Sewanee - The University of the South
OP-10: Biodiversity

Nature Conservancy Carter Lands, Franklin State Forest, Buggy Top/Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
The southern Cumberland Plateau region is considered a nationally important hot spot of biological diversity. The Natural Resource Defense Council included our region as part of their “Biogem” designations. Recently, the Open Space Institute in collaboration with the Nature Conservancy selected the southern Cumberland Plateau (including the Domain) as the initial focus area in the launch of their Southeast Resilient Landscapes Fund. The landscape of the Domain is considered to be among the most resilient in the southeast in its future ability to maintain species diversity in the face of climate change. One of our two old-growth cove forest sites on the Domain, Dick Cove, is a registered with US National Park Service as a National Natural Landmark. Our other old-growth forest site, Shakerag Hollow, was the recent subject of the prize-winning book, The Forest Unseen by Biology Professor David Haskell.
Lost Cove is also adjacent to the Franklin State Forest and is part of the State's forest management's comprehensive plan.

Table 4. Known list of Species of Greatest Conservation Need compiled from records from Sewanee Integrated Program for the Environment faculty and collaborators on the Domain. The Description of the Federal and State Ranks and Status Codes can be found in Appendix E.
Taxa Group Scientific & Common names Global Rank State Rank Federal Status State Status
Amphibian Aneides aeneus (Green Salamander) G3G4 S3S4 Rare, Not State Listed
Amphibian Hemidactylium scutatum (Four-toed Salamander) G5 S3 D
Bat Corynorhinus rafinesquii (Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat) G3G4 S3 D
Bat Myotis austroriparius (Southeastern Bat) G4 S3 Rare, Not State Listed
Bat Myotis grisescens (Gray Bat) G4 S2 LE E
Bat Myotis leibii (Eastern Small-footed Bat) G4 S2S3 D
Bat Myotis lucifugus (Little Brown Bat) G3 S3 T
Bat Myotis septentrionalis (Northern Myotis) G1G2 S1S2 LT T
Bat Myotis sodalis (Indiana Bat) G2 S1S2 LE E
Bat Perimyotis subflavus (Tri-colored Bat) G2G3 S2S3 T
Bird Cardellina canadensis (Canada Warbler) G5 S3BS4N
Bird Chaetura pelagica (Chimney Swift) G4G5 S5
Bird Chordeiles minor (Common Nighthawk) G5 S4
Bird Circus cyaneus (Northern Harrier) G5
Bird Cistothorus platensis (Sedge Wren) G5 S3N
Bird Geothlypis formosa (Kentucky Warbler) G5 S4
Bird Hylocichla mustelina (Wood Thrush) G4 S4
Bird Melanerpes erythrocephalus (Red-headed Woodpecker) G5 S4
Bird Setophaga cerulea (Cerulean Warbler) G4 S3B D
Bird Setophaga discolor (Prairie Warbler) G5 S3S4
Bird Setophaga dominica (Yellow-throated Warbler) G5 S4
Bird Setophaga fusca (Blackburnian Warbler) G5 S3B,S4N
Bird Vermivora chrysoptera (Golden-winged Warbler) G4 S2B T
Bird Vermivora cyanoptera (Blue-winged Warbler) G5 S4
Bird Colinus virginianus (Northern Bobwhite) G4G5 S2S3
Bird Helmitheros vermivorum (Worm-eating Warbler) G5 S4
Bird Icteria virens (Yellow-breasted Chat) G5 S4
Bird Icterus spurius (Orchard Oriole) G5 S4
Bird Sturnella magna (Eastern Meadowlark) G5 S5
Bird Calidris subruficollis (Buff-breasted Sandpiper) G4 S3N
Mammal Ochrotomys nuttalli (Golden Mouse) G5 S5
Mammal Neotoma magister (Allegheny Woodrat) G3G4 S3 D
Plant Allium burdickii (Narrow-leaf Ramps) G4G5 S1S2 T-CE
Plant Berberis canadensis (American Barberry) G3 S2 S
Plant Castanea dentata (American Chestnut) G4 S2S3 S
Plant Clematis morefieldii (Morefield's Leather-flower) G2 S2 LE E
Plant Danthonia epilis (Bog Oat-grass) G3 S1S2 S
Plant Diamorpha smallii (Small's Stonecrop) G4 S1S2
Plant Helianthus eggertii (Eggert's Sunflower) G3 S3 DL
Plant Hydrastis canadensis (Goldenseal) G3G4 S4
Plant Juglans cinerea (Butternut) G4 S3 T
Plant Liatris cylindraceae (Slender Blazing-star) G5 S2 T
Plant Lilium canadense (Canada Lily) G5 S3
Plant Panax quinquefolius (American Ginseng) G3G4 S3S4 S-CE
Plant Silphium brachiatum (Cumberland Rosinweed) G3 S3 E
Plant Solidago auriculata (Eared Goldenrod) G4 S3
