And I Ain't Just Bluffin' Neither!!

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Once upon a long, long time ago we lived in a little peaceful village called Bluffton. I spent much time puzzling over WHY that particular miniscule spot on the map was CALLED Bluffton.

I KNOW what a bluff is - - - having grown up with many of the sandstone variety in my native land where the Wisconsin River flows. Miriam Webster defines them like this:

Bluff 1 a : having a broad flattened front b : rising steeply with a broad flat or rounded front

Our quiet little town of Bluffton was on a flat plain. There was no rising steeply. There were no broad flat or rounded fronts. There were no bluffs.

In other words, there were NONE of these:


I realize that out west there are even larger more prominent bluffs than I have shown here.

But these are the sandstone variety that dot the Wisconsin hillsides

And never cease to inspire awe.

They are majestic.

They are beautiful.

They speak to me of home.

They also speak to me of primary succession.

Primary succession is the natural process that converts, very very slowly I might add, bare rock to soil. Once soil has been formed living species begin to inhabit that rock - - - beginning with algae, lichens, and simple basic plants. As the roots of these plants dig into the rock crumbling it into more soil, larger more complex plants begin to grow.

The end result of primary succession, after much time has elapsed, is called a climax community. It consists of all the adult plants and animal that are indigenous to that climate.

In these bluff photos, you can see bare rock face, you can see rock face that is mid-succession, and around the bluffs you can see bits of the climax community.

Look very closely at the bluff faces and you will see succession taking place before your eyes.

This is a close up of one small area of a bluff where early succession is taking place. (I'm sorry it is blurry, I needed to use a flash and did not realize that until I was no longer at the bluff)

You can see lichens, moss, liverworts. These plants are called pioneer species because they are the first to begin growing on bare rock. Their roots or root-like structures not only dig into the rock mechanically cracking and breaking it, but they also secrete acids and digestive enzymes that chemically corrode the rock into soil.

You can also see that where the rock has become cracked it is beginning to hold soil and collect decaying needles and leaves which will add nutrients and more soil.

Already in this small patch of rock more advanced plants are beginning to grow. These are called vascular plants because they have veins composed of xylem and phloem which carry water and food from roots to leaves to roots.


Over time trees begin to grow out of soil covered parts of the rock. Often with spectacular displays of roots on the face of the rock. Conifers come first followed by hardwoods.


Their roots further break up the rock, catching more decaying biomass, and forming more soil.


Besides being a GREAT biology lesson, those bluffs are beautiful, no?

Bluffton just doesn't know what it is missing.

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