Flora and Fauna for Acadia
National Park!
Flora:
There has been a long history of botanical exploration in and
around Acadia National Park. "Flora of Mount
Desert Island, Maine", authored by Rand and Redfield, in 1894. This
benchmark publication cataloged vascular plants, mosses, algae and lichens. Acadia has over 1100 vascular
plant species that represent a wide diversity of plant life adapted to thrive
in acidic, low nutrient bogs and rocky, treeless mountain summits. Grasses and
wildflowers abound in park meadows, and lakes and ponds are home to emergent
and floating aquatic vegetation. Almost one quarter of Acadia's flora is non-native,
and about 25 species are state-listed rare plants. It is evident that 300 years
of human settlement and land use have changed the composition of plant
communities throughout Acadia National Park.
Ferns: Visitors to Acadia National Park will undoubtedly find
many ferns, an interesting group of spore-producing plants. They thrive in
cool, moist, shaded areas, which are quite common on the coast of Maine! Some of the
easier-to-recognize ferns are species of rock polypody which appear almost
identical, and are often found growing in leaf litter duff on top of large
rocks. The fronds are singular and look like they are growing in a small colony
or mat. If you turn one of the fronds over you may see the round sori, clusters
of spore-producing structures, on the underside.
Freshwater
Plants: Freshwater (also
referred to as "aquatic") plants are probably one of the most
conspicuous features of the lakes, ponds, and streams of Acadia National Park. Approximately 80
species of freshwater plants can be found in the park, with an additional dozen
species that are considered semi-aquatic shoreline species. Some freshwater plants
grow completely submerged. Others are rooted in the bottom, but their leaves or
flowers may be on or above the water's surface. These are respectively known as
"floating" and "emergent" vegetation. All freshwater plants
are important members of the aquatic community, providing shelter and nesting
sites to a variety of fishes and other animals, and serving as an important
food source for mammals.
Grasses: The amateur would
probably call all of these grasses, but in fact some are sedges and some are
rushes. Here is a little rhyme to help tell the three apart: "sedges have
edges, rushes are round, and grasses have joints." Sedges usually have a
triangular stem, rushes have round stems, and grasses have a jointed stem.
Sedges, grasses and rushes often inhabit wet areas. All of them have flowers;
they just aren't showy. Take a closer look and you will be amazed at the
diversity of these wind-pollinated wildflowers!
Mosses and Liverworts: Mosses, like ferns, reproduce by spores.
Sphagnum species are common and come in shades of green, red and brown. Bog
hummocks, which are small mounds of Sphagnum, often form to create an
undulating bog surface. Therefore, the species of Sphagnum growing on the top
of the hummocks are usually different from the ones growing between the
hummocks!
Wildflowers: If you are in a wooded area of Acadia National Park, you are likely to
find common, native woodland flowers, such as wild lily-of-the-valley
bunchberry, goldthread, bluebead lily, and starflower. Bunchberry is a member
of the dogwood family and has dogwood-like white flowers in spring and red
"bunchberries" later in the season. Notice the arcuate venation on
its leaves, a hallmark of the dogwood family. Bluebead lily has a pale yellow
flower in spring and later a striking blue, bead-like fruit that is poisonous.
Goldthread gets its common name from its golden thread-like roots. You can take
a peak at the gold threads without harm to the plant by carefully pulling the
soil or moss away from the roots and then pushing it back.
In August and September
Acadia's native wildflowers, the asters and goldenrods, both in the aster family,
are in full bloom. of. Each "she loves me, she loves me not" petal is
actually a complete flower So what appears to be one aster or daisy flower is
made up of many disk and ray flowers densely packed together. If you look very
carefully at goldenrods you will see that they too are made up of tiny
daisy-like "flowers".
Fauna:
From the brook trout breaking the surface
of Bubble Pond to the peregrine falcon soaring high over Jordan Cliffs, the
land, water, and sky at Acadia are filled with a
wide variety of animal life. Some call the park their home, others are simply
passing through en route to a far-off destination, but all are closely tied to
this unique and fragile environment.
Amphibians: The lakes, ponds, streams, and ephemeral
vernal pools of Acadia National Park are rich in amphibian
life. Eleven amphibian species, including frogs, salamanders, and one toad,
have been identified on park lands and three other species have been
historically reported in the park. Salamanders find clever hiding spots in wooded
areas, wetlands, and streams, but can be seen by the astute observer!
Birds: With a record of 338
bird species encountered, Acadia National Park is considered one of
the premier bird-watching areas in the country. Through the years, park staff and
countless amateurs have observed the gradual extension of southern and
temperate bird species to the region. Twenty-three species of warblers alone
have been recorded as breeding in the park! Acadia's offshore islands are also important nesting grounds for
many birds, often marking the southern breeding limit for the species. Due to
their secluded location and productive marine environment, the offshore islands
administered by the park also serve as a critical nesting habitat for eiders
and other sea birds, raptors, colonial birds as well as providing important
wintering habitat for northern shorebirds and harlequin ducks. Both the swift
peregrine falcon and the bald eagle actively use areas within Acadia National Park.
Fish: Historic records
indicate that 31 fish species have been encountered in the lakes, ponds, and
brooks of Acadia National Park, although only 28
species can be found today. While brook trout, lake trout, landlocked salmon,
and smallmouth bass are perennial favorites of anglers visiting the park, many
of Acadia's fish are non-game species. The American eel, the banded
killifish, and 3 species of sticklebacks are only part of the diversity of
freshwater fish varieties found at Acadia.
The other Wildlife facts
are as followed:
§
Eleven species of amphibians have recently been identified on park
lands and two other species have been historically reported in the park.
§
Over 273 species of birds have been identified on Mount Desert Island and in the adjacent
waters.
§
Twenty-one wood warblers nest on Mount Desert Island.
§
Twenty-four species of fish have been found in island lakes and
ponds, including several species that are introduced.
§
Over a thousand species from 18 phyla of invertebrates have been
reported from the park and Mount Desert Island area.
§
Insect inventories completed in the late 1940's reported over 6500
species and subspecies of insects for the Mount Desert Island area. Additional species
have been identified.
§
Forty mammal species have been identified on park lands and more
than a dozen other terrestrial and marine mammals have been identified on
adjacent lands or water bodies.
§
Seven species of reptiles have recently been identified on park
lands and four other species have been historically reported on the island.
The Latitude and
Longitude for Cadllic Mountain are as followed: 44 degrees 21 minutes 04.53 seconds North (44 21
04.53 N)
68 degrees 13 minutes 37.542 seconds West (68 13 37.542 W)
North American Datum of 1927 (NAD-27)
460 meters above sea level
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