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CEGL002027 Spartina pectinata - Calamagrostis stricta - Carex spp. Wet Meadow

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Prairie Cordgrass - Slimstem Reedgrass - Sedge species Wet Meadow

Colloquial Name: Northern Cordgrass Wet Prairie

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This prairie cordgrass wet prairie community occurs in the northern tallgrass prairie region of the United States and Canada. Stands occur in many shallow pond basins and lakes, as well as on terraces and floodplains of streams and rivers. The soils are deep, typically poorly drained, with clay or silty loam upper horizons that have a characteristic gley layer. The community is subject to seasonal inundation. The vegetation is dominated by fine-textured grasses, low sedges, and rushes, with a mixture of forbs. The most common species are Symphyotrichum lanceolatum var. lanceolatum, Boltonia asteroides var. latisquama, Calamagrostis canadensis, Carex pellita, Carex praegracilis, Carex sartwellii, Carex stricta, Poa palustris, and Spartina pectinata. Other species that are often present are Apocynum cannabinum, Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis, Liatris pycnostachya, Sonchus arvensis, Stachys palustris, and Teucrium canadense.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: In general, this wet prairie type may be distinguished from other wet meadow types because of strong grass dominance (rather than sedge), high forb diversity, and typically mineral soils. Stands described by Brotherson (1969) in northwestern Iowa, although included in this type, appear to better fit the ~Spartina pectinata - Carex spp. - Calamagrostis canadensis - Lythrum alatum - (Oxypolis rigidior) Wet Meadow (CEGL002224)$$. In North Dakota, the Turtle Mountains have more Calamagrostis canadensis than Calamagrostis stricta. Eleocharis compressa may be a component. This type may also include parts of ~Carex pellita - Calamagrostis stricta Wet Meadow (CEGL002254)$$ (sedge meadow) or vice-versa, but at least in Minnesota, there is sufficient prairie grasses present along with the sedges to place those stands here [see Minnesota DNR (2005b), Prairie Meadow/Carr (WMp73a)].

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: The vegetation is dominated by fine-textured grasses, low sedges, and rushes, with a mixture of forbs. Spartina pectinata may form near monocultures in places (Weaver 1960). The most common species are Symphyotrichum lanceolatum var. lanceolatum (= Aster lanceolatus var. lanceolatus), Boltonia asteroides var. latisquama, Calamagrostis canadensis, Carex pellita (= Carex lanuginosa), Carex praegracilis, Carex sartwellii, Carex stricta, Poa palustris, and Spartina pectinata. Other species that are often present are Apocynum cannabinum, Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis (= Juncus balticus), Liatris pycnostachya, Sonchus arvensis, Stachys palustris, and Teucrium canadense (R. Dana pers. comm. 1999). In Nebraska, abundant species include Carex emoryi, Carex pellita, Eleocharis erythropoda, Hordeum jubatum, Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis, Juncus torreyi, Leersia oryzoides, Muhlenbergia racemosa, Schoenoplectus pungens, and Spartina pectinata. Invasives include Agrostis stolonifera, Phalaris arundinacea, and Poa pratensis (Steinauer and Rolfsmeier 2003). In stands of this community where drawdown of water occurs after tillage, the dominant species may be Elymus repens, Echinochloa crus-galli, Polygonum lapathifolium, and Veronica peregrina. Hordeum jubatum, Plagiobothrys scouleri var. scouleri, Xanthium strumarium var. canadense, and Bidens frondosa are secondary species.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  This community occurs in many shallow pond basins and in concentric bands peripheral to most temporary and seasonal ponds and lakes. It also occurs on floodplains and terraces of streams and rivers. The soils are deep, typically poorly drained, with clay or silty loam soils that have a characteristic gley layer. Less commonly, stands may occur on organic soils. The community is subject to seasonal inundation, but standing water typically does not persist for more than a few weeks. Tatina (1987) described the soils as poorly drained silt loams derived from glacial drift. Clay content is 20% and soil pH is 5.4. Soils are moist (soil moisture = 42%), and during wet years sites maintain standing water for at least part of the growing season. Barnes and Tieszen (1978) described the soils as moist loams and soil pH ranges from 7.5 to 7.7. The soils may be slightly saline (Redmann 1972).
Geographic Range: This prairie cordgrass wet prairie community occurs in the northern tallgrass prairie region of the United States and Canada, ranging from northern Nebraska to southern Manitoba.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  IA, MB, MN, ND, NE, SD


Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3?

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class C02 2
Subclass 2.C Shrub & Herb Wetland Subclass S44 2.C
Formation 2.C.4 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Formation F013 2.C.4
Division 2.C.4.Nd Eastern North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division D323 2.C.4.Nd
Macrogroup 2.C.4.Nd.2 Broadleaf Cattail - White Snakeroot - Rush species Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup M069 2.C.4.Nd.2
Group 2.C.4.Nd.2.e Prairie Cordgrass - Bluejoint - Sedge species Midwest Wet Prairie, Wet Meadow & Shrub Swamp Group G770 2.C.4.Nd.2.e
Alliance A3654 Prairie Cordgrass Wet Prairie Alliance A3654 2.C.4.Nd.2.e
Association CEGL002027 Prairie Cordgrass - Slimstem Reedgrass - Sedge species Wet Meadow CEGL002027 2.C.4.Nd.2.e
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Spartina pectinata - Calamagrostis stricta - Carex spp. Herbaceous Vegetation (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Spartina Type (Redmann 1972)
< Coarse grasses of wet lands (Weaver 1960)
= Grazed grasslands (Currier 1982)
< Hay Meadow Association (Pool 1914)
< Hydrophytic tall grass area (Frolik and Keim 1933)
< Mesophytic Tall-grass Zone (Tolstead 1942)
= Pothole and Drainage Communities, sections 4 and 5 (Brotherson 1969)
= streamside wetland (Kantak 1995)
Concept Author(s): D. Faber-Langendoen (2001)

Author of Description: J. Drake, D. Faber-Langendoen, D. Ambrose

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 03-03-94
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  • Brotherson, J. D. 1969. Species composition, distribution, and phytosociology of Kaslow Prairie, a mesic tallgrass prairie in Iowa. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Iowa State University, Ames. 196 pp.
  • Currier, P. J. 1982. The floodplain vegetation of the Platte River: Phytosociology, forest development, and seedling establishment. Ph.D. dissertation, Iowa State University, Ames. 317 pp.
  • Dana, Robert. 1995. Personal communication. County Biological Survey ecologist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul, MN.
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  • Minnesota DNR [Minnesota Department of Natural Resources]. 2005b. Field guide to the native plant communities of Minnesota: The Prairie Parkland and Tallgrass Aspen Parklands provinces. Ecological Land Classification Program, Minnesota County Biological Survey, and Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul.
  • NDNHI [North Dakota Natural Heritage Inventory]. 2018. Unpublished data. Vegetation classification of North Dakota. North Dakota Natural Heritage Inventory, North Dakota Parks & Recreation Department, Bismarck.
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