Regional Landscape Ecosystems of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin
SUBSECTION VII.5. Leelanau and Grand Traverse Peninsula
DISCUSSION: At the inland interior of the subsection, there is a narrow band of steep end-moraine ridges; north of these steep end moraines is a broad drumlin field near Lake Michigan. The subsection is divided into several narrow peninsulas and peninsula-like landscapes by bays of Lake Michigan and several long, narrow inland lakes, including Torch Lake, Lake Charlevoix, and Walloon Lake (Albert et al. 1986).
SUB-SUBSECTIONS: Williamsburg (VII.5.1), Traverse City (VII.5.2).
ELEVATION: 580 to 1,220 feet (177 to 372 m).
AREA: 859 square miles (2,225 sq km).
STATES: Michigan.
CLIMATE: Climate is strongly influenced by Lake Michigan; spring and early summer are cooler than in the Highplains subsection to the east (Albert et al. 1986). Growing season ranges from 110 days at the inland edge to 150 days along the shoreline of Lake Michigan (Eichenlaub et al. 1990). A combination of early last freeze in spring, cool spring temperatures, and less severe thunderstorms creates an excellent setting for commercial fruit production, primarily apples, cherries, and grapes. Lake-effect snowfall is heavy, averaging 100 to 140 inches annually. Average annual precipitation is 30 to 34 inches. Extreme minimum temperatures are -32½F along Lake Michigan and -40½F inland.
BEDROCK GEOLOGY: Drift thicknesses are less than 50 feet for most of the subsection; the thickest drift is about 350 feet, just east of Lake Charlevoix (Akers 1938). Paleozoic bedrock underlies the subsection, but it is only locally exposed near the coast. Bedrock consists of Mississippian shale and Devonian shale, limestone, dolomite, shale, and evaporites (Dorr and Eschman 1984, Milstein 1987).
LANDFORMS: Steep, sandy end moraines occcur at the inland edge; and small areas of sand dune are along the coast. Ground moraine with drumlin ridges characterizes most of the subsection.
LAKES AND STREAMS: See sub-subsections.
SOILS: The end moraines have sandy soils derived from till. The drumlins also have sandy and loamy soils developed on very gravelly till. The dune soils are developed from aeolian-deposited sand. Soils are classified as moderately sloping Haplorthods plus Glossoboralf and Udipsamments (USDA Soil Conservation Service 1967). See sub-subsections.
PRESETTLEMENT VEGETATION: Northern hardwood forests of beech, sugar maple, hemlock, and basswood were found on uplands throughout the subsection. Northern white-cedar dominated the poorly drained depressions between the drumlins.
NATURAL DISTURBANCE: Windthrow was noted in the swamp forests, both inland and along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Fire was noted on the dunes near Lake Michigan.
PRESENT VEGETATION AND LAND USE: GLO surveyors noted that Native Americans had small agricultural fields and sugar bushes near the Lake Michigan shoreline (Comer et al. 1993a). The drumlin fields are presently intensively used for agriculture, both orchards and pasture. The steep end moraines and dunes remain forested.
RARE PLANT COMMUNITIES: None identified to date.
RARE PLANTS: See sub-subsections.
RARE ANIMALS: See sub-subsections.
NATURAL AREAS: See sub-subsections.
PUBLIC LAND MANAGERS: See sub-subsections.
CONSERVATION CONCERNS: See sub-subsections.
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