BORNE OF THE WIND

An introductionto the ecologyof Michigan’ssand dunes

To Dr. Warren Wagner, Jr., who inspiredmany of us to become biologists andinspired many more to love and value thebeautiful world of nature…

DEDICATION

…and to Wendy O’Neill, who spent her shortlife inspiring those around her to acquire andprotect lands for conservation.

Dr. Warren H. Wagner, Jr.

Wendy O’Neill

Susan Crispin

Susan Crispin

Borne of the Wind:An Introduction to theEcology of Michigan’sSand Dunes

GREAT LAKES COASTAL DUNESThe high sand dunes areamong the most rugged andbeautiful natural featuresof the Lake Michigan andLake Superior shorelines.Great Lakes dunes comprisethe most extensive fresh-water dunes in the world,so vast that they are visibleto astronauts from outerspace. In terms of theplants and animals, thecoastal dunes are also rich,supporting more endemicspecies than any otherGreat Lakes ecosystem.

Some of the earliest Euro-pean explorers and settlers inMichigan commented on therugged character of thedunes. Bela Hubbard, amember of the 1840 surveyof the Grand Sable dunes,described them as “aminiature Sahara.” Many ofMichigan’s most visitedstate parks and nationallakeshores showcase thesethrilling natural features.Michigan contains moredunes than any other GreatLakes state, however,significant coastal dunes are

also found along theshorelines of all Great Lakesstates, and on the Ontarioshoreline as well.

The high coastal dunesfamiliar to many Michiganresidents are not the onlykind of dunes. In fact, othertypes of dunes may be foundalong the shoreline as wellas in the interior of the state.Here we discuss some ofthe more common dunetypes and their significanceto a wide variety of plantsand animals.

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Great Lakes Coastal Dunes ......................................................................... i

Dune Formation and Types ........................................................................ 1Sand Source.........................................................................................................................................................2Wind ............................................................................................................................................................................4Water Level Fluctuation..........................................................................................................................5Vegetation..............................................................................................................................................................6

Major Dune Types ...................................................................................... 8Parabolic Dunes...............................................................................................................................................9Perched Dunes...............................................................................................................................................10Linear Dunes...................................................................................................................................................12Transverse Dunes........................................................................................................................................14

Zonation of Parabolic Dunes ................................................................... 16Beach.......................................................................................................................................................................17Foredune...............................................................................................................................................................19Backdune Forests........................................................................................................................................23Blowouts..............................................................................................................................................................28Interdunal Swales and Wetlands.................................................................................................30

Zonation of Perched Dunes ..................................................................... 32Eroding Bluff ..................................................................................................................................................34

Zonation of Dune and Swale Complexes.................................................................................35Beach and Foredune................................................................................................................................ 36Open Interdunal Swales.......................................................................................................................37Forested Dune Ridges............................................................................................................................39Forested Swales............................................................................................................................................40

Zonation of Transverse Dunes.............................................................................................................41Dune Forests....................................................................................................................................................42Peatlands and Open Conifer Swamps...................................................................................43

Dune Threats..........................................................................................................................................................45Exotic Plants and Animals................................................................................................................46ORVs and Recreational Overuse................................................................................................48Residential Development....................................................................................................................50Other Types of Sand Dune Development..........................................................................52

Sand Dune Regulations...............................................................................................................................53

Dune Sites in Public Ownership or Private Nature PreservesLower Peninsula ................................................................................... 54Upper Peninsula...........................................................................................................................................56

Referenced Species.........................................................................................................................................58

Exotic Plants Table..........................................................................................................................................59

Rare Plants and Animals/Natural Communities...............................................................60

Recommended Dune Literature.........................................................................................................62

Selected Scientific References............................................................................................................62

Acknowledgements.........................................................................................................................................63

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Important factors have been identified as critical for thecreation of sand dunes, including:

• a source of abundant sand

• relatively consistent wind

• water level fluctuation

• vegetation to foster sand accumulation

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Dune Formationand Types

Dennis A

lbert

The most basic factorin dune formationis the presence ofabundant sand.

which is why many of ourdune complexes are locatedat the mouths of large riverslike the Grand, Kalamazoo,Muskegon, and PereMarquette. High coastalbluffs, which are continuallybeing eroded by winds and

SAND SOURCE

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Within the Great Lakesbasin, continental glacierscovered the landscape forover one million years,providing the major sourcefor sand and other sediments.Meltwater streams flowingfrom the glaciers’ flankscarried tremendous volumesof sand and gravel that settledalong extensive sandy plainsor in narrow stream channels.Another source of sand wasglacial till, a mixture of sand,silt, and clay that wasdeposited along the marginsof the glaciers or dropped asthe glacial ice slowly melted.Not only did the glaciersprovide sediments rich insand, they also scoured outthe broad, deep basins thatthe Great Lakes now occupy.

These glacial sediments areconcentrated in two sourcesthat provide sand for coastaldunes: rivers and coastalbluffs. Large volumes of sandare carried into the GreatLakes by river systems,

waves, are another importantsediment source, as seen atSleeping Bear DunesNational Lakeshore, alongnorthern Lake Michigan, orat Grand Sable Dunes alongthe south shore of LakeSuperior. These sediments are

Coastal bluffs, a major source of sand for dune formation. Grand Sable Dunes.

The Big Sable River carried sand that became the Nordhouse Dunes.

Susan Crispin

Earl Wolf

moved along the shoreline byoffshore currents andeventually get redepositedalong the shoreline to formsand beaches or foredunes.When conditions are right,these sands can be carriedinland by strong winds toform interior dunes.

While water depositsparticles on the beach thatrange in size from pebbles tovery fine sands, wind-formeddunes consist largely ofmedium and fine sands.Large volumes of mediumand fine sands bounce alongwithin a meter of the ground,in a process called saltation(see diagram at right).Saltation is responsible formost sand movement on thedunes. Coarse sand is toolarge to be readily moved bythe wind, and its movementconsists of short distance“surface creep” resultingfrom collisions with movingfine and medium sandparticles. Finer silt and claysized particles are carried insuspension far beyond thecoastal dunes.

Beach or dune sand consistslargely of quartz (87-94%),with lesser amounts offeldspar (10-18%), magnetite(1-3%), and traces of otherminerals such as calcite,garnet, and hornblende. Sandparticles are rounded andfrosted by continuous

collisions with other sandgrains. Quartz grains rangefrom very coarse to very finesands. In contrast, magnetite,which is twice as heavy asquartz, consists primarily offine and very fine sandgrains, although largerparticles can be found. As aresult of this size and densitydifference, gently movingwater or light winds cause theheavier, smaller magnetite tosettle out into dark bandsoverlain by lighter, largerquartz. Gentle summer windsaccelerate the separation ofmagnetite from quartz, butthe sorting is quickly undone

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by fall and winter stormwinds and waves.

Moving sand is very abrasive,as demonstrated byventifacts, stones that haveflattened facets polishedsmooth by the sand. Simi-larly, the colorful label of asoda can left on the dune issoon sandblasted to a dullgray. An interesting, rarephenomenon in the dunesis the fusion of sand grainsby lightning strikes,forming fragile tubescalled fulgerites.

Beach sand (enlarged).

Wind-formed patterns on the dunes. The dark sand is magnetite.

David W

isse

Dennis A

lbert

Strong winds blowingin a relatively consistentdirection are a secondfactor critical fordune formation.

scale, sand movement anddune formation are greatestfrom late autumn throughearly spring, when prevailingwinds are strongest andleaves are absent fromdeciduous shrubs and treesgrowing on the dunes. Iceaccumulation along theshoreline, called an ice foot,can reduce the amount of

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For the Great Lakes,prevailing winds are typicallyfrom the southwest. As aresult, the greatest concentra-tion of large dunes is alongthe eastern and northernshorelines of Lake Michigan,with the largest dunes alongthe eastern shoreline. Duneformation is a dynamic andcyclic process. On an annual

WIND

wave erosion of the beachduring the winter. Duringcold years when a largeice foot forms and remainsin place throughout muchof the winter, there is re-duced sand movementand dune formation.

Wind-blown sand on snow.

Ice foot along Lake Michigan shoreline.

David Ew

ertD

onald Petersen

WATER-LEVEL FLUCTUATION

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Several recent studiesindicate that water-levelfluctuations influencedune formation, withdune growth acceleratedby high water levels.

Dune formation appears to belinked to high water levels inthe Great Lakes, when wavesand storms erode awaygreater amounts of sandysediments than when waterlevels are low. Relativelyhigh water levels result indestabilization of the dunes,with increased sand move-ment and burial of forests.Thus, when researchers orsand miners dig deep into adune, they often encounterseveral buried forests, one ontop of another, separated by

One such period ofintense dune growth was theNipissing period, occurringabout 4000 to 6000 yearsago, when Great Lake waterlevels were considerablyhigher than today. During thisperiod, the Grand Sabledunes on Lake Superior andthe Nordhouse Dunes alongnorthern Lake Michigan wereformed. It was once thoughtthat all of the dunes along theeastern shore of LakeMichigan were formedduring Nipissing time, butrecent studies have shownthat some of the LakeMichigan dune complexes,such as those near Muskegonand Grand Haven, haveformed as recently as 3000years ago, during later high-water periods. If we look atdune formation over a periodof several thousand years, wesee that there were periods ofintense dune formation,followed by periods ofreduced dune activity.

dune sands. These forestsestablished and grew duringlow water periods of theGreat Lakes, and werethen buried and killedduring a subsequent periodof high water, when thedunes destabilized andbegan to move. Great Lakeswater levels vary cyclically,with minor cycles of five toten years, and more majorcycles of thirty to severalhundred years.

Broad beach exposed during low Great Lakes water levels.

Northern white-cedars buried by sand. Wave erosion of foredune during highwater levels.

Dennis A

lbertD

onald Petersen

Dennis A

lbert

A final factor,vegetation, trapsand stabilizes sand.

Without periodic entrap-ment, sands cannot accumu-late vertically to create highcoastal dunes. Most plantsare not adapted to theconstant burial and abrasionthat characterizes thedune environment.

VEGETATION

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Narrow spikes of marram grass (Ammophila breviligulata) and broad spikes of sandreed grass (Calamovilfa longifolia) colonize open sand.

Buried cottonwood (Populus deltoides) produces abundant root suckers.

Donald Petersen

Susan Crispin

Marram grass (Ammophilabreviligulata), typically thefirst species to establish onthe bare dune sands, is one ofthe species most adapted tosurvival on the dunes. Notonly can marram grasstolerate being buried by sand,studies have shown that itrequires burial for optimalgrowth. When the windencounters marram grass orother dune vegetation, itsvelocity is reduced, causingsand to accumulate. As dunesands bury the marram grass,it continues to form newgrowth above the sand, whileits roots and rhizomescontinue to grow andstabilize the sands.

Most of the common herbs,shrubs, and trees of the dunesare tolerant of sand burial.Grasses most tolerant of sandburial include marram grass,sand reed, and little bluestem.Shrubs tolerant of burialinclude red osier dogwoodand sand cherry. In southernMichigan, cottonwood showsconsiderable tolerance tosand burial, as does balsampoplar further to the north.When buried, both cotton-wood and balsam poplarproduce root suckers fromburied stems, resulting inclumps of small trees on thepartially stabilized dune.Roots form just below thesand surface, where moistureis most available.

As vegetation of the dunes isstabilized, herb and shrubdiversity increases andforests eventually establish.With the establishment of aforest canopy, dune pioneer-ing plants like marram grassand sand cherry rapidlydisappear and are replaced byplants more tolerant of thereduced light conditions inthe forest understory.

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Marram grasses slows the wind, causing sand to accumulate.

Little bluestem(Schizachyrium scoparius).

