Results of the 2014 Eagle Marsh Biodiversity Survey, Allen County, Indiana

Authors

  • Donald G. Ruch Department of Biology, Ball State University
  • Judy Nelsen
  • Ross Carlson
  • Brant Fisher Atterbury Fish and Wildlife Area
  • Anthony H. Fleming
  • Don Gorney
  • Jeffrey D. Holland Department of Entomology, Purdue University
  • Mark Jordan Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne
  • Bruce Kingsbury Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne
  • Bill Murphy
  • Paul McMurray Indiana Department of Environmental Management
  • Kirk Roth
  • Paul Rothrock Indiana University, Deam Herbarium, Smith Research Center, Indiana University
  • Steve Russell The Hoosier Mushroom Company
  • Carl Strang
  • John Whitaker Jr. Department of Biology, Indiana State University
  • Betsy Yankowiak

Abstract

Eagle Marsh, a 289.8 ha (716-acre) wetland nature preserve located on the southwest border of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is one of the largest wetland restorations ever undertaken in Indiana. The Little River Wetlands Project (LRWP) began acquisition, planning, and restoration in 2005 to 2007. The first biodiversity survey (also known as a bioblitz) of Eagle Marsh was conducted on 31 May and 1 June 2014. Over 125 scientists, naturalists, students, and other volunteers on thirteen different taxonomic teams observed and reported 728 taxa during the event. The thirteen taxonomic teams included aquatic macroinvertebrates, beetles, birds, butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies, fish, freshwater mussels, herpetofauna, small mammals, mushrooms/fungi, singing insects, snail-killing flies, and vascular plants. This manuscript presents both a brief history of Eagle Marsh and a summary overview of the results gathered by the thirteen taxonomic teams.

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Published

2019-11-01

Issue

Vol. 125 No. 1 (2016)

Section

Ecology