Journal of Student Research 2023

Journal of Student Research 58 This area is believed to be the most visited nature preserve in Dunn County. There is a wide variety of habitats in the preserve, due to its large topographic diversity. Rare snails have been found there (Kuchta, unpublished data), indicating the possibility of rare plants. In addition, the site may be a refugia for non-vascular bryophytes that thrive in cool, moist microclimates (Pope, 2016). However, since the Devil’s Punchbowl is a small property with high visitor traffic it may not be able to sustain rare plant species (Landmark Conservancy, 2023). Species Inventory Plants mature and produce fruits and flowers at varying times over the season. In order to capture this seasonal variability, the site was surveyed each week from 10 May 2022 through 25 August 2022. We walked through the different ecological communities present at the Devil’s Punchbowl, inspecting different microhabitats that might hold unique species. The plant communities were identified using Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources natural community lists (Bleser, 2023) and compared it to our own flora lists to identify smaller communities within the Devil’s Punchbowl. Each walk was specifically aimed at areas where high plant diversity would be expected. We carefully investigated any new wildflower or grass that had started to bloom along with any mosses and liverworts that had new growth or reproductive structures. When collecting a specimen, the plant species name was recorded if known, the date, and a description of the area in which it was found in to be later identified in the herbarium lab. Voucher specimens were identified and preserved for addition to the UW-Stout Herbarium (UWST) collection. Vascular plant nomenclature follows the Wisconsin State Herbarium (2022) and bryophyte nomenclature follows McKnight et al. (2013) for mosses and Pope (2016) for liverworts. Species lists were then compared to the Wisconsin Natural Heritage Inventory working list and county records from the Flora of Wisconsin to determine rarity (Bleser, 2023; Wisconsin State Herbarium, 2022). Moss Identification Moss and liverwort species identification took place at the herbarium lab at UW-Stout. The first step to proper identification of mosses was to determine the growth form: acrocarp or pleurocarp. An acrocarp has three key traits: simple stems, capsules arising from the stem tip, and typically upright standing stems. Pleurocarps have stems that branch freely, capsules that arise midstem, and typically trail along the ground (McKnight et al., 2013). Other features that were important within moss identification included leaf shape and midrib presence. After the end of the season, the moss species identification was confirmed by Dr. Joseph Rohrer, emeritus professor of Biology at UW-Eau Claire. Guides were also used to identify the common microhabitat in which it is found, including substrate and saturation conditions (McKnight et al., 2013).