos by the first
           week of May. The display will be assembled immediately upon
           receipt of these components and will be ready for exhibition.

                Educational Unit: Attached is the final text and draft
           layout. Five additional drawings arebeing prepared for the
           final product. We have met with and received very favorable
           responses from environmental education program staff both within
           DNR and at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Chesapeake Bay
           Estuary Program). We have also discussed the unit with the
           Coordinator of math and science curricula for the state
           Department of Education. The unit is being sent through the
  (In      Coordinator for review by a group of school supervisors prior to
  L-       printing. The Coordinator will also facilitate distribution of
  t7       the unit to school supervisors and teachers in Coastal Plain
           counties. The unit will also be distributed at annual state
           teachers.meetings, DNR regional workshops on environmental


                                 Telephone:
                                  DNR TTY for the Deaf: 301-974-3683









          education,.and other relevant forums.

               Fact Sheets: The fact sheet on nontidal wetlands of special
          state concern was completed in 1992 and submitted previously;
          another copy is attached. The fact sheet on habitat
          fragmentation is in final draft. The text and draft layout are
          attached. We are incorporating final comments and will complete
          the text and layout this month. The Natural Heritage Program
          will pay for the cost of printing the final fact sheet on habitat
          fragmentation.


          Bog Study

               We made numerous contacts with landowners at the two sites
          selected for study. Contacts with owners at North Grays Bog
          yielded more information about land use history than contacts at
          Gumbottom Wetland. A summary of our findings is attached.

               A summary of progress in,our bog vegetation monitoring is
          also attached.



          Nontidal Wetlands of Special State Concern

               Landowner Contact: The final report of progress on this
          task was submitted in January.

               Remapping Boundaries: We consulted with staff of the Water
          Resources Administration on their effort to map these wetlands on
          the new, more detailed scale of 1"=60001. We' determined that
          only general guidelines were practical as guidance for the
          initial mapping. We then consulted on several individual site
          boundaries that mappers had problems or questions on. The
          following list includes general guidelines that we agreed upon.

               1)   If the more detailed mapping results in the division of
                    what was formerly a single wetland area (identified as
                    of special state concern) into two or more disjunct
                    wetlands separated by a very narrow upland, all smaller
                    (now disjunct) polygons should be highlighted as of
                    special state concern.

               2)   If the area of a special state concern wetland is shown
                    to be larger, all newly identified wetland areas that
                    are contiguous with the previously identified wetland
                    should be highlighted as of special state concern.

               3)   If the area of a special state concern wetland is shown
                    to be smaller, the larger original area will be
                    specially annotated on the new map. This annotation
                    will give notice to permit reviewers and landowners
                    that, if a regulated activity is proposed, the larger
                    original area needs to be field-checked to determine if










                    wetlands are present.


               We have been reviewing each boundary for the wetlands of
          special state concern within the geographic region that is being
          remapped in order to identify errors in the boundaries. We have
          been providing corrected boundaries to the mapping staff.

          KMAC/dab












              LAND USE HISTORY AT NORTH GRAY'S BOG AND GUMBOTTOM WETLAND



           North Gray's Bog

                North Gray's Bog is located in Lake Shore peninsula area of
           Anne Arundel County, at the headwaters of North Gray's Creek, a
           tidal tributary of the Magothy River.        The bog occurs on the
           fringes of and just upstream from a small pond and is bordered by
           marsh, shrub swamp, and forested upland.

                Most of the residents of the immediate vicinity of North
           Gray's Bog have lived in the area fewer than 10 years (Sillery Bay
           Forest community, upstream) or 25-30 years (Sylvan View community,
           downstream from the bog).    I found only a few area residents who
           had any knowledge of the area prior to 1960. Most helpful were Mr.
           and Mrs. Henry Stegall, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Devoe, Dale Roberts,
           and especially Doug King, Glen Lowman, and Marie Angell Durner.

                Mrs. Durner, whose parents owned the nearby Angell's Store
           from 1921-1960, grew up in the immediate vicinity of North Gray's
           Bog  (from 1923 to 1960) .    She still owns a 9-acre parcel that
           includes part of the pond. Mr. Lowman has researched the history
           of the Lake Shore peninsula with his son for a Boy Scout project.
           Mr. King's knowledge did not go back extensively, but he provided
           pertinent information on the road and dam that maintain the pond
           and thus the bog.

                Before the North Gray's area was developed with suburban
           residences, beginning in the mid- to late      *- 19501s, year-round
           residents consisted primarily of farmers and watermen.. A few small
           stores such as Angell's Store on Old Mountain Road served community
           needs.   In addition, several summer homes had been built along
           Gray's Creek and nearby tributaries of the Magothy river, on
           waterfront properties where wealthy Baltimoreans came for summer
           recreation.


                The earth road that serves as a dam to maintain the water in
           the pond at North Gray;s bog was built to provide access from
           Mountain Road to several summer homes on the East side of North
           Gray's Creek. I have not been able to determine exactly how long
           ago the road was built.      Although it has been reported in the
           scientific, literature that the pond * did not show up on USGS
           quadrangle maps until 1975, both the road and pond do appear in the
           earliest aerial photos I could locate, dated 1948. Furthermore,
           Mrs. Durner reports that both the road and pond were there when she
           moved to the area in 1923.

                Mr. King, a civil engineer and resident of the Sylvan View
           community just south of North Gray's Bog for 25 years, recalled
           shoring up the pond dam about 20 years ago. The pipe that drained
           the pond was only about 411 in diameter and the earth was eroding
           badly around it. The community replaced the pipe with a 1511 pipe,
           covered the pond end with screening, and built a concrete end-









          section at.the pond end to control erosion.

               The forested uplands around North Gray's Bog are second
          growth, although none of my contacts know exactly when the woods
          were cut. None had explored the marsh or pond vegetation in the
          immediate vicinity of the bog.



          Gumbottom Wetland

               I have not been able to locate many contacts with any
          knowledge of the vegetational history of this site. There are only
          a few property owners in the vicinity of the wetland, each owning
          large parcels. They were either relatively recent landowners (e.g.
          Mr. and Mrs. Gardner) or relatively unavailable for consultation
          (the Mallonees, Jr. and Sr.)

               One owner, however, did provide some significant historical
          information that confirms existence of bog vegetation at the site
          at least 50 years ago. Mr. Alvin Stinchcomb (now in his 601s) has
          lived on his property upstream from the bog all his life.         He
          recalls walking down to the wetland with his mother as a boy, going
          down a steep bank to pick cranberries. The wetland was more open
          then - it is closing in now - and it was also wetter. The stream
          at the bottom of their property, now narrow and shallow, was wide
          and deep enough to require a bridge or logs to cross it.         Mr.
          Stinchcomb reports that the tributary of Gumbottom Branch between
          his property and the next property upstream was filled in when
          mining was done in about 1986. Thereafter, some sort of sludge was
          applied for several years, until several. neighbors signed a
          petition complaining of the odor.


                                                   J.R. Modlin
                                                   March 31, 1993












                        VEGETATION MONITORING IN COASTAL BOGS



               Methodology was developed to monitor vegetation succession
          in two coastal bogs in Anne Arundel County, Gumbottom Wetland in
          the Severn River watershed and North Grays Bog in the Magothy
          River watershed. Withing coastal bogs, numerous state rare
          orchids, sedges, and insectivorous plants inhabit canopy gaps
          which are early successional habitats. Historically, natural
          disturbances such as fire and flooding created canopy openings
          and limited the establishment of trees within these wetlands.
          Modern practices of fire suppression and flood control as well as
          the decimation of beaver populations have reduced the frequency
          and intensity of these natural disturbances. In addition, most
          of the bogs historically documented on the Western Shore (McAtee,
          1918) have been destroyed by residential and commercial
          development. The opportunities for formation of new bogs are
          extremely limited, both by the suppression of natural
          disturbancesand by extensive habitat'conversion to residential,
          commercial, and agricultural use. Monitoring the encroachment of
          trees in the remaining bogs is essential in order to assess the
          potential threat to rare herbaceous species and to determine if
          management of woody vegetation is necessary.



          METHODOLOGY


               The two bogs were selected for monitoring based upon the
          following criteria: number and status of rare species present,
          condition of rare species' populations (i.e..size, reproduction),
          habitat quality (such as size of herbaceous opening)-, and habitat
          defensibility (for example, presence of undisturbed buffer), and
          landowners' interest in protecting the bog. We reviewed the
          Natural Heritage Program's database for all documented bogs on
          both the Eastern and Western Shores.

               Gumbottom Wetland is publicly-owned and harbors 12 rare or
          uncommon plant species. The bog mat is well-developed and the
          herbaceous opening is one of the largest documented in coastal
          Maryland. Adequate buffer exists along much of the perimeter;
          however, much of the watershed of the large stream that borders
          the bog is'developed, so sedimentation and pollutants may reduce
          water quality in the bog. The Western Shore region that supports
          bogs (Prince Georges and Anne Arundel Counties) is densely
          inhabited, and there are no bogs in this region that are more
          defensible than this site.

               North Grays Bog harbors six rare plant species. This site
          is privately-owned by a homeowners' association that has agreed
          to voluntarily protect the bog through our Natural Areas
          Registry. The bog occurs at the perimeter of a marsh and pond
          that were created by damming a stream. Most of the bog is
          bordered by a wide forested buffer. There is still a large area
          of open water into which the bog mat may expand, so there is good









          potential 'for long-term viability of the bog community. The
          current herbaceous opening in the bog is one of the largest
          documented in coastal Maryland.


               We conducted a literature search on bogs as well as on
          vegetation monitoring in early successional habitats. The
          studies found to be the most similar in purpose to this study
          examined the effects of prescribed burning in managing and
          restoring prairies and savannas. The bog habitat is
          substantially different however, and the methods were not
          directly applicable. We chose to modify those methods
          dramatically, but followed the same intent to design sampling so
          that the current monitoring design will also provide the data
          necessary if we pursue experimental active management in the
          future.

               We developed a stratified-random sampling design. Transects
          follow the gradient from forest edge through the bog to the
          opposite edge of the bog perpendicular to the direction of water
          flow. At each end of each transect, a 5m x 5m plot is located on
          a randomly selected side of the transect. We determined that
          monitoring encroachment within the center of the bog is necessary
          because the current pattern of woody plant distribution is not
          entirely sequential from edge to center. While many trees and
          shrubs are growing near the perimeter, others also grow on
          hummocks that occur within the bog. Shrub cover is to be
          measured on two randomly selected sides of each plot using the
          line intercept method.

               Within each 5m x 5m plot the densities'of tree-saplings and
          seedlings will be reported by species in seven size classes:
          1) 25cm < height < 50cm;    2) 50cm < height < lm;
          3) 1.0 < height < 1.5;    4) height > 1.5m, dbh < lcm;
          5) lcm < dbh < 3.5cm,    6) 3.5 < dbh < 6cm, 7) 6cm < dbh < 10cm.

               At the four corners of each 5m x 5m plot, a im x im plot is
          to be established. Herbaceous cover will be recorded for all
          species present for each plot. Density will also be determined
          for herbaceous species listed as endangered or threatened in
          Maryland.