Donald Petersen

Dennis A

lbert

Classification and Distribution of Major Dune Types

There are four distinctive types of dunes encountered inMichigan: parabolic, perched, linear, and transverse. Thefirst three dune types are commonly associated with thepresent Great Lakes shoreline, while transverse dunes aremore often associated with large bays of Glacial LakeAlgonquin, from about 11,000 years ago. Linear dunes havealso been called dune-and-swale complexes. Several classifi-cations of sand dunes identify several more categories than thefour listed here. Some of these studies are listed at the end ofthis publication for further reference.

While the shape of each dune type differs, the general cross-section of all dune types has similarity. The slope on thewindward face of a dune is gentle, usually not over 15degrees. In contrast, the slope of the back or lee side of thedune is much steeper, sometimes approaching the “angle ofrepose” of dry sand. The lee slope is steep enough thatclimbing it can be exhausting and typically results in con-siderable erosion of the slope.

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Major Dune Types

Parabolic dunes, definedby their distinctiveU-shape, are found onlyin moist environments,where extensivevegetation cover oftenstabilizes the dunes.

PARABOLIC DUNES

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Parabolic dunes occur inseveral large complexesalong the eastern LakeMichigan shoreline. In theLake Michigan basin, thesand source for the parabolicdunes is broad sand terracesthat formed along the lakemargins 11,000 to 13,000

years ago. Parabolic dunesprobably formed when theforested sand terraces weredestabilized during high lakelevels, resulting in theformation of U-shapedblowouts. Dune destabiliza-tion occurred at intervalsseveral hundred or thousand

years apart, when lake levelswere high. Strong windsresult in migration of thedunes inland, while marramgrass and other vegetationcause the sand to accumulatevertically. The end result isthe formation of parabolicdunes 250 to 300 feet high.

Parabolic dune at Hoffmaster State Park extends into the surrounding forest.

R. Torresen

PRIMARY WIND

DIRECTION

PERCHED DUNES

These dunes are perchedatop glacial morainesthat have bluffs 90to 360 feet above thepresent lake level.

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Perched dunes are re-stricted to the northeasternshore of Lake Michigan andto Lake Superior. They arenourished largely by sandblowing off bluff faces,rather than sand from thebeach. Perched dunesthemselves are often muchsmaller features than the

bluffs upon which they rest.Foredunes, perched along theupper edge of bluffs, arequite dynamic. Among themost famous perched dunesare Grand Sable on LakeSuperior and Sleeping Beardunes on northeasternLake Michigan.

Grand Sable Dunes, perched dunes along Lake Superior.

Susan Crispin

The sediments of bluff facesare quite variable. Claybanding can result in moistseepages on the bluffs.Strong winds remove clay,silt, and sand, leavingpebbles and cobbles, called alag zone, either on the faceof the bluffs or along theupper edge. Along thelakeshore, the beach is oftenquite narrow.

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A lag zone of pebbles and cobbles along the bluff-top at Grand Sable Dunes.

Sleeping Bear Dunes, perched dunes along Lake Michigan.

Susan Crispin

Gary R

eese

LINEAR DUNES

Large complexes oflinear dunes form theshoreline along numer-ous Great Lake bays.

5000 years ago. Since thistime, Great Lakes waterlevels have been graduallydropping over the long-term.The water levels also havean irregular short-term cycleof lows and highs. As thewater level drops, a newbeach ridge (foredune)forms along the lakeshore,usually separated from thepreviously formed ridge by aswale. The largest beachridges in a dune and swalecomplex record periods ofhigh water level. When thewater level rises highenough, beach ridges andswales formed at lowerwater levels will be de-stroyed, leaving no record oftheir short existence.

The large dune and swalecomplex at Indiana DunesNational Lakeshore on LakeMichigan in Indiana, containsupwards of 150 dune ridges,forming a four-mile widecomplex that was depositedover roughly 4000 years.Along northern Lake Michi-gan, at Michigan’s WildernessState Park, a two-mile-widecomplex of 108 ridges wascreated over a similar timeperiod. Unlike the parabolicdune complexes, most duneridges in the dune and swalecomplexes are low features,generally less than 15 feet inheight. However, withinmany dune and swalecomplexes, there are periodswhen water levels were high

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These complexes consist ofa series of roughly paralleldunes that form as the waterlevel of the Great Lakesgradually drops. There havebeen several names applied tothese complexes of low duneridges, including lineardunes, dune and swalecomplex, wooded dune andswale complex, shore-paralleldune ridges, and beach-ridgecomplex. We use the termslinear dune and duneand swale complex inthis publication.

Several recent studies havebeen conducted on LakeMichigan’s dune and swalecomplexes, analyzing thegeological form and function,history of lake-level fluctua-tion, and changes in vegeta-tion over time (succession).The lake-level studiesdocument that most of thesebroad complexes date fromthe Nipissing Phase of theGreat Lakes, about 4000 to

Aerial photograph of a dune and swale complex along northern Lake Michigan.

Ted Cline (Photair, Inc.)

enough to destabilize thesmall dunes, forming smallgroups of parabolic duneswithin the larger paralleldune and swale complex.

Along the shoreline, plantcommunities are similar tothose found on the beach andforedune of parabolic dunes.Within 2 or 3 low dune ridgesfrom the shore, forests have

typically established. Usuallyonly the first or secondswales along the Great Lakeare flooded and dominated bymarsh vegetation. Fartherinland, most swales are drierand support shrub swamp ortreed swamp. This may bedue to water level drops,rebound of the land followingmelting of the mile-thick

glacial ice (called isostaticrebound), or a combination ofboth factors. Along LakeSuperior, where this reboundis greatest, swales are quitedry, often supporting jackpine or red pine forests.

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Red pine and white pine grow on the dunes surrounding a shallow, open swale near Gulliver on northern Lake Michigan.

Dennis A

lbert

TRANSVERSE DUNES

In the Upper Peninsulaof Michigan, largeabandoned bays ofglacial Great LakeAlgonquin fromapproximately 11,000years ago containtransverse dunesand an occasionalparabolic dune.

Transverse dunes, linear toscalloped in shape, arebelieved to have formed inshallow bays along the edgeof the glaciers. Sand carriedby glacial meltwater streamswas abundant along themargins of the bays. Strongwinds blew off the glaciers,forming this sand into aseries of long, linear dunes,all oriented roughly perpen-dicular to the wind. Thedunes have steep south faces,indicating that the windswere from the north. They are30 or 60 feet high and aresurrounded by shallow

peatlands. Many of theAlgonquin-aged bays werelarge, greater than 5 milesacross, and contain severaldozen dunes. Similarcomplexes of transversedunes are also known fromportions of northern Europe.Some scientists still debatethe origin of these sandridges, thinking that thesedune features are actuallysandspits that formed inshallow water. Withinthe dune complexesthere are also localizedparabolic dunes.

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TransOgon

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For several thousand yearsafter the glaciers retreated,the climatic conditions weredry enough that pine forestsgrew on the flat sands of thedried-up bays, but about threeto four thousand years ago,the climate became coolerand moister, allowingwetland plants to expandacross the bays, replacingpines with aquatic sedgesand sphagnum mosses andcreating peatlands that nowhave thin peat deposits,2 to 3 feet thick. Small transverse dunes within a vast peatland in northern Luce County.

Dennis A

lbert

sverse Dunes,ntz Bay, Delta County.

TRANSVERSE DUNES ON A GLACIAL LAKE PLAIN, LUCE CO.

Piping plover (Charadrius melodus)nesting on a gravel beach.

Photo courtesy of Michigan N

atural Features Inventory

All dune features have distinct zones determined largely bythe physical processes of dune formation: transport of sandalong the shore by waves and currents, followed by windtransport of sand to create dune features. The characteristiczones of parabolic dunes are the beach, foredune, interdunalwetland or trough, and the backdune, each with its distinc-tive physical character and biota. The sharp physical contrastsbetween these zones, combined with the dynamic nature of thecoastal environment, has led the dunes to be a focus of manystudies of vegetation change over time (called succession),with the classic ecological studies of Henry Chandler Cowlesin the 1890s and J. Olson in the 1950s among the best known.Pioneer herbaceous plant species establish on the bare sand ofthe beach and foredune, and are gradually replaced by shrubsand trees as soil moisture and nutrient conditions improve onthe backdune over time.

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Zonation ofParabolic Dunes

Marram grass stabilizes a low foredune behind a sand beach. Hoffmaster State Park.

Earl Wolf

Many animals visit the beachto feed. Shorebirds, includinggulls, sanderlings, sandpip-ers, and plovers, feed ondrowned insects and deadfish along the beach, espe-cially during spring and fallmigrations. Caspian terns,nesting in protected areasalong the shoreline, can beseen diving for fish near theshore. Storm waves movedebris, aquatic-plant remains,dead insects and fish, anddriftwood far up the beach,creating a zone called thestorm beach, where flies,tiger beetles, and otherinsects can often be found ingreat numbers feeding.

The beach is the mostdynamic zone, wherewind, waves, and coastalcurrents create an everchanging environment.

Daily and seasonalextremes occur in moistureconditions, substrate, andtemperature. Wind velocity ishighest at the shoreline, as isthe frequency of flooding andthe wave energy. Because ofthese extremes, few plantsand animals are adapted tolive on the beach. Scatteredplants of sea rocket, anannual, are found growingnear the water’s edge. Anyplant that establishes on thebeach during the summer islikely to be torn from theshifting sand by powerfulwinter storm waves, givingannual plants a strongadvantage over more long-lived perennials.

BEACH

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Tiger beetle (Cicindela scutellaris).

Sea rocket (Cakile edentula).

Beach pea (Lathyrus japonicus).

Earl Wolf

Earl Wolf

Powell C

ottrille

Occasionally groups ofbutterflies, like the whiteadmiral, can be seen puddling(another term for drinking)near the shoreline, whereevaporation causes mineralsto concentrate in the moistsand. Minerals are lost bybutterflies during breedingand the moist beach sandsprovide the butterflies with anutrient-rich moisture source.

Many species of tiger beetleare found along sand beachesof the coastal dunes. Duringmigration, thousands ofladybird beetles can be foundclustered together on debris

along the shoreline. These arebut a small sample of theinsects that use the beach.

Further up on the beach,where storm waves seldomreach during the summermonths, plants tolerant of thestrong winds and extremetemperatures can establish.These include sea rocket,beach pea, bugseed, andseaside spurge, most ofwhich are annuals adapted toa harsh, changing environ-ment. Digger wasps are alsofound in this zone.

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Where the back beach hasabundant pebbles, pipingplover, a federally endan-gered shorebird, creates anest of pebbles to raise itsyoung. Piping plover wasonce common along GreatLakes beaches, with 30nesting pairs once countedalong two miles of southernLake Michigan beach.Market hunting in the late1800s greatly reduced itspopulations, but morerecently it has again beenthreatened by increasedhuman development alongthe shoreline. Raccoonsand unleashed dogs bothdestroy plover eggs and killjuvenile birds.

White admirals (Limenitis arthemis) and tiger swallowtails (Papilio glaucus) puddling on beach.

Powell C

ottrille

FOREDUNE

The foredune is the zonewhere pioneering grassescause sand to beginaccumulating.

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It can consist of a distinc-tive, low dune feature, ormerely a low landwardcontinuation of the beach.The most important pioneer-ing grass on the foredune ismarram grass, which isamong the plants mostadapted to sand burial. Eachspring, it sends a thickrhizome toward the surfaceof the windblown sand beforeits stiff leaves begin toelongate. Its dense fine rootstrap sand particles, helping tostabilize the blowing sand.Sand reed, another dune grassthat stabilizes dunes, typi-cally establishes after marramgrass has arrived. Among theother plants that tolerate sandburial are several shrubs,including sand cherry, redosier dogwood, bearberry,dune willows, and creeping

juniper. Not only must plantsof the foredune tolerateperiodic burial, they mustalso survive extreme tem-peratures, low moisturelevels, and low levels ofnutrients. Some of theherbaceous plants adapted tothese conditions are hairypuccoon, beach pea, worm-wood, harebell, and commonmilkweed.

