The Hind-Dune
Abiotic Conditions of a Hinddune.
In a Hinddune the conditions you are likely to experience would consists of being slightly breezy, warmer than the back dune, cooler than the foredune, little shade, and very little nutrients in the soil.
Adaptations for Survival in the Hinddune: In the Hinddune, there are some characteristics that plants and animals must hold to be able to survive. For plants they must have deep roots to hold the plants in place. This will be helpful because sand is not a very suitable way to hold the plant in the ground. Therefore, the plants need to have deep roots that go way under the surface.
Adaptations for Survival in the Hinddune: In the Hinddune, there are some characteristics that plants and animals must hold to be able to survive. For plants they must have deep roots to hold the plants in place. This will be helpful because sand is not a very suitable way to hold the plant in the ground. Therefore, the plants need to have deep roots that go way under the surface.
Plant Inhabitants
When in a Hinddune, the plants that you may see would be, cottonwood trees, marram grass, sand cherry, grape vines, red-osier dogwood, pitchers thistle, wormwood, hairy puccoon, jack pine, and even poison ivy.
Cottonwood
Cottonwood trees are very helpful to the Hinddune because it is a stabilizer to this environment. It can also help in creating a dune. A dune can be created this way because when the seeds of the cottonwood tree float above the water and drop then come up on shore, it creates a line of cottonwoods on the shore. Then over time, wind and sand together make a dune by building up sand, and covering the cottonwood trees. Cottonwood trees have a very special leaf and stem, which helps make it easier to get water. The leaves move from side to side because of its flat stem, which can make it easier for you to point out this tree.
Sand Cherry
dnr.wi.gov
Sand cherry, also known as beach plum, is a low shrub that has small, black/purple, edible berries on them. It has long thin leaves that are soft and all on one side of the branch facing upward. Sand cherry grows best when in canopy conditions.
Pitchers Thistle
michiganflora.net
Pitchers thistle is very dependent on the extreme conditions of the fore/hinddune. It has a plump green bottom that looks to have sharp points on it. On the top it has a pink or purple flower that opens outward. Pitchers thistle is able to survive in dune environments because it has a root capable of going 6 feet down in the ground. It is threatened by the decrease of its environment, due to human activity and the increase of invasive species.
Hairy Puccoon
Hairy puccoon is an endangered, native specie at the Saugatuck Dune State Park. It has yellow flowers and is easily confused with the garlic mustard plant, which is an invasive species. Garlic mustard is a white flower with a yellow center. It flowers during the months of May, June, and July. Hairy puccoon can grow 12-24 inches tall and is held in the sand by a strong, sturdy taproot.
Red-Osier Dogwood
www.z-hub.org
Red-osier can grow from 6-8 feet tall. Stems and twigs are dark red, fade to grey, and then back to red in the autumn and winter months. There are small white flowers with four petals per flower. Red-osier dogwood can tolerate extremely cold temperatures and prefers rich most soils. It can also tolerate flooding and needs moderate sunlight.
Jack Pine
Jack Pines thrive on the sand in the dunes, they have a special resin on their pine cones which melt at 112˚F. In Michigan, Jack Pines usually don't grow very tall. Yet, there are few that grow very tall. There pollen is shed in late May or early June, and can go many miles away from the tree. It takes three years for a pine cone to be made. Kirtland's warbler, a Michigan bird, nest in Jack Pines, but only Jack Pines under 12 feet tall.
Poison Ivy
www.thelighthousehunters.com
Poison Ivy has leaves of three with teeth, sometimes on the bottom two leaves, but not on the top of the leaf. It has a glossy look to it, which is most noticeable in the spring of the year. The leaves are generally green but immature leaves can be red or red/orange. Poison Ivy has an oil, that may create a rash or form blisters when it comes in contact with human skin.
Grape Vines
http://en.Wikipedia.org
Concord Grape Vines are invasive to these dunes. Settlers brought them from another country to grow and harvest. Native birds then started to eat and spread the vines seeds. The grape vines cover native plants, competing with them for sunlight, nutrients, and space.
Animal Inhabitants
Hognose Snake
ivycreekfoundation.org
Hognose snakes have an upturned nose, which helps it with digging in sandy soil. They vary in patterns and are usually a sandy brown, white, or black. Their length could be between 65-80 cm, and on a rare occasion growing up to 1.8m long. This snakes are not venomous, but its saliva can be considered toxic to its prey, but not to humans. Hognose snakes will not bite a human in defense, but rather play dead. Its preferable food is toads.
Wolf Spider
en.wikipedia.org
Wolf Spiders range from 1-30 millimeters in size. These spiders depend on their excellent eyesight for hunting, and they also posses an acute sense of touch. They depend on camouflage for their protection.
Ant Lions (Distoleon tetragrammicus larva)
http://3.bp.blogspot.com
Ant Lions, otherwise known as "doodlebugs", eat small arthropods such as ants. Adults eat nectar and pollen. The nickname, "doodlebug" comes from the marks or the trail that it leaves in the sand, making it look like someone doodled in the sand. They burrow in the sand, making a tiny, funnel/pit of sand, then when an ant or another anthropod falls in the pit, the antlion throws sand over it and clenches its jaw on the bug.