Plant Symphyotrichum pratense (Barrens Silky Aster) G4? S1 E
Plant Thermopsis mollis (Allegheny Mountain golden banner) G3G4 S2S3 S
Plant Trichomanes boschianum (Bristle-fern) G4 S1S2 T
Plant Viola tripartita var. tripartita (Three-parted Violet) G5 S3
Reptile Crotalus horridus (Timber Rattlesnake) G4 S4
Reptile Heterodon platirhinos (Eastern Hognosed Snake) G5 S4
Reptile Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus (Northern Pinesnake)* G4T4 S3 T
Reptile Terrapene carolina (Eastern Box Turtle) G5 S4
Subterranean - Amphibian Gyrinophilus palleucus (Tennessee Cave Salamander) G2G3 S2 T
Subterranean - Arachnid Anthrobia mammouthia (a cave obligate spider) G5 S1
Subterranean - Arachnid Hesperochernes mirabilis (Southeastern Cave Pseudoscorpion) G5 S3 Rare, Not State Listed
Subterranean - Arachnid Kleptochthonius magnus (a cave obligate pseudoscorpion) G1 S1 Rare, Not State Listed
Subterranean - Arachnid Kleptochthonius tantalus (a cave obligate pseudoscorpion) G2 S2
Subterranean - Arachnid Liocranoides archeri (Archer’s two-clawed spider) G2 S2
Subterranean - Arachnid Nesticus barri (a cave obligate spider) G3 S3 Rare, Not State Listed
Subterranean - Arachnid Phanetta subterranea (Subterranean sheet-web spider) G5 S4
Subterranean - Crustacean Caecidotea bicrenata whitei (a cave obligate isopod) G3G4T3T4 S1?
Subterranean - Crustacean Miktoniscus barri (a cave obligate isopod) G2G4 S2?
Subterranean - Crustacean Orconectes australis (Southern Cave Crayfish) G5 S3 Rare, Not State Listed
Subterranean - Crustacean Stygobromus sp. (cave amphipods) G3 S3
Subterranean - Flatworm Sphalloplana percoeca (a cave obligate planarian) G5
Subterranean - Insect Litocampa cookei (Cooke’s Cave Dipluran) G5 S3
Subterranean - Insect Litocampa valentinei (a cave obligate bristletail) G5 S2 Rare, Not State Listed
Subterranean - Insect Pseudanophthalmus humeralis (a cave obligate beetle) G2 S2
Subterranean - Insect Pseudanophthalmus intermedius (Intermediate cave beetle) G2 S2
Subterranean - Insect Pseudosinella hirsuta (Hirsute Cave Springtail) G5 S3
Subterranean - Insect Pseudosinella pecki (Peck’s cave springtail) G2G3 S2
Subterranean - Insect Pseudosinella spinosa (Spinose Cave Springtail) G5 S2 Rare, Not State Listed
Subterranean - Insect Ptomaphagus hatchi (Hatch’s cave fungus beetle) G3 S3?
Subterranean - Insect Spelobia tenebrarum (Cave dung fly) G5 S4S5
Subterranean - Insect Subterrochus ferus (cave ant beetle) G1G2 S1S2
Subterranean - Millipede Pseudotremia minos (Russell cave milliped) G1 S1
Subterranean - Millipede Scoterpes ventus (Eastern Tennessee Cave Millipede) G3 S1
*Indicates that we are part of the presumed range with suitable habitat but have not been confirmed on the Domain.
**The Description of the Federal and State Ranks and Status Codes can be found in Appendix E.

Ecological Systems Descriptions

Native ecological systems occupy appropriate sites and continue to occupy those sites. Native ecosystems sustain strong resilient populations of associated terrestrial and aquatic species.
A mix of closed canopy forest, intermittent canopy, and open canopy conditions. Forest and woodland ecological systems support a diversity of tree ages, from regeneration to old growth, providing a relatively stable mix of ecological conditions across the landscape over time. Openings occur in individual tree-sized gaps and larger. Structure within patches of regenerating forest and woodland is diverse due to the presence of snags and live overstory trees. Forested systems are dominated by hardwoods, pines, or combinations of both. Non-forested systems are primarily dominated by shrubs, forbs, and grasses. Snags, downed wood, stumps, and other organic matter occur in sufficient abundance to support native species.
Ecological systems are intact and as resilient as possible to absorb negative effects associated with various natural and human-caused stresses. Forest ecosystems are in their natural state with limited infestations of invasive species to the fullest extent possible. Diversity in the form of structure and composition occurs throughout the forest.

