“Lives in Our Springtime Vernal Pools”
Small Vernal Pools appear in some of our woods in December and dry up in June. A surprising number of species, many of which only occur in this difficult habitat, are found in the vernal pools at the Stratford Ecological Center on London Road. The structure, food habits and life cycles of common inhabitants are discussed, along with their interactions with fellow pool-dwellers, and adaptations to the ever-changing pool environment.
Dr. Wendell Patton is a retired professor of zoology at Ohio Wesleyan University.