Plants found growing only onthe beach or foredune dependon the extreme conditions fortheir survival. Two of theseare Pitcher’s thistle and LakeHuron tansy. Without theopen, blowing sands, theseGreat Lakes endemic plantswould be unable to competewith other plants. Probablytheir greatest threat is theestablishment of exotic (non-

Pitcher’s thistle (Cirsium pitcheri).

Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia).

Marram grass (Ammophila breviligulata).

Earl Wolf

Susan Crispin

Photo courtesy of The Nature C

onservancy.

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native) plants that effectivelystabilize the dune sand.

During the summer, tempera-tures at the sand surfaceregularly reach 120° F (50°C), locally reaching 180° F(80° C). Such extremes causemany of this zone’s inhabit-ants, such as Fowler’s toad,the eastern hognose snake,spider wasps (also calleddigger wasps), sand spiders,burrowing spiders, and wolfspiders to burrow during theday to reach cooler tempera-tures. When temperatures areextreme, they are active atthe surface only duringcooler morning, evening,and nighttime hours. Theantlion is another insect thatspends its life under thesand, waiting for ants andother small insects to slipinto its unstable funnel-shaped sand trap.

The harmless easternhognose snake is one of themost intriguing residents ofthe dunes. When surprised,the hognose snake rises updefiantly, flattening its headinto a cobra-like hood andhissing loudly. If thisthreatening posture fails, itwill writhe, convulse, andfinally turn over on its backand feign death, only to flipover again and continue onits way once danger haspassed. Toads are a favoritefood of the hognose snake.Another large and extremelyfast snake occasionallysighted sunning itself on thedunes or in low shrubs, is theblue racer.

A rare insect of the foreduneis the Lake Huron locust.This locust exposes itsyellow wings and clicksdistinctively during flight,

Pitcher’s thistle (Cirsium pitcheri).

Antlions (Family Myrmeleontidae) aretypically hidden beneath the sand.

Hairy puccoon (Lithospermumcaroliniense).

Wolf spider (Family Lycosidae). Sand cherry (Prunus pumila).

Photo courtesy of The Nature C

onservancy.Photo courtesy of The N

ature Conservancy.

Photo courtesy of The Nature C

onservancy.

Earl Wolf

David W

isse

dune cutworm, whose larvaefeed on dune grasses. Songsparrow, vesper sparrow,field sparrow, and the easternbluebird forage on insects ofthe foredune, as do easternkingbird and chippingsparrows when scattered treesare present. Prairie warbler, arare breeding bird in Michi-gan, is known to nest among

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providing means of easilyrecognizing an otherwiseindistinctive insect. Thelocust feeds on wormwood, acommon plant on the dunes.Wormwood is also the hostfor a rare plant of the dunes,clustered broom rape, whichis partially parasitic onwormwood. A rare mothfound only on the foredune is

Red anemone (Anemone multifida). Lake Huron tansy (Tanacetumhuronense).

Sterile rosette of Pitcher’s thistle (Cirsiumpitcheri).

Eastern hognose snake(Heterodon platirhinos).

Eastern hognose snake (Heterodon platirhinos).

Photo courtesy of The Nature C

onservancy.Earl W

olfEarl W

olf

Gary R

eese

Ken Jacobsen

the shrubs on and in the leeof the foredune, as far northas Sleeping Bear Dunesalong Lake Michigan andRogers City on Lake Huron.Colonies of bank sparrowsnest in the low, steep cliffface of the foredune, formedby erosion during winterstorms, and both bankswallows and tree swallowsare often seen feasting onthe abundant flying insectsof the dunes.

The foredune is continuallybeing buried by sand oreroded by strong winds. It iscolonized by the beachgrasses, along with otherherbs and shrubs tolerant ofsand burial, but its environ-ment is typically too extremefor the successful establish-ment of most tree species. Afew eastern cottonwoods,

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balsam poplar, and oaks canbe found on the mostprotected portions of theforedune. All of these trees,especially the easterncottonwood and balsampoplar, tolerate burial bysand, but the strongwinds and occasional burialresult in short stature andpoor growth.

Dune cutworm (Euxoa aurulenta).

Spider wasp (Pompilidae).Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa).

Fowler’s toad (Bufo fowleri). Ground juniper (Juniperus horizontalis).Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi).

David C

uthrellD

avid Cuthrell

Earl Wolf

Earl Wolf

Earl Wolf

Photo courtesy of The Nature C

onservancy.

BACKDUNE FORESTS

Eventually dune grasses,herbs, and shrubsstabilize the sand andlarger dunes form behindthe foredune, protectedfrom some of the force ofthe wind.

During high waterperiods, dunes continue togrow vertically as they moveinland. Behind the protectiveforedune, winds are lighterand sand accumulation isslower, allowing trees toestablish and form forests.On the wind-exposed dunesclosest to the shoreline, oaks,bigtooth aspen, and sassafrasgrow on the dry, nutrientpoor sand. Dark, irregularcrowns of white pine reachthrough this open forest ofdeciduous hardwoods. Thisremains a harsh environment,where storms regularlyuproot trees and largeamounts of sand can bedeposited, especially duringthe fall and winter.

Large numbers of monarchbutterflies can be seen alongthe coast during spring andfall migrations. While theyare most often seen flying onthe open foredune, largeclusters of monarchs seekthermal protection on thebranches of an oak orcottonwood within the opendune forest, where they cansometimes be seen in the

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evening or early morning.Monarch butterflies are notalone in their use of theshoreline as a migrationcorridor. Other migrantsinclude songbirds, hawks,nighthawks, and owls.Many species of raptortake advantage of thestrong coastal winds duringtheir migration. It is notuncommon to see hundreds

Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) congregated on a black oak along theedge of the dune forest.

Sand deposited during the winter on the lee side of a parabolic dune.

Photo courtesy of Michigan State Parks.

Donald Petersen

of broad-winged hawksgliding from one warm airthermal to another, savingenergy during their longmigrations to and fromSouth America.

Open stands of jack pine,sometimes referred to asGreat Lakes barrens, occurcommonly on the exposed,windward slopes of manydunes. Jack pine andcommon juniper tolerate thedroughty conditions, as dobearberry, creeping juniper,and other shrubs. It is notuncommon to see jack pinegrowing in the shallow waterof the interdunal swales,where it likely establishedduring much drier conditions.

In contrast to the exposedwindward slopes, windvelocity is much reduced onthe landward (lee)side of thedunes. Forest trees areprotected from severe stormwinds and extreme levels ofsand deposition. Overhundreds of years, organicmaterial accumulates on theforest floor, increasing the

amount of available moistureand nutrients, allowing mesicforest species like sugarmaple, American beech,basswood, and red oak toestablish. Eastern hemlockforms dense stands in manyof the most sheltered, steepcoves between dunes, wherethere is shelter from strongwinds and the dense forest

24

Common trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) in the backdune forest.

Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina). Hepatica (Hepatica americana).

Earl Wolf

Earl Wolf

Earl Wolf

canopy reduces the summerheat and moisture loss.

But even in this shelteredenvironment, fine and veryfine sand are blown far inlandby strong winter winds anddeposited as a film on thesnow. These fine sandparticles, which appear tocontain a greater amount ofnutrient-rich calcite andfeldspar than typical dunesand, may add both nutrients

and moisture retainingcapacity to the forests behindthe high parabolic dunes.

The rich forest floor supportsa diversity of spring wildflowers, including commonand nodding trilliums, jack-in-the-pulpit, squirrel corn,yellow violet, bunchberry,spring beauty, hepatica,Solomon’s seal, and bishop’scap. Still many more wildflower species grow in the

backdune forest. In thebackdune forests alongsouthern Lake Michigan,southern species such asprairie trillium are foundgrowing at the northern edgeof their range. Most southernspecies are not found north ofMuskegon, where a morenorthern flora appears.

Animal diversity is also highin the backdune forest. Forestsongbirds are abundant and

25

Star flower (Trientalis borealis). Wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina). Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum).

Dutchman’s-breeches (Dicentra cucullaria).

Donald Petersen

Jeff Dykehouse.

Betty C

ottrille

Earl Wolf

include black-throated greenwarbler, black- and-whitewarbler, scarlet tanager,wood thrush, ovenbird,eastern wood pewee, rose-breasted grosbeak, veery,American redstart, yellow-billed cuckoo, black-billedcuckoo, and red-eyed vireo.This abundance of songbirdsattracts many raptors, such assharp-shinned, red-shoul-dered, and Cooper’s hawks.The eastern box turtle canalso be encountered ambling

26

Solomon’s seal(Polygonum pubescens).

Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis). Prairie phlox (Phlox pilosa).

Blue-spotted salamander (Ambystoma laterale).

Canada anemone(Anemone canadensis).

Trout-lily (Erythronium americanum). Squirrel-corn (Dicentra canadensis).

Earl Wolf

Earl Wolf

Photo courtesy of Michigan State Parks

Earl Wolf

Earl Wolf

Earl Wolf

Donald Petersen

on the forest floor, andcareful investigation beneathlogs and leaves will some-times uncover the delicatered-backed salamander.The casual visitor seldomencounters more than a fewred-backed salamandersduring a visit, but thissmall salamander may bemore important to the forestthan many realize. Studieshave shown that from200 to 3600 salamanderscan live in an acre of forest.

The salamander feeds ona broad range of insectsand soil organisms, as wellas being eaten by birds,turtles, and small mammalsof the forest. The black ratsnake is also a localizedinhabitant of the mesicbackdune forest alongsouthern Lake Michigan.

While the backdune forest isthe most protected habitat onthe dunes, it can also undergodynamic change. Its location

along the shoreline results inexposure to infrequent, butextreme storm events. Suchcoastal storms during thespring of 1998 destroyedbackdune forests atHoffmaster State Park andWilderness State Park inMichigan. Long-term studieshave been initiated to learnmore about the successionalchanges to the forest resultingfrom these storms.

27

Red-backed salamander(Plethodon cinereus).

Bishop’s cap (Mitella diphylla). Rue anemone(Anemonella thallictroides).

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis). May-apple (Podophyllum peltatum). Spring-beauty (Claytonia virginica).

Earl Wolf

Earl Wolf

Earl Wolf

Earl Wolf

Earl Wolf

Earl Wolf

BLOWOUTS

Blowouts are U-shapedareas of open, migratingsand that occur on dunesotherwise stabilized byforest vegetation.

28

Blowout in parabolic dunes, Hoffmaster State Park.

R. Torresen

29

Studies show that therehave been several periodsduring the last 4,000 yearswhen environmentalconditions resulted inextensive blowouts withinthe dunes. These periodsare closely linked withGreat Lake high-water levels.

Dune grasses partiallystabilize the blowoutsresulting in verticalaccumulation of sand withinthe blowout. As the sandmigrates inland, it buriesand kills the forest. Sandmigration is greatest duringthe fall and winter months,when vegetation cannoteffectively reduce the windvelocity. Most of the plantsand animals characteristicof foredunes are also foundon blowouts.

Pitcher’s thistle can be foundgrowing throughout the bowlof a blowout and is oftenquite abundant near theupper, landward edge, wherethere is abundant open sand.Lake Huron locust can beabundant here as well.Poison ivy can be especiallytroublesome along the leeedge of the blowouts,where it sometimes formsa formidable, waist-highwall between the forest andthe blowout.

Learn to recognize the three part leaf of poison-ivy (Toxicodendron radicans).

