The University of Rochester South Campus harbors >200 vascular plant taxa, the majority of which have now been identified to the species level. This biodiversity reflects the presence of multiple habitat types (beech-maple mesic forest, floodplain forest, maple-ash swamp, old fields, vernal pools, reedgrass marsh) as well as the old age of its forested areas. Here we describe the plant communities known from South Campus. A current version of the South Campus plant species list can be found here.
OLD-GROWTH FOREST. Approximately 15 acres of the South Campus is comprised of old-growth forest. This area was occasionally subjected to small-scale timber harvest by local farmers but never clear-cut or converted to agricultural use. A similarly-sized old-growth stand—locally known as the “Lynch Woods” in reference to the Lynch family farm—is located south of Crittenden Road on property now owned by the Town of Brighton. Both forests occur on shallow eskers that rise 5-10 feet above adjoining habitats and have numerous depressions that develop ephemeral ponds during the spring. The geological origin of these areas probably made them ill-suited to agriculture, since they had an uneven surface and would require frequent irrigation during the summer months. Since the 1950s, the old-growth areas appear to have been undisturbed by human activities.
Common canopy trees within old-growth areas include red maple, sugar maple, red oak, beech, black cherry, tuliptree, shagbark hickory, and yellow birch . In the sub-canopy, hop-hornbeam, witch-hazel and musclewood are abundant. Most tree species are represented by small, medium-sized and large individuals, and the forest floor is littered with fallen logs and woody debris. The forest understory is dominated by mayapple, white woodland aster, enchanter’s nightshade, sensitive fern, New York fern and several sedge species. Many other plant species are scattered through forest understory, however, including northern jack-in-the-pulpit, white baneberry, white trillium, red trillium, tall meadowrue, Indian pipe, trout lily, rattlesnake root, Canada mayflower, cinnamon fern, royal fern and Christmas fern. Nonnative species are rare in old-growth areas though some specimens of oriental bittersweet , honeysuckle, and common buckthorn can be found.
SECOND GROWTH FOREST. Unlike old-growth areas—which had been set aside by early settlers—many parts of the South Campus were converted to agriculture use, including growing of annual crops, grazing of livestock, and planting of apple orchards. These activities became economically nonviable between the 1940s and 1960s, and second growth forests thereafter developed in abandoned agricultural areas. While most of the plants occurring in old-growth areas can be found in second-growth forest, the most common trees are fast-growing, shade intolerant species like white ash, big-tooth aspen, and eastern cottonwood. There is less age-structure within second growth areas and fewer snags and fallen trees. Understory communities are locally variable, dominated by native plants in some areas (black chokeberry, Virginia knotweed, sensitive fern, New York fern) and nonnative plants in others (common buckthorn, garlic mustard, honeysuckle, oriental bittersweet). In some locations, oriental bittersweet comprises >50% of vegetation cover and is in urgent need of management.
MAPLE-ASH SWAMP. Low-lying areas north of the Whipple old-growth area developed into a maple-ash swamp environment. While technically representing second-growth forest, the area has distinct ecological features that deserve separate description. The tree community in the swamp is comprised primarily of flood tolerant species like silver maple, black ash and white ash. The forest canopy is relatively “open” in comparison to upland woodland areas, old-growth or otherwise. Areas of standing water harbor duckweed, water plantain, arrowhead, marsh marigold and other aquatic plants. Dryer microsites in shady areas have dense fern cover. In more open and sunny microsites, we commonly observe native wildflowers, including boneset, blue vervain and early goldenrod. While substantial in size, the maple-ash swamp is probably the least known portion of the University of Rochester South Campus, as would-be visitors are scared away by mosquitos, pools of standing water, and an abundance of poison ivy.
MEADOWS. A grassland environment is maintained along the western edge of the UR South Campus by periodic mowing and tree removal by the RG&E power utility. This area was originally used as a railroad bed and thereafter for high-voltage power lines—historical photographs suggest that these meadows have been maintained continuously for at least 80 years. Interestingly, the meadows harbor a highly diverse assemblage of native plants. While sweet vernal and other exotic grasses are common, most of the meadow vegetation cover is comprised of goldenrods (lance-leafed, early, rough), silverrod, Indian tobacco, bracken fern, tick trefoils (showy, naked flowered, panicled), black-eyed susan and black snakeroot. Wet areas of the meadow also harbor boneset, blue vervain, spotted touch-me-not, purple-leafed willow herb, and swamp milkweed. Another suite of native plants occurs primarily at the boundary between woodland areas and the meadow, including lowbush blueberry, dewberry, and black raspberry. While the meadows comprise a relatively small part of the University of Rochester South Campus, this habitat contributes disproportionately to its overall biological diversity. Special consideration thus needs to be made to its maintenance and preservation.