Plateau Surface
The forests on the plateau surface are the most common forest systems on the Domain, and comprise approximately 6720 acres of the Domain’s land. These forests are comprised of second and third growth oak and hickory, interspersed with more mesic areas of yellow poplar and red maple. Plantations of white and yellow pines and various hardwoods are interspersed in this system. In general, the ecological character and natural distribution of these system has been obscured over the years by human settlement, universal logging, invasive species outbreaks (pine beetle), and fire suppression. In the absence of fire, white pine or other less than desirable species may become established and we see a loss in shrub layers and natural succession.

Sandstone Outcrop and Bluff
These important ecological systems encompass a complex of sparsely vegetated rock outcrops, perennial grasslands, and woodlands on shallow soils on the CumberlandPlateau. On the Domain, these systems generally occur near the bluff edge, though interior occurances of this system appear sparsly throughout the interior domain where soils are thin. Mapping of this system on the Domain is incomplete. Herbaceous plants, including Diamorpha smallii and Minuartia glabra, are typical in these outcrops. Management is generally limited to protection from soil disturbance and prescribed fire where appropriate.

Plateau Wetland
Overstories are typically dominated by a variety of species depending on whether the water based system is seepage forest or sinkhole and depression pond. Common species are Quercus species, Platanus occidentalis, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Acer saccharinum, or Nyssa species, or a combination of these the same trees occupying the oak and cove forest types. Midstories and understories are often well developed and diverse depending on the level of deer browse impact. These systems often support populations of associated rare amphibian species, but can also provide foraging habitat for forest bat species. Regenerating forests (0-10 years old) are uncommon, though small openings are present and are important for key species. Late successional forest is common and makes up most of the canopy. Fire in these ecological systems is rare. Management in these systems is generally limited to protection, with examples excluded from most active management.

Sandstone Cliff Face and Rockhouse
The cliff system typically is sparsely vegetated to partially wooded cliffs and talus slopes and consists of extremely steep or vertical rock faces exposed along bluffs. The aspect is variable but best developed on south- and west-facing sites. These areas are also prone to harsh climatic conditions; frequent disturbances include drought stress and wind and storm damage. As a result, examples are characterized by sparse herbaceous cover and few, if any, trees. Vegetation consists of scattered individuals of Asplenium montanum, Silene rotundifolia, and other species rooted in crevices and erosion pockets. In some parts of its range, this system is the primary or sole habitat for rare endemic species, such as Minuartia cumberlandensis and Ageratina luciae-brauniae.

Upper Slope Dry
The upper slope dry system is a continuation of the plateau surface with additional complexity provided by large boulders and their associated microclimates. This system consists of upland hardwood-dominated forests occurs along ridgetops and slopes of various aspects. The floristic expression of different stands included in this habitat varies considerably with aspect and soil type. Overstory is dominated by oaks and Hickories, with some sugar maple and yellow poplar in the more mesic areas.

Upper Slope Mesic
This ecological system has a high-diversity of predominantly hardwood forest that occurs on deep and enriched lowland soils or in somewhat protected landscape positions such as coves or lower slopes. Typical dominant overstory species include sugar maple, beech, tuliptree, basswood, red oak, and black walnut. These forest systems make up some of the most productive forest systems on the Domain, and are also some of the most species rich. The herb layer is rich, often with abundant spring ephemerals. Understory species of concern in this system include Silphium brachiatum, and Panax quinquefolius.

Limestone Outcrop and Glades and Cliff
This system occurs along moderate to steep slopes and steep valleys on primarily southerly to westerly facing slopes. Limestone and/or dolomite bedrock typify this system with shallow, moderately to well-drained soils interspersed with rocks. These soils often dry out during the summer and autumn, and then become saturated during the winter and spring. Schizachyrium scoparium dominates this system and is commonly associated with Andropogon gerardii, Bouteloua curtipendula, and calcium-loving plant species. Stunted woodlands primarily dominated by Quercus muehlenbergii interspersed with Juniperus virginiana occur on variable-depth-to-bedrock soils. Fire is the primary natural dynamic, and prescribed fires could help manage this system by restricting woody growth and maintaining the more open glade structure.

