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CEGL002422 Acer rubrum - Gleditsia aquatica - Planera aquatica - Fraxinus profunda Swamp Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Red Maple - Water-locust - Planertree - Pumpkin Ash Swamp Forest
Colloquial Name: Red Maple - Water-locust Mixed Bottomland Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This red maple - southern hardwoods bottomland forest is found in the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain of the United States and adjacent riverine areas. Stands occur on the seasonally flooded bottomlands along rivers and large streams. Soils which support this forest are predominantly medium- and fine-textured, clayey, slowly permeable, alluvial sediments deposited in slackwater areas of floodplains. The water regime is characterized by seasonal shallow flooding, although hydrologic conditions are often extremely variable. This variability results in high species diversity at these sites. Acer rubrum and Fraxinus profunda are the dominant overstory species in this community, but Liquidambar styraciflua, Quercus lyrata, Quercus bicolor, and Ulmus rubra occur almost as frequently. Populus heterophylla is an uncommon associate. Acer rubrum and Fraxinus profunda dominate the subcanopy. The shrub layer can include a diverse mixture including Cephalanthus occidentalis, Forestiera acuminata, and Ilex decidua, but Itea virginica is characteristic of this community. Even with dense shading, the herbaceous layer is usually well-developed, displaying a preponderance of Carex spp., Leersia spp., Glyceria spp., with Boehmeria cylindrica, Laportea canadensis, and Pilea pumila. Vitis spp. are characteristic vines of this community, but Toxicodendron radicans and Campsis radicans are also prominent.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Acer rubrum var. drummondii is the variety of Acer rubrum found in this type. Distribution of this community in the Southeast needs verification. This natural community supports a diverse assemblage of bottomland hardwoods. Perhaps the most diagnostic characteristic of this community is the mixture of bottomland hardwoods found there. Species typical of wetter and drier sites are commonly encountered, but the diagnostic feature is shallow standing water or soil saturation for a significant portion of the growing season. Slight ridges within these flooded zones provide drier habitat for less flood-tolerant species. Dominance will vary according to site-specific physical conditions.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This community is most often associated with slight depressions or basins which receive seasonal flooding from nearby rivers or streams, and water is removed primarily by evapotranspiration. Considerable variability in local relief results in a complex mosaic of substrates exhibiting a wide range of moisture conditions. Tree canopy is 15-35 m tall and vine/liana 0.5-5 m.
Floristics: This community is dominated by broadleaf deciduous trees and well-developed understory, shrub, and herbaceous strata. It is characterized by dense growth and a great diversity of species. Acer rubrum and Fraxinus profunda are the dominant overstory species in this community, but Liquidambar styraciflua, Quercus lyrata, Quercus bicolor, and Ulmus rubra occur almost as frequently. Populus heterophylla is an uncommon associate. Acer rubrum and Fraxinus profunda dominate the subcanopy. The shrub layer can include a diverse mixture, including Cephalanthus occidentalis, Forestiera acuminata, and Ilex decidua, but Itea virginica is characteristic of this community. Even with dense shading, the herbaceous layer is usually well-developed, displaying a preponderance of Carex spp. and Leersia spp., Glyceria spp., and Boehmeria cylindrica, Laportea canadensis, Pilea pumila. Vitis spp. are characteristic vines of this community, but Toxicodendron radicans and Campsis radicans are also prominent. The Coastal Plain is well represented in this community by Taxodium distichum, Fraxinus profunda, and Gleditsia aquatica. Basal area can reach 40-42 m2/ha (Robertson et al. 1984, TNC 1995a).
Species variability and composition within this community are considerable as a result of a mosaic of moisture conditions controlled by seasonal flooding and local topography. Species variability within and among occurrences of this community is great and directly related to the level of saturation of the substrate. Acer rubrum var. drummondii is the typical variety of red maple found in these swamps in southern Illinois (Mohlenbrock 1986).
Species variability and composition within this community are considerable as a result of a mosaic of moisture conditions controlled by seasonal flooding and local topography. Species variability within and among occurrences of this community is great and directly related to