               In the future, if experimental management of woody
          vegetation is pursued, three of the four lm x lm plots could be
          treated experimentally while the fourth could serve as a control.
          Rates of new encroachment could be compared between central and
          perimeter plots. Some of the 5m x 5m plots could remain
          undisturbed for continue monitoring or for experimental
          manipulation at a later date.

               In 1992, four transects were established following these
          methods at Gumbottom Wetland, with three (5m x 5m) plots located
          on each transect. We did not complete the establishment of plots
          at North Grays Bog.






                                                                                                                                              'S

                MARYLAND
               NATURAL-11FRITA
                  PRONCAM
                            c'.F N ATU.                                                                  - AMM

                                                   NVfUT IS RARI ?

                                           (An educational unit on causes of rarity and extinction in
                            plant & animal communities, with particular reference to Maryland's Coastal Plain)

          OBJEC77VES                                                            extinction) from the state. Today, almost 750 species of
          1) To give students an understanding of why plants and                plants and animals are federally listed as 11ireatened. or
          .animals become rare or are threatened with extinction as a           Endangered in the U.S., and 3000 more have been
          result of human activities.                                           nominated to be added to the list. Many of these are
          2) To teach students the concept of commonness and rarity             species that have been extirpated from entire states or
          in nature.                                                            large portions of their former ranges. Thousands of others
                                                                                across the country have been designated by state
          3) To increase students' awareness of, and appreciation      ifor,    governments as rare, threatened or endangered within
          local and regional flora (plants) & fauna (animals), and the          individual states.
          diversity of common and rare habitats in their region and
          neighborhood.                                                         Human-Related Causes of Ratity
          4) To introduce students to some of the rare, threatened                1) Habitat loss                      4) Pollution
          and endangered species of Maryland's Coastal Plain.                     2) Habitat fragmentation             5) Introduced species
                                                                                  3) Habitat alteration and            6) Hunting
          5) To expose students to some of the source materials and                  degradation
          references used by botanists, zoologists and ecologists.                Species are driven to extinction,    or become so rare that
          BACKGROUND                                                            they are threatened with extinction, usually as a result of
             Many scientists believe that the Earth is experiencing a           one or more human activities. Huntin& although
          period of mass extinction of species - a tremendous loss of           responsible for the demise of    -some well-known species -
          biological diversity - as a result of human activities.               passenger pigeons, wolves in the lower 48 states, bison in
          Hundreds of species of plants and animals have gone                   the Great Plains, blue whales -is not the most common
          extinct at the hands of humans in the last 500 years and              cause of rarity or extinction. Habitat loss and habitat
          thousands or tens of thousands are threatened with                    fragmentation are the leading causes of the loss of species
          extinction in the next 10-50 years. Over geologic time,               from the land. Every animal needs a certain amount of
          species naturally go extinct at an average rate of perhaps            space for food, shelter, and breeding. When large areas of
          one per 1000 years. But today, many biologists agree that             habitat are destroyed by development, some animals are
          as many as four species per day are going extinct                     killed directly, and all of the remaining animals cannot be
          worldwide. Most of the loss is occurring in the tropics,              squeezed into nearby habitat, so many perish.
          where more than half of all species on Earth are found.
          Tropical rain forests are being destroyed so rapidly that
          many of the species being lost (especially plants and
          insects) have never been studied or given a scientific name.
             Species are also going extinct in industrialized countries
          in the temperate zone, and many more have become rare
          and are threatened with extinction. In the U.S. and
          Canada, over 100 species and subspecies of vertebrates
          (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish) have gone
          extinct since Columbus arrived in the New World in-1492.
          Dozens, if not hundreds of plants and insects have
          probably disappeared during the same time, but historical
          records for these groups are limited. In Maryland, over
                            200 species of plants and animals are               Passenger Pigeons once occurred in the millions in the
                                                             R.AL H TAG-





















          A,                extirpated (no longer occur - local
                     4,                                                          U.S. The last one died in the Cincinnati Zoo in 1914.

                              Publication of the Maryland Natural   Heritage Program, a division of the Fish, Heritage & Wildlife Administration
                                         Department of Natural Resources, Tawes St     ate Office Building, E-1, Annapolis, MD 21401

              A A I k4t






                  Even where natural habitat persists, it is often                              Two significant but less important human-related causes
               fragmented (broken into small sections) by roads, housing                     of rarity and extinction are pollution and habitat alteration
               developments, and shopping centers. Many species cannot                       or degradation. Many birds of prey (hawks, falcons,
               or will not cross such human-dominated "barriers", so their                   eagles) became very rare in the U.S. during the 1960's and
               populations are reduced to a few, small, isolated groups.                     '70's when they ingested large amounts of DDT insecticide
               Numerous birds on Maryland's Coastal Plain (and in the                        in their food. DDT, which was widely sprayed around the
               Northeastern U.S.) are "FIDY - Forest Interior Dwelling                       country from the 1940's to the 1960's to control mosquitos
               birds. These species are adapted to live deep inside                          and other inSect pests, causes abnormal thinning of egg
               mature forests. -They do very poorly where the forest is                      shells, so many birds could no longer produce young.
               small and heavily disturbed at the edges by surrounding                       With a ban on the use of DDT in 1972, bald eagles and
               farms, roads, and developed areas. Similarly, black bear                      peregrine falcons have slowly made a comeback (in
               were once common throughout Maryland, including the                           Maryland and the U.S.) after falling to very low levels in
               Coastal Plain. But these large omnivores require great                        the early 1970's.
               expanses of natural habitat, a situation that no longer                          Unfortunately, we may be repeating this tragedy of
               exists in most of the state. With their numbers also                          unintended side effects of chemical use today. In the
               reduced by hunting, only a few black bears are now found                      Northeastern U.S., the chemical diflubenzuron (trademark
               in extreme western Maryland.                                                  name - Dimilin) is being widely used to control gypsy





                                        IRIS-


                                           I  Figure 1. An aerial view of forest cover (black) in Maryland in (a) the early 1950's and (b) the early 1980's.
                                              Total tree cover has    been greatly reduced, and the small fragments of forest remaining are increasingly isolated.
                 Plants may be less affected than animals by habitat                         moth, a pest species that feeds on the leaves of many
               fragmentation, but they are still vulnerable. For example,                    native and ornamental trees. Gypsy moths caterpillars
               dwarf trillium@ a wildflower that grows in mature forests on                  were first brought to Massachusetts from Europe in 1868
               Maryland's Eastern Shore, is endangered in part because so                    for scientific study. But some escaped from captivity, and
               little of this habitat remains, and what does remain is                       this small insect now denudes hundreds of thousands of
               fragmented into small "islands" of natural habitat                            acres a year from Maine to Virginia and west to Michigan.
               surrounded by a "sea" of human-dominated land.                                Dimilin effectively inhibits larval growth in gypsy moths,
                 When the number of individuals of any species becomes                       but the spray also kills larvae of all other moths and
               low (i.e., the species becomes rare), the chance of                           butterflies in the vicinity. Butterflies are important
               extinction increases dramatically. Disease, natural                           pollinators of many plant species, so where butterflies are
               "disasters" (e.g., forest fires, floods, a sudden freeze) or                  wiped out, plant populations may also be reduced. Dimilin
               further development could easily wipe out an entire                           is also  highly toxic to many aquatic invertebrates, so
               population - perhaps the last population found anywhere.                      animal communities of streams, rivers and lakes are                 at risk.
                                                                                                                        Peregrine      1"            1;:
                                    Ali
                                                                                                                         Falcon


                                       17.
                                                                                                                                  IS
                                                                                                     It I;                                           'Y       REGRINE
                                                                                                                                                          PE
                                                                                                                                                              FALCON
                                                                                                                                                             of W 4011
                                                                                                                                                         L 15





                                                   Dwarf Trillium
                                        (State  Endangered, Federal Candidate)
                                                                                                              Pcregrinc Falcon     (height     15 in, wingspan      40 in)
                                                                                                                        (Federaliv & State Endangered)







              Habitat alteration and degradation certainly affect               due to construction of jetties that alter the'pattern of sand
           terrestrial habitats like forests, but there is also serious         accumulation; off-road vehicles that crush nests, eggs and
           impact on fish populations and other organisms in aquatic            young; frequent disturbance of nesting birds by sunbathers
           ;habitats. Dams, canals, marinas, dredged channels and               and beachcombers, so that the eggs cannot be properly
           similar management activities all. directly alter aquatic            incubated. These activities have also virtually eliminated
           habitats, usually to the detriment of native species.                several species of dune plants - seabeach amaranth and
           Further, waste-water pumped out of factories and,                    seaside knotweed for example - from Maryland's beaches.
           ironically, effluent from sewage-,treatment plants, plus
           overland runoff of chemicals and sediment from farms and
           developed areas, alters the quantity and degrades the
           quality of water flowing into streams and rivers. In the
           late 1960's a small fish called the Maryland darter was
           Ifound in only one place in the world - a small portion of
           beer Creek in Harford County. But a manure
           icontainment tank on a farm upstream of the darter's
           habitat collapsed and flooded the stream in the early
           1980's, producing a massive fish kill near the spill. Since
           .then, no Maryland darters    have been seen in Deer Creek.
                                                                                                                          PIPING PLOVER
                                                                                                                                    L 51/2
                                                                                                         Su
                                                                                      winter                mer




                                                                                    PiPing Plover (Federally lbreatened  & State Endangered)
                                                                                    Seabeach Amaranth (State Endangered,     Federal Candidate)
                                 -7

                                                         -11;f19ffd 3X             Inland from the shore, red-cockcaded woodpeckers have
                                                                                disappeared from Maryland's abundant pine forests. There
                 Maryland Darter This tiny  fish occurred nowhere else          are still plenty of trees in these forests, but management
                 in the world but Maryland. It may now be extinct.              practices have eliminated the large, old (60-100 yrs.) dead
                 (Federally & State Endangered)                                 trees that these birds need for carving out nest cavities.
                                                                                Red-cockcaded woodpeckers, which live in small colonies
                                                                                of related individuals,. are federally listed as endangered
              Several species of freshwater mussels (e.g., the federally        because most old-growth pine forests in the East have
           listed dwarf wedge mussel) have almost disappeared from              been transformed into even-aged pine plantations that are
           Maryland waters. Because these invertebrates are filter-             harvested when the trees are only 25-30 years old.
           feeders, they are vulnerable to.,high levels of sediment and
           chemical pollutants in the water. Furthermore, the poor
           health of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, and the
           decline of many important aquatic species (e.g., rockfish,
           oysters, submerged aquatic vegetation) in the Bay, reflect
           the impact of human activities over many years.


