I don’t know who gets to designate what is and what isn’t an indicator species (a species whose presence indicates that an area is in good health) but, I’m electing one, based solely on personal experience.
Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis) is one of just a handful of native ferns that I can readily identify. But anytime I see it, my inner naturalist gets a little excited. Not only is it a very clean and attractive looking plant, it’s also one that I associate with memorable treks through really rich, biodiverse swamps.
A nice waist high patch of Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)
A perfect example is a walk I took early last spring, through a swamp at the foothills of the Appalachian mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania. Upon entering the forest, one of the first plants that caught my eye was, you guessed it, a Royal Fern. Then there was another, and another. Mixed in were two other types of Osmunda: Cinnamon Fern (Osmunda cinnamomea) & Interrupted Fern (Osmunda claytoniana). I suspected right then and there that an enjoyable outing might be on the horizon.
My hike led me to a sunny patch in the forest, where I promptly found remnants of a large serpent. Stretched out across the vegetation I found a snake shed, and one that was patternless with smooth scales. All signs pointed to a Black Racer being nearby. Wouldn’t you know, a mere 100 ft or so away from the snake shed, I heard slow, dragging movement through some leaf litter along a nearby stream bank. It took a second to find the culprit, though I knew it had to be a snake. Eventually, I spotted the unmistakable, matte black body of a freshly shed Black Racer. There’s no direct connection between Royal Ferns and Black Racers that I know of, but in my bank of Royal Fern filled memories, I’d just made another deposit.
Not the best quality, but here’s a short video of the aforementioned Black Racer, in-situ
That stream bank, by the way, was covered in interesting plants and was teeming with frogs hopping about. One type of plant that seemed particularly happy along the stream was False Hellebore (Veratrum spp.):
Monocots are really good at standing out. I don’t know if it’s the parallel leaf veins or what, but they always seem to make themselves noticeable. Apparently these guys are extremely toxic too, so they’re bold both in appearance and taste!
Beautiful color and venation of some False Hellebore (Veratrum spp.)
Royal Ferns continued to sprinkle in throughout the hike, which eventually came to a climax I hadn’t expected. Right after I decided to turn around to head back to my car, a good 30 or so feet from the stream, I found an ancient, amphibious reptile wandering about through the understory:
A Wood Turtle! At a new location and in a new watershed for me. 50 points for Royal Fern (said in Professor McGonagall’s voice).
And to make it all the more significant, this individual appeared to be an elder statesman of sorts. Wood Turtles are known for having intricate patterns on their carapaces, but on older individuals, the patterns fade as the shell smooths out due to wear and tear. This Wood Turtles shell was almost as smooth as a Painted Turtle’s. I wouldn’t be surprised if this gent was my age or older.
Close up of the Wood Turtle. Note how the annuli on the carapace have mostly been smoothed out.
Throughout the Royal Fern filled walk, I noticed an abundance of oak saplings, dragonflies, and my first encounter with a Wool Sower Gall Wasp. Again, I don’t know that any of what I stopped to appreciate actually associates with or even interacts with Royal Ferns. In my mind though, Royal Ferns are directly associated with good times. Maybe they’re a “good time indicator species” rather than a traditional one.
Gall of the Wool Sower Gall Wasp
Have you encountered this fern? Was it found in a particular rich environment, or encountered on a day that you found other cool stuff? Or do you have your own “good time indicator species”? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear about your experiences.
As always, thanks for reading.
S.Harris
The green colours in those ferns and other plants is really vibrant. I really liked that clip of the Black Race moving in the underbrush - not a snake I have seen up here in the Ottawa area.
Lately, I've been appreciating Red Sumac as I pass by fields and rows of it on my hikes. It's interesting and entertaining to watch the Black-capped Chickadees forage for seeds as well as cache food in and around Red Sumac. I've found that Northern Cardinals and Downy Woodpeckers tend to follow the chickadees as well. They all seem to get along in some way. Thanks for sharing.
I always appreciate your writing. You describe your wonderful encounters with nature so descriptively ( I will be examining monocots more closely on future walks). Thinking about an indicator species is an interesting way to notice and observe. I typically focus upon the “wows!” in my observations, so I will think more about what types of organisms I notice a lot that inform me about the richness of the area. And I can’t not comment upon the two reptiles that you feature on your walk! I have heard snakes moving through the leaves, but have usually been really close to them. Your video capture of the racer is remarkable! And the fine wood turtle! May he move through the forest for many more years! Thanks for your work, your observations, and your deep respect for the natural world.