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CEGL004656 Morella cerifera - Rosa palustris / Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens Tidal Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Wax-myrtle - Swamp Rose / Eastern Marsh Fern Tidal Shrubland
Colloquial Name: Wind-Tidal Wax-myrtle - Rose Thicket
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This shrub community occurs along the Atlantic coast of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina in ecotonal sites between tidal marshes and tidal swamps in fresh to oligohaline portions of coastal rivers and embayments. It occupies soupy peats. It is a natural community, but likely has a long-term and complicated successional relationship with other (primarily marsh) communities in the landscape in which it occurs, related to hydrology and fire. Morella cerifera and Rosa palustris are the characteristic dominant species, each attaining 10-25% cover. Also constant but attaining slightly less cover are species such as Acer rubrum and Toxicodendron radicans ssp. radicans. Other woody species include Persea palustris, Magnolia virginiana, Salix caroliniana, Vaccinium formosum, Smilax walteri, and saplings of Fraxinus profunda, Nyssa biflora, Acer rubrum, Pinus taeda, Taxodium distichum, and Liquidambar styraciflua. Herbaceous composition is diverse and varied, with many species "recruited" from adjacent marshes and swamps. Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens is highly characteristic and appears to reach its nodal distribution in this landscape in this community. Other important species can include Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis, Leersia oryzoides, Hibiscus moscheutos, Polygonum arifolium, and Mikania scandens. Murdannia keisak is an aggressive alien weed.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: No Data Available
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Morella cerifera (= Myrica cerifera var. cerifera) and Rosa palustris are the characteristic dominant species, each attaining 10-25% cover. Also constant but attaining slightly less cover are species such as Acer rubrum and Toxicodendron radicans ssp. radicans. Other woody species include Persea palustris, Magnolia virginiana, Salix caroliniana, Vaccinium formosum, Smilax walteri, and saplings of Fraxinus profunda, Nyssa biflora, Pinus taeda, Taxodium distichum, and Liquidambar styraciflua. Herbaceous composition is diverse and varied, with many species ''recruited'' from adjacent marshes and swamps. Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens is highly characteristic and appears to reach its nodal distribution in this landscape in this community. Other important species can include Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis, Leersia oryzoides, Hibiscus moscheutos (= ssp. moscheutos), Polygonum arifolium, and Mikania scandens. Murdannia keisak is an aggressive alien weed.
In Maryland, these tidal oligohaline shrublands are characterized by a low (0.5-6 m tall), open (40-60% cover) to moderately dense (60-80% cover) shrub canopy dominated by Morella cerifera with Rosa palustris as a frequent associate. Morella cerifera is most constant and typically occupies 25 to 50% of the shrub stratum. In general, Rosa palustris is slightly less abundant (10-25% mean cover) than Morella cerifera; however, it can occasionally be dominant (>75% cover) in some stands. Other less frequent taxa in the shrub stratum include Acer rubrum, Viburnum recognitum, Baccharis halimifolia, and dense vine growth of Toxicodendron radicans and Mikania scandens. Stands along ecotones or in less frequently flooded situations may contain emergent individuals of Pinus taeda, Liquidambar styraciflua, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Fraxinus profunda, Nyssa biflora, and Juniperus virginiana in a scattered and very sparse (0-5% cover) overstory. Species richness in the herbaceous layer is very high and indicative of slight oligohaline conditions, species recruitment from adjacent communities, and considerable microtopographic variation. Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis is consistent and dominant in the herbaceous layer, with Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens in close association although not as abundant. Associated species include species characteristic of freshwater marshes, such as Leersia oryzoides, Polygonum punctatum, and Peltandra virginica, and species more tolerant of mesohaline conditions, such as Hibiscus moscheutos and Carex hormathodes. Other characteristic herbs include Apios americana, Cuscuta gronovii, Sium suave, Polygonum arifolium, Ptilimnium capillaceum, Cinna arundinacea, Thalictrum pubescens (= Thalictrum polygamum), Typha latifolia, Cicuta maculata, and Boehmeria cylindrica.
