. Comprehensive plan for the Illinois Nature Preserves System. Nature conservation; Wilderness areas. TOPOGRAPHY: River floodplain, river ter- races . AQUATIC HABITATS: Oxbow lakes, rivers. 6 ILLINOIS RIVER AND MISSISSIPPI RIVER SAND AREAS DIVISION The Illinois River and Mississippi River Sand Areas Division encompas- ses the sand areas and dunes in the bottomlands of the Illinois and Mis- sissippi rivers and in- cludes the "perched dunes" atop the bluffs near Hanover in Jo Daviess County. Scrub oak forest and dry sand prairie are the natural vegetation of this division. Several plan
. Comprehensive plan for the Illinois Nature Preserves System. Nature conservation; Wilderness areas. TOPOGRAPHY: River floodplain, river ter- races . AQUATIC HABITATS: Oxbow lakes, rivers. 6 ILLINOIS RIVER AND MISSISSIPPI RIVER SAND AREAS DIVISION The Illinois River and Mississippi River Sand Areas Division encompas- ses the sand areas and dunes in the bottomlands of the Illinois and Mis- sissippi rivers and in- cludes the "perched dunes" atop the bluffs near Hanover in Jo Daviess County. Scrub oak forest and dry sand prairie are the natural vegetation of this division. Several plant species found here are more typical of the short-grass prairies to the west of Illinois. Several "relict" west- ern amphibians and reptiles are known only from these sand areas. The two sec- tions are distinguished because of differences in flora and fauna. TOPOGRAPHY The topography is generally one of level to roll- ing plains of sand deposited by glacial waters and blown into widespread areas east of the rivers. In many areas the sand has migrated onto the bluffs and uplands east of the river terraces. In places, dunes 20 to 40 feet high have formed and blowouts are common in unstabilized sand. SOILS The soils are derived from sand and sandy material. Other soils in depressions surrounded by sand are also in this division. The soils are generally droughty and subject to wind erosion. Low areas are generally wet. PLANT COMMUNITIES FOREST: The forests of this division are lim- ited to scrubby stands dominated by black oak in the Mississippi River Section and black and black- jack oaks in the Illinois River Section. PRAIRIE: Sand prairie, composed of such species as little bluestem, June grass, Indian grass, and porcupine grass, is the major com- munity of this division. The sand prairie habitats range from dry to wet and include such plants as goat's rue, spotted monarda, prickly-pear cactus, tubercled three-awned grass, poppy mallow, and fall witch-grass. The
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookcollectionbiodiversity, bookcontributoruniv
