Vernal Pools

Spring is getting close so I thought  now would be a good time to post this article we wrote in 2009 about vernal pools. Since writing this article the FWS developed a 5 acre marsh on our property creating even more vernal pools. Head out during a spring or late winter thaw and see what you can find. Happy hunting!

12 ACRES IN OHIO

A Vernal Pool and the Fountain of Youth

We left the house in the gathering darkness as 2 adults in our fifties; by the time we reached the vernal pool at the back of the property, we were 10 years old again. We carried a video camera, a tape recorder, 2 headlamps, and a notebook. It was an early spring evening—damp and windless, and the western chorus frogs in the marsh were just beginning to tune up after a long, cold winter. We were on a mission to check out a small vernal pool and its inhabitants in the back corner of the field. We waded to the middle….

 At first, neither of us saw anything but dead grass and decaying leaves on the bottom. But, within a few minutes, I saw movement around my feet where the beam from my headlamp fell on the water. Attracted by the light were several small creatures varying in size from about a half-inch to an inch in length. They resembled minnows, but they were delicate-looking and translucent, with 2 large, dark eyes. They had to be…fairy shrimp! And if that were the case, this really was a vernal pool because fairy shrimp can only be found in vernal pools. We were elated! Robin crouched down with the video camera on infrared and began filming the tiny, swimming animals, while I recorded frogs croaking in the marsh around us.

According to the information we found on the website of the Ohio Vernal Pool Partnership(www.ovpp.org) a vernal pool is any wetland that fills each year with water, and dries up during part of the year. To qualify as a vernal pool, a pool can’t contain any fish, and it can’t be a permanent body of water. Our vernal pool is man-made—Robin’s grandfather dug it many years ago for duck and goose hunting. Today it is a haven during its short existence to many birds, frogs, toads, insects, salamanders, snakes and countless microorganisms. Because vernal pools provide habitat for hundreds of species they are a very important part of our environment and need to be protected. Too many of these pools are destroyed inadvertently by people who don’t understand the delicate and complicated nature of these diverse habitats.

Meanwhile, back at the pool, Robin dropped her gloves into the cold water so we decided to quit. We collected a water sample to take back to the house. Over the course of several days we had seen many animals with the naked eye, now we were curious to see what we could find in a drop of the water using a microscope. And, Boy! There were some pretty strange-looking creatures! We could identify water mites, but there were several other organisms that only showed up in bad dreams or “B” movies.

 If you have a vernal pool on your property consider yourself fortunate as these are fascinating little worlds to explore. All you need to get started are some knee or hip boots, a flashlight and some childlike curiosity.  Before exploring the pool at night visit it during the day to acquaint yourself with the terrain so you can safely walk the area in the dark. Above all, have fun and watch out for those water mites.