In Maryland, these tidal oligohaline shrublands are characterized by a low (0.5-6 m tall), open (40-60% cover) to moderately dense (60-80% cover) shrub canopy dominated by Morella cerifera with Rosa palustris as a frequent associate. Morella cerifera is most constant and typically occupies 25 to 50% of the shrub stratum. In general, Rosa palustris is slightly less abundant (10-25% mean cover) than Morella cerifera; however, it can occasionally be dominant (>75% cover) in some stands. Other less frequent taxa in the shrub stratum include Acer rubrum, Viburnum recognitum, Baccharis halimifolia, and dense vine growth of Toxicodendron radicans and Mikania scandens. Stands along ecotones or in less frequently flooded situations may contain emergent individuals of Pinus taeda, Liquidambar styraciflua, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Fraxinus profunda, Nyssa biflora, and Juniperus virginiana in a scattered and very sparse (0-5% cover) overstory. Species richness in the herbaceous layer is very high and indicative of slight oligohaline conditions, species recruitment from adjacent communities, and considerable microtopographic variation. Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis is consistent and dominant in the herbaceous layer, with Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens in close association although not as abundant. Associated species include species characteristic of freshwater marshes, such as Leersia oryzoides, Polygonum punctatum, and Peltandra virginica, and species more tolerant of mesohaline conditions, such as Hibiscus moscheutos and Carex hormathodes. Other characteristic herbs include Apios americana, Cuscuta gronovii, Sium suave, Polygonum arifolium, Ptilimnium capillaceum, Cinna arundinacea, Thalictrum pubescens (= Thalictrum polygamum), Typha latifolia, Cicuta maculata, and Boehmeria cylindrica.
Dynamics: This is a natural community but likely has a long-term and complicated successional relationship with other (primarily marsh) communities in the landscape in which it occurs, related to hydrology and fire. It appears to often be an intermediate stage in the transition of tidal swamps or pond pine woodlands to freshwater marshes in response to rising sea level. An artificial successional version that may be indistinguishable also may develop in response to fire exclusion in some freshwater marshes, perhaps as an intermediate successional stage on the way to a tidal swamp. However, in both cases succession is irregular due to periodic disturbance by penetration of brackish water during storms.
Environmental Description: This shrub community occurs in ecotonal sites between tidal marshes and tidal swamps. It occupies soupy peats. According to Fleming et al. (2001), this community is part of a large group of tidal shrublands which occupy tidally flooded and wind-tidally flooded areas of freshwater to oligohaline rivers and embayments. These are tidal shrublands of oligohaline conditions bordering middle to upper sections of Coastal Plain rivers and tributaries (in Maryland). Salinity typically ranges from 0.5 to 5.0 ppt; however, pulses of higher salinity may occur during periods of spring high tides and low river discharge. Salinity data collected at time of study indicate a range of 0.5 to 11.0 ppt (mean ppt = 2.6) for 30 sample plots. These tidal shrublands form linear to irregular stands along tidal channels usually positioned between adjacent tidal marshes and swamp forests. Stands of narrow floodplains most often occur along ecotones as "fringes" intergrading with adjacent tidal swamp forests. Such stands are proximate to tidal channels and subject to regular tidal flooding. Stands occupying rather expansive marshes or large estuary meanders on broader floodplains are commonly fronted or surrounded by emergent marshes forming depositional islands. Slightly elevated and distanced from tidal influence, these stands tend to be less frequently flooded (regularly, for <6 months). Stand sizes range from 2 to 20 hectares. Hummock-and-hollow microtopography is characteristic of these shrublands and contributes to higher species richness, as does species recruitment from adjacent tidal marshes and tidal swamp forests. Soils are best characterized as slightly acidic tidal muck consisting of a mixture of silt, fine sands and partially decomposed peat.