Earl Wolf

Small ponds are commonbetween the foredune andthe backdune in manydune complexes.

sphagnum mosses in thesewetlands. In a few southernMichigan coastal wetlands,there are plant speciestypically found growingalong the coastal plain of theAtlantic Ocean. Thesespecies growing outside theirnormal growing range arecalled disjuncts. Manycoastal disjuncts responddramatically to water-levelfluctuations, sometimesdisappearing when water isdeep, and forming a carpet of

INTERDUNAL SWALES AND

plants when the ponds aredry. Houghton’s goldenrod isanother rare plant that growsonly along the moist marginsof these Great Lakes coastalwetlands in northern Michi-gan. When water levels drop,the underground stems(rhizomes) of Houghton’sgoldenrod expand out intothe wetland, where theyproduce many more flower-ing stems, only to contractagain when the pond expandsin later years.

30

In these ponds, water levelsare controlled by the GreatLakes; during low lakelevels the ponds may becompletely dry. As a resultof these water level fluctua-tions, both the plant andanimal life can changedramatically from year toyear. Rushes and bulrushesare often common in theshallow, warm water. Jackpines are also common alongthe margins of the ponds andoccasionally grow within

Northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens).Spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata).Aerial photograph of interdunalwetlands at Ludington State Park.

Interdunal wetland, Muskegon State Park.Blanchard’s cricket frog(Acris crepitans blanchardi).

Maureen H

oughtonG

ary Reese

Gary R

eese

Earl Wolf

James H

arding

The shallow ponds are rich inaquatic insects like dragon-flies and damselflies. Springpeepers, Fowler’s toads,garter snakes, mink, andmuskrats are among the otherinhabitants of the ponds.Along southern LakeMichigan, the rareBlanchard’s cricket frogoccurs locally in someshallow interdunal ponds.Spotted sandpipers buildnests around the ponds,where there is greaterprotection than on the nearbyexposed Great Lakes beach.

While most of the ponds arefound between the foreduneand backdunes, there areoften large swamps andponds located at the inlandedge of the dune fields. Theseshallow ponds, with accumu-lations of organic material ontheir bottoms, support aneven greater diversity of lifethan the smaller interdunalponds. Migratory songbirdstake advantage of thewetlands’ thermal protectionand feed heavily on theabundant midges and otheraquatic insects during springmigration, when othersources of forage are scarce.

31

OTHER DUNE WETLANDS

Interdunal wetlands bordered by jack pine, Ludington State Park.

Virginia meadow-beauty(Rhexia virginica).

Jack pine (Pinus banksiana).

Swamp forest with marsh-marigold (Caltha palustris) along the back-side of the dunes,Hoffmaster State Park.

Maureen H

oughtonG

ary Reese

Earl Wolf

David W

isse

Zonation ofPerched Dunes

32

Perched dunes share the foredune, blowout, backdune forest,and interdunal wetland found on the parabolic dunes, andmost of the discussion of these zones under parabolic dunes isrelevant to the perched dunes as well. Many of the rare plantsand animals of the parabolic dunes, including Pitcher’s thistle,Lake Huron tansy, clustered broom rape, and the Lake Huronlocust are also common within the perched dunes. Two rareplants that are especially common on the perched dunes aredunewort and clustered broom rape, both disjunct from thewestern United States.

Perched dunes, Grand Sable Dunes.

Gary R

eese

Mosses appear to play a rolein dune stabilization on somenorthern dunes. This is mostevident on the Grand Sabledunes along Lake Superior,in the Upper Peninsula ofMichigan, where cooler,foggy conditions are morefavorable to mosses andlichens. Studies in theGrand Sable dunes showedthat Polytrichum piliferum,a moss, was able to surviveburial by over two inchesof sand.

The perched dunes them-selves are by no meansstable. The largest percheddune at Sleeping Bear DunesNational Lakeshore, the“Bear”, was completelyforested and rose 234 feetabove the plateau in 1906.Erosion began in the 1920s,and by 1961, the majesticgiant had been reduced toonly 132 feet in height.Studies on Grand Sable

Dunes indicate that bothvehicle use and heavy foottraffic have led to increasederosion on grass- and herb-dominated portions ofthe dunes.

Interdunal swales are muchless common than within theparabolic dunes. They alsodiffer, as their water tableis not determined byfluctuations in Great Lakeswater levels, since they areperched far above theGreat Lakes.

33

Beaches associated withperched dunes, lying beneathsteep, eroding bluffs, areoften much narrower thantheir parabolic dune counter-parts. During periods of highGreat Lakes water levels, thelake’s water can be directlyeroding the bluffs. Eventhough the beaches can bequite narrow, piping ploversare known to nest on thebeaches below the percheddunes, as at Sleeping BearDunes National Lakeshore.

Clustered broom rape(Orobanche fasciculata).

Dunewort (Botrychium campestre).

Wormwood (Artemisia campestris).Mosses and earth stars (Geastrum sp.) growing on open dunes, Grand Sable Dunes.

Dennis A

lbert

Dennis A

lbert

Michael Penskar

Photo courtesy of The Nature C

onservancy.

ERODING BLUFF

Steep eroding bluffsof till form the basefrom which the percheddunes rise.

For both the Grand Sabledunes on Lake Superior andthe Sleeping Bear dunes onLake Michigan, the bluffs areresponsible for roughly 300feet of elevation, while theperched dunes formed on thebluff are only half thatheight. The bluff faces ofperched dunes are quitevariable. At both Grand Sableand Sleeping Bear dunes, thebluff faces are very sandy,supporting dune plants, butfine-textured bands of clay orloam are also encountered.On some bluff faces fine-textured banding results innumerous seepages. Treesand shrubs establish on thebluff faces, but continualerosion of the bluff baseresults in widespread

instability. Fallen trees arecommon on forested portionsof the bluffs.

Both clustered broom rapeand dunewort commonlygrow on the eroding sandybluffs at Sleeping Bear andGrand Sable dunes, andelsewhere. Pitcher’s thistlealso grows on both percheddunes and eroding bluffs.Colonies of bank swallowsbuild nests into steep, cliff-like sections of bluff.

34

Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia)on gravel lag.

White camas (Zigadenus glaucus)growing on gravel lag.

Swallow nests in the steep bluffs at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Michael Penskar

Dennis A

lbert

Dennis A

lbert

Zonation ofDune & Swale

Dune and swale complexes have four distinct, alternating zones.These are the beach and foredune, the open interdunalswales, the forested dune ridges, and the forested swales.Dune and swale complexes can be quite extensive; one of thelargest is the 40 mile long Tolston Beach complex along thesouthern Lake Michigan shoreline in Indiana and Illinois.

35

Dwarf lake iris (Iris lacustris).

Harold M

alde

Upland Forest

Foredune & Beach

Swamp Forest

Forested Dune

Marsh

Water (Lake Michigan & Point aux Chenes River)

Point aux ChenesDune and Swale Complex

Dennis A

lbert

BEACH AND FOREDUNE

The beach zone of duneand swale complexesand parabolic dunecomplexes sharemany processes, plants,and animals.

In contrast, there is reducedsand availability on theforedunes of most dune andswale complexes. As a result,the dune and swale com-plexes never develop highparabolic dune features,although many contain smallparabolic dunes. Typicallinear beach ridges are onlyabout 10 to 15 feet high, andabout 30 to 100 feet wide.

Bare sand and herbaceousvegetation characterize theforedune, and often two orthree additional beach ridgesfarther inland. As on theforedunes of parabolic dunecomplexes, marram grass is amajor pioneering plant on thebeach ridge closest to theshoreline. Shrub willows andsand cherry are also foundhere. But a major differenceis seen on the second or thirddune ridge farther from theshoreline, where marramgrass is typically replaced bylittle bluestem, sand reed

grass, and low shrubs. Therapid decline of marramgrass is due to the lack ofannual sand deposition.

A recent study in northernMichigan demonstrated thatwithin 200 years, on thefourth or fifth beach ridgefrom the shoreline, mixedpine forests had replaced thepioneering herbs and lowshrubs of the shoreline.Similar patterns of vegeta-tion succession are seenwithin most dune and swalecomplexes throughoutnorthern Michigan. Wherethe dune features are lowerand closer together, forestsuccession often occurs evenmore rapidly. The study alsodocumented the gradualincrease in organic material,moisture holding capacity,and nutrients on these 200year-old dune soils.

Plants characteristic of theforedunes include creepingjuniper, hoary puccoon,beach pea, wormwood,harebell, and commonmilkweed. Two Great Lakesendemic plants, Pitcher’sthistle and Lake Hurontansy, occur on the openforedune, along withendemic Lake Huron locust.

Another endemic plant, dwarflake iris, is sometimes foundon the shrubby, inland edgeof the foredune, but it growsmore vigorously on thesheltered inner ridges, whereit forms dense carpets. It alsopersists, but does not flower,under closed forest canopies.

Lacking both adequatemoisture and nutrients, theenvironment of the foreduneis typically too extreme forthe successful establishmentof most upland tree species.As the shrub cover increaseson ridges farther from shore,tree seedling establishmentincreases. In the north, whitespruce, white pine, and redpine are common pioneeringtree species, while cotton-wood, sassafras, and blackoak are common pioneers inthe south.

36

Foredune of dune and swale complex,Grass Bay on Lake Huron.

Maureen H

oughton

OPEN INTERDUNAL SWALES

The wetness of interdunalswales near the presentlakeshore is determinedby the Great Lakeswater level.

species, have recently beendiscovered within the marlyswales near St. Ignace, onnorthern Lake Huron.Woodcock and commonsnipe commonly nest in thebrushy swales, found wherethe open swales along theshoreline transition toforested swales.

The moist swale margins inthe Straits of Mackinac,along the northern LakeHuron and Lake Michiganshoreline, are the primaryhabitat for a rare Great Lakesendemic plant, Houghton’sgoldenrod. During high GreatLakes water levels,Houghton’s goldenrod

37

When water levels arehigh, several swales near theshoreline may be flooded.Swales farther from theshoreline can also be flooded,but these swales are typicallyflooded because of ground-water flow or seepage, notdue to the lake’s water level.Aquatic vegetation in theswales can be quite diverse,including aquatic or emergentgrasses, sedges, herbs, andshrubs. In some complexes,there can be several open,sedge- or alder-dominatedswales separated by forestedridges before the swalesbecome consistently forested.

Aquatic insects are likewiseabundant in these shallow,warm swales, along withleeches. Several populationsof Hine’s emerald dragon-flies, a federally endangered

Houghton’s goldenrod(Solidago houghtonii).

Butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris).

Shallow marly swale at Pointe aux Chenes dune and swale complex.

Dennis A

lbertSusan C

rispin

Harold M

alde

populations can decreasedrastically and sometimes theplant may appear to be absentfrom a site. When waterlevels drop, the number ofstems around a swale canincrease dramatically,sometimes even occupying

38

the entire bottom of moistswales. Houghton’s golden-rod is occasionally foundgrowing on the drier lowdunes as well. The marlyswales in the Straits areaprovide habitat for anothershowy rare plant, butterwort,

which can be locally abun-dant along the moist marginsor within the shallow watersof the swale. The size ofbutterwort populationscan likewise fluctuategreatly in response towater level changes.

Aerial photo of dune and swale complex, Grass Bay on Lake Huron.

Indian paintbrush (Castilleja coccinea).Grass pink (Calopogon tuberosus).Pitcher-plant (Sarracenia purpurea).

Harold M

alde

Doug Pearsall

The Nature C

onservancyTed C

line (Photair Inc.)

FORESTED DUNE RIDGES

Succession on the duneand swale complexesis much more rapid thansuccession on the higherparabolic dunes, prob-ably because of reducedsand accumulationin the dune and swalecomplex, thus allowingtrees to establish withoutbeing buried.

storms. Both from theoriginal surveyors’ notesand from recent records,it is apparent that windstorms occur often nearthe shoreline, creating thelarge openings required forestablishment of pines andother early successionaltree species.