This cliff system is nearly unvegetated, however, Asplenium ruta-muraria and Pellaea atropurpurea may be characteristic plants. On the Domain, the federally listed Clematis morefieldii is found mostly in this system. These cliffs are typically dry but may contain relatively small embedded seepage patches. Both wet and, more commonly, dry expressions are included. This system also covers a narrow zone of vegetation, often herbaceous, at the horizontal clifftop where growing conditions are harsh and often gladelike.

Lower Slope Dry
This system includes calcareous forests on lower escarpments of the Cumberland Plateau and other related areas. High-quality and historic examples are typically dominated by combinations of Quercus spp. and Carya spp., sometimes with Pinus spp. and/or Juniperus virginiana as a significant component in certain landscape positions. This system occurs in a variety of topographic and landscape positions including valley floors, sideslopes, and lower to midslopes. On the Domain, most acreage in this system is composed of successional foreste that have arisn after repeat cutting. Due to the low productivity of these systems, many remain open decades after harvest. Fire exclusion has likely increased the proportion of Juniperus virginiana in the system and reduced the extent of grasses and forbes.

Floodplain
The streams of the Domain consist of several perennial and intermittent streams and numerous ephemeral streams, which are described in more detail in the Surface Water section below. The vegetation is a mosaic of forests, woodlands, shrublands, and herbaceous communities. As described by Ilhardt et al. (2000) and the National Research Council (2002) riparian stream zones serve as transitional areas between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems that extend in multi directions including down into the groundwater, up above the canopy, outward across the floodplain and expanse in which surface and subsurface hydrology connect. The stream corridors on the Domain have distinctive uses and standards so these ecological systems are managed specifically through best management practices as described in the Water Resources section.

Anthropogenically-modified habitats
The ecological systems that have been modified include: Forest plantation (32.9 acres), Old Field/ Successional (230.4 acres), Pasture Areas (211.3 acres), Cropland (18.5 acres), Excavated Land (3.6 acres), Developed Open Space (671.2 acres), Low-High Intensity Developed (168.1 acres), and Open Water. These ecological systems have all been modified in recent past for difference purposes. For example, forest plantation systems are areas that have been planted by direct seeding often in White pine. They consist of even-aged, single species monocultures. And developed land contains some mixture of intensity of development depending on the category.

Figures 3, 4, and 5 provide a visual representation of the habitat priorities on the Domain for SGCN terrestrial, karst, and aquatic species respectively. These maps demonstrate the landscape context significance of the Domain lands within the Southern Cumberlands in particular. The forests of the Domain contain headwater systems which flow down the escarpment into biologically significant watersheds, provide direct habitat for many terrestrial species, and overlay extremely rich cave and karst resources with documented biodiversity. This type of mapping is important to the Domain and OESS as it provides an evaluation of the Domain in each habitat category and allows us, as land managers, to evaluate our resources for future research, conservation, and management priorities.

Ongoing field assessments, Ecological Systems of the Domain using the GAP/LANDFIRE 2011 mapping TN-State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) 2015 classification.

University wide landholdings as well as adjacent land owners (collaborative relationship).

With 13,000 acres, Sewanee is gratefully endowed with significant wildlife habitat. As such, we are also called towards stewardship of the wildlife which call the Domain home. The 2011 Domain Management Plan includes the specific goals of “managing habitats to enhance, protect, and promote biodiversity across the landscape” as well as “fostering ecological community that can be resilient to climate change.” The Main threats to biodiversity in Sewanee are habitat loss (e.g., conversion of native vegetation to other land covers), habitat fragmentation (e.g., by roads in natural areas), habitat degradation (e.g., loss of structural and functional diversity), non-native species (that may outcompete, prey on, or infect natives), pollution (e.g., by dumps, movement of sediment into waterways, etc), and over-harvesting (e.g., removal of top mammalian predators, over-digging of ginseng, etc). Thus, Sewanee is active in protecting sensitive areas that harbor particularly unique and sensitive biodiversity include Vernal pools, Streams, Upland sandstone outcrops, Limestone outcrops in coves, Caves, Old growth forests, Bluff edges. The Office of Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability uses quantifiable metrics such as Number of exotic species naturalized on the Domain, Percent cover of exotic species, Degree of fragmentation of habitat, Amount of sediment/other particulates entering streams, Number and types of roads through natural areas, Structure and composition of forests, and the Status of threatened, endangered, range-restricted, or endemic species to assess our biodiversity and wildlife protection program.

2019 Domain Management plan, in conjunction with The Nature Conservancy, encompasses this.