Whoopie Cat Mountain
Location
Ecological and Physical Description
Whoopie Cat Mountain RNA contains relatively undisturbed examples of glade and dry upland forest natural community types. The area was identified as significant by the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory (1978) because of its very high quality limestone glade and the presence of two uncommon plant species: the orange coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida) and the crested coralroot orchid (Hexalectris spicata). The latter species is a Shawnee National Forest Listed species and is also listed as an Illinois Endangered Species. The area also contains another Illinois Threatened Species, the climbing milkweed (Matelea obliqua).
Annual precipitation averages approximately 46 inches (116 cm) and ranges from 32 to 70 inches (81-177 cm). Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, although prolonged dry spells during the growing season are not uncommon. Average annual snowfall ranges between 10 to 15 inches (25.4 - 38.1 cm).
The climatological data are from the collection station at New Burnside, IL, which has records dating from 1931. The station is located 27 miles (44 km) north west of the RNA.
Rocks of the glade are of the Golconda Group of the Chester Series (Mississippian). Two formations of the Golconda Group are represented on the RNA; the uppermost is the dark, medium-grained argillaceous Beech Creek Formation, underlain by Fraileys Shale which consists of thin beds of calcareous limestone. Much of the RNA has exposed bedrock, and where there is soil present, it is thin and results from weathering of the bedrock.
The RNA is located just north of Whoopie Cat Lake and just south of Tecumseh Lake (both man-made lakes), and runoff from the RNA drains into both lakes. A small spring and seep are found near the top of the glade on the northwest-facing slope, which yields enough water during the wet seasons to supply a small surface flow. The RNA is located within the Big Creek watershed.
Flora and Fauna
Common Plant Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Category | At Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juniperus virginiana | Eastern red cedar | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Sassafras albidum | sassafras | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Ulmus rubra | slippery elm | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Ostrya virginiana | hornbeam | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Cercis canadensis | redbud | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Cornus florida | flowering dogwood | Common Shrub Species | ||
| C. drummondii | roughleaf dogwood | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Crataegus sp. | hawthorn | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Viburnum rufidulum | southern black haw | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Schizachyrium scoparius | Little bluestem | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Sorghastrum nutans | Indian grass | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Sporobolus heterolepis | prairie dropseed | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Silphium terebinthinaceum | basal-leaved rosin-weed | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Ratibida pinnata | globular coneflower | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Echinacea pallida | prairie coneflower | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Physostegia virginiana | obedience | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Hexalectris spicata | crested coral-root | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Matelea obliqua | Common Herbaceous Species |
Common Animal Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Category | At Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odocoileus virginianus | White-tailed deer | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Canis latrans | coyote | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Urocyon cinereoargenteus | gray fox | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Procyon lotor | raccoon | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Didelphis virginianus | Virginia opossum | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Sciurus carolinensis | gray squirrel | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Peromyscus maniculatus | deer mouse | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Dryocopus pileatus | Pileated woodpecker | Common Bird Species | ||
| Meleagris gallopavo | common turkey | Common Bird Species |