Large white and red pine onthe ridges provide nest treesfor bald eagles and ospreys,both of which feed either inthe nearby lake or within thelarger, open swales. Duringthe summer months, ground-nesting northern harriers areencountered gliding grace-fully above the open swales.Following large wind stormsor major insect infestations,woodpeckers forage forinsects and nest in standing,

dead trees. Dwarf lake iriscan form dense coloniesgrowing beneath both openand closed-canopied coniferforests just back from theshoreline, but in this habitat itseldom flowers, except whenthe forest canopy is openedby a storm. Dwarf lake irismay persist on shady,forested ridges as much as amile from shore.

39

Stabilization of the dunesby trees also results inrelatively rapid soil develop-ment, with increased nutrientand moisture availability.This results in continualforest dominance, butreplacement of pine forestsby more mesic hardwoodforest types appears to bevery slow on dune and swalecomplexes, with conifersmaintaining dominance forover 2,000 years. This is instrong contrast to many of theparabolic dune complexes,where hardwoods commonlydominate the more protectedinner portions of the dunes.This continued dominance bypines, balsam fir, and earlysuccessional hardwoods, suchas oaks, balsam poplar, andaspen, may result fromregularly occurring wind Black-backed woodpecker

(Picoides arcticus).

Shallow swale with aquatic plants, surrounded by conifer-dominated dunes, Gulliver,northern Lake Michigan.

Michael Penskar

Betty C

ottrille

FORESTED SWALES

The establishment offorests within the swalesis much more gradualthan the establishment offorests on the ridges.

While herbaceousvegetation often completelydominates only the 3 or 4swales closest to shoreline,shrubs can be prevalent wellinto a complex. The shrubsare gradually replaced byswamp conifers as oneproceeds further from theshoreline and as the swalesbecome drier. In southernMichigan, common shrubsare buttonbush, Michiganholly, meadowsweet, andwillows, while further north,speckled alder, sweet gale,mountain holly, and shrub-sized black spruce, northernwhite cedar, and tamarackbecome increasingly domi-nant. On Lake Superior,where organic materialsdecompose slowly because of

the cold climate and wherethe soils are more acid, bogvegetation dominates theseshrub swamps, including boglaurel, cranberries, bogrosemary, leatherleaf, andLabrador-tea.

Further from the shoreline,swamp conifers become thedominant vegetation.Groundwater-fed streamsenter most of the dune andswale complexes. In theoxygen-rich waters near thesestreams, cedar, speckledalder, and hardwoods, such aspaper birch and tremblingaspen are abundant. Inportions of the swales withrestricted groundwaterinfluence, black spruce,tamarack, and acid-tolerantshrubs are prevalent. Organicsoils accumulate in mostforested swales, but areseldom greater than threefeet deep.

These dense conifer swampsprovide extensive habitat fororchids and other plantsrequiring sheltered, cool,shady conditions. Among therare plants known from thesecomplexes is Laplandbuttercup, a state threatenedplant with a mostly borealdistribution, and round-

leaved orchid, whichalso requires the coolprotected habitat.

Faunal surveys of the duneand swale complex have beenmuch less intensive than theplant surveys. Some rela-tively common users of thisprotected habitat are snow-shoe hare, common snipe, redfox, and whitetail deer.Whitetail deer utilize thethermal protection, as well asthe abundant conifers forwinter browse. Many duneand swale complexes aremanaged specifically forwhitetail deer, with uplandlogging used to stimulateaspen growth for browse.

Studies of migratory song-birds along northern LakeHuron have demonstratedthat coastal wetlands are anextremely important sourceof forage in the spring.During April and May, thecoastal wetlands producelarge numbers of midgesat a time when there arefew other food sources formigratory songbirds. Themidges congregate on theneedles of conifers, wherewarblers and other songbirdscome to feast.

40

Lapland buttercup (Ranunculuslapponicus) leaf on the right, with lookalike goldthread (Coptis trifolia) leaf onthe left.

Gary R

eese

Zonation ofTransverse DunesWithin Glacial

EmbaymentsThere has been less detailed study of the dune fields within theglacial bays of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan than in anyother dune type. Yet, even with this paucity of information, it isclear that these dune complexes are extremely important formaintaining Michigan’s plant and animal diversity.

41

Common snipe (Gallinago gallinago).

Red pine and white pine growing on low transverse dune ridges within extensive peatland, Barfield Lakes.

Betty C

ottrille

Dennis A

lbert

The original surveyors’notes from the mid-1800sdescribed vast peatlands,often flooded by beaverdams, and broken bynarrow white pine- andred pine-capped ridges.

42

DUNE FORESTS

While white pine and redpine were common dominanttrees, the surveyors alsomade reference to aspen andjack pine. In a few places,eastern hemlock grew withwhite pine, creating a majesticforest. A few examples of thisforest type still remain, as atSwamp Lakes and portions ofBarfield Lakes. Many of theridges were at least partiallyburnt, as were the surrounding

plants. It is also common toencounter bald-faced hornetnests, either in the loose sandor hanging from bracken fern,and in the twilight, one maybe serenaded by bobolinks.The upland conifer forestsremain important for birdslike the pine siskin,Blackburnian warbler, andother songbirds requiringmature conifers for nesting.

peatlands. Following settle-ment, winter logging wasconducted on most of thebays, and fires often followedlogging, sometimes resultingin the loss of pines andreplacement by aspen. Plantsurveys of the ridges haveresulted in no rare plant finds.Bracken fern, blueberries,huckleberries, poverty grass,and Pennsylvania sedge areamong the most common

American kestrel (Falco sparverius).Open, transverse dune ridge following heavy logging and slash fires.

Low white-pine dominated transverse dunes within a shallow, sedge-dominatedpeatland, Barfield Lakes.

Dennis A

lbert

Dennis A

lbert

Janet Haas

The peatlands surround-ing the transverse dunesform an intriguing,diverse habitat. At themargins of manypeatlands, there is typi-cally a zone with ground-water influx, where anarrow band of northernwhite-cedar grows.

Cedar quickly gives wayto black spruce and tamarack,sometimes followed bystunted jack pine in the centerof the peatland. Tree growthis slow because of the harsh,frost prone micro-climate andlow nutrient availability. As aresult of these extremeconditions, a 1-inch diametertamarack may be 75 to 100years old.

The swamp edges can berelatively diverse, but thecenter of the peatlands mayhave a depauperate flora ofsphagnum mosses and a fewspecies of sedge. Fire is nostranger to the peatlands,which can be quite dry duringperiods of drought. Theoriginal surveyors mappedlarge fires in severalpeatlands and thin bands ofcharcoal are common inthe peat.

One of the most commonanimals within these largewetlands is the beaver. Smallstreams flowing across thewetlands will usually beblocked by a string of beaverdams. The habitat is impor-tant for other animals as well.During the spring andsummer, the visitor canexpect to be treated to the

raucous, primitive calls ofsandhill cranes, which feedon the abundant insectswithin the dune complex.Scattered small lakes withinthe peatland will occasionallyharbor nesting loons or blackterns. In the spring, sharp-tailed grouse can be seenengaging in their matingrituals on low rises within thewetlands, sometimes sendingwater spraying in all direc-tions. Yellow rail, a secretivewaterbird of bogs, also feedsand mates in these wetlands,using open, sedge- or grass-dominated habitat. Yellow-rail nests are found inshallow water within exten-sive stands of Carexlasiocarpa, a sedge, andpopulations of the railincrease following fires.American bittern is another

43

Moose (Alces alces) within largepeatland and dune complex.

Swamp-laurel (Kalmia polifolia).Labrador-tea (Ledum groenlandicum).

Harold M

alde

Harold M

alde

Ken Jacobsen

PEATLANDS/CONIFER SWAMPS

bird common to this complexof dunes and wetlands.

Merlins, a small falconspecies, may be seen soaringover the wetlands in search ofprey. The vast peatlandsprovide habitat for many ofits prey species, includingsong birds, small mammals,dragonflies, and other largeinsects. Merlins nest in largetrees along the wetland edge,utilizing abandoned nests ofAmerican crows or commonravens, or even building nestsin witches’ broom, a parasiticmistletoe growing on blackspruce trees.

Songbirds nesting in theherbaceous and shrubby

portions of these wetlandsinclude LeConte’s andLincoln’s sparrow. Deadstanding trees, resulting fromeither insect infestations,beaver flooding, or fires,provide nesting cavities forrare black-backed woodpeck-ers. Black-backed woodpeck-ers become locally commonfollowing one of thesedisturbances, only to disap-pear and move to anotherdisturbed site within just afew years, as nesting andforaging conditions decline.

The dune-peatland complexesalso provide habitat for birdswith a more northern, borealdistribution, including rusty

blackbirds and palm war-blers. Two other northernspecies, the white-wingedand red crossbills, breed inmature stands of red pine onthe narrow dune ridges.

These large peatlands arevery important for smallmammals like the snowshoehare, and for large mammalslike wolf, bear, and moose aswell. With some of the lowestroad densities in the state,bear and wolf are at home inthese vast peatlands. Moose,recently reintroduced to theUpper Peninsula of Michigan,are also occasionally sightedwithin these peatlands.

44

Sandhill crane (Grus canadensis). Typical peatland within complex oftransverse dunes.

Color-infrared aerial photograph ofglacial Lake Algonquin bay withtransverse dune ridges, Ramsey-LostLakes.

Photo courtesy of Michigan D

epartment of N

atural Resources.

Harold M

alde

Betty C

ottrille

Dune Threats

45

Both the ecological impor-tance and recreational valueof Michigan’s sand dunesare well recognized. Unfor-tunately, there are alsonumerous threats to thedunes, ranging from degra-dation of the dunes byresidential and recreationaluses to complete eliminationby mining. Among thethreats identified alongMichigan’s coastal dunes,the following are among themost wide spread or severe: • Exotic (introduced non-native) plants and animals.

• Off-road vehicles (ORVs)

• Pedestrian recreational overuse

• Residential development

• Sand mining and other industrial development

A highway and driveways cross this dune and swale complex, altering the hydrology.

These condominiums result in the destruction of forested dune and provide easyshoreline access for ORVs.

Courtesy of M

ichigan Departm

ent of Environmental Q

uality.Todd Thom

pson

46

EXOTIC PLANTS & ANIMALS

several years. Baby’s-breathforms large taproots, up toseveral feet long, makingmanual removal difficult.Other herbaceous plantscommonly invading the opendunes include bouncing bet,bladder campion, Canadabluegrass, autumn olive, scotspine, and smooth bromegrass.

Still other plants have beenpurposely planted on thedunes by land owners tostabilize the dunes, especiallyblack pine, Lombardy poplar,and white poplar. Black pinehas begun to reproduce byseed on some of the stateparks, causing a costly

management problem. BothLombardy and white poplarreproduce vegetatively,producing open clones in thecase of Lombardy poplar, andvery dense clones for whitepoplar. Once trees haveestablished on the dunes, thegeneral public is sometimesopposed to their removal,even though these exoticsmay threaten populations ofrare endemic dune plants.

To date, there are many lessexotic animals than plantsadversely impacting the duneenvironment. A recent arrivalto the sandy shoreline is thezebra mussel. In bays of theGreat Lakes, zebra mussel

Exotic plants are awidespread threatto dunes.

One widespread exoticplant is spotted knapweed,which colonizes open habitat,often spreading alongroadway corridors. It formsdense patches, resulting instabilization of blowing sand,thus reducing habitat for rarespecies like Pitcher’s thistle,which requires open, movingsand for its establishment andsurvival. Another plant thatsimilarly stabilizes open sanddunes is baby’s-breath.Both of these plants can beextremely difficult toeliminate once they haveestablished, since their seedcan persist in the sand,gradually germinating over

Silver poplar (Populus alba).

