Vernal Pools
Vernal pools are wetlands that fill up annually but typically dry out during some part of the year. These small but dynamic wetlands fill with water, blossom with life, and host a cacophony of sounds and a plethora of life forms every spring, only to disappear into the forest floor every autumn.
Vernal pools are special! They:
* improve water quality
* serve as a bell weather wetland
* hold flood waters
* provide habitat to hundreds of species, including migratory birds
* are an excellent educational tool
You can help! By monitoring and documenting these pools, they can be appreciated and preserved.
Ohio's Hidden Wonders:A Guide to the Animals & Plants of Ohio's Vernal Pools
Ohio's Hidden Wonders: A Guide to the Animals and Plants of Vernal Pools is a field guide dedicated to the animals and plants of Ohio's vernal pools. Vernal pools are seasonal wetlands that fill with water each year but typically dry out during some part of the year.
* What does a fairy shrimp look like?
* Where can you find tiger salamanders in Ohio?
* Can swamp rose be found in a vernal pool?
You'll learn the answers to these questions and more in this full-color, wire-coiled, tabbed guide! Sections include: Frogs & Toads, Salamanders, Snakes, Dragonflies & Damselflies, Turtles, Spiders, Macroinvertebrates, and Plants. This is a great guide for the novice or veteran interested in the wonder of Ohio's vernal pools.
