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Aaron Marcus, PWS (they/them)

Wetland Scientist & Botanist

Vermont Aquatic plants

of Oligotrophic Ponds

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About Botanists—a couple misconceptions:

Most work is outdoors
We don’t like people

Not always true!

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Rare plant data is a window into threats and trends

NatureServe: An organization working together to protect our species and ecosystems

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�Mountain Cranberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea S2)

Are alpine plants disappearing because of climate change?

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American Shore-grass

(Littorella americana S2)��Rare in Vermont��Almost exclusively in Oligotrophic ponds

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American Shore-grass �(Littorella americana S2)��Rare in Vermont�Fewer than 20 ponds��Almost exclusively in Oligotrophic ponds

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American Shore-grass �(Littorella americana S2)��

Why is it so difficult to detect changes in aquatic plant communities over time?

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American Shore-grass �(Littorella americana S2)��

When and why do aquatic plants flower?

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��American Shore-grass �(Littorella americana S2)��

Only a proportion of a population are exposed to air some of the time

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��American Shore-grass �(Littorella americana S2)��

Our only Vermont population not in an oligotrophic pond

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Torrey Bulrush

(Schoenoplectus torreyi S1S2)��

Declining or simply missing?

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Torrey Bulrush

(Schoenoplectus torreyi S1S2)��

�

A plant with many looks

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Northeastern bladderwort

(Utricularia resupinata S1)

Threatened in Vermont

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Northeastern Bladderwort�(Utricularia resupinata S2)��

Why is it so difficult to detect changes in aquatic plant communities over time?

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Tuckerman Pondweed�(Potamogeton confervoides S2)��

This presentation wouldn’t be complete without a pondweed

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What makes aquatic and wetland communities so sensitive?

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Human impacts aren’t always intuitive

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Danika Frisbee

Wright’s spikerush (Eleocharis diandra)

BIODIVERSITY BENEFITS from CONSISTENCY

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Bayonet Rush

(Juncus militaris S1)��

So many types of Oligotrophic Ponds

One population known in Vermont

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Virginia Meadow-beauty

(Rhexia virginica S1)��

Coastal Plain Pondshore Community (S1)

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Virginia Meadow-beauty

(Rhexia virginica S1)�

Coastal Plain Pondshore Community

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Virginia Meadow-beauty

(Rhexia virginica S1)�

Coastal Plain Pondshore Community

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�Kiss under this!��Dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium pusillum S2S3)

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Dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium pusillum)

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Fringed Gentian (Gentianopsis crinita)��Scarce in Vermont

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��So let’s get wet!�

Aaron Marcus, PWS

They/Them

ConcertinaAndBanjo@proton.me

Lake Quillwort

(Isoetes lacustris S2)��

Green Mountain Quillwort

(Isoetes viridimontana S1 G1)��

Monique McHenry/UVM

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