Geographic Range: This community occurs along the Atlantic coast of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. Although not documented, this vegetation is also known to occur in upper tidal and inland bay regions of Delaware (W. McAvoy pers. comm. 2007).
Nations: US
States/Provinces: DE, MD, NC, VA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686863
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.Ne Atlantic & Gulf Coastal Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division | D322 | 2.C.4.Ne |
| Macrogroup | 2.C.4.Ne.1 Annual Wild Rice - Saltmeadow Cordgrass - Pickerelweed Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Macrogroup | M066 | 2.C.4.Ne.1 |
| Group | 2.C.4.Ne.1.c <i>Zizania aquatica - Spartina patens - Amaranthus cannabinus</i> Freshwater Tidal Marsh Group | G914 | 2.C.4.Ne.1.c |
| Alliance | A4483 <i>Morella cerifera - Rosa palustris</i> North Tidal Freshwater Shrubland Alliance | A4483 | 2.C.4.Ne.1.c |
| Association | CEGL004656 Wax-myrtle - Swamp Rose / Eastern Marsh Fern Tidal Shrubland | CEGL004656 | 2.C.4.Ne.1.c |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Morella cerifera - Rosa palustris / Thelypteris palustris var. palustris Tidal Shrubland (Harrison and Stango 2003)
= Morella cerifera - Salix caroliniana / Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens Tidal Shrubland (Coulling 2002)
= Myrica cerifera - Salix caroliniana / Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens Tidally Flooded Shrubland (Fleming and Moorhead 1998)
= Morella cerifera - Salix caroliniana / Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens Tidal Shrubland (Coulling 2002)
= Myrica cerifera - Salix caroliniana / Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens Tidally Flooded Shrubland (Fleming and Moorhead 1998)
- Coulling, P. P. 2002. A preliminary classification of tidal marsh, shrub swamp, and hardwood swamp vegetation and assorted non-tidal, chiefly non-maritime, herbaceous wetland communities of the Virginia Coastal Plain. October 2002. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage. Natural Heritage Technical Report 02-18. 30 pp.
- Fleming, G. P., K. D. Patterson, and K. Taverna. 2017. The natural communities of Virginia: A classification of ecological community groups and community types. Third approximation. Version 3.0. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond, VA. [http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/natural-communities/]
- Fleming, G. P., K. Taverna, and P. P. Coulling. 2007b. Vegetation classification for the National Capitol Region parks, eastern region. Regional (VA-MD-DC) analysis prepared for NatureServe and USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, March 2007. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond.
- Fleming, G. P., and W. H. Moorhead, III. 1998. Comparative wetlands ecology study of the Great Dismal Swamp, Northwest River, and North Landing River in Virginia. Natural Heritage Technical Report 98-9. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond. Unpublished report submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 181 pp. plus appendices.
- Harrison, J. W. 2011. The natural communities of Maryland: 2011 working list of ecological community groups and community types. Unpublished report. Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife and Heritage Service, Natural Heritage Program, Annapolis. 33 pp.
- Harrison, J. W., and P. Stango, III. 2003. Shrubland tidal wetland communities of Maryland''s Eastern Shore: Identification, assessment and monitoring. Maryland Natural Heritage Program, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis. 118 pp.
- Harrison, J. W., compiler. 2004. Classification of vegetation communities of Maryland: First iteration. A subset of the International Classification of Ecological Communities: Terrestrial Vegetation of the United States, NatureServe. Maryland Natural Heritage Program, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis. 243 pp.
- McAvoy, William. Personal communication. Botanist, Delaware Natural Heritage Program, Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Smyrna, DE.
- Patterson, K. D. 2008c. Vegetation classification and mapping at Colonial National Historical Park, Virginia. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2008/129. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 369 pp.
- Schafale, M. P. 2012. Classification of the natural communities of North Carolina, 4th Approximation. North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.