Bladder campion (Silene vulgaris).

Walter Loope

Photo courtesy of Gillette N

ature Center.

47

has been reported to causechemical changes, resultingin increased levels of blue-green algae. While the effectson the sand beach have notyet been fully evaluated, thetremendous numbers ofshells cannot help but altersome aspects of the duneecosystem. These colorfulshells often form windrowson the beach followingstorms, and can result insevere lacerations to thebare feet of beach-goers,especially children.

Another potential exoticthreat is a beetle that hasbeen introduced to controlan exotic species of thistle.There are indications thatthe beetle may also feedon federally-threatenedPitcher’s thistle.

Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra var. italica).Baby’s-breath (Gypsophila paniculata).

Samara H

amze

Dennis A

lbert

48

ORVS & OVERUSE

Degradation: ORV’s andRecreational Overuse

dune lost over half of itsheight from heavy vehicleuse. Similarly, studies haveshown that the amount ofunvegetated sand increaseddramatically at Grand Sabledunes as a result of vehicleand pedestrian uses.

Extreme pedestrian use hasled to the development ofboardwalks at some of themost heavily used parks.Boardwalks have beensuccessful in reducingrecreational erosion at severalMichigan parks, includingHoffmaster and WarrenDunes State Parks.

Human degradation to thedunes takes many forms.Garbage and debris arewidespread. Not only doesrefuse detract from the scenic

beauty of the dunes, it canalso be dangerous to wildlife.For example, shore birds canbecome entangled in plastic6-pack holders or swallowthe colorful remains ofhelium balloons and theirattached ribbons. Heliumballoons, purposefully oraccidentally released alongthe shorelines from as faraway as Wisconsin, areprobably the most commondebris found on the beach.

The effect of off-roadvehicles and, in some cases,overly heavy pedestrian usehave been well documentedon the dunes. Probably themost dramatic example ofoff-road vehicle use is SilverLake State Park, whereextreme levels of use haveeliminated almost allvegetation from a largeportion of the dunes, creatingconditions that we associatewith the most barren, extremedesert environments. Studiesdone using aerial photostaken over a period of fiftyyears document the effect ofoff-road vehicles at bothSleeping Bear DunesNational Lakeshore andGrand Sable Dunes (PicturedRocks National Lakeshore).The Great Sleeping Bear

Dune buggy, Silver Lake State Park.

A visually pleasing boardwalk reduces the erosion at Hoffmaster State Park’s GilletteNature Center.

Earl Wolf

Dave K

enyon

49

A sample of balloon ribbons picked up along a short section of beach, Warren Dunes State Park.

The “dune climb” at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Heavy pedestrian traffic has resulted in almost complete elimination ofvegetation.

Photo courtesy of Michigan State Parks.

Dennis A

lbert

50

RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

There is probably nomore attractive place todrink morning coffeethan from one’s diningroom perched atop acoastal dune, yet, interms of the coastalenvironment, homes builtwithin the dunes causenumerous problems.

the home is built, the opensand which was only slightlyobjectionable when trackedonto the picnic blanket,becomes a major irritation,

and a lawn is soon planted.Soon, blue grass, other lawngrasses, and accompanyingweeds such as dandelion andsmooth brome, becometroublesome exotic pests onthe open dune. When thesand begins burying thedeck, swimming pool, orliving room windows, thelawn is followed by aprotective barrier of blackpine or Lombardy poplar,providing yet another set ofdune invaders.

Blowing and eroding sandlimits appropriate locationsfor road and drivewayconstruction. State and localzoning restrict drivewayconstruction to slopes lessthan 33 percent, but wide-spread violation of theseordinances is common.

Every home in the dunesrequires a driveway, and eachdriveway or road creates acorridor for exotic plants toenter the dunes. As soon as

Erosion during high water periods can result in major property loss for those who builttheir homes too close to coastal bluffs.

Indiscriminate condominium and home development along the shoreline resulted inthe passage of Michigan’s sand dune regulations.

Courtesy of M

ichigan Departm

ent of Environmental Q

uality.

Courtesy of M

ichigan Departm

ent of Environmental Q

uality.

Home construction on sanddunes can be a risky and anexpensive venture. Sanddunes are by definitionunstable. Increased activity,either in the form of humandisturbance to dune plants orclimatic disturbances, canresult in rapid destabilizationof the dunes, resulting inrapid sand movement. It isnot unusual during a studyof coastal residential areas toencounter homes whosefoundations have beeneroded by bluff erosion or

homes, swimming pools, ordriveways buried by sand.Even the forested dunes canbe a very risky place tobuild, as was demonstratedby a windstorm in latespring of 1998. The stormcaused extensive propertydamage within the dunesnear Muskegon, whenthousands of uprooted treesdestroyed roofs, blockedroads and driveways, anddamaged cars. There havebeen recent, severe stormsalong the northern LakeMichigan shoreline as well,with large white pine and redpine especially prone towind damage.

Residential developmentcan also seriously degradelinear dune (dune and swale)complexes. To access theshoreline, where mostresidential developmentoccurs within these com-plexes, a series of drivewaysare built crossing the entireseries of dunes and swales,resulting in severe degrada-

tion of the drainage condi-tions within the swales.Swales that previouslyprovided abundant wildlifehabitat, become a series ofcat-tail- or purple loosestrife-choked, stagnant ponds.Homes built close to theshoreline often stabilizeforedunes. Habitat forthreatened endemic specieslike the Lake Huron locust,Pitcher’s thistle, dwarf lakeiris, Houghton’s goldenrod,and Lake Huron tansy isdestroyed or degraded byalteration of habitat or theintroduction of exotic plantslike baby’s-breath, spottedknapweed, or Kentuckyblue grass.

Creative fantasy becomes coastaldebris when Great Lakes waters rise.

This home along southern LakeMichigan was destroyed during thehigh-water period of the late 1980s.

Courtesy of M

ichigan Departm

ent of Environmental Q

uality.

Courtesy of M

ichigan Departm

ent of Environmental Q

uality.

A highway and driveways cross this dune and swale complex, altering the hydrology.

Todd Thompson

51

52

OTHER DEVELOPMENT

In the recent past, coastaldunes were an extremelyimportant source of sandfor industrial uses.

Presently, one of the firstdune restoration projects isunderway at a sand miningsite adjacent to Grand MereState Park, near Bridgeman.Other sand mining siteshave been stabilized ratherthan restored, using the pondsor lakes created duringmining operations as focalpoints for golf courses orcondominium complexes.

Golf course developmentlinked to luxury homes orcondominiums often destroysthe ecological integrity ofsand dunes. Most golfcourses replace dune grasses

with turf grasses, botheliminating habitat for nativedune species and introducingexotic plants into the duneecosystem. Forest vegetationis often removed, altering themicro-climate, which canresult in dune destabilization.In recent years there was adramatic example of thedisastrous effects of such analteration of dune habitat,when forest removal,hydrological manipulations,and turf-grass establishmentalong a dune bluff resulted intremendous levels of erosionand ultimately also the lossof the scenic green.

One of the most signifi-cant industrial uses of dunesand was for creating foundrycasting molds. Michigan’sautomobile industry reliedextensively on sands fromthe Lake Michigan shorelineuntil the 1980s when publicpressure forced the industryto find other sources of sand.As our need for sand contin-ues, inland sands have provedto be an economically viablesand source, somewhatreducing the pressure on ourcoastal dunes. Other indus-trial uses of sand include roadconstruction and winter roadtreatment, construction fill,and glass production. In theMuskegon area, glassmanufacturing resulted in thecomplete removal of somecoastal dunes. Sand miningcontinues in many GreatLakes coastal areas.

Sand mining along southern Lake Michigan.

Agricultural and residential development behind the dunes reduces the value forwildlife species like the eastern box turtle or nesting songbirds. Rosy Mound, southernLake Michigan.

Donald Petersen

R. Torresen

The Sand DunesProtection and Manage-ment Program, as partof the Natural Resourcesand EnvironmentalProtection Act, 1994PA 451, is in place toprotect dunes fromresidential, commercial,and industrial uses.

Sand dune regulationswere enacted by the state ofMichigan to protect dunesthat were not publicly ownedfrom indiscriminate develop-ment. Seventy thousand acresof shoreline along LakeMichigan and Lake Superiorwere designated and mappedby the Michigan Departmentof Natural Resources as“critical dune areas”. Theseareas are mapped in the Atlasof Critical Dunes (1989).Critical dune areas include,but are not limited to, allbarrier dunes along theshoreline, both open andforested dunes. Parabolic,perched, and linear dunes areincluded within the “criticaldune areas” designation.

Not only do the sand duneregulations identify the dunes

being regulated, they alsorestrict certain activitieswithin the dunes. Construc-tion of structures, roads, anddriveways is now restrictedon steep slopes (over 33%) toreduce dune destabilization.Before the regulations wereenacted, construction ofhomes on steep slopes andunstable, open dunes wascommon.

Home or condominiumconstruction along theshoreline periodically resultsin the loss of structures,especially during high-waterperiods, when dune andshoreline bluff erosion can bequite rapid. The loss ofstructures can be quitecostly to the landowner.Attempts to save homes bybuilding jetties or othershoreline structures result inthe disruption of a long-shorecurrents and sedimenttransport, sometimesnegatively affectingnearby properties.

While current regulationshave resulted in reduceddegradation of Michigan’ssand dunes, developmentpressure remains high. Thedensity of development inmany dune areas has been

SAND DUNE REGULATIONS

very high, resulting in loss ofmany ecological values.While regulations providesome protection for thedunes, development of theadjacent, flatter sand lakeplain has been even moreintense. In many places,there is no natural vegetationto provide a buffer betweenthe dunes and the adjacenturban, industrial, or agricul-tural lands. This buffering iscritical for the survival ofmany of the plants andanimals utilizing the dunes.Lack of buffer is even seen atsome of the state’s premierparks, where homes, golfcourses, and even sandmining operations are withineasy view of the parks.Unfortunately, sand duneregulations have not elimi-nated this intensive develop-ment, as demonstrated atHoffmaster State Park, wherenew homes on the foreduneextend to within a fewhundred feet of the park.Such development visuallydetracts from the park’sbeauty and can provide easyaccess for off-road vehicletrespass into the parks.

53

DUNES IN MICHIGAN - LOWER PENINSULA

54

Remember that dune habitats are fragile and easily damaged by human activities.Please use boardwalks or special viewing platforms when available.

28 2927

26

20

30

24

2322

21

25

18

19

17

16

15

14

13

121110

3

8

7

654

9

21

4645

44

43

42

41

40

39

38

36 35

34

31

3233

37

LAKE M

ICHIG

AN

LAKE H

URON

55

SAND DUNES ON PUBLICLY-OWNED LANDS OR PRIVATE NATURE PRESERVES IN LOWER MICHIGAN

South North South North South North South North1. Grand Beach X2. Warren Dunes State Park X3 Grand Mere State Park X4 Van Buren State Park X5 Saugatuck State Park X6. Holland State Park X7. Rosy Mound State Park X8. Hoffmaster State Park* X9. Muskegon State Park* X

10. Duck Lake State Park X11. Meinert County Park X12. Benona Township Park X13. Silver Lake State Park X14. Charles Mears State Park X15. Ludington State Park* X16. Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area (USFS) X17. Orchard Beach State Park X18. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore* X X19. Manitou Islands; Sleeping Bear Dunes N. L. X X20. South Fox Island X21. Leland Municipal Beach X X22. Leelanau State Park X23. Fishermans Island State Park X24. Petoskey State Park X25. Beaver Island (MI DNR) X X26. High Island (State Wildlife Research Area) X27. Garden Island (MI DNR) X28. Hog Island (MI DNR) X29. Wilderness State Park X X30. Trail’s End Bay (Twp. Park) X31. Lakeport State Park X32. Vassar and Tuscola State Game Areas X33. Gratiot-Saginaw State Game Area X34. Au Sable State Forest X35. Port Crescent State Park X36. Albert E. Sleeper State Park X37. Fish Point Wildlife Area X38. Tobico State Game Area X39. Pointe Au Gres (MI DNR) X40. Tawas Point State Park X41. Negwegon State Park X42. Misery Bay (MI DNR) X43. Thompsons Harbor State Park X44. Hoeft State Park X45. Cheboygan State Park X46. Point Catosh, Bois Blanc Island (MI DNR) X

Codes:

Bolded sites are excellent examples of dune types with easy access.

