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13 Endangered Species Tech. Bull. 1 (1988)

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January 1988


Vol.   XIII  No.   1


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Technical Bulletin


Department   of the  Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Washington,   D.C.  20204


Habitat Loss Threatens Two Midwestern Plants


  Two species of plants endemic to small
areas of the northern midwest were pro-
posed by the Fish and Wildlife Service
during December   1987 for listing as
Threatened. Both grow only along lake-
shores, lands that are in demand for
development. If the proposals are made
final, Endangered Species Act protection
will be extended to the following:

Fassett's   Locoweed
(Oxytropis   campestris var.
chartaceae)
  A  perennial herb native to central
Wisconsin, Fassett's locoweed is a mem-
ber of the pea family (Fabaceae), It pro-
duces a rosette of pinnately compound
leaves clustered at the base of the stem
and attractive rose-purple flowers. The
total known population of about 4,500
plants is concentrated at 6 sites in Por-
tage and Waushara Counties.
  Several  historical populations of
Fassett's locoweed were lost to lakeside
construction and other modifications of
the habitat All of the remaining sites are
on privately owned land open to additional
development  Because  of the species'
vulnerability, the Service has proposed
Isting Fassett's locoweed as Threatened
(FR  12/4 87)'

Dwarf   Lake   Iris (Iris lacustris)
  As suggested by its common name, this
plant is small-less than 6 inches high-
and grows  along lakeshores. (It also


dwarf take iris
occurs in the partially shaded areas of
upper beach habitat.) Currently, about 70
known  sites are found on the northern
shores of Lake Michigan and Huron in
Wisconsin and Michigan, and there are
about a dozen  more  sites in Ontario,
Canada.
  Construction of lakeside housing and
other development, which  resulted in
major losses of historical habitat, con-
tinues to be a threat Most sites of the
dwarf lake iris are on private property and
are vulnerable to change. However, one
dwarf lake iris site is on Federal land, a


U.S. Coast Guard lighthouse station in
Michigan, and several are on protected
State lands.
  The Service has proposed to list the
dwarf  lake iris as Threatened (FR.
1214 87). A Federal listing under the
Endangered  Species Act would comple-
ment and reinforce the protection already
given the species by Wisconsin and Mich-
igan, Potential recovery activities include
management   of the habitat to reduce
competition from other plants and trans-
planting irises to previously occupied sites
(it any are found suitable).


Alabama Cavefish, Now Considered Nearer to Extinction,

                        is  Proposed for Reclassification


  The  Alabama  cavefish (Speoplaty-
rhinus poulsoni) is a small, blind, color-
less fish known only from Key Cave in
Lauderdale  County, Alabama,  It was
listed by the Fish and Wildlife Service as
a Threatened species in 1977. Since that
time, studies of 120 other caves in north-
eastern Alabama  failed to locate any
other S. poulsoni sites. The only known
population is estimated to number fewer
than 100 individuals, and its aquatic hab-
itat is believed to be vulnerable to sewage
and pesticide pollution. Because the Ala-
bama  cavefish is now  considered in


immediate danger of extinction, the Serv-
ice has proposed to reclassify it from
Threatened to the more critical category
of Endangered (F.R. 12/4/87).
  The quality of Key Cave's environment
is directly influenced by what takes place
above-ground in the drainage or recharge
area. Contaminants can enter the cave
through sinkholes or other water collect-
ing depressions. Within the probable
recharge area are two activities that could
affect groundwater quality: 1) the use of
pesticides and other agricultural chemi-


cals on row crops and 2) a sewage sludge
disposal operation developed by the Ten-
nessee  Valley Authority and operated
intermittently by the City of Florence, Ala-
bama.
  The Fish and Wildlife Service is working
with the Environmental Protection Agency
in an attempt to control possible sources
of water pollution in the area. In the
meantime, however, the Service believes
that the category of Endangered repre-
sents the true status of the Alabama
cavefish.


ENDANGERED SPECIES TECHNICAL BULLETIN Vol. XIII No. 1 (1988)


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