                                               R









                           . . . . . . . . . . .
                                                              J-B. Burch

                                                                                                         RED-
                                                                                                         COCKADED
                            Dwarf Wedge Mussel                                                           WOODPECKER
                        (Federally & State Endangered)                             Finally, humans have inadvertently contributed to the
                                                                                rarity or extinction of native species by importing
             Habitat alteration and degradation can come in many                thousands of "exotic" species of plants and animals from
           forms and can be quite subtle. On Maryland's Atlantic                other countries and continents. These introduced species
           beaches, birds like least terns and piping plovers are               often dominate habitats and out-compete native species for
           threatened by several related factors: loss of beach habitat         space, food and cther resources. For example, many of the






           native birds of Hawaii are rare or extinct because of              habitat, but suffer greater competition for What little
           competition from introduced birds, predation from                  remains. Populations of native birds are reduced by
           introduced predators (e.g., cats and rats), or habitat             habitat loss and fragmentation, but in the last few years it
           alteration due to introduced plants. Much of the natural           has become clear that they also suffer heavy predation
           vegetation of South Florida is being overtaken by several          from house cats. Fish and other aquatic animals are often
           species of fast-growing trees (e.g., casuarina, Brazilian          over-harvested at the same time that their habitat is being
           pepper) introduced from Australia and South America.               degraded and polluted by human activities. Protecting rare
           Here in Maryland, Japanese honeysuckle, multiflora rose,           species - slowing the march toward extinction - requires
           kudzu and English ivy spread rapidly and cover large areas         addressing all of the factors contributing to the decline of
           formerly vegetated by native trees and shrubs. Dozens of           their populations.
           exotic grasses and weeds out-compete native wildflowers
           both in forests and fields. Introduced birds like starlings        Natural patterns of rarity
           and house sparrows aggressively take over nesting sites and           1) Naturally low population density
           food resources that  normally support native bird species.            2) Adapted to unusual/unique habitats (which are rare)
                                                                                 3) Adapted for specialized diets
                                                                                Not all species that are rare got that way because of
                                                                              human activities. In fact, when looked at from a regional
                                                                              or continent-wide perspective, most species are uncommon.
                                                                              Every species is adapied to'a particular set of
                                                                              environmental conditions (temperature, precipitation,
                                                                              elevation, etc.), soil, and vegetation types. So, rather than
                                                                          i   being distributed across the whole landscape (Fig. 2a),
                                                                              most species are found in only one geographic region, or
                                                                              in only one habitat type within a large region (see.Fig. 2b).
                                                                              A good example here would be plants and animals adapted
                                                                              to sandy beaches or salt marshes of the Atlantic coast.
          Japanese Honeysuckle - A beautiful but                              Although gulls and terns and beach grass would be
          destructive exotic "weed".                                          common if you drove along the coast from New York City
             It's important to remember that     several human-related        to Florida, you wouldn't encounter these species if you
           causes usually act in combination to bring about rarity,           drove from, say, Washington, D.C. to Chicago (or if you
           extirpation or extinction of a species. For example, as            lived anywhere in-between). Even geographically
           forests are fragmented and disturbed, introduced species           widespread species might only occur in isolated
           invade and become established much more quickly and in             communities across their range, making them "rare" over
           greater numbers. Thus, rare species not only have less


















           1--agure 2. Different patterns of geographic
           distribution and abundance. (a) A widespread,
           common species; (b) an abundant but
           ,geographically rcstrictcd species; (c) a widespread
           species that occurs in isolated communities;
           (d) a widespread species with naturally low
           population density; (e) a rare or specialist
                                                                                                     CID















           species (2d can also apply to specialist species).







          most of the land surface (see Fig. 2c). This means that             violets. Although these plants are not rare per se, the
          many of the species in the area where you live are                  open meadow habitat in which they are commonly found is
          "special", in the sense that you would not see them     in too      much rarer than before. Several other unknown factors
          ;many other places around the country.                              may also play a role in making the regal fritillary rare.
                   Some species are rare because they naturally occur
          at low population densities. Large predatory mammals
          (bears, wolves, cougars, etc.), for example, require large
          territories and produce few young each year, so only a few

                                                                                                                    ... . .........
                                                                                                                     ------ -------- ;@@
          (see Fig. 2d), even when natural habitat is abundant.
          animals might be found in an area the size of a county

            -Species that are naturally very rare are often those we
          call specialists, because they are adapted to unique or
          iunusual (i.e., rare) habitats, or they have specialized diets
                                                                                                                                 Frosted Elfin;
          :(Fig. 2e). A number of plant species on Maryland's
          !Coastal Plain, for example, grow only in bogs, and others                                  -P
                                                                                                                V
                                                                                                                             (State Endangered)
          are found only in seasonal ponds known as Delmarva bays.
          Compared to, say, forest tree species, these plants were
          .uncommon even before Europeans arrived. But because so             AL4RYLAADS COASTAL PLAW
          many bogs and Delmarva bays have been converted to                     Of the three physiographic provinces found in Maryland
          farmland, commercial developments or housing areas, these           - Coastal Plain, Piedmont and Appalachian - the Coastal
          plants are extremely rare today. A fascinating rare species         Plainds the largest, encompassing all of 12 counties, parts
          found in Maryland bogs is the carnivorous northern pitcher          of four others and most of Baltimore City. The Coastal
          plant. '17his plant digests insects that become trapped in          Plain extends from the Atlantic coast through the Eastern
          unusual pitcher-shaped leaves filled with water. Bogs are           and Western Shores to the Faff Line, which marks the
          characterized by soil that is acidic and low in the nutrients       zone of transition to the Piedmont province. The Fall
          plants need to grow. With their ability to get nutrients            Line runs in a curving arc from Virginia to Delaware,
          from the insects they trap, northern pitcher plants have            through western Washington, D.C., along the western
          developed a remarkable adaptation to the bog                        border of Prince George's County, through eastern Howard
          environment. Another rare species, so inconspicuous as           to County, western Baltimore City, and eastern Baltimore,
          be nearly invisible, is Harper's limbristyUs, a tiny, grass-like    Harford, and Cecil counties.
          plant that germinates in the deepest parts of Delmarva                'Me topography (landform) of the Coastal Plain is
          bays after the ponds dry out in late summer. This plant
          appears only in some years, and grows for only three or             generally low with little relief (change in elevation),
          four months before setting seed and dying.                          especially on the Eastern Shore. Most of the land is less
                                                                              than 33 meters (about 100 ft) above sea level, though
                                                                              elevations reach 100 in in a few places. Probably the most
                                                                              dramatic relief can be seen on the Western Shore
                                                                              peninsula between the Bay and the Potomac. Here,
                                                                              estuaries rise rapidly to uplands at more than 30 in
                                                                              elevation. Along the Bay in Calvert County, sheer sandy
                                                                              cliffs rise 20-30 m above the beach below. 'Mese cliffs
                                                                              provide ideal habitat for the puritan tiger beetle and the
                                                                              northeastern beach tiger beetle, Both of these colorful,
                                                                              predatory insects are federally listed as threatened. The
                                           -larpcr's Fimbristyfis
                                          I                                   largest populations of each left in the world are in Calvert
                                    (State Endangered, Federal Candidate)     County.

             Good examples of specialists with restricted diets are
          certain butterflies that feed on a single type of host plant
          (either as leaf-eating caterpillars or nectar-feeding adults).
          Where the host plant is rare or limited in distribution, the
          butterflies will also be uncommon. One of a number of
                                                                                         4Nt,@T
          rare butterflies in Maryland is the frosted elfin, whose
          caterpillars feed on the leaves of wild lupine. A perennial
          wildflower with showy blue flowers, wild lupine grows
          primarily on dry sandy soils associated with ancient sand
          dunes on the Eastern Shore. This species is threatened in
          Maryland because most of these sandy areas were cleared
          for farm fields long ago. Another rare butterfly, the regal
          fritillary, feeds on the nectar of several species of native
                                                                                        Puritan & Northcastcrn Beach Tiger Beetles
                                                                                        (Federally Threatencd, State Endangered)







               Ecologists, botanists and zoologists classify the Earth's      moss and raised tussocks where rare and uncommon
            surface into bionics - large regions of similar climate and       herbs,grasses and shrubs grow. At least 30 of these unique
            vegetation, plant associations - smaller geographic areas         habitats once occurred in Prince George's and Anne
            dominated by one or a few species, and habitat types -            Arundel counties, but residential and commercial
            local areas of similar soil and vegetation that are               development have eliminated all but one. Delmarva bays
            distinctive from surrounding types. Thus, all of Maryland         are seasonal ponds with an open canopy (few or no trees)
            falls into the Eastern Deciduous Forest biome. Within             that fill with water in the winter and dry out in late
            that biome, most of the Lower Eastern Shore is classified         summer. This- cycle allows a diverse mix of both common
            as an oak-lobloHy pine association, while the Upper               and rare plants to grow, flower and set seed in sequence
            Eastern Shore (Kent and Cecil Counties) and the Western           from the outer, shallow zone to the deeper, center zone.
            Shore belong to either the wiflow oak-loblofly pine, the          Probably 95% of the bays.that once stretched from Kent to
            tulip poplar, or the chestnut oak-post oak-blackjack oak          Worcester County have been destroyed by clearing and
            associations. Tidal marshes are extensive along the Bay in        draining for farmland and timber plantations.
            Dorchester and Somerset counties (in large part because              These same anthropogenic (human-caused) modifications
            the land is so low), but they are also found along the Bay        of the landscape - clearing and draining for farmland,
            shore in Harford County and along stretches of all of the         timber plantations, and residential and commercial
            major rivers (e.g., Potomac, Patuxent, Choptank,                  development - have also significantly impacted other
            Pocomoke). An association dominated by lobloHy pine               wetland habitats - emergent fresh marshes, shrub swamps,
            occurs in the southern parts of Dorchester, Somerset and          swamp forest, flood plain forests, salt and tidal marshes -
            St. Mary's counties, and the bald cypress association             that were once so extensive on the Eastern Shore. On the
            borders the Pocomoke River and its' tributaries in                Western Shore, farming and massive urbanization around
            Wicomico and Worcester counties.                                  Washington, Baltimore, and Annapolis have eliminated
              Within the larger plant associations, habitats are often        most of the upland deciduous forest, and transformed or
            classified as estuarine (associated with salt or brackish         degraded many riparian (streamside) and wetland habitats.
            water), riverine (occurring along streams and rivers),               Today, more than 300 species of plants and ovei 100
            lacustrine (open water ponds and lakes), palustrine               species of animals are officially listed by the state as
            (forested wetlands) or terrestrial (forested uplands). More       Threatened or Endangered on Maryland's Coastal Plain.
            .farniliar terms like intertidal beach, dunes, salt marsh, fresh  Ile vast majority of the remaining populations of these
            marsh, (wetlands without trees), swamp (wetlands with             species occur on private land. Without concerted efforts
            trees), broadleaf (or "hardwood") forest, pine forest, scrub-     by Maryland citizens, many of these species will be lost
            shrub woodland, grassland, meadow, shale barren, bog and          from the state in the near future, and some will disappear
            Delmarva Bay, are commonly used by field biologists to            from. Earth. Protecting our native biological diversity
            describe local areas. Human-created or modified habitats          requires that citizens act as voluntary "stewards" of the
            include pine plantations, farm fields and ponds, roadside         natural habitats on their land, and that development be
            grasslands and ditches, urban/suburban lawns and gardens,         carefully planned so as to minimize adverse impacts to rare
            and vacant weedy lots.                                            species and significant habitats. We should all recognize
              Among the rarest, most unusual and most threatened              that preservation of our unique natural resources is a
            natural habitats on Maryland's Coastal Plain are bogs and         important common goal, and that by working together we
            Delmarva Bays. Bogs are pond- or lake-sized areas of              can ensure that this rich natural heritage is passed on to
            slow-flowing water filled with extensive mats*of sphagnum         future generations.



