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CEGL006165 Acer rubrum - Fraxinus pennsylvanica / Polygonum spp. Floodplain Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Red Maple - Green Ash / Smartweed species Floodplain Forest
Colloquial Name: Freshwater Tidal Woodland
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This freshwater tidal woodland occurs on tidal rivers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey. It is found on larger rivers with gradual slopes and is flooded by diurnal tides. The substrate is very wet. The canopy is characterized by Acer rubrum, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, with Ulmus rubra and Carpinus caroliniana being frequent associates and with Chamaecyparis thyoides, Thuja occidentalis, or Quercus bicolor occurring locally in some occurrences. The shrub layer is characterized by Ilex verticillata, Alnus serrulata, Clethra alnifolia, Rhododendron viscosum, Vaccinium corymbosum, Lindera benzoin, Cornus racemosa, Cornus amomum, Cornus sericea, Cephalanthus occidentalis, and others. The herbaceous layer is a very diverse mixture of freshwater tidal marsh species and palustrine species and is characterized by Peltandra virginica, Pontederia cordata, Impatiens capensis, Leersia oryzoides, Onoclea sensibilis, Pilea pumila, Polygonum punctatum, Polygonum hydropiper, Polygonum hydropiperoides, Polygonum sagittatum, Zizania aquatica, Asclepias incarnata, and Arisaema triphyllum. This freshwater tidal swamp occurs at the upper limit of tidal influence along coastal rivers. They are best developed along larger rivers with a gradual elevation gradient such that tidal influence occurs over considerable distance. There is diurnal flooding with freshwater. Substrate is continuously wet and there is distinct hummock-and-hollow microtopography.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association (CEGL006165) has affinities with ~Fraxinus pennsylvanica - (Ulmus americana) - Pinus taeda / Morella cerifera - Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola Tidal Forest (CEGL004483)$$ and ~Fraxinus profunda - Nyssa biflora - (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) / Ilex verticillata / Polygonum arifolium Tidal Forest (CEGL006287)$$ because it is freshwater tidal, like those, but it lacks the Coastal Plain characteristic species.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The canopy is characterized by Acer rubrum and Fraxinus pennsylvanica, with Ulmus rubra, Ulmus americana, Fraxinus nigra, and Carpinus caroliniana being frequent associates and with Chamaecyparis thyoides, Thuja occidentalis, or Quercus bicolor occurring locally in some occurrences. The shrub layer is characterized by Ilex verticillata, Alnus serrulata, Alnus incana, Clethra alnifolia, Rhododendron viscosum, Vaccinium corymbosum, Lindera benzoin, Cornus racemosa, Cornus amomum, Cornus sericea, Cephalanthus occidentalis, and others. The herbaceous layer is a very diverse mixture of freshwater tidal marsh species and palustrine species and is characterized by Peltandra virginica, Pontederia cordata, Impatiens capensis, Leersia oryzoides, Onoclea sensibilis, Pilea pumila, Polygonum punctatum, Polygonum hydropiper, Polygonum hydropiperoides, Polygonum sagittatum, Zizania aquatica, Asclepias incarnata, and Arisaema triphyllum, among many others.
Dynamics: This swamp receives diurnal flooding with fresh tidal waters and occurs at the upper limit of tidal flooding. The tidal swamp forest transitions to tidal shrubland or to freshwater tidal marsh associations.
Environmental Description: This freshwater tidal swamp occurs at the upper limit of tidal influence along coastal rivers. It is best developed along larger rivers with a gradual elevation gradient such that tidal influence occurs over considerable distance. There is diurnal flooding with freshwater. Substrate is continuously wet and there is distinct hummock-and-hollow microtopography.
Geographic Range: This association is confined to tidal rivers of Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CT, DE, MA, NJ, NY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.683445
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1 Forest & Woodland Class | C01 | 1 |
| Subclass | 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass | S15 | 1.B |
| Formation | 1.B.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation | F026 | 1.B.3 |
| Division | 1.B.3.Nb Southeastern North American Flooded & Swamp Forest Division | D062 | 1.B.3.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.3.Nb.3 Sweetbay - Swamp Bay - Pond Pine Swamp Forest Macrogroup | M032 | 1.B.3.Nb.3 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b Atlantic White-cedar - Pitch Pine Swamp Group | G039 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b |
| Alliance | A2058 Red Maple - Blackgum Swamp Forest Alliance | A2058 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b |
| Association | CEGL006165 Red Maple - Green Ash / Smartweed species Floodplain Forest | CEGL006165 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b |
Concept Lineage: merged
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Acer rubrum - Fraxinus pennsylvanica / Polygonum spp. community (Metzler and Barrett 2006)
? Southern New England /Gulf of Maine Fresh/ Brackish Tidal Swamp (Rawinski 1984a)
? Southern New England /Gulf of Maine Fresh/ Brackish Tidal Swamp (Rawinski 1984a)
- Breden, T. F. 1988. A tidal swamp forest in New Jersey. Bartonia 54:146.
- Breden, T. F. 1989. A preliminary natural community classification for New Jersey. Pages 157-191 in: E. F. Karlin, editor. New Jersey''s rare and endangered plants and animals. Institute for Environmental Studies, Ramapo College, Mahwah, NJ. 280 pp.
- Breden, T. F., Y. R. Alger, K. S. Walz, and A. G. Windisch. 2001. Classification of vegetation communities of New Jersey: Second iteration. Association for Biodiversity Information and New Jersey Natural Heritage Program, Office of Natural Lands Management, Division of Parks and Forestry, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Trenton.
- Eastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boston, MA.
- Edinger, G. J., D. J. Evans, S. Gebauer, T. G. Howard, D. M. Hunt, and A. M. Olivero, editors. 2014a. Ecological communities of New York state. Second edition. A revised and expanded edition of Carol Reschke''s ecological communities of New York state. New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, NY.
- Metzler, K., and J. Barrett. 2006. The vegetation of Connecticut: A preliminary classification. State Geological and Natural History Survey, Report of Investigations No. 12. Connecticut Natural Diversity Database, Hartford, CT.
- Rawinski, T. 1984a. Natural community description abstract - southern New England calcareous seepage swamp. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Boston, MA. 6 pp.
- Reschke, C. 1990. Ecological communities of New York State. New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Latham, NY. 96 pp.
- Swain, P. C., and J. B. Kearsley. 2014. Classification of the natural communities of Massachusetts. Version 2.0. Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Westborough, MA. [http://www.mass.gov/nhesp/http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/natural-heritage/natural-communities/classification-of-natural-communities.html]