Bayou Boeuf
Location
County: Rapides Parish
Forest: Kisatchie National Forest
District: Evangeline Ranger District
SAF Cover Types:
- Sugarberry–American elm, green ash - 93 (405 acres)
- Swamp chestnut oak–cherrybark oak - 91 (146 acres)
- Cypress–tupelo - 102 (80 acres)
View a searchable map for the Bayou Boeuf RNA.
Related Reports and Publications
- Tucker, Sandra S. 1977. An ecological assessment of Bayou Boeuf Research Natural Area, Rapides Parish, Louisiana. Ms. Thesis, Louisiana State University.
Images of Bayou Boeuf RNA
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Ecological and Physical Description
Elevation: The area is relatively flat and the difference in elevation between sloughs and ridges is not over 4 to 5 feet.
Maximum and minimum temperatures: The average length of the frost–free season is about 247 days. The frost-free season usually extends from the 2nd week of March to the 2nd week in November.
Plant Communities: Swamp chestnut oak - cherrybark oak type occurs on the higher, well-drained ridges andsugarberry – elm – ash on flats and cypress-tupelo in sloughs. Much of the RNA has scattered large trees 140 to 165 years old with many smaller trees. The area is relatively isolated from the rest of the district by Bayou Boeuf The area offers the unusual opportunity to study three hardwood types in a relatively small area.
Rainfall is fairly well distributed throughout the year. Tropical storms rarely reach the area, although they contribute toward heavier rainfalls. Tornados are spawned by heavy spring rain and thunderstorms. The mean annual rainfall is 59 inches. Early fall is normally the driest part of the year and sometimes drought occurs.
No information is available.
The area is surfaced with sand, silt, clay and gravel of the Pleistocene terrace deposits or with recent alluvium (predominately sand, silt and clay) of the Calcasieu and Red Rivers and their tributaries.
The area consists of sloughs, flats and ridges. Sloughs meander through and drain area and flats are transitions between sloughs and ridges.
Flora and Fauna
Common Plant Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Category | At Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quercus falcata v pagodifolia | Cherrybark oak | Plant Communities | ||
| Q. shumardii | Shumard oak | Plant Communities | ||
| Diospyros virginiana | Persimmon | Plant Communities | ||
| Salix nigra | Black willow | Plant Communities | ||
| Celtis laevigata | Sugarberry | Plant Communities | ||
| Q. nuttallii | Nuttall oak | Plant Communities | ||
| Q. alba | White oak | Plant Communities | ||
| Fraxinum pennsylvanica | Green ash | Plant Communities | ||
| Ilex decidua | Haw | Plant Communities | ||
| Forestiera acuminata | Privet | Plant Communities | ||
| Liquidambar styraciflua | Sweetgum | Plant Communities | ||
| Gleditsia triacanthos | Honey locust | Plant Communities | ||
| Q. nigra | Water oak | Plant Communities | ||
| Q. phellos | Willow oak | Plant Communities | ||
| Acer rubrum | Red maple | Plant Communities | ||
| Taxodium distichum | Cypress | Plant Communities | ||
| Nyssa aquatica | Tupelo | Plant Communities | ||
| Ulmus americana | American elm | Plant Communities | ||
| Cornus foemina | Swamp dogwood | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Smilax spp. | Smilax | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Toxicodendron radicans | Poison ivy | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Berchemia scandens | Rattan | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Rubus spp. | Blackberry | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Carex spp. | Buckvine | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Polygonum spp. | Smartweeds | Common Herbaceous Species | Abundant |
|
| Spigelia marilandica | Indian pinks | Common Herbaceous Species |
Common Animal Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Category | At Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odocoileus virginiana | Deer | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Procyon lotor | Raccoon | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Didelphis virginiana | Opossum | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Sciurus carolinensis | Squirrel | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Wood duck | Common Bird Species | |||
| Crow | Common Bird Species | |||
| Owl | Common Bird Species |