April 21, 2022 at 4:47 p.m.
Fish Like a Girl: Skawinski explores the fascinating world of underwater forests
Fish Like a Girl: Skawinski explores the fascinating world of underwater forests
This year, as I registered for the conference, I noticed I could order a book that has been on my list for awhile.
The book is by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' Paul Skawinski. I was able to order the fourth edition of his book "Aquatic Plants of the Upper Midwest: A Photographic Field Guide to Our Underwater Forests" and I jumped at the chance.
The book is a field guide to submergent and floating-leaved plant species that can be found in Wisconsin lakes. The book does not cover emergent species, but reminds the reader that most of those species will be submerged early in their life cycle.
Submergent aquatic plants are those that "can leave completely surrounded by water for the entire growing season, with the exception of the growing tip, floating leaves, or flower stalk," according to Skawinski. Alternatively, floating-leaved plants, as the name implies, have leaves that float on top of the water.
One of the things I really liked about this book was how it is both very specific and easy enough for anyone to use. That can be a difficult balance, but Skawinski found a way to make it work. The photographs in the book make identification easy. He did, however, recommend a 10X magnifying glass when in the field in order to help make identification easier. He stated all of the photographs in the book should allow the user to make a proper identification with less than a 10X magnification. To do this, Skawinski chose the features of each plant carefully, again, to make identification of all of these plants easier, even for the beginner.
The book is split into six regions. The Northwoods is in region 3, which covers the top half of Wisconsin. Southern Wisconsin is region 4. Minnesota is split in half north to south as regions 1 and 2, and Michigan is split the same, as regions 5 and 6. The Upper Peninsula is in region 5, with the top half of lower Michigan.
Skawinski noted, while a species may be present in a specific region, it may not be listed in that region if it has yet to be found and verified there.
In the beginning, Skawinski explains how to use the book. It is set up by leaf shape category, which I think is likely the most identifiable feature of most plants. When I look at plants, I think that is the most identifiable feature unless, of course, they happen to be a flowering plant that is blooming at the time. He tells users to always use a submerged leaf when looking for an identification, if most of the leaves are submergent, and a floating leaf if most of the leaves are floating. If there is an emergent leaf, identification should be made from a submergent leaf, he said.
Skawinski also gives some ideas for those plants that are not identified by normal means. He said the user should think whether or not the leaf of the plant may actually be in another category, or have a different leaf shape. From there, Appendices B-H have more identifiers to help with the more difficult to ID species. Appendix A is an unfortunate necessity. It lists those aquatic invasive species which are not yet in that region, but may be close enough that they may be found at some point. This is another place to look for species that are not identified with the categories in the rest of the book.
There is information in the beginning of the book about leaf shape categories and leaf arrangement. This makes learning to identify different plants easier. Of course, the reader could page to the leaf shape they think they are looking at and go through all of those plants to see if they are in the right section. But having that information in the front of the book is beneficial and should save time.
Another thing I really like about Skawinski's book is the "Practice" section. After identifying the "Simple Six" questions he said should be answered to make a proper identification, there are several samples where the user of the book can practice answering those questions while looking at photographs and learn to make proper identifications. The user is asked first for leaf shape, then how the laves are arranged. Next the question is whether the leaf tip is pointed or rounded. The next question asks about the presence of a midvein and then whether the plants leaves are submergent, floating or both. Lastly the user is asked to determine the number of veins or total leaflets on a single leaf of the plant. From there, the user should be able to identify the plant.
Most of the plant photographs also contain some sort of coin or something to give scale to the plant pictured. Not only is their information about identification for each plant, but also the habitat in which it can be found, the status (or how common the plant is), and the preference of water type (hard, soft, no preference).
All of these things, no matter how subtle they may seem, will help with a proper identification. I am excited to get out and use this book this summer. I mean, summer has to come eventually, doesn't it?
For information about ordering Skawinski's book, email [email protected].
Beckie Gaskill may be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].
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