6th poster of the biodiversity of Oklahoma series

Shortleaf pine forests and associated habitats once covered a vast area of the continent – from eastern Oklahoma and Texas, to the Atlantic Coast from New Jersey down to Florida – and helped fuel industrial expansion into the region.  Early settlers and Government Land Office surveys describe many of these pine- dominated and mixed pine-oak forests as open woodlands where enough sunlight reached the ground to support a diverse assortment of native wildlife species.

 

These resilient and adaptive forests, spanning parts of twenty-two states, represent an extraordinary diversity of cultural, ecological, and economic values, yet are being displaced. With millions of people depending upon the benefits this under-appreciated species provides, including wildlife and recreation, water quality and high-value wood products, the need to conserve and better manage the shortleaf pine ecosystem is more compelling than ever.

Species on Poster

 

Plants

 

Shortleaf Pine

Northern Red Oak

Mockernut Hickory

Downy Serviceberry

American Beautyberry

Little Bluestem

Birdfoot Violet

 

Animals

 

Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Pine Warbler

Evening Bat

Ozark Emerald Dragonfly

Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly

American Black Bear

Woodland Vole

Woodhouse's Toad

 

Species profiles coming soon!

All photographers generously donated their work for this project

 

Bruce Leander

Craig Marquardt

Thomas L. Muller

Kory G. Roberts

John Rutter

Funding for this poster was provided by:

Oklahoma Biological Survey, Oklahoma Forestry Services, U.S. Forest Service, Oklahoma Natural Areas Registry, and University of Oklahoma

The Biodiversity of Oklahoma poster series is a project of the Oklahoma Biological Survey and the University of Oklahoma.

For more information contact the Priscilla Crawford, at prill@ou.edu or 405-325-7658.