                                                                          Wo
                                                                                    ) 01'v 4.@11 I_'

                                            __I      11;rV
                                                  'rivw-
                                           WV




                                                                                 J,\  Y

                                        K
            @ an,

                                                                                                                                      Y


                 A CoaSW Plain   Mg with a well-dcveloped vegetation mat. I   Northern Pitcher Plant (State Threatened), 2 - Sphagnum moss,
                  3 - Leatherleaf (State Threatened), 4 - I-Airge cranberry.







             ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS                                                     3) Discuss the six types of human-related causes of rarity
               1) Identify all of the different types of habitats within a             & extinction. Have students rank these activities in the
             given distance (e.g., 1/4, 1/2, 1, or 2 miles) of the school              order which they have impacted their community, or
             (or a student's home).    . One way to do this is to obtain a             threaten to impact local native species in the future.
             U.S. Geological Survey 7.5 miritite topographic map of the                  4) Obtain copies of    the Endangered and Threatened
             area (or a county highway map) and draw concentric                        Wildlife & Plants list from the Endangered Species
             circles around the school. Have different students survey                 Program of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and have
             different portions of each area.'                                         students determine which species of listed plants and
                 a) Classify the habitats as natural, developed, managed               animals occur in Maryland. Discuss which species might
             (e.g., farmland, timber land), mixed, etc.                                occur in the local area. Do the samewith the lists of.
                 b) Mark the different habitats on the map (colored                    Maryland's rare, threatened and endangered species put out
             pencils would work for this).                                             by the Maryland Natural Heritage Prograrn.
                 c) Rank the different habitats, with 5 = most common                     a) Ask the students to pick individual species that are
             and I = most rare.                                                        on the federal list or that have already gone extinct in the
                 d) Calculate (estimate) what proportion of the total                  U.S. and try to determine why the species went extinct,
             area is covered by each of the major habitat types.                       what human-related or natural factor(s) caused the loss.
                 e) Rank the habitats as to their ability to support                      b) Compile the information from a above and see if
             native plants & animals (I = highest, 10 = lowest).                       there are any patterns indicating that certain factors are
                 f) Write or call your local planning office and ask          them     more significant than others.
             what proportion of your city or county is protected as
             open space (parks, preserves, etc.). Try mapping the ,                    ACTIONS STUDEMS CAN TAKE TO HELP
             locations of open space and parks in your area. Do they                   PROTECT RARE SPECIES
             protect all of the different kinds of natural habitats? Are                 1) Write to legislators telling them that you are
             they all over the county or do some areas lack open space?                concerned about rare species and human-related activities
                 g) Discuss which habitats were probably common and                    leading to rarity, local extirpation, and extinction of native
             rare in your area prior to development.                                   species. Ask them what they are doing to address these
                                                                                       concerns.
               2) Identify common and rare species in the neighborhood
             (city, countyl etc.).                                                       2) Join a conservation group and keep informed about
                 a) Have students collect 2-5 types (species) of common                rare species issues. Some of the best organizations
             & uncommon plants from the neighborhood (Note: plants                     concerned with rare species issues are: 'Me Nature
             cannot be collected in State, County or local parks, and                  Conservancy, the National Wildlife Federation, the
             students should be advised to ask permission before                       Audubon Society, the Natural Resources Defense Council
             entering private property).                                               and the World Wildlife Fund.
                 b) Combine all the specimens from different students                    3) Encourage your parents to contribute to the
             to get a representative collection for the community.                     Chesapeake Bay and Endangered Species Fund (line 63 on
             From which habitats did the most common species come?                     the State Income Tax form). A portion of this money goes
             the rarest? (Note: plants can be dried & preserved by                     directly to rare species protection.
             pressing them between sheets of newspaper & cardboard
             with some weights placed on the cardboard).                                 4) Volunteer for special projects (habitat clean-up &
                 c) Try to identify the plants by using common field                   restoration, installing signs or fences, etc.) at local parks,
             guides, wildflower guides, etc., (available in most libraries)            preserves, nature centers and natural areas.
             and determine the kind of distribution each species has                     5) Write or call your city or county planning office and
             (e.g., "widespread in Eastern U.S.", "marshes of mid-                     encourage them to include habitat for natural areas and
             Atlantic region", etc.). For "rare" species, discuss why they             open spaces in the planning process for the local area.
             might be rare (i.e., natural rarity vs. human-caused).                      6) Visit local parks and natural areas and think about
                 d) Have students make up a list of animals (mammals,                  how they differ from the developed areas around your
             birds, reptiles, etc.) and then rank them as to which they're             school. Talk with friends about parts of the natural world
             most likely to see in their neighborhood (i.e., common                    you enjoy.
             species) and which they're least likely to see ("rare"
             species). Again, have them discuss why certain species                      7) Take responsil)ility for your actions. It is easy to worry
             might be rare.                                                            about rare species without thinking about what you have
                 c) If you're really ambitious, try a-c with insects!                  done that may be harmful to natural habitats and the
             You'll need insect nets, killing jars and a few other                     environment.
             supplies (good descr    'iptions of' insect-collecting methods arc
             provided in the field guides).






              REFERENCE MATERMLS                                                        5) Other References
              1) Maps: U.S.G.S. topographic maps are available from a                       Many other sources of information on rare species,
              number of government and commercial sources, and                          nature, conservation and the environment are available.
              college and government- libraries also have copies on file.               Particularly relevant here in Maryland are:
              Maps can be ordered from:                                                 a) Directory of Maiy1and's Environmental Education
              Map Distribution Center             Maryland Geological Survey                Resources, available from the Tidewater Administration,
              U-S-Geological Survey               2300 St. Paul Street                      Department of Natural Resources. Contact Kelly
              Box 25286, Federal Center           Baltimore, MD 21218                       Spencer at 410-974-2926 for information.
              Denver, Colorado 80225              410-554-5524        -                 b) Annual workshops conducted by Janet Greenfeld,
                                                                                        Aquatic Resources Education Coordinator, Tidewater
              2) Species Lists: Copies of threatened and endangered                     Administration, for school teachers around the state.
              species lists are available from:                                         Contact Janet (410-974-3765) for schedules and details.
                 Federal:        Publication Unit                                       e) Numerous fact sheets, teachers' guides and activity
                                 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service                           booklets available from the Chesapeake Bay Estuary
                                 130-ARLSQ                                              Program, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Contact Kathi
                                 Washington, D.C. 20240                                 Bangert at 410-224-2732 for information.
                 State:          MD Natural Heritage Program                            d) Free copies of illustrated fact sheets available from the
                                 Tawes State Office Bldg., E-1                          Maryland Natural Heritage Program:
                                 Annapolis, MD 21401                                        #1 - The Dwarf Wedge Mussel
                                 410-974-2870                                               #2 - Endangered Tiger Beetles
                                                                                            #3 - The Maryland Darter
              3) Field Guides: Numerous field guides are available that                     #4 - Harperella Fact Sheet
              cover plants & animals in Maryland. Ile best known are                        #5 - Bewick's Wren Fact Sheet
              the Golden Guide to... series, the Peterson Field Guide to...                 #6 - Swamp Pink
              series and the Audubon Society Field Guide to North                           #7 - Sandplain Gerardia Fact Sheet
              American... series. Volumes are available at most                             #8 - Serpentine Grasslands
              bookstores and libraries. One of the more popular plant                       #9 - Coastal Plain Bogs
              guides is Newcomb's Wildflower Guide, by Lawrence
              Newcomb. An excellent guide for mammals is Mammals
              of the Carolinas, 11irginia, and Maryland by W.D. Webster,
              IF Parnell and W.C. Biggs, Jr.
              4) Books: Many books on threatened and endangered                         For more informaho 'n pic:= oontacL
                                                                                            Maryland Natural Heritage Program
              species have been published in the last few years, although                   Department of Natural Resources
              most are written for adult readers. Relevant volumes                          Tawes State Office Building, E-I
              include:                                                                      Annapolis, MD 21401
                                                                                            410-974-2870
                 - The Sinking Ark by Norman B. Myers
                 - The Last Ertinction by Les Kaufman & Kenneth                         Ackricowledgemcnis: Unit designed by Douglas A. Samson and written by
                       Mallory                                                          D.A. Samson, Katherine A- McCarthy and Lynn M. Davidson.
                 - Extinction by Paul and Anne Ehrlich                                  Illustrations: birds - Michael O'Brien, Nongame & Urban Wildlife
                 - The Diversity of Life by Edward 0. Wilson                            Program, DNR; plants, insects and bog - Josephine Thorns, Public Lands
                 - The Rainforest Book by Scott Lewis                                   & Forestry, DNR; maps - Douglas A- Samson, MD Natural Heritage
                                                                                        Program, DNR. Checklist of MD's vertebrate species produced by Lynn
                 - State of the Ark by Lee Durrell                                      M. Davidson, MD Natural Heritage Program, DNR. Production of this
                 - Preserving Eden by The Nature         Conservancy                    unit was funded by the citizens of Maryland through the Chesapeake Bay
                 - Last Chance to Se@. by Douglas         Adams and Mark                and Endangered Species Fund, and by the DNR Coastal Resources
                       Carwardine                                                       Division through a grant from OCRM, National Oceanographic &
                                                                                        Atmospheric Administration.
                 Classic texts, books of local interest and naturalist
              guides include:
                 - A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
                 - Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
                 - Life and Death of the Salt Marsh by John and
                       Mildred Teal
                 - Bay Counity by Tom Horton
                 - Turning the Tide by Tom Horton & W.M. Eichbaum
                 - The Field Guide to Wildlife Habitats by Janine M.
                       Benyus
                 - The Naturalist's Path: Beginning the StudY of Nature                 P@,im,d n 100% recycled paper itith petrolewn-free ink
                       by Cathy Johnson









