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CEGL007429 Nyssa aquatica - Nyssa biflora Swamp Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Water Tupelo - Swamp Tupelo Swamp Forest
Colloquial Name: Water Tupelo - Swamp Tupelo Swamp Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This forest, dominated by Nyssa aquatica and Nyssa biflora in varying proportions, is found along shallow borders of alluvial swamps and flats near uplands. It is a Zone II community. The range has not been completely assessed; it is theoretically possible on the Atlantic Coastal Plain from North Carolina to southern Georgia, the Gulf Coastal Plain from about Tallahassee west to southeastern Texas, and the Mississippi Alluvial Plain to southern Arkansas and western Tennessee. Taxodium distichum may occur in the canopy of this community, but is not a dominant (usually less than 25% cover). Other tree canopy/subcanopy species are Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Salix nigra, Populus heterophylla, and Carpinus caroliniana. Other shrub and herbaceous species are Eubotrys racemosa, Cyrilla racemiflora, Planera aquatica, and Saururus cernuus. Decumaria barbara, Toxicodendron radicans, Nekemias arborea, and Bignonia capreolata are commonly occurring vines, but have less than 10% cover.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Although swamp forests dominated by Nyssa aquatica and Nyssa biflora and lacking Taxodium distichum completely or as a dominant develop following logging, this community is naturally occurring. More work needs to understand the development of this community and to determine the extent of its geographic variation. In Virginia, where related vegetation is relatively uncommon and in a restricted geography, it is treated as ~Taxodium distichum - Nyssa aquatica - Nyssa biflora / Fraxinus caroliniana / Itea virginica Floodplain Forest (CEGL007432)$$.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Stands of this forest are dominated by Nyssa aquatica and Nyssa biflora in varying proportions. Taxodium distichum may occur in the canopy of this community, but is not a dominant (usually less than 25% cover). Other tree canopy/subcanopy species are Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Salix nigra, Populus heterophylla, and Carpinus caroliniana. Other shrub and herbaceous species are Eubotrys racemosa (= Leucothoe racemosa), Cyrilla racemiflora, Planera aquatica, and Saururus cernuus. Decumaria barbara, Toxicodendron radicans, Nekemias arborea (= Ampelopsis arborea), and Bignonia capreolata are commonly occurring vines, but have less than 10% cover.
Dynamics: Probability of annual flooding is 100%, and duration of flooding is approximately 100% of the growing season with soils nearly permanently saturated. Seedlings of the dominant tree species are not shade-tolerant and require unflooded soil for germination. Successional relationships of this community to others is not clear, although with organic matter accumulation and soil buildup, this community may succeed to a bottomland hardwood type.
Environmental Description: This forest association is found along shallow borders of alluvial swamps and flats near uplands. Hydrologic regime is the most important environmental determinant of the distribution of this community. It occurs in Zone II (Wharton et al. 1982), and therefore probability of annual flooding is 100% and duration of flooding is approximately 100% of the growing season with soils nearly permanently saturated. The community occurs along shallow borders of alluvial swamps and flats near the uplands (Eyre 1980) and probably is found in less wet areas than swamp forests dominated by Taxodium distichum and Nyssa aquatica.
Geographic Range: The range has not been completely assessed; it is theoretically possible on the Atlantic Coastal Plain from North Carolina to southern Georgia, the Gulf Coastal Plain from about Tallahassee west to southeastern Texas, and the Mississippi Alluvial Plain to southern Arkansas and presumably western Tennessee.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AL, AR, FL, GA, LA?, MS, NC?, SC, TN?, TX
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684509
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4G5
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.4 Swamp Chestnut Oak - Bald-cypress - Pecan Southern Floodplain Forest Macrogroup | M031 | 1.B.3.Nb.4 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Nb.4.c Bald-cypress - Water Tupelo Floodplain Forest Group | G033 | 1.B.3.Nb.4.c |
| Alliance | A0345 Water Tupelo Swamp Forest Alliance | A0345 | 1.B.3.Nb.4.c |
| Association | CEGL007429 Water Tupelo - Swamp Tupelo Swamp Forest | CEGL007429 | 1.B.3.Nb.4.c |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < IIA4d. Tupelo Swamp (Allard 1990)
= P1B3dII3b. Nyssa aquatica - Nyssa biflora - Taxodium distichum (Foti et al. 1994)
< Water Tupelo - Swamp Tupelo: 103 (Eyre 1980)
= P1B3dII3b. Nyssa aquatica - Nyssa biflora - Taxodium distichum (Foti et al. 1994)
< Water Tupelo - Swamp Tupelo: 103 (Eyre 1980)
- Allard, D. J. 1990. Southeastern United States ecological community classification. Interim report, Version 1.2. The Nature Conservancy, Southeast Regional Office, Chapel Hill, NC. 96 pp.
- Chafin, L. 2011. Georgia''s natural communities and associated rare plant and animal species: Thumbnail accounts. Based on "Guide to the Natural Communities of Georgia," by Edwards et al. 2013. University of Georgia Press. Georgia Nongame Conservation Section, Wildlife Resources Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources. 125 pp.
- Diamond, D. D. 1993. Classification of the plant communities of Texas (series level). Unpublished document. Texas Natural Heritage Program, Austin. 25 pp.
- Eyre, F. H., editor. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 148 pp.
- Foti, T., M. Blaney, X. Li, and K. G. Smith. 1994. A classification system for the natural vegetation of Arkansas. Proceedings of the Arkansas Academy of Science 48:50-53.
- MSNHP [Mississippi Natural Heritage Program]. 2006. Ecological communities of Mississippi. Museum of Natural Science, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, Jackson, MS. 9 pp.
- Nelson, J. B. 1986. The natural communities of South Carolina: Initial classification and description. South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department, Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, Columbia, SC. 55 pp.
- SCWMRD [South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department]. 2018. Unpublished data. South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department, Columbia.
- Schafale, M. P., and A. S. Weakley. 1990. Classification of the natural communities of North Carolina. Third approximation. North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh. 325 pp.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- Wharton, C. H., W. M. Kitchens, E. C. Pendleton, and T. W. Sipe. 1982. The ecology of bottomland hardwood swamps of the Southeast: A community profile. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Biological Services. FWS/OBS-81/37. Washington, DC.