Acting Locally

Acting locally

The Shut-In Mountain Fens holds examples of the driest and wettest natural areas in Missouri, creating a very diverse conservation area and habitat. This preserve is named for its two most significant features- a series of three small fen areas along wildcat hollow and Shut-in Mountain, a 350 foot rugged rhyolite dome. During late fall through early spring, the view from the top of Shut-in mountain provides stunning scenery in all directions. The Shut-In Mountain Fens conserve features of more than 15 types of fen communities (Missouri Shut-In Fens, 2010). It is located in the Ozark Mountains in the southern central part of the state. In April 2010, researchers found extensive populations of the rare carnivorous plant called the Small Bladderwort growing here. A subsequent survey of the three fen openings revealed 385 flowering stem in both marl-dominated openings and in the pools of deep muck zones. (Namestnik, Thomas, and S). Bladderwort is a True-floating plant that lack roots but have flowers on erect stem above the water. The entire floating plant is only about 8 inches tall. Flowers emerge above the surface and are yellowish with 3-lobes and spur underneath. (“Aquaplant”) Bladderworts are unique the underwater leaves bear small oval bladders that trap and digest small aquatic creatures. They are normally found in quiet shallow, acidic waters and can form dense mats. This animal eating plant feeds off of aquatic invertebrates, such as mosquito larvae, protozoans and tiny crustaceans. That is not the only thing that has been found in the plants traps though. Small tadpoles and newly hatched fish have also been found to fall prey to this carnivorous plant. The Small Bladderwort is Missouri’s only carnivorous plant. A plant eating animals is a rare quality, so to find one around where you live is a thrilling thing. The plant does not really have an intrinsic value. It is not thought that this plant has any beneficial use to humans, other than...