                                                          CHECKLIST OF KARYLAND6S TERRESTRIAL VERTEBRATES


               Amph i b i arts                    Rat snake                          Common goLdeneye                   Red-necked phatarope
                                                  Rainbow snake                      Bufflehead                         Red phaiarope
               Jefferson salamander               Eastern hognose snake              Hooded merganser                   Laughing gull
               Spotted salamander                 Prairie kingsnake                  Common merganser                   Little gull
               Marbled salamander                 Common kingsnake                   Red-breasted merganser             Common btack-headed Bull
               Eastern tiger salamander           Milk snake                         Ruddy duck -                       Bonaparte's gull
               Het tberxier                       Northern water snake               Black vulture'                     Ring-biLLed gull
               Green salamander                   Rough green snake                  Turkey vulture                     Herring guLL
               Dusky salamander                   Smooth green snake                 Osprey                             Iceland guLL
               Seat salamander                    Northern pine snake                Bald eagle                         Lesser black-backed gull
               Mountain dusky salamander          Queen snake                        Northern harrier                   GLaucous gutt
               Two-iined salamander               Brown snake                        Sharp-shinned hawk                 Great bLack-backed guLL
               Longtait salamander                Redbelty snake                     Cooper's hawk                      GuLt-biLLed tern
               Spring salamander                  Eastern ribbon     snake           Northern goshawk                   Caspian tern
               Four-toed salamander               Common garter snake                Red-shouLdered hawk                Royal tern
               Redback salamander                 Mountain earth snake               Broad-winged hawk                  Sandwich tern
               Slimy salamander                   Copperhead                         Red-taiLed hawk                    Common tern
               Valley and ridge salamander        Timber rattlesnake                 Rough-Legged hawk                  Forster's tern
               Wehrle's salamander                                                   Golden eagle                       Least tern
               Mud salamander                                                        American kestreL                   Black tern
               Red salamander                     Birds                              Merlin                             Black skimmer
               Mudpuppy                                                              Peregrine falcon                   Rock dove*
               Eastern newt                       Red-throated Loon                  Ring-necked pheasant*              Mourning dove
               American toad                      Common loon                        Ruffed grouse                      BLack-biLted cuckoo
               .Woodhouse's toad                  Pied-bitLed grebe                  Wild turkey                        YeLtow-bitted cuckoo
               Northern cricket    frog           Horned grebe                       Northern bobwhite                  Common barn-owl
               Cope's gray treefrog               Northern gannet                    Black rail                         Eastern screech-owl
               Green treefrog                     Brown pelican                      Clapper rail                       Great horned owl
               Barking treefrog                   Great cormorant                    King rail                          Barred owl
               Gray treefrog                      Doubte-crested cormorant           Virginia rail                      Long-eared owl
               Mountain chorus frog               American bittern                   Sora                               Short-eared owl
               Striped chorus frog                Least bittern                      Common wDorhen                     Northern saw-whet owl
               Spring peeper                      Great blue heron                   American coot                      Common nighthawk
               Eastern narrow-mouthed t6ad        Great egret                        BLack-beLLied pLover*              Chuck-wiLL's-widow
               Eastern spadefoot                  Snowy egret                        Lesser goLden-pLover               Whip-poor-will
               Bullfrog                           Little blue  heron                 Wilson's plover                    Chimney swift
               Green frog                         Tricolored heron                   Semipatmated plover                Ruby-throated hummingbird
               Pickerel frog                      Cattle egret                       Piping plover                      Belted kingfisher
               Northern leopard frog              Green-backed heron                 KiLtdeer                           Red-headed woodpecker
               Wood frog                          Stack-crowned night-heron          American oystercatcher             Red-bellied woodpecker
               Carpenter frog                     YeLtow-crowned night-heron         Btack-necked stilt                 Yettow-bettied sapsucker
                                                  Glossy ibis                        American avocet                    Downy woodpecker
                                                  Tundra swan                        Greater yetlowLegs                 Hairy woodpecker
               Reptiles                           Mute swan*                         Lesser yeLtowlegs                  Northern flicker
                                                  Greater white-fronted goose        Solitary sandpiper                 Piteated woodpecker
               Snapping   turtle                  Snow goose                         Wittet                             olive-sided flycatcher
               Painted turtle                     Brant                              Spotted sandpiper                  Eastern wood-pewee
               Spotted turtle                     Canada goose                       Upland sandpiper                   YeLLow-belLied flycatcher
               Wood turtle                        Wood duck                          Whimbret                           Acadian flycatcher
               Bog turtle                         Green-winged   teat                Hudsonian godwit                   Alder flycatcher
               Map turtle                         American black duck                Marbled godwit                     Willow flycatcher
               Diamondback terrapin               Mallard                            Ruddy turnstone                    Least flycatcher
               RedbeLLy turtle                    Northern pintail                   Red knot                           Eastern phoebe
               Eastern box turtle                 BLue-winged teat                   Sanderling                         Great crested flycatcher
               Slider                             Northern shoveler                  Semipatmated sandpiper             Eastern kingbird
               Eastern mud turtle                 GadwaLl                            Western sandpiper                  Horned Lark
               Stinkpot                           American wigeon                    Least sandpiper                    Purple martin
               Eastern spiny softshelt            Canvasback                         White-rumped sandpiper             Tree swallow
               Eastern fence tizard               Redhead                            Baird's sandpiper                  Northern rough-winged swallow
               Northern coat skink                Ring-necked duck                   Pectoral sandpiper                 Bank swallow
               Five-tined skink                   Greater scaup                      Purple sandpiper                   Cliff swallow
               Broadhead skink                    Lesser scaup                       Duntin                             Barn swallow
               Ground skink                       Common eider                       Stilt sandpiper                    Blue jay
               Six-tined racerunner               King eider                         Buff-breasted sandpiper            American crow
               Worm snake                         Harlequin duck                     Short-bitted'dowitcher             Fish crow
               Eastern scarlet snake              Oldsquaw                           Long-bitted dowitcher              Common raven
               Racer                              Stack scoter                       Common snipe                       BLack-capped chickadee
               Ringneck snake                     Surf scoter                        American woodcock                  Carolina chickadee
               Corn snake                         White-winged scoter                Wilson's phalarope                 Tufted titmouse


               1993 Maryland Natural Heritage Program, Department of Natural Resources                                                                1










                                                        CHECKLIST OF KARYLAMD'S TERRESTRIAL VERTEBRATES



                Red-breasted nuthatch            Canada warbler                   Hoary bat                        Extirpated and Extinct
                White-breasted nuthatch          Yettow-breasted chat             Evening bat                      Maryland Vertebrates
                Brown-headed nuthatch            Summer tanager                   Eastern cottontail
                Brown creeper                    Scarlet tanager                  New England cottantait
                Carolina wren                    Northern cardinal                Snowshoe hare                    Amphibians
                Bewick's wren                    Rose-breasted grosbeak           Eastern chipmunk
                House wren                       Blue grosbeak                    Woodchuck                        Greater siren
                Winter wren                      Indigo bunting                   Gray squirrel
                Sedge wren                       DickcisseL                       Fox squirrel
                Marsh wren                       Rufous-sided towhee              Delmarva fox squirrel            Birds
                Golden-crowned kingtet           American tree sparrow            Red squirrel
                Ruby-crowned kinglet             Chipping sparrow                 Southern flying squirrel         Greater prairie-chicken
                BLue-gray gnatcatcher            Field sparrow                    Beaver                           Roseate tern
                Eastern bluebird                 Vesper sparrow                   Marsh rice rat.'                 Red-cockaded woodpecker
                Veery                            Savannah sparrow                 Eastern harvest mouse            Passenger pigeon
                Gray-cheeked thrush              Grasshopper sparrow              Deer mouse                       Carolina parakeet
                Swainson's thrush                HensLow's sparrow                White-footed mouse               Bachman's sparrow
                Hermit thrush                    Sharp-taited sparrow             Eastern woodrat                  Lark sparrow
                Wood thrush                      Seaside sparrow                  Southern red-backed vote
                American robin                   Fox sparrow                      Meadow vote
                Gray catbird                     Song sparrow                     Southern rock vote               Nammats
                Mockingbird                      Lincoln's sparrow                Woodland vote
                Brown thrasher                   Swamp sparrow                    Muskrat                          Gray wolf
                water pipit                      White-throated sparrow           Southern bog Lemming             Eastern cougar
                Cedar waxwing                    White-crowned sparrow,           Black rat*                       American elk
                Northern shrike                  Dark-eyed junco                  Norway rat*                      Bison
                Loggerhead shrike                Lapland Longspur                 House mouse*
                European starting*               Snow bunting                     Meadow jumping mouse
                White-eyed vireo                 Bobolink                         Woodland jumping mouse
                Solitary vireo                   Red-winged blackbird             Porcupine
                Yellow-throated vireo            Eastern meadowlark               Nutria*
                Warbling vireo                   Rusty blackbird                  Coyote
                Philadelphia vireo               Boat-taited grackle              Red fox
                Red-eyed vireo                   Common grackle                   Gray fox
                Btue-winged warbler              Brown-headed cowbird             Black bear
                GoLden-winged warbler            orchard oriole                   Raccoon
                Tennessee warbler                Northern oriole                  Fisher
                orange-crowned warbler           Purple finch                     Least weasel
                Nashville warbler                House finch*                     Long-tailed weasel
                Northern Paruta                  common redpoLL                   Mink
                Yellow warbler                   Pine siskin                      Eastern spotted skunk
                Chestnut-sided warbler           American goldfinch               Striped skunk
                Magnolia warbler                 Evening grosbeak                 River otter
                Cape may warbler                 House sparrow*                   Bobcat
                Black-throated blue warbler                                       Sika deer*
                Yettow-rumped warbler                                             White-tailed deer
                Btack-throated green warbler     Nammats
                BLackburnian warbler                                               These species are exotic in
                YelLow-throated warbler          Virginia oppossum                  Maryland.
                Pine warbler                     Common shrew
                Prairie warbler                  Southeastern shrew
                Palm warbler                     Southern water shrew               Highlighted species are
                Bay-breasted warbler             Smoky shrew                      listed as Endangered
                BLackpoll warbler                Long-tailed shrew                Threatened, or In Need of
                CeruLean warbler                 southern pygmy shrew             Conservation by the State of
                Btack-and-white warbler          Maryland shrew                   Maryland.
                American redstart                Northern short-tailed shrew
                Prothonotary warbler             Least shrew
                Worm-eating warbler              Hairy-tailed mote
                Swainson's warbler               Eastern mote
                Ovenbird                         Southeastern star-nosed mote
                Northern waterthrush             Little brown bat
                Louisiana waterthrush            Indiana bat
                Kentucky warbler                 Eastern smatt-footed bat
                Connecticut warbler              Northern tong-eared bat
                Mourning warbler                 Sitver-haired bat
                Common yeLlowthroat              Eastern pipistrette
                Hooded warbler                   Big brown bat
                Wilson's warbler                 Red bat


                1993 Maryland Natural Heritage   Program, Department of Natural Resources                                                     2













                                            Habitat
                                         FRAGMENTATION



                What do highways, homes   and businesses,   dams, farm  fields,
             mines and logging have in*common? All can.,ha've positive effects
             upon our health, comfort,   and security*.
                But they can have negative effect-s upon   us   as well, by
             damaging.our natural environment. Among the     most serious of these'
             effects is habitat fragmentation, a. term for the    shrinking and
                       of our remaining natural landscape.,
                Associations of plants and animals that. have existed     for
             thousands of years.'are reduced and disconnected by many     human
             activities, from logging and mining to the development of suburbs
             and cities. The remaining ".islands" are s,uscebtib*le.to.invasion
             by exotic species, local climate changes, and inbreeding of
             stranded native species. Habitat fragmentat-ion is so widespread
             it has become a major threat to biological diversity       the
             variety of life on which we depend.
                Biological diversity includes ecosystems as large as the
             Chesapeake Bay, but is also made up of natural communities,
             species, genes within-species, and the interactions between      all
             these parts. We rely upon these relationships to create and
             stabilize soil, supply clean air and.water, provide recreation,
             limit flooding and control climate. Many of our food crops,
             fibers, drugs, and research materials come from native plants and
             animals and the genetic information within them. The variety of
             life also gives us a sense of place and individual identity.
                Today, more than .400 species are Endangered,'Threatened, or In
             Need of-Conservation in Maryland,*and several natural communities.
             are also in danger. Most have been influenced by habitat
             fragmentation,and .for som 'e it i.s a primary threat. Even many
             still-common ,species and.natural communities are diminished owing.
             to fragmentation.