* Interpretative Services Available.

Dune &Swale Complex(Linear Dunes)

ParabolicDunes

PerchedDunes

TransverseDunes

DUNES IN MICHIGAN - UPPER PENINSULA

56

Remember that dune habitats are fragile and easily damagedby human activities. Please use boardwalks or special viewingplatforms when available.

47. De Tour State Park X48. St. Martin Bay (USFS X49. Horseshoe Bay (USFS Wilderness Area) X50. Pointe aux Chenes (USFS) X X51. Brevoort Lake (USFS) X52. Big Knob State Forest Campground X53. Seiners Point to Point Patterson (MI DNR) X54. Seul Choix Point West (MI DNR) X55. Thompson State Roadside Park (MI DNR) X56. Portage Bay (MI DNR) X57. Sucker Lake (MI DNR) X58. Fishdam River (USFS) X59. Ogontz Bay (USFS) X60. Wedens Bay (USFS) X61. Wells State Park X62. Ramsey-Lost Lakes (USFS) X63. Indian Lake North (MI DNR) X64. Seney National Wildlife Refuge X65. Monocle Lake (USFS) X X66. Pendills Bay (USFS) X67. Tahquamenon Bay (USFS) X68. Whitefish Point (MI DNR) X

ParabolicDunes

PerchedDunes

Dune &Swale Complex(Linear Dunes)

TransverseDunes

61

78

7980

81

8283

84

85

57

SAND DUNES ON PUBLICLY-OWNED LANDSOR PRIVATE NATURE PRESERVES INUPPER MICHIGAN

69. Tahquamenon Falls State Park X X70. Swamp Lakes (Preserve: The Nature Conservancy) X71. McMahon Lake(MI DNR and Nature Conservancy Preserve) X72. Two-Hearted River Mouth X X73. Muskallonge Lake to Grand Marais (MI DNR) X X74. Grand Sable Dunes (Pictured Rocks Nat’l. Lakeshore)* X75. 12-Mile Beach (Pictured Rocks Nat’l. Lakeshore) X76. Grand Island (USFS Federal Recreation Area) X77. Au Train Bay (USFS and MI State Roadside Park) X78. Little Presque Isle (MI DNR) X79. Pequaming (MI DNR and TWP. Park) X80. Baraga State Park X81. Traverse Bay County Park X82. Eagle Harbor (Michigan Nature Association Preserve) X X83. Great Sand Bay (Michigan Nature Association Preserve) X84. F. J. McLain State Park X85. Sleeping Bay and Misery Bay (MI DNR) X

Codes:

Bolded sites are excellent examples of dune types with easy access.

* Interpretative Services Available.

ParabolicDunes

PerchedDunes

Dune &Swale Complex(Linear Dunes)

TransverseDunes

47484950

5152

535455

5657

5859

60

6263

64

656667

68

6970

71

72737475

7677

REFERENCED SPECIES: COMMON AND LATIN

58

AmphibiansBlanchard’s cricket frogAcris crepitans blanchardiBlue-spotted salamanderAmbystoma lateraleFowler’s toad Bufo fowleriNorthern leopard frog Rana pipiensRed-backed salamanderPlethodon cinereusSpring peeper Pseudacris crucifer cruciferArthropods - SpidersWolf spider Lycosidae (Family)BirdsAmerican bittern Botaurus lentiginosusAmerican kestrel Falco sparveriusBald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalusBlack tern Chlidonias nigerBlack-and-white warblerMniotilta variaBlack-backedwoodpecker Picoides arcticusBlack-billed cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmusBlack-throatedgreen warbler Dendroica virensBlackburnian warbler Dendroica fuscaBluebird, eastern Sialia sialisBroad-winged hawk Buteo platypterusCommon loon Gavia immerCommon snipe Gallinago gallinagoCooper’s hawk Accipiter cooperiiGoshawk Circus cyaneusLeConte’s sparrow Ammodramus leconteiiLincoln’s sparrow Melospiza lincolniiMerlin Falco columbarius

Birds, continuedOvenbird Seiurus aurocapillusPalm warbler Dendroica palmarumPine siskin Carduelis pinusPiping plover Charadrius melodusPrairie warbler Dendroica discolorRed crossbill Loxia curvirostraRed-eyed vireo Vireo olivaceusRed-shouldered hawk Buteo lineatusRusty blackbird Euphagus carolinusSanderling Calidris albaSandhill crane Grus canadensisScarlet tanager Piranga olivaceaSharp-shinned hawk Accipiter striatusSharp-tailed grouse Tympanuchus phasianellusSong sparrow Melospiza melodiaSpotted sandpiper Actitis maculariaWhite-winged crossbill Loxia leucopteraWood thrush Hylocichla mustelinaWoodcock, American Scolopax minorYellow rail Coturnicops noveboracensisYellow-billed cuckoo Coccyzus americanusInsects - BeetlesLadybirds Coccinellidae (Family)Tiger beetles Cicindela scutellarisInsects – Butterflies and mothsDune cutworm Euxoa aurulentaMonarch butterfly Danaus plexippusTiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucusWhite admiral Limenitis arthemus

Insects – DragonfliesHine’s emerald Somatochlora hineanaInsects – Grasshoppers and CricketsLake Huron locust Trimerotropis huronianaInsects – Wasps and HornetsBald-faced hornet Vespula maculataSpider (digger) wasps Pompilidae (Family)Insects – OtherAntlion Myrmeleontidae (Family)MammalsBeaver Castor canadensisBlack bear Ursus americanusMink Mustela visonMoose Alces alcesMuskrat Ondatra zibethicusSnowshoe hare Lepus americanusWhite-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianusWolf Canis lupusReptilesBlack rat snake Elaphe obsoleta obsoletaBlue racer (snake) Coluber constrictorEastern hognose snakeHeterodon platirhinosEastern box turtle Terrapene carolina

carolinaGarter snake Thamnophis spp.Spotted turtle Clemmys guttata

PLANTS OF THE DUNES AND ASSOCIATED WETLANDS REFERENCED IN REPORTCommon Name Latin Name Common Name Latin Name Common Name Latin Name

American beech Fagus grandifoliaAspen, big-toothed Populus grandidentataAspen, trembling Populus tremuloidesBaby’s-breath Gypsophila paniculataBalsam fir Abies balsameaBalsam poplar Populus balsamiferaBasswood Tilia americanaBeach pea Lathyrus japonicusBearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursiBishop’s cap Mitella diphyllaBlack pine Pinus nigraBlack spruce Picea marianaBlack oak Quercus velutinaBloodroot Sanguinaria canadensisBlueberry Vaccinium spp.Bog rosemary Andromeda glaucophyllaBog laurel Kalmia polifoliaBracken fern Pteridium aquilinumBugseed Corispermum hyssopifoliumBulrush Scirpus sp.Bunchberry Cornus canadensisButterfly weed Asclepias tuberosaButterwort Pinguicula vulgarisClustered broom rape Orobanche fasciculataCommon juniper Juniperus communisCommon milkweed Asclepias syriacaCommon trillium Trillium grandiflorumCottonwood (Eastern) Populus deltoidesCranberry Vaccinium oxycoccos,

V. macrocarponCreeping juniper Juniperus horizontalisDunewort Botrychium campestreDutchman’s-breeches Dicentra cucullariaDwarf lake iris Iris lacustrisEastern white-cedar Thuja occidentalis

Red oak Quercus rubraRed anemone Anemone multifidaRed pine Pinus resinosaRound-leaved orchid Amerorchis rotundifoliaRue anemone Anemonella thallictroidesRush Juncus sp.Sand cherry Prunus pumilaSand reed grass Calamovilfa longifoliaSassafras Sassafras albidumSea rocket Cakile edentulaSeaside spurge Euphorbia polygonifoliaSedge Carex sp.Silver poplar Populus albaSolomon’s seal Polygonum pubescensSpeckled alder Alnus rugosaSpotted knapweed Centauria maculataSpring-beauty Claytonia virginicaSquirrel-corn Dicentra canadensisStar flower Trientalis borealisSugar maple Acer saccharumSwamp-laurel Kalmia polifoliaSweet gale Myrica galeTamarack Larix laricinaTrout lily Erythronium americanumVirginia meadow-beautyRhexia virginiaWhite camas Zigadenus glaucusWhite spruce Picea glaucaWhite pine Pinus strobusWillow Salix sp.Winged Pigweed Cycloloma atriplicifoliaWormwood Artemisia campestrisYellow violet Viola pubescens

Eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensisGrass-pink Calopogon tuberosusGround juniper Juniperus horizontalisHairy puccoon Lithospermum carolinienseHarebell Campanula rotundifoliaHepatica Hepatica americana,

H. acutilobaHoughton’s goldenrod Solidago houghtoniiHuckleberry Gaylussacia baccataIndian paintbrush Castilleja coccineaJack pine Pinus banksianaJack-in-the-pulpit Arisaema triphyllumLabrador tea Ledum groenlandicumLake Huron tansy Tanacetum huronenseLapland buttercup Ranunculus lapponicusLeatherleaf Chamaedaphne calyculataLittle bluestem Schizachyrium scopariusMarram grass Ammophila breviligulataMarsh-marigold Caltha palustrisMay-apple Podophyllum peltatumMeadowsweet Spiraea albaMichigan holly Ilex verticillataMoonwort Botrychium mormo,

B. acuminatum,B. hesperium

Mountain holly Nemopanthus mucronataNodding trillium Trillium cernuumOsier dogwood Cornus stoloniferaPennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanicaPitcher-plant Sarracenia purpureaPitcher’s thistle Cirsium pitcheriPoison ivy Toxicodendron radicansPoverty grass Danthonia spicataPrairie phlox Phlox pilosa

ANIMALS OF THE DUNES AND ASSOCIATED WETLANDS REFERENCED IN REPORTCommon Name Latin Name Common Name Latin Name Common Name Latin Name

59

EXOTIC PLANTS TABLECOMMON EXOTIC PLANTS OF THE SAND DUNESCommon Name Latin Name

Autumn olive Elaeagnus umbellataBaby’s-breath Gypsophila paniculataBlack locust Robinia pseudoacaciaBladder campion Silene vulgarisBouncing bet Saponaria officinalisBull thistle Cirsium vulgareCanada bluegrass Poa compressaChicory Cichorium intybusClover Trifolium spp.Dandelion Taraxacum officinaleGoat’s beard Tragopogon sp.Hawkweed Hieracium caespitosumHeal-all Prunella vulgarisHoneysuckle Lonicera sp.Lombardy popular Populus nigra var. italicaMossy stonecap Sedum acreMullein Verbascum thapsusOx-eye daisy Chrysanthemum leucanthemumQuack grass Agropyron repensRedtop Agrostis giganteaScots pine Pinus sylvestrisSmooth brome Bromus inermusSpotted knapweed Centaurea maculosaTall fescue Festuca arundinaceaTimothy Phleum pratenseWhite sweet clover Melilotus albaWhite poplar Populus albaWild carrot Daucus carotaYarrow Achillea millefolium

