Tiak
Location
County: McCurtain County
Forest: Ouachita National Forest
District: Tiak Ranger District
View a searchable map for the Tiak RNA.
Related Reports and Publications
- Hoagland, B. W. and N. A. McCarty 2009. Composition and structure of bottomland forest vegetation at the Tiak Research Natural Area, McCurtain County, Oklahoma. Oklahoma Native Plant Record 9(1).
- Melhop–Cifelli, Pat (Oklahoma Natural Heritage Commission). 1987. Report on the Tiak area. Unpub. Ms.
- Watson, Linda E. 1989. Ouachita National Forest Vegetation Inventory, 1988–89: Caney Creek Bottomland, McCurtain County, Oklahoma. Unpublished Manuscript
Ecological and Physical Description
Deep alluvial deposits underlain by limestone. Wlllow oak, water oak, dlamondleaf (laurel) oak (Ouercus phellos, Q nigra, Q laurlifolia) alluvial
floodplain forest.
The entire area is forested, and there has been no cutting in the last sixty years.
The wettest period occurs in the spring, and the driest time is in the fall. The highest total precipitation recorded from 1945 to 1975 was 73.4 inches (186.4 cm) in 1957 and the lowest was 30.5 inches (77.5 cm) recorded in 1956.
The nearest weather station is at Idabel, Oklahoma, approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of the RNA.
In the Tiak RNA, alluvial deposits overlie the bedrock. Bedrock in southern Mc Curtin County consists of sedimentary rocks of the Comanche and Gulf series of the Cretaceous system. The soil of the proposed Tiak RNA belongs to the Guyton series. The Guyton series consists of deep, nearly level, poorly drained soils on flood plains and terraces.
The Tiak RNA is in a relatively flat bottomland hardwood forest that is occasionally flooded. Watershed values of the area are high, since rainfall in the area is relatively high and forested wetlands absorb water and release it slowly.
Flora and Fauna
Common Plant Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Category | At Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quercus nigra | Water oak | Plant Communities | Canopy dominant, more numerous in drier areas. |
|
| Q. falcata v pagodifolia | Cherrybark oak | Plant Communities | Canopy dominant, more numerous in drier areas. |
|
| Q. phellos | Willow oak | Plant Communities | More numerous in wetter areas. |
|
| Liquidambar styraciflua | Sweetgum | Plant Communities | Sub-dominant. |
|
| Mitchella repens | Partridge berry | At Risk Species | ✔ | A sensitive species with five or fewer occurrences in the state. |
| Q. nuttallii | Nuttall oak | At Risk Species | ✔ | A sensitive species with five or fewer occurrences in the state. |
| Tipularia discolor | Crane-fly orchid | At Risk Species | ✔ | A sensitive species with five or fewer occurrences in the state. Recently discovered in the RNA. |
| Ilex opaca | American holly | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Cornus florida | Flowering dogwood | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Acer rubrum | Red maple | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Ostrya virginiana | Eastern hophornbeam | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Betula nigra | River birch | Common Shrub Species | ||
| Arundinaria gigantea | Cane | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Aster sp. | Aster | Common Herbaceous Species | A few individuals. |
|
| Baccharis sp. | Baccharis | Common Herbaceous Species | In open areas. |
|
| Botyrichum dissectum | Common grape fern | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Callicarpa americana | French mulberry | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Cyperus sp. | Sedge | Common Herbaceous Species | A few at edge of water. |
|
| Geum canadense | Avens | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Mitchella repens | Partridge-berry | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Polypodium polypodioides | Resurrection fern | Common Herbaceous Species | A few in oak trees. |
|
| Rubus occidentalis | Blackberry | Common Herbaceous Species | Occasional. |
|
| Senecio sp. | Common Herbaceous Species | |||
| Uniola latifolia | Common Herbaceous Species | |||
| Vaccinium sp. | Winter huckleberry | Common Herbaceous Species | One individual. |
Common Animal Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Category | At Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odocoileus virginianus | White-tailed deer | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Sus scrofa | Hog | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Castor canadensis | Beaver | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Sciurus canadensis | Gray squirrel | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Procyon lotor | Raccoon | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Dendrocopos pubescens | Downy woodpecker | Common Bird Species | ||
| Melanerpes erythrocephalus | Red-headed woodpecker | Common Bird Species | ||
| Sphyrapicus varius | Yellow-bellied sapsucker | Common Bird Species | ||
| Thyrothorus ludovicianus | Carolina wren | Common Bird Species | ||
| Cardinalis cardinalis | Cardinal | Common Bird Species | ||
| Cyanocitta cristata | Blue jay | Common Bird Species | ||
| Corvus brachyrhynchos | Crow | Common Bird Species |