Print Report

CEGL002746 Equisetum fluviatile Marsh

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Water Horsetail Marsh

Colloquial Name: Water Horsetail Marsh

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This is an emergent wetland community occurring on seasonally to permanently flooded edges of lakes and ponds, along tidally influenced plains of larger rivers, calm backwater areas of rivers and streams, and in watered abandoned channels. It is presently documented from scattered locations of the Pacific Northwest, from coastal Washington to the interior regions of western Montana and north into the Boreal Plains of Alberta. It occurs from sea level to 1340 m (0-4390 feet) in elevation. Water depths range from below the soil surface to 0.5 m (1.5 feet) deep. Soils are fine-textured silts, clays and muck. Mineral soils often have layers of organic accumulation. Along the Columbia River Gorge, stands occur on river and slough channels on sand and silt and are flooded by freshwater during most high tides. Inland, stands occur in shallow water and wet ground at the edges of slow-moving meander curves in rivers and on the margins of lakes and ponds, stock ponds and reservoirs. Stands are characterized by emergent Equisetum fluviatile with 30-100% cover but tend to be species-poor. Other species present can include Glyceria grandis, Alopecurus aequalis, Carex spp., Eleocharis palustris, Typha spp., and Scirpus and/or Schoenoplectus spp. Stands at lower elevations (Columbia River Surge Plain) had higher species diversity (n=18 for all sampled stands combined) than those at higher elevations (n=3 eastern Washington and Montana).

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This association is defined as a PNV vegetation type. This type can also occur as reed swamp communities. Stands described from Montana, Alberta and eastern Washington have no Eleocharis present. Only the tidal freshwater locations in western Washington list Eleocharis palustris. Stands in Idaho and Oregon need to be evaluated.

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

Floristics: Stands are characterized by Equisetum fluviatile with 30-100% cover. Stands tend to be species-poor. Other species present can include Glyceria grandis, Alopecurus aequalis, Carex spp., Eleocharis palustris, Typha spp., and Scirpus and/or Schoenoplectus spp. Stands at lower elevations (Columbia River Surge Plain) had higher species diversity (n=18 for all sampled stands combined) than those at higher elevations (n=3 eastern Washington and Montana). In Alberta, it often forms open monotypic stands in the deepest zone of emergent vegetation, developing a denser cover moving in shore. Typically there then follows a transition zone of mixed Equisetum fluviatile and Carex spp. that leads to a zone of shoreline sedges, usually Carex aquatilis, Carex rostrata, and/or Carex utriculata.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  This is an emergent wetland community occurring on seasonally to permanently flooded edges of lakes and ponds, along tidally influenced plains of larger rivers, calm backwater areas of rivers and streams, and in watered abandoned channels. It occurs from sea level to 1340 m (0-4390 feet) in elevation. Water depths range from below the soil surface to 0.5 m (1.5 feet) deep. Soils are fine-textured silts, clays and muck. Mineral soils often have layers of organic accumulation. Along the Columbia River Gorge, stands occur on river and slough channels on sand and silt and are flooded by freshwater during most high tides. Inland, stands occur at the edges of slow-moving meander curves in rivers and in shallow water and wet ground on the margins of lakes and ponds, stock ponds and reservoirs.
Geographic Range: This emergent wetland herbaceous vegetation is known from the Columbia River tidal surge plain in western Washington, and non-tidal locations in eastern Washington, as well as in Oregon, Idaho, Montana and possibly British Columbia.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  AB, BC, ID, MT, OR, WA


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4

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.Nb Western North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division D031 2.C.4.Nb
Macrogroup 2.C.4.Nb.1 Arid West Interior Freshwater Marsh Macrogroup M888 2.C.4.Nb.1
Group 2.C.4.Nb.1.a Clubrush species - Cattail species Interior Freshwater Marsh Group G531 2.C.4.Nb.1.a
Alliance A3892 Water Horsetail - Ferriss'' Horsetail Marsh Alliance A3892 2.C.4.Nb.1.a
Association CEGL002746 Water Horsetail Marsh CEGL002746 2.C.4.Nb.1.a
Concept Lineage: This association was split into 2 types following review of literature. CEGL005258 is the Midwestern type, and CEGL002746 represents E. fluviatile communities in the western U.S.

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Equisetum fluviatile - Carex utriculata Wm02 (MacKenzie and Moran 2004) [(p.109) "Sites are dominated by Equisetum fluviatile with Carex utriculata sometimes codominating."]
= Equisetum fluviatile Association (Kovalchik 1993) [(p.187)]
= Equisetum fluviatile Community Type (Boggs 2000) [(p. 156)]
= Equisetum fluviatile Emergent Wetland (Willoughby et al. 2004)
= Equisetum fluviatile Habitat Type (Hansen et al. 1995) [(p.440)]
= Equisetum fluviatile community type (Kunze 1994) [(p. 56)]
Concept Author(s): Western Ecology Group

Author of Description: G. Kittel and L. Allen

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 05-26-06
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