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CEGL005201 Taxodium distichum - Populus heterophylla Floodplain Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Bald-cypress - Swamp Cottonwood Floodplain Forest
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This bald-cypress - swamp cottonwood forest is reported from the east-central United States, in southern Indiana. Water levels fluctuate considerably. Typically water is present in winter through mid-summer, with a complete dry down in fall; however, standing water may be present throughout the year. The deepest part of the swamp is probably over 1 m deep, with less than 0.5 m being the probable norm. Mature Taxodium distichum and Populus heterophylla dominate the canopy of this type. Acer rubrum, Liquidambar styraciflua, and Quercus palustris are important on the borders in more shallow water. Within the swamp Cephalanthus occidentalis forms a subcanopy, along with an occasional Rosa palustris shrub. On floating logs and bases of trees, Bidens discoidea and Triadenum walteri occur. Floating in the water are species of Lemna, Spirodela, and Wolffia. Emergent aquatics include Glyceria septentrionalis, Hottonia inflata, Sium suave, and Ranunculus flabellaris. Herbaceous and vine components of shallow borders include Saururus cernuus, Onoclea sensibilis, and occasionally Vitis palmata.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This type is described from a Taxodium - Populus heterophylla swamp (Twin Swamp, Posey County, Indiana), where Populus may actually be the dominant. Hydrology is Zone II (almost continuous flooding) and is wet enough to exclude Acer rubrum and Quercus lyrata. Classification issues rangewide include what to do with Taxodium stands that have other mixed hardwoods codominating. They could either be treated as their own mixed types or placed with either a Taxodium type or a bottomland hardwoods type. For example, this type should be compared to ~Quercus lyrata - Quercus (palustris, phellos) - Liquidambar styraciflua - (Populus heterophylla) Floodplain Forest (CEGL004421)$$ of Kentucky, which is apparently very similar except for the absence of Taxodium distichum. Alternatively this type may simply be a variant of the ~Taxodium distichum / Lemna minor Floodplain Forest (CEGL002420)$$.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Mature Taxodium distichum and Populus heterophylla dominate the canopy of this type. Acer rubrum, Liquidambar styraciflua, and Quercus palustris are important on the borders in more shallow water. Within the swamp Cephalanthus occidentalis forms a subcanopy, along with an occasional Rosa palustris shrub. On floating logs and bases of trees, Bidens discoidea and Triadenum walteri occur. Floating in the water are species of Lemna, Spirodela, and Wolffia. Emergent aquatics include Glyceria septentrionalis, Hottonia inflata, Sium suave, and Ranunculus flabellaris. Herbaceous and vine components of shallow borders include Saururus cernuus, Onoclea sensibilis, and occasionally Vitis palmata (M. Homoya pers. comm. 1998).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: Water levels fluctuate considerably. Typically water is present in winter through mid-summer, with a complete dry down in fall; however, standing water may be present throughout the year. The deepest part of the swamp is probably over 1 m deep, with less than 0.5 m being the probable norm. The water is usually clear and tea-colored except when recently flooded (M. Homoya pers. comm. 1998).
Geographic Range: This narrowly defined, low-confidence type is only known from the Interior Low Plateau, being reported from the east-central United States, in southern Indiana.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: IN
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686858
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
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 | A3594 Bald-cypress - Water Tupelo - Swamp Tupelo Floodplain Forest Alliance | A3594 | 1.B.3.Nb.4.c |
| Association | CEGL005201 Bald-cypress - Swamp Cottonwood Floodplain Forest | CEGL005201 | 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: = Taxodium distichum - Populus heterophylla Forest (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
- Faber-Langendoen, D., editor. 2001. Plant communities of the Midwest: Classification in an ecological context. Association for Biodiversity Information, Arlington, VA. 61 pp. plus appendix (705 pp.).
- Homoya, Michael. Personal communication. Indiana Natural Heritage Data Center. Division of Nature Preserves, Department of Natural Resources, Indianapolis, IN.
- INHDC [Indiana Natural Heritage Data Center]. No date. Indiana Natural Heritage Data Center, Division of Nature Preserves, Department of Natural Resources, Indianapolis.
- Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.