             Fragmentation and Habitat   Loss
                Studies of-land use Jn   Maryland  show population  is rising,
             while the amount of land used by each resident is rising as well..
             This in turn increases pressures on natural habitats such as
            .beaches, rivers, and forests.
                When land is fragmented by a new field, road, house, or
             business, or when water features are fragmented by a dam or
             channelization, the living places (habitat) available for many
             plants and animals is reduced. But there are also more subtle
             impacts that disrupt the remaining habitat, and which may take
             many years to be revealed - as demonstrated in several western
             National Parks that continued to lose mammal.species decades
             after protection.
                Because direct  habitat destruction has already received much
             public attention,  we will focus on the less widely known effects
             of fragmentation.  Because virtually all of Maryland's landbase is
             subject to some type,of active management, these effects are
             common.













              Natural  Disturbance
                  Recent studies   indicate  that  some forests  dominated   by oak
              trees (Quercus   spp.),  such  as those. in parts.of central,and
              western   Maryland,  are the   result of periodic  fire,  originally
              starXed  by lightning strikes or     Native Americans.    Large@roaks   of
              some.species have    thick bark and   other.characteristics thathelp
              them resist fire,-and oak-forests in      wh-idh fires are  'suppressed
              gradually change to'non-resistant      trees, such as red   maple   (Acer
              rubrum)..The prohibition of fire      in areas fragmented   by.
              development-can eventually to lead-to.few.er oaks.
                  Many other natural communitiesin Maryland depend        upon
              dist.urbances  for their*contihuation    as well. Barrier   beaches  move
              inland or seaward.   with gradually   changing.oce'an levels,   and
              stream channels move as floods scour some areqs-and deposit.        soil
              in others..Beaver    (Castor canadensis). dams raise stream     water
              levels, drowning tr es to create      open marshes.   Fragmentation  can.
              lead  to'stabilization of coasts and rivers,-and       control  of Beaver
              activity, resulting-in the.de.cline of species adapted to these.
              disturbances.
                  Human land management rarely     imitates natural   disturbances.
              Development creates a sort.of permanent disruption which does           not
             ..allow natural communities to recover. Studies       of  clearcutting   in@
              Appalachian 'forests show herbaceous plant diversity and
              salamander.nuMbers don't rebound-before the next cycle of logging
              begins.

              Travel  and  Migration,
                  When Europeans   first  arrived,  millions  of American shad (Alosa
              sapidissima) swam'up the Susquehanna      River from   the Che.sapeake
              Bay each spring, to mate    and lay   eggs in   freshwater streams.
              Today, dams that block migration      routes contribute   to the
              problems in restoring this species,      now.,down to  about one percent
              of its former numbers.
                  Fragmentation by obstacles     such as dams can   make.it harder for
              many native animals.or plants      to move by creati.ng barr.iers
              between suitable habitats.     Highways, for example, stop many
              creatures, and increase the      risks for those that are able to
              cross. Being hit by vehicles     is a  major cause of death for Black
              Bears (Ursus americanus) in     Western Maryland, and any driver
              knows huge numbers of insects are killed.
                  Shutting off travel routes    leaves many plants and animals
              isolated on "islands" of habitat' These small populations         cannot
              be replenished and.so are sensitive to special problems,
              including inbreeding., genetic drift, and chance catastrophes..
              Inbreeding-occurs when closely rel'ated individuals are mated,
              harmful genetic characters accumulate and thwart reproduction or
              r.educe survival of offspring.-Genetic drift is the chance loss of
              needed genetic variation within a small group.
                  Small populations are also more easily.wiped out by
              unpredictable events like flood, drought, or disease, or by
              further human.impacts. Special propagation was needed to.
              perpetuate the Maryland wetland plant Canby's dropwort (Oxypolis
              canbyi) after a series of droughts in the 1980's reduced         its
              remaining colony from hundreds of plants to three.










                Agricultural or developed areas create      unsuitable habitats for
             native plant communities, which in the past moved continuously
             over land as global or regional climates changed. For example,
             parts of Maryland were tundra as the las@ Ice Age ended 14,000
             years  ago, but.the tundra community.of low.plants has       since
             creeped north as the earth.warmed..Scientists project        that
             species unable @o- "jump" heavily fragmented areas       may die out.as
             climate changes-in the future.

             Non-native  Species
                Imagine  a-fl.oodplain forest   somewhe.re along the   Potomac River.
             Cows are put out to graze, damaging some      trees and   increasing
             gaps in the forest canopy. Seeds of.an      Asian   vine,'an ornamental'*
             groundcover  on nearby developed lands.,    are spread-through bird
             droppings and begin growing in sunny patches of. disturbed soil.
             This Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera      japonica)   pulls down
             seedlings and-has a   'dense web of leaves that     shades out other
             plants. After several.decades it covers acres of floodplain once
             occupied by a variety of native plants.
                Japanese honeysuckle is just one of thousands of        non-natives'.
             which 'Can invade fragmented areas -.from tbe.plants       multiflora
             rose (Rosa multiflora) and garlic mustard (Alliaria        officinalis),.
             to mammals such as nutria (Myocastor coypus) and birds such as
             starlings (Sturnus.vulgaris) and house sparrows (Passer.
             domesticus). Housecats (Felis domesticus) are exotics which have
             been estimated to kill miflions of songbirds, small mammal-s,'and
             snakes each year.
                Experts are.concerned about the homogenization of        natural
             communities through introduct'ions. Exotic plant species are
             frequently planted as ornamentals or for reclamati6n of disturbed
             areas,.using habitat that might support natives. Even when na.tive
             species are planted they often differ genetically from local
             stock. This can'lead to reduced differences within a species,
             which may lower chances to fight disease or adapt to new
             conditions.


             Predators, Parasites,    and Competitors
                Picture a  suburban   housing  development springing up in a
             Prince Georges County    woodlot  outside of Washington, D.C.
             Although some woods are left,     intho years following some     of the
             woods' bird species decline or disappear. Among the forest birds
             visitors are less likely to hear are the hooded (Wilsonia
             citrina),, Kentucky (Oporornis formosus), worm-eating (Helmitheros
             vermivorus), and nor.thern parula (Parula americana) warblers.
             Already abundant birds that prosper in disturbed areas increase.
                Nesting success is lower for forest birds in small or
             irregular patches of woods because the increased proportion of
             forest edge allows higher rates of predation and nest parasitism.
             Several nest predators that increase with fragmentation, such as
             opossums (Didelphis virginiana), raccoons (Procyon lotor), blue
             jays (Cyanositta cristata), and crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos),
             hunt along wood edges. The brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater),
             also found at forest edges, tricks other birds into raising
             cowbird eggs and young at the expense of their own offspring.










                 Competitive-interactions    are also  alteied,by   fragmentation..
              For example, logging in high elevation areas      *can increase tree
              .sprout browse for New England cottontails (Sylvilagus
              transitionalis), a species In    Need-,of Conservation in Maryland.
              Butthis habitat change al.so-promotes the.inv.asion of eastern
              cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanu.s)'into forests through logged.
              areas and along the sides of-F-e-wroads, and tbis-common'species
              appears.to be incompatibl,6 with New-England cottontails.
                 White-tailed deer (Odocoileus    .virginianus)-thrive in.many
              heavily fragmented areas of the state - eating crops on farmland,
              shrubs in yards, and tree.sprouts.in forests. In some places deer
              overbrowsing slows the regeneration of logged woods and can shift.,.
            ..the composAtion of tree specie's to    reflect those deer don't like
              to eat. Plants deer   prefer, such as.Canada ye,w'(Taxus canadensis)
              and eastern.hemlo.ck  .(Tsuga' canadensis), may,be locally
              eliminated.- and the  oTe-rall variety  of shrubs and herbs'reduced
              tenfold.


              Microclimate  Changes
                 Disruptions from wind   or  fire, caused.by Native Americans or
              natur.a'l forces,.once occurred as. patches within huge forests. Now
              however,.the situation is reversed in many places, with forest
              patches surrounded by disturbed land. The size and shape of
              remaining forests determine the extent of.changes in local
              climate, or microclimate, and otherfragmentation-effects. Narrow
              or irregular patches of habitat have a greater pr6portion of edge
              and a smaller interior,.meaning little habitat for creatures.
              requiring undisturbed.places. Larger, *rounder forest shapes do
              not allow.light and temperature.influences.from nearbylands         to
              penetrate as deeply.
                 In a Garrett County forest a road was built near a       rock.
              outcrop where green salamanders (Aneides aneus) laid eggs in
              certain crevices, taking advantage of subtle temperature and
              humidity conditions. Cleared areas such as roads tend       to make
              places warmer and drier and, roads can divert groundwater,
              altering the microclimate. Numbers of this State Endangered
              salamander soon fell, and the habitat is now unoccupied.
              Researchers have found that many aspects of microclimate,
              including light, ground water, wind, temperature, and humidity
              within forests are influenced.by cleared land'near.by.

              Increased Human Contact
                 On Assateague Island   National Seashore some areas    have been
              closed to people during   su.mmer breeding season to protect the
              federally Threatened piping plover (Charadrius melodus). This shy
              bird nests in open beach habitats, and its camouflaged eggs and
              ch-icks are so hard to see that they can be unknowingly stepped on
              or run over by off-road vehicles. Incubating adults are often
              flushed from their nests by beach walkers, causing their exposed
              eggs to overheat in the sun. Disturbances may also prevent the
              chicks from feeding as often as they need.
                 Smaller patches.of habitat combined with more roads often
              leads to more human use of. undeveloped places. People can disrupt
              the breeding of animals, trample rare plants, or make paths which











             trigger the  erosion  of fragile glades or beach   dunes.

             Solutions
                Research  so far  has revealed  that pro@ecting large   areas of
             native habitats is   important in  maintaining biological diversity,,
             usually the larger, the better.    If a few large reserves are,
             compared to  many small reserves, the larger areas hold a greater
             variety of native species and communities, better absorb natural
             disturbances, and are insulated against the effects of habitat
             fragmentation. Preserving wide'links between isolated natural-
             communities also conserves biological diversi.ty by allowing
             species to travel for food, cover, mating, migration, or
             refilling vacant habitat. Special management may be necessary.to
             maintain some fragmented habitats.
                To address these issues, effective    land use planning considers
             native ecosystems, and protects unique     species and*habitats and
             their links.. It also encourages  'the.redevelopment of existing
             sites ins-tead of new building, and focuses new development to
             minimize suburban sprawl.
                Anyone can become involved in county land use     planning by
             attending public meetings and submitting written      comments when'
             their county's comprehensive plan is reviewed (contact the county.
             or State Planning Office to learn more). The public is also
             invited. to comment during the regular review of plans for state
             park and forest lands-managed by the Maryland Department.of,
             Natural Resources.
                State programs such as Program Open Space and the Maryland*
             Environmental Trust, local land trusts, and private conservation
             groups such as The Nature Conservancy wor%-to buy gr otherwise
             protect land that contains the best e   *xamples of our biological
             diversity. These groups depend upon citizen.int6rest.and support.
                Individuals can take many con'servation-measures which reduce
             habitat fragmentation, such as avoiding rivers, large forest
             chunks, and other special areas when building roads or houses.
             Recycling solid waste and other at-home conservation measures
             reduce human land impacts, indirectly limiting fragmentation.
                Through personal action and public involvement,.you can help
             reduce the threats.from landscape fragmentation and ensure that
             our rich natural heritage is passed on to future generations of
             Marylanders.