RARE PLANTS & ANIMALS

60

RARE PLANTS OF THE DUNES AND ASSOCIATED WETLANDS

Common Name Latin Name South North South North South North South NorthAlga pondweed Potamogeton confervoides XAmerican dune wild-rye Elymus mollis S S SAmerican shore-grass Littorella uniflora var. americana S XAuricled twayblade Listera auriculata SBald-rush Psilocarya scirpoides MBeauty sedge Carex concinna M,HBlack-fruited spike-rush Eleocharis melanocarpa MBlue wild-rye Elymus glaucus SButterwort Pinguicula vulgaris M,HCalypso Calypso bulbosa M,H,S M,S M,SCanada rice-grass Oryzopsis canadensis XCarey’s smartweed Polygonum careyi MClimbing fumitory Adlumia fungosa H M MCross-leaved milkwort Polygala cruciata MDouglas’s hawthorn Crataegus douglasii S SDowny oat-grass Trisetum spicatum SDunewort or prairie moonwort Botrychium campestre M,SDwarf lake iris Iris lacustris H,M MDwarf-bulrush Hemicarpha micrantha MEnglish sundew Drosera anglica XFascicled broom-rape Orobanche fasciculata M MFrost grape Vitis vulpina MGinseng Panax quinquefolius M MHill’s thistle Cirsium hillii MHoughton’s goldenrod Solidago houghtonii M,H MLake Huron tansy Tanacetum huronense M,H,S M,S M,SLapland buttercup Ranunculus lapponicus MMeadow-beauty Rhexia virginica MMoonwort, acute-leaved Botrychium acuminatum SMoonwort, goblin Botrychium mormo SMoonwort, western Botrychium hesperium SNorthern appressed clubmoss Lycopodiella subappressa M XOrange grass Hypericum gentianoides MPanicled hawkweed Hieracium paniculatum MPanicled screw-stem Bartonia paniculata XPinedrops Pterospora andromedea H,M,S SPitcher’s thistle Cirsium pitcheri H,M H,M H,M H,M M M,SPumpelly’s brome grass Bromus pumpellianus M,S M,S M,SRam’s head lady’s-slipper Cypripedium arietinum H M SRose or swamp mallow Hibiscus moscheutos MRose pink Sabatia angularis MRound-fruited loosestrife Ludwigia sphaerocarpa MSand grass Triplasis purpurea MSatiny willow Salix pellita SSedge Carex platyphylla MSedge Carex seorsa MShowy orchis Galearis spectabilis MSpotted pondweed Potamogeton pulcher MStitchwort Stellaria longipes M,S M,S M,STall beak-rush Rhynchospora macrostachya MTall green milkweed Asclepias hirtella HTuberous Indian plantain Cacalia plantaginea H HWhorled mountain mint Pycnanthemum verticillatum MWiegand’s sedge Carex wiegandii XWild bean Strophostyles helvula MWild oatgrass Danthonia intermedia MYellow ladies’-tresses Spiranthes ochroleuca MZigzag bladderwort Utricularia subulata M

Codes: H = Lake Huron, M = Lake Michigan, S = Lake Superior,X = inland dunes (associated with glacial lake beds, often several miles inland from present Great Lake shorelines)

Bold indicates strong association between dune community and the plant or animal species.

Dune &Swale Complex(Linear Dunes)

ParabolicDunes

PerchedDunes

TransverseDunes

61

AND NATURAL COMMUNITIES

ParabolicDunes

PerchedDunes

TransverseDunes

Dune &Swale Complex(Linear Dunes)

RARE ANIMALS OF THE DUNES AND ASSOCIATED WETLANDS

Common Name Latin Name South North South North South North South NorthAMPHIBIANSBlanchard’s cricket frog Acris crepitans blanchardi MBIRDSBald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus H M,H,S M,S M,S XBlack tern Chlidonias niger SBlack-backed woodpecker Picoides arcticus M,H,S XCommon loon Gavia immer XMerlin Falco columbarius S XOsprey Pandion haliaetus S,M,H XPeregrine falcon Falco peregrinus MPiping plover Charadrius melodus M,H,S M M M,STern, caspian Sterna caspia M MTern, common Sterna hirundo H H M MTern, Forester’s Sterna foresteri HWarbler, cerulean Dendroica cerulea MWarbler, prairie Dendroica discolor M M MINSECTS - BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHSAweme borer Papaipema aweme MDune cutworm Euxoa aurulenta MFrigga fritillary Boloria frigga S XGrizzled skipper Pyrgus centaureae wyandot HINSECTS - CICADAS AND HOPPERSSpittlebug Philaenarcys killa MINSECTS - DRAGONFLIESHine’s emerald Somatochlora hineana H,MIncurvate emerald Somatochlora incurvata S XINSECTS - GRASSHOPPERS AND CRICKETSLake Huron locust Trimerotropis huroniana H M,H,S M,H,S M,SPinetree cricket Oecanthus pini MMAMMALSMoose Alces alces XVole, prairie Microtus ochrogaster MVole, woodland Microtus pinetorum MREPTILESEastern fox snake Elaphe vulpina gloydi HTurtle, eastern box Terrapene carolina carolina M MTurtle, spotted Clemmys guttata MTurtle, wood Clemmys insculpta M

Codes: H = Lake Huron, M = Lake Michigan, S = Lake Superior,X = inland dunes (associated with glacial lake beds, often several miles inland from present Great Lake shorelines)

Bold indicates strong association between dune community and the plant or animal species.

RARE PLANT COMMUNITIES ASSOCIATED WITH DUNES AND DUNE WETLANDS

Plant Community South North South North South North South NorthCoastal plain marsh MLakeplain oak opening HLakeplain wet prairie HLakeplain wet-mesic prairie H

Codes: H = Lake Huron, M = Lake Michigan, S = Lake Superior,X = inland dunes (associated with glacial lake beds, often several miles inland from present Great Lake shorelines)

Bold indicates strong association between dune community and the plant or animal species.

ParabolicDunes

PerchedDunes

TransverseDunes

Dune &Swale Complex(Linear Dunes)

Atlas of Critical Dunes.Michigan Department ofNatural Resources Land andWater Management Division.1989. (now in Michigan DEQ)

A Field Guide to Great LakesCoastal Plants. Walter J.Hoagman. Michigan Sea GrantExtension. 1994.

Discovering Great Lakes Dunes.Elizabeth Brockwell-Tillmanand Earl Wolf. Michigan StateUniversity Extension, MichiganSea Grant, and Gillette NaturalHistory Association. 1998.

Dune Country: A Hiker’s Guideto the Indiana Dunes. GlendaDaniel. Swallow Press. 1984.

Dune Type Inventory andBarrier Dune ClassificationStudy of Michigan’s LakeMichigan Shore. William R.Buckler. Report of Investigation23, Geological Survey Division,Department of Natural Re-sources. 1979.

Geology of Michigan. John A.Dorr, Jr. and Donald F.Eschman. University ofMichigan Press. 1970.

Great Lakes Dune Ecosystems.Michigan State UniversityExtension. 1998.

Grand Mere. Grand MereAssociation. Kalamazoo NatureCenter. 1973.

RECOMMENDED DUNE LITERATUREMichigan’s Sand Dunes. StevenE. Wilson. Pamphlet 7,Michigan Department ofNatural Resources, GeologicalSurvey Division.

Michigan Coastal Dunes: aheritage worth saving. NaturalHeritage Program. MichiganDepartment of Natural Re-sources. Poster.

Sand Dunes of the Great Lakes.Edna and C. J. Elfont. SleepingBear Press. 1997.

Up and Down the Dunes. EmmaPitcher. Shirley HeinzeEnvironmental Fund. 1987.

Arbogast, A. F., and W. L.Loope. 1999. Maximum-limiting ages of Lake Michigancoastal dunes: their correlationwith Holocene lake levelhistory. Journal of Great LakesResearch 25: 372-382.

Cowles, H. C. 1899. Theecological relations of thevegetation on the sand dunes ofLake Michigan. BotanicalGazette 27: 95-391.

SELECTED SCIENTIFIC ARTICLESGuire, K. E. and E. G. Voss.1963. Distribution of distinc-tive plants in the Great Lakesregion. Michigan Botanist 2:99-114.

Hamze, S. I, and C. L. Jolls.2000. Germination ecology ofa federally threatened endemicthistle, Cirsium pitcheri, of theGreat Lakes. AmericanMidland Naturalist 143: 141-153.

Lichtner, J. 1998. Primarysuccession and forest develop-ment on coastal Lake Michigansand dunes. EcologicalMonographs 68: 487-510.

Olson, J. 1958. Rates ofsuccession and soil changes onsouthern Lake Michigan sanddunes. Botanical Gazette 119:125-170.

Thompson, T. A. 1992.Beach-ridge development andlake-level variation in southernLake Michigan. SedimentaryGeology 80: 305-318.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTSFunding

This project was funded in partunder the federal Coastal ZoneManagement Act of 1972, asamended, Office of Ocean andCoastal Resource Manage-ment, National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration,U.S. Department of Commercethrough the Michigan CoastalManagement Program,Michigan Department ofEnvironmental Quality.Additional funding wasprovided by the MichiganChapter of The NatureConservancy, the MichiganNongame Program, theOffice of the Great Lakes ofthe MI DEQ, and the CoastalProgram of the U.S. Fish &Wildlife Service.

Author

Dennis A. Albert

Design and Graphics

Chris VanWyckof Ciesa & Associates

Reference thispublication as:

Albert, Dennis A. 2000.Borne of the Wind: AnIntroduction to the Ecologyof Michigan Sand Dunes.Michigan Natural FeaturesInventory. 63p.

Contributors

Becca Boehm and KevinGardiner assisted with photoscanning. ElizabethBrockwell-Tillman providedinspiration, enthusiasm,intimate knowledge of thedunes, and access to manyState Parks photos. Phyllis J.Higman provided exotic planttables. Maureen Houghtonprovided guidance, enthusias-tic review, and photos. TheNature Conservancy providedaccess to their photo collec-tion. Michael R. Penskarassisted with publicationconcept and layout, editing,and provided exotic planttables. Mary L. Rabe assistedwith publication concept andlayout. Yvonne Rolandsonprovided access to graphicsfrom the Nongame Posterand helpful editorial advice.Earl Wolf provided cross-sectional diagrams, inspira-tion, many photos, and accessto the State Parks photo files.

Photo Contributors

Dennis A. Albert, BettyDarling Cottrille, PowellCottrille, Ted Cline (Photair,Inc.), Susan R. Crispin,David L. Cuthrell, Depart-ment of EnvironmentalQuality staff, Jeff Dykehouse,David Ewert, James Harding,Janet Haas, Samara Hamze,Maureen Houghton, KenJacobsen, Jr., Dave Kenyon,Walter Loope, Harold E.Malde, Douglas Pearsall,Michael R. Penskar, DonaldPetersen, Gary Reese, ToddThompson, R. R. Torresen,David F. Wisse, Earl Wolf.

Editors

David Ewert, Christy Fox,Maureen Houghton,Robert Kavetsky (USFWS),Michael A. Kost, John T.Legge, Tracy Mehan, John J.Paskus, Michael R. Penskar,Laraine Reynolds, SuzanneRidge, Yvonne Rolandson,Judith D. Soule, Earl Wolf.

Front Cover:Nordhouse Dunes.Photo by David F. Wisse

Back Cover:Aerial photo by Ted Cline (Photair, Inc.)Child and box turtle. Photo courtesy of Earl Wolf

Michigan Natural Features InventoryMason Building

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Michigan

Natural

Features

Inventory