Effigy Mounds National Monument

Monitoring data from 2008 to 2017 show that Dousman Creek at Effigy Mounds National Monument is in fair to good condition. However, the habitat and aquatic community is changing because of flood events and upstream water management practices. The creek is supporting more aquatic species that are tolerant of environmental changes in recent years. We use information about aquatic community composition to assess water quality and stream condition.

Learn about bats in Effigy Mounds National Monument and some fun facts!

Unchanging diversity, richness, and even distribution of individuals across species values suggest habitat on the park has remained similar across years and provides for a rich array of bird species.

Effigy Mounds National Monument supports a diverse array of bird species. About two-thirds of the birds in the region are in decline. Birds are great indicators of environmental change and can serve as an early warning system. The Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network monitors birds at the park to understand how they are doing and how they respond to changes in their habitat. Overall the bird community on the park is faring better than in the region.

First in a series of three "In Focus" articles that share insights into the near-universal and far-reaching effects of soils on the ecology, management, and enjoyment of our national parks.

Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios.

When the Cultural Landscape Report for Effigy Mounds National Monument was initiated in 2013, the process recognized the on-going significance of the landscape to existing Native American Tribes. Creation of this report, published in 2016, involved consultation with tribal partners to determine the best management practices for the landscape. This effort not only opened up a new chapter in planning for the park, but has also shaped an understanding of cultural association.

The Midwest Archeological Center (MWAC) worked with Midwest Region Fire Program to design and carry out experiments to collect information about the effects of fire on various classes of archeological materials. The goals of this project were to assess the fire/archeology interface to provide managers of Midwestern parks with information that will aid in decision-making concerning the stewardship of archeological and natural resources.