                                           A                                                       A                            D             9S
                             M

              NIARYLANI)
       I    NAF111? A L I I EVITA
       N          1,M)IMANI
                          "I"NATU                                                                 ERI E

                        No.                     Inforniation About Rare Species and Significant Habitats
       H-A-B-I-T-A-T F-R-A-G-M-E-N-T-A-T-A-T-1-0-N

                                                                       2@


       e
                                   Xft





                                                                                     3__




                atural systems and vegetation patterns that have existed
       for thousands of years are often broken up by modern human
       activities -from logging, farming, and mining, to the development                                           "XN
       of highways, suburbs, towns and cities. This habitat fragmentation
       has become so prevalent that it is a major threat to      biological
                                                                                                     IZZ@L A@:2!
       diversity -the variety of life on which we depend.
              We rely upon groups of interacting microorganisms, plants,
       and animals to create and stabilize soil, supply clean air and water,  Habitat      Loss and Habitat Fragmentation'
                                                                                  When land is altered to create a field, road, house, or business,
                                                                              a certain amount of habitat is lo% along with plants and animals
                                                                              which are unable to get out of the way. But there are also more
                                                  - -----                     subtle habitat fragmentation impacts that disrupt the surroundingar
                                                                              system of plants and animals, and which may take many years to
                                                                              be revealed. For example, decades after protection several western
                                                                              U.S. National Parks continued to lose mammal species.
                                                                                       Habitat fragmentation effects include control of normal
                                                                              riverbank flooding, invasion of alien species, and blockage of
                                                                              animal travel routes. Although habitat loss and fra2mentation
       provide recreation, Wnit flooding, and control climate. Manv of our    --ffects both result from land clearing activities, many experts now
       food crops, fibers, drugs, and research materials come from the        consider fragmentation to be the more serious threat -in part
       genetic storehouse of biological diversity. This variety of genes,     because it can influence a larger area or entire ecosystem, such as
       species, natural communities, and ecosystems also gives us a sense     a wedand. stream, or forest. Because virtually all of Maryland's
       of place and individual identity.                                      landbase is subject to some type of active management, habitat
                                                                              fra-mentadon effects are widespread.
              Today, more than 400 species are Endangered, Threatened,
       or In Need of Conservation in Maryland, and several natural
       communities are also in danger. Most suffer from habitat
       fragmentation, and for some it is a primary threaL Even common
       species and communities are greatly diminished owing to habitat
       fragmentation.
        OF 44,q
                  NI ANII
       N , \ C.1' \1,?"@A 1,
                                                                                         H                           TAG














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                                                                                                                              ------------





                                                                                       N-7





                                                                                                                                  77@

      Control of Natural Disturbance
                Many natural communities in Maryland depend on periodic
      disturbance for their continuation. In unmanaged forest the most
      common disturbances are gaps created by dying trees, with                             Agricultural or developed areas create unsuitable habitats
      occasional fire or windthrow disrupting larger areas. Barrier                for native plant communities, which in the past moved continuously
      beaches move inland or seaward with gradually chan-mig ocean                 over land as global or regional climates changed. For example,
      levels. Stream channels move as floods scour some areas and                  parts of Maryland were tundra as the last the last Ice Age ended
      deposit soil in others. Beaver dams raise stream water levels,               14,000 years ago, but the tundra community of low plants has since
      drowning trees to create open marshes. Habitat fragmentation                 crept north. Scientists predict that species unable to "jump" heavily
      through development leads to suppression of fire, stabilization of           fragmented areas may die out as c1iirtate changes.
      coasts and rivers, and control of Beaver activity in remaining
      undeveloped areas, causing further species and habitat loss.                 Non-native Species
                                                                                             Imagine a floodplain forest somewhere along the Potomac
                                                                                   River. Cows are put out to graze here, damaging some trees and
                                                                                                 aps in the forest canopy. Seeds of as Asian vine,
                                                                                   increasing g
                                                                                   planted as an ornamental ground.cover, are spread through bird
                                                                                   droppings, and begin growing in sunny patches of disturbed soil.
                                                                                   This Japanese Honeysuckle pulls down seedlin
                                                                                                                                      gs and creates such
                                                                                   a dense web of leaves that other plants can't      cret enough light or
                                                                                   space. After several decades it covers acres of floodplain once that
                                                                                   was once occupied by a variety of native plants.


               Human      land management         rarely   imitates natural
      disturbances. Development creates a sort of permanent disturbance
      which does not allow natural communities to recover. Studies of
      clear cutting in Appalachian         forests show Ah'erb@Eeous plap!
      diversity and salamander numbers don't rebound before the next
      cycle oPlogging begins.

      Travel and Migration
               Habitat fragmentation can make it harder for native
      animalsAl plants to move by creating barriers between suitable                        Japanese Honeysuckle is just one of dozens       f non-natives
      babitats.Qhways, for instance, block many plants and animals,                which can invade an area -frorn,@_t@h__'@lants of Multifloora Rose and
      and increase the risk of death for those animals which are able to           Garlic Mustard, to mammals such as Nutriasand birds such as
      cross. Being hit by vehicles is a major cause of death for Black             Starlinas and House Sparrows. House @ats areexotics which have
      -Bears in Western Maryland, and any driver knows huge numbers                been e'stimated to kill millions of songbirds, small mammals, and
      of insects are killed.                                                       snakes each year.

      J






             Experts are concerned about the homogenization of natural                  White-tailed deer thrive in many heavily fragmented areas
    communities through introductions. Exotic plant species are                 of the State -eating crops on farmland, shrubs in'yards, and tree
    frequently planted as ornamentals or for reclamati n of disturbed           sprouts in forests. In some places deer overbrowsing slows the
    areas, using habitat that m*fght support natives. Even when native          regeneration of logged woods and can shift the composition of tree
    species are planted they often differ genetically from local                species to reflect those which deer don't like to eat. Plants
                                                 C,                                                                                               deer
    stock.This can lead to reduced differences within species, which            prefer, such as Canada Yew and Eastern Hemlock, may be locally
    means lower chances to fight disease or adapt to new conditions.            eliminated, and overall variety of shrubs and herbs reduced tenfold.
    Predators, Parasites, and Competitors
             Picture a subu
                             rban housing development springing      up in
    Prince Georges County outside of Washington, D.C., turning a 100-
    acre woodlot into a 50-acre woodlot. In the years following, some
    of the woods' bird species decline or disappear, and already                    14-
    abundant birds that prosper in disturbed areas increase. Among the
    forest birds visitors are less likely to hear are the Hooded,
    Kentucky, Worm-eating, and Northern Parula Warblers.

                                                                                Nficroclimate Changes
                                                                                        Ground water levels, wind, temperature, and humidity in
                                                                                a small area make up the microclimate, which can be influenced by
            @j
                                                                                habitat fragmentation. In Garrett County a road was built near a






             Nesting success is lower for forest birds in smaller patches       rock outcrop where Green Salamanders laid egas in certain
    of woods because the increased proportion of forest edge allows             crevas,.es.-to take advantage of subtle temperature and humidity
    higher rates of predation and nest parasitism. Several nest predators       conditions. Cleared areas such as roads tend to create a warmer,
    that increase with fragmentation, such as Opossums,         Raccoons,       drier local climate. Numbers of this State Endangered salamander
    Blue Jays, and @rows, hunt along wood edges. The Brown-headed               soon fell, and the habitat is now unoccupied. In a similar situation,
    Cowbird, also found at forest e  dges, tricks other birds into raising      the loss of individuals from a cluster of State Endangered Lobed
    Cowbird eggs and young at the expense of their own offspring.               Spleenwort ferns was correlated with the opening of the tree
                C,                                                                                                                    ZI
             Competitive interactions are also altered by fragmentation.        canopy.
    For example, log ing    in high elevation areas can increase tree
                                                                                Small Populations
                                                                                         Water pollutants from agriculture and industry, along with
                                                                                damming and stream channelizaLion, have isolated populations of
                                                                                many species, including the Dwarf Wedge Mussel. This Federally
                                                                                Endangered shellfish, now living in four streams in Caroline, Queen
                                                                                Anne's, Charles, and St. Mary's Counties, was once found in
                                                                                streams all over Marviand's coast.
    sprout browse for New England Cottontails, a species In Need of                      Plant or animal populations that become very small or
                                                                                localized are sensitive to special problems, including inbreeding,
    Conservation in Maryland. But this habitat change also promotes             genetic drift, and chance catastrophes.       When closely related
                                                                                C,
    the invasion of Eastern Cottontails into forested areas through cuts        individuals are mated, harmful genetic characters accumulate and
    and along the sides of new roads, and this common species appears           thw-art reproduction or reduce survival of offspring. Genetic drift
    to be incompatible with New England Cottontails.                            occurs when natural aenetic mutations quickly pass along harmful
                                                                                traits through the entire population.






                                                                                        Small groups are more easily wiped, out by unpredictable
                                                                                events like flood, drouabt, or disease. The   last of the Maryland
                                                                                                       0
                                                                                Darter fish were apparently   destroyed by the single failure of a
                                                                                riverside manure impoundment. Larger         populations are less
    @@11 4 -                                                                    vulnerable to any single event.






         Increased Human Contact
                                                                                                                                                _j
         -wm-.:Ter patches of habitat combined with more roads often lead
         to more human use of undeveloped areas. On Assateague Island
         National Seashore some areas'have been closed to people during
         summer breeding season to protect the Federally Threatened Piping
         Plover. This shy bird nests in open beach habitats, and its
         camouflaged eggs and chicks are so bard to see that they can be
         unknowingly stepped on or run over by off-road vehicles.

                                                                                                                                                                         ountvland use lj,.nnina
                                                                                                                         Anyone can become involved in c                                                   0
                                                                                                             by attending public meetings and submitting written comments
                                                                                                             when their county's comprehensive plan is reviewed. [Contact the
                                                                                                             county or State planning office to learn more.] The pub] c is also
                                                                                                             invited to comment during the reaular review of plans for state park
                                                                                                             and forest lands managed by the Maryland Department of Natural
                                                                                                             Resources.






