Lake Alexander Woods SNA

About

Classic "kettle and knob" topography is a striking feature of this Central Minnesota SNA. The land rises and dips, courtesy of the Rainy glacial lobe. Upland forests are dominated by mature oak, large-toothed aspen and birch. Lowlands are occupied by lakes, sedge meadows, marshes, swamps and fens.

The three units of this SNA brim with life. Migrant songbirds filter through the woods, while the understory blooms with purple-hued hepatica and other ephemerals. Ruffed Grouse and woodcock flush in a rush of wings. Waterfowl feed on the ponds. State-threatened bog bluegrass grows at the edges of springs in the company of marsh marigolds, and the work of beavers is everywhere in evidence.

The ecological value of this site is enhanced by the abundance of nearby lands managed with conservation in mind. The SNA is part of a 155,500-acre Important Bird Area (IBA) comprised of both public and private lands. Among these is The Nature Conservancy's nearby Lake Alexander Preserve—which protects over 1700 acres—and Camp Ripley, where gray wolves, bears, and as many as 228 species of birds have been documented. Collectively, these lands allow wildlife populations to be resilient in the face of disturbance. They also benefit "interior forest dwellers" such as the Wood Thrush and Scarlet Tanager, as well as the Red-shouldered Hawk, a species of special concern in Minnesota.

Research here has brought new insights into a rare species of "Slippery Jack" fungus, Suillus subaureus. While the genus Suillus is famous for associating exclusively with conifers as mycorrhizal hosts, a study led by University of Minnesota graduate student Lotus Lofgren has offered the first conclusive documentation of this species growing in association with angiosperms, in this case colonizing red oak trees at Lake Alexander Woods. As Lofgren's paper notes, fungi-plant relationships are key to nutrient cycling, water availability and soil-building in forest eco-systems. This study was part of a larger project led by Associate Professor Dr. Peter Kennedy, Department of Plant Biology and Ecology.