Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Common Buttonbush - Pale Dogwood - Black Willow / Cypress Swamp Sedge - Swamp Smartweed Beaver Pond Shrub Swamp

Colloquial Name: Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain Beaver Pond Margin

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This hydric shrubland of the Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain occurs in areas of shallowly (to 1 m) ponded water which are most often created by beaver activity. Examples may range from predominately herbaceous vegetation with scattered emergent shrubs or trees to shrub-dominated examples. This community occurs in areas with long periods of inundation, saturated soils, and abundant sunlight. Dominant shrubs include Cephalanthus occidentalis, Cornus obliqua, and Salix nigra with Acer negundo, Acer rubrum var. drummondii, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Liquidambar styraciflua, Nyssa sylvatica, Quercus nigra, Quercus phellos, Taxodium distichum, and Ulmus americana occurring as occasional shrubby trees (often chewed on by beaver), seedlings, dead trees, or isolated overstory trees. Woody vines include Smilax bona-nox, Smilax rotundifolia, Toxicodendron radicans, Vitis aestivalis, and Vitis rotundifolia. The herbaceous layer is dominated by sedges and Polygonum hydropiperoides. The herbaceous layer is usually dense and can be over 1 m tall. These ponds can appear almost anywhere within the riparian landscape, mixed with many forest types, and can be quite large (to 100+ acres). Most hold water throughout the year, but some are ephemeral with the beaver moving to the river channel as the ponds dry up. Examples are known from Big Cypress Unique Area and Pine Bluff Arsenal. This community likely occurs throughout the Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain. The type location is in Dallas County, Arkansas. It is also known from Jefferson County, Arkansas.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This type may be covered by ~Cephalanthus occidentalis / Carex spp. - Lemna spp. Southern Shrub Swamp (CEGL002191)$$, but it does not have such deep muck and organic layers and the shrub layer is more diverse and not always so dominated by buttonbush. Some areas may fit better in semipermanently flooded herbaceous. The more herbaceous and more shrubby types are combined in this description. Natural and semipermanent beaver ponds are much messed with and are probably rare.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available

note: No Data Available