         Incubating adults are often flushed from their nests by beach
         walkers, and their exposed eggs may overheat in the sun.
         Disturbance may also prevent the chicks from feeding as often as
         they need.
                     People can also disrupt the breeding of other animals,
         trample rare plants, or make paths which trigger the erosion of
                                                                                                                         State programs such as program Open                          Space and the
         fragile glades or beach dunes.                                                                                       nV  :       ental Trust, local land trusts, and private
                                                                                                             Maryland E ironm
                                                                                                             conservation groups such as The Nature Conservancy work to buy
         Solutions                                                                                           or otherwise prot         .ect land that contains the best examples Of
                     Research so far has revealed that protec                        large areas Of                                                groups depend upon citizen interest and
                                                                              tint.                          biological diversity. These
         native habitats is important in maintaining biological                             diversity,
                                                                                                             support.
         usually the larger the area, the better. If a few large reserves are
         compared to many small reserves, the larger areas hold a greater
         variety of native species and communities, better absorb natural
         disturbances, and are insulated against the effects of habitat
         fragmentation. Preserving wide links between isolated natural
         communities also conserves biological diversity by allowing species
         to travel for food, cover, mating, migration, or refilling vacant
         habitat. Special management may be necessary to maintain some
         fragmented habitats.
            g



                                                                                                                                                                                                   which
                                                                                                                        Individuals      can take many conservation measures
                                                                                                                                                                                (31
                                                                                                             reduce habitat fragmentation, such as avoidin-                        rivers, wetlands,
                                                                                                             glades, and larger         forest areas when building                roads or houses.
                                                                                                             Z,                                                 -home conservation measures
                                                                                                             Recycling solid waste and other at                                   timitina        habitat
                                                                                                             reduce human              land . impacts,           indirectly
                                                                                                             fragmentation.
                                                                                                                        Through personal action and public involvement, you can
                                                                                                             help reduce the threat of habitat fragmentation and ensure that Our
                                                                                                             rich natural heritage is passed to future generations of Marylanders.


                                                                                                                                                                             Npryland Natural Heritage
                                                                                                                      FORN
                                                                                                                            ,40RE INFORMATION PLEASE CQNTACr
                    To address these issues, effective land use planning                                                                                         e%U      AffvgTtate off-ice Building,
                                                                                                                                                                    e
                                                                                                                      program, DNR. Fish. Heritage, and Wil-
         considers native ecosystems. and protects unique species and
                                                                                                                      E-1, Annapolis, NO 21401,@Inl 410-2970*
         habitats and their links. It also encourages the redevelopment of
         existing sites instead of new building, and focuses new                                                      ACKNoWLE3)rENjENTS - Text by Ken Hot0PP             and other staff of the Natural
         development to minimize suburban sprawl.                                                                     Heritage Prograrn. Type  composition, illustration, and layout by Josephine ThOms


                The facilities and se@ices or the Department of Natural Resources 2re a,silable to all -ithout ree2rd to race. color. relivion. sex. 3sre. national orivin. iih-i@A[ ormentaldi,abilill.







                                          Text for mobile educational display

                                      VANISHING SPECIES AND HABITATS
                                        OF MARYLANDS COASTAL PLAIN

                                    Maryland Natural Heritage Program [with logo]
                                Maryland Department of Natural Resources [with logo]



           PHOTO (gr drawing where                                           TEXT
           indicated)

                                      CENTER PANEU

           Map of MD with Coastal Plain              Endangered species and thieateAed habitats are
           shaded and labelled                       problems not only of such faraway places as tropical
                                                     rainforests. As humans dominate more and more of
                                                     the earth's landscape, we are losing species and
                                                     habitats everywhere, including our own region
                                                     Maryland's Coastal Plain.

           Swamp Pink, Eastern Tiger                 These are just a few of Maryland's rare Coastal Plain
           Salamander, Sweet Pinesap,                species.   The remainder of this display examines
           Black Skimmer                             three of the many threatened habitats that support
                                                     rare species in Maryland: Delmarva bays, fragmented'
                                                     forests, and Coastal Plain bogs.


           large heading; no photo                   DELMARVA BAYS


           Map showing region where                  Delmarva bays occur primarily in the region
           Delmarva bays are found                   of the Eastem Shore shaded on this map.

           Dorchester Pond in April                  Delmarva bays are seasonal ponds vegetated with
           Dorchester Pond in July                   shrubs and herbs. Filled with water in winter and
                                                     spring, the ponds transform to meadows as the water
                                                     recedes in summer.


           Rose Coreopsis,                          -Many rare plants germinate on the exposed mudflat
           Red-root,                                 as the pond dries. Red-root and Rose Coreopsis
           Featherfoil                               flower and fruit in late summer, but Featherfoil
                                                     overwinters as seedlings, and flowers in the flooded
                                                     pond the next spring.








          Barking Treefrog                          Adult Barking Treefrogs spend much of their time in
                                                    shrubs and trees at the perimeter of a Delmarva bay,
                                                    but they enter the pond to breed. The frogs seem to
                                                    stand on water as they perch on the fallen stems of
                                                    the previous summer's sedges and grasses to give
                                                    their strange mating call.

          Aerial photo showing Delmarva             Changes in ground and surface water patterns due to
          Bays converted to farm fields             ditching, forest clearing and agricultural conversion
                                                    have destroyed many Delmarva bays, and many that
                                                    remain are threatened by similar activities. This
                                                    aerial view of part of Caroline County includes many
                                                    Delmarva bays that have been drained, cleared, and
                                                    made part of farm fields.

                                     LEFIP PANEL-


          Large heading; no photo                   FRAGM]ENTED FORESTS


          Map showing % land area                   Although much of Maryland        is forested, its forests
          forested, by county                       are often fragmented into small blocks by agriculture
                                                    and by residential, commercial, and industrial
          Graph of # of forest tracts of            development. Few large tracts of forest remain.
          various sizes in Coastal Plain

          Old growth forest (habitat                Small forest fragments have a higher ratio of "edge"
          photo)                                    to "interior" habitat than do large, unbroken forests.
                                                    Many bird species do not survive or reproduce well
                                                    in areas near forest edges, where forests meet fields,
                                                    backyards, clearcuts, or commercial development.
                                                    They are adapted to the conditions present deeper
                                                    in the forest, and are called "FID" (forest interior
                                                    dwelling) species.

          Swainson's Warbler (drawing)              The rarest Maryland forest interior bird is the
                                                    Swainson's Warbler, which lives on the lower Eastern
                                                    Shore in large tracts of mature wet forest with a
                                                    dense - shrub layer.

          Raccoon                                   As forest edge increases, so do the populations of
                                                    edge species that are harmful to forest interior birds.
                                                    These edge species include generalist predators such
                                                    as Blue Jays and Raccoons, which prey upon eggs
                                                    and young of forest interior birds that are forced to
                                                    live near forest edges.







          Brown-headed Cowbird                     Another edge species, the Brown-headed Cowbird, is
                                                   known as a nest parasite because it lays its eggs in
                                                   the nests of other birds. The host bird is tricked into
                                                   raising the cowbird's young at the expense of its own
                                                   chicks.


          Scarlet Tan ager                         Populations of neotropical migrant birds such as the
                                                   Scarlet Tanager and Ovenbird have declined severely
          Ovenbird                                 as forests have become fragmented. Ovenbirds nest
                                                   on the ground, making them vulnerable to predation
                                                   by roving domestic cats or raccoons, or to
                                                   inadvertent trampling by humans.

          Black Bear                               Centuries ago, Maryland's Coastal Plain forests were
                                                   large enough to support large mammals like the
                                                   Black Bear that require extensive territories. Today,
                                                   the Maryland portion of the Black Bear's range is
                                                   limited to the more heavily forested western counties.

          Japanese Honeysuckle                     Many plants also require forest interior habitat.
                                                   When parts of forests are cleared, soil disturbance
          Wister's Coralroot                       and increased sunlight allows non-native species such
                                                   as Japanese Honeysuckle to invade the forest. Its
                                                   choking vines inhibit tree regeneration and crowd out
                                                   native spring wildflowers such as Bloodroot,
                                                   Windflower, and the State Endangered Wister's
                                                   Coralroot.


          Aerial view of part of Anne              This aerial view of part of Anne Arundel County
          Arundel County (from USGS                shows the small blocks of forest and narrow forest
          NHAP photo)                              corridors that remain in the wake of development for
                                                   agriculture, homes and industry.        Forests along
          Housing development                      streams absorb upland runoff, shade and cool stream
                                                   water, and provide recreation.        However, these
                                                   narrow strips of woods also promote the invasion of
                                                   native and non-native edge species because of the
                                                   high ratio of edge to forest interior habitat.



                                    RIGHT PANEU



          large heading; no photo                  COASTAL PLAIN BOGS







          Map of Maryland (or just CP)             Early in this century, naturalists reported more than
          with area shaded to show                 30 "magnolia bogs" in Prince George's and Anne
          distribution of CP bogs                  Arundel Counties. Species characteristic of bogs
                                                   were reported to commonly occur in wet areas on
                                                   the Eastern Shore as well. Today, only a few
                                                   Coastal Plain bogs remain. They are found primarily
                                                   in the areas shaded on the map.

          Sphagnum Moss                            Bogs are open wetlands with a vegetation mat of
                                                   decaying plants, peat, and sphagnum moss.
          Gumbottom Wetland habitat                Sphagnum moss acts as a sponge, holding up to
          photo                                    twenty times its weight in water. On this spongy mat
                                                   grow wildflowers, sedges, and heath shrubs.

                                                   Many bogs are disappearing as they are invaded by
                                                   trees, ultimately changing the bogs into swamps or
                                                   even dry forest. 'Historically, new bogs were created
                                                   by fire's and by damming of streams by beaver. Fire
                                                   suppression, decimation of beaver populations, and
                                                   urbanization have contributed to the loss of bogs and
                                                   prevented the natural formation of new bogs.

          Northern Pitcher Plant (2                Bogs are acidic, with few of the nutrients most
          photos, one of pitchers and one          common plants need to survive. Adapted to the low
          of flowers)                              nutrient levels in bogs, the Northern Pitcher Plant
                                                   absorbs extra nitrogen from insects it traps and
                                                   digests in vase-shaped leaves. The. pitcher plant's
                                                   unusual red flowers decorate the bog in spring.

          Tawny Cottongrass                        Uncommon sedges abound in Coastal Plain
                                                   bogs. Tawny Cottongrass waves its cotton-
                                                   like flowers above the bog mat in summer.


          Leatherleaf                              Leatherleaf, a dominant shrub in Maryland's
                                                   Coastal Plain bogs, has thick evergreen
                                                   leaves and delicate, urn-shaped flowers. A
                                                   member of the Heath family, Leatherleaf is
                                                   common in bogs of the northern states and
                                                   Canada, but is Threatened in Maryland.

          Yellow-fringed Orchid                    The beautiful Yellow-fringed Orchid thrives
                                                   in the wet, acidic soil of bogs. Its long-
                                                   spurred flowers are pollinated by butterflies.








          Handout Box                            HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT
                                                 PRESERVATION OF RARE
                                                 SPECIES AND SPECIAL
                                                 HABITATS IN MARYLAND


                                                      TAKE ONE



          Large horizontal habitat photo         Funded by the DNR Coastal and Watershed
          of beaver pond                         Resources Division through a grant from
                                                 OCRM, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
                                                 Administration, and by citizen contributions
                                                 to the Chesapeake Bay and Endangered
                                                 Species Fund through the state income tax
                                                 check off.









                                                                                                                          NOAA COASTAL SERVICES CTR LIBRARY    .


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