Regional Landscape Ecosystems of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin
SUB-SUBSECTION V.1.3. Stevens Point
DISCUSSION: Sub-subsection is level outwash sands along the Wisconsin River, originally dominated by barrens of jack pine and northern pin oak.
ELEVATION: 886 to 1,145 feet (270 to 349 m).
AREA: 1,345 square miles (3,485 sq km).
STATES: Wisconsin.
CLIMATE: See subsection.
BEDROCK GEOLOGY: Underlying bedrock is predominantly Cambrian sandstone, but Precambrian-age (Archean) gneiss and amphibolite occur at the northern edge of the sub-subsection (Morey et al. 1982). See subsection.
LANDFORMS: This broad outwash plain is generally concentrated along the east side of the Wisconsin River, bordering the western edge of the pitted outwash and moraine (Sub-subsection V.1.4). Lacustrine sands occupy the center and western edge of the sub-subsection. Stabilized sand dunes are also present (Hole 1976).
LAKES AND STREAMS: The Wisconsin River flows through the sub-subsection. It has been dammed to create Petenwell Lake; there are no large, naturally occurring lakes.
SOILS: Soils have formed in outwash and lacustrine sands. Plainfield sands (Udipsam-ments) predominate and are more fertile than the Boone sands of Sub-subsection V.1.1 (Hole 1976, Hole and Germain 1994). A narrow band of poorly drained mineral soils and shallow peats occur along the eastern boundary of the sub-subsection, where it meets Sub-subsection V.1.4.
PRESETTLEMENT VEGETATION: Jack pine and northern pin oak dominated the prevalent droughty soils, covering an area of 400 to 500 square miles (Finley 1976). Jack pine and northern pin oak occurred as either closed canopy forests or open barrens. Wetlands were restricted to the eastern edge of the sub-subsection. Marsh and sedge meadow were nearest the jack pine, probably due to the short fire interval; and swamp forest of black spruce and tamarack was further to the east. Northern white-cedar was absent or rare. An area of tallgrass prairie was in the extreme east, southwest of Plainfield.
NATURAL DISTURBANCE: Fire was probably the most important.
PRESENT VEGETATION AND LAND USE: Irrigation has allowed wide-scale conversion to agriculture.
RARE PLANT COMMUNITIES: Rare communities include coastal plain marsh, white pine-red maple flatwoods, and oak barrens.
RARE PLANTS: Bartonia virginica (screwstem), Myriophyllum farwellii (Farwell's water-milfoil), Opuntia fragilis (brittle prickly-pear), Polygala cruciata (cross milkwort), Rhexia virginica (Virginia meadow beauty).
RARE ANIMALS: Erynnis persius persius (Persius dusky wing), Incisalia irus (frosted elfin), Lycaeides melissa samuelis (Karner blue), Ophisaurus attenuatus (western slender glass lizard).
NATURAL AREAS: State Natural Areas: Buena Vista Quarry Prairie, Buena Vista Prairie Chicken Meadow, Sohlberg Silver Lake, Dewey Marsh, Roche-A-Cri (Roche à Cris) Mound, Quincy Bluff.
PUBLIC LAND MANAGERS:
CONSERVATION CONCERNS: Natural vegetation is affected by fire exclusion and mining of ground water for irrigation.
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