Regional Landscape Ecosystems of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin
SUB-SUBSECTION X.5.2. Park Rapids-Staples and Crow Wing Outwash Plains
DISCUSSION: Sub-subsection X.5.2 consists of three outwash plains separated by sandy end moraines. The flat, droughty outwash plains burnt regularly, resulting in an open forest or barrens dominated by jack pine.
ELEVATION: 1,100 to 1,492 feet (335 to 455 m).
AREA: 1,970 square miles (5,106 sq km).
STATES: Minnesota.
CLIMATE: See subsection.
BEDROCK: See subsection.
LANDFORM: Broad outwash plains.
LAKES AND STREAMS: Surfaces of the plains are pitted by numerous small kettle lakes. More than 160 lakes larger than 160 acres are found within the sub-subsection (University of Minnesota et al. 1969, 1980a). Several major rivers flow across the outwash, including the Mississippi, Crow Wing, and Pine.
SOILS: Loamy sands or sandy loams, derived from outwash sands and gravels. From 65 percent to 85 percent of the soils are excessively or well drained (University of Minnesota et al. 1969, 1980a). The amount of peat soils differs by outwash plain; the Park Rapids-Staples plain (X.5.2a) has almost 20 percent very poorly drained soils, and the Crow Wing (X.5.2b) has 5 percent. Soils of the outwash are classified primarily as Psamments, but include Hemists (Anderson and Grigal 1984).
PRESETTLEMENT FOREST: Jack pine, with northern pin oak, dominated the excessively drained portions of the broad outwash plains, but trembling aspen-paper birch forest dominated large expanses and conifers dominated very poorly drained parts of the outwash (Marschner 1974).
NATURAL DISTURBANCE: Fire.
PRESENT VEGETATION AND LAND USE: Most of the outwash plains remain forested. Jack pine is used principally in the pulpwood industry.
RARE PLANT COMMUNITIES: See subsection.
RARE PLANTS: See subsection.
RARE ANIMALS: See subsection.
NATURAL AREAS: See subsection.
PUBLIC LAND MANAGERS: See subsection.
CONSERVATION CONCERNS: See subsection.
BOUNDARIES: Outwash at the southern end of the Park Rapids-Staples plain supported prairie and oak opening. This part of the outwash plain was treated as belonging to Subsection III.1.1.
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