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by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
Many Midwest streams and rivers have been straightened by channelization. The soil removed from the stream channel is often sidecast next to the st...
Posted in
Creeks,
Ecological Services,
habitat,
Habitat Management,
Habitat Restoration,
iowa,
midwest,
MidwestWildernessConnections,
Natural Areas,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
Rivers,
Streams,
Water Quality,
wilderness
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by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
It's a great time to look for dragonflies & damselflies, collectively called odonates! Each species has a certain flight season when adults pe...
Posted in
Animals,
backyard habitat,
BackyardHabitat,
Damselfly,
Dragonfly,
Exploration,
habitat,
Habitat Management,
Habitat Restoration,
Hiking,
illinois,
iowa,
michigan,
midwest,
MidwestWildernessConnections,
Migration,
minnesota,
missouri,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
Odonata,
Odonate,
prairie,
Predators,
RemnantHabitat,
Sand Prairie,
Streams,
VernalPools,
Water Quality,
Wetlands,
wilderness,
wildflower,
wildlife,
Wildlife Photography,
wisconsin
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by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
Detritus consisting of leaves, sticks, or other organic debris is essential to steam life. This material provides food, shelter, and chemical con...
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by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
Muflats in cropfields and shallow wetlands serve as vital foraging areas for migratory shorebirds, such as this Wilson's snipe. The snipe uses its ...
Posted in
Animals,
birding,
Birds,
Birdwatching,
Farmland,
habitat,
illinois,
midwest,
MidwestWildernessConnections,
Migration,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
VernalPools,
Water Quality,
Waterfowl,
Wetlands,
wilderness,
wildlife,
Wildlife Photography,
WilsonsSnipe
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by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
This beautiful prairie remnant located in Hancock County, Iowa was used as cow pasture for quite some time. This resulted in the proliferation of n...
Posted in
Farmland,
Flora,
grassland,
habitat,
HancockCounty,
iowa,
midwest,
MidwestWildernessConnections,
Natural Areas,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
Plants,
prairie,
RemnantHabitat,
Water Quality,
WetlandReserveEasementProgram,
Wetlands,
wilderness,
wildlife,
Wildlife Photography
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by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
Blue-spotted salamanders depend on temporary pools of water that fill with snowmelt and rain in early spring. This is where the salamander lays egg...
Posted in
Amphibians,
Animals,
BlueSpottedSalamander,
habitat,
Herpetiles,
Herpetofauna,
Herpetology,
iowa,
midwest,
MidwestWildernessConnections,
Migration,
Natural Areas,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
Salamanders,
VernalPools,
Water Quality,
Wetlands,
wilderness,
wildlife,
Wildlife Photography
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by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
Like monarchs, green darner dragonflies partake in long distance migration over multiple generations. The 1st generation hatches near the Gulf Coa...
Posted in
Dragonfly,
habitat,
midwest,
MidwestWildernessConnections,
Migration,
Natural Areas,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
Odonata,
prairie,
Streams,
Water Quality,
Wetlands,
wilderness,
wildlife,
Wildlife Photography
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by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
Trapped under winter ice, aquatic turtles slow down and collect oxygen in creative ways. They may pump water through a gaped mouth or their hind...
Posted in
BlandingsTurtle,
midwest,
MidwestWildernessConnections,
Natural Areas,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
Reptiles,
Turtles,
Water Quality,
Wetlands,
wilderness,
wildlife,
Wildlife Photography
-
by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
We all marvel at the beauty and acrobatics of dragonflies and damselflies. Less well known is that years of their life are spent underwater a...
Posted in
Creeks,
Dragonfly,
habitat,
Muscatine Iowa USA,
Natural Areas,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
Odonata,
Pike Run Wildlife Preserve,
Pocahontas State Park,
Rivers,
Streams,
Virginia USA,
Water Quality,
Wetlands,
wilderness,
wildlife,
Wildlife Photography
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by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
Skunk cabbage occurs in wooded wetlands where it produces yellow speckled maroon flowers in late winter to early spring. This plant can warm itself...
Posted in
Exploration,
Flora,
habitat,
HowardsHollowNaturePreserve,
illinois,
midwest,
MidwestWildernessConnections,
Natural Areas,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
Plants,
SkunkCabbage,
Water Quality,
Wetlands,
wilderness,
wildflower
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by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
Got oxygen? Stream water holds less available oxygen than air. Water picks up dissolved oxygen (DO) where mixing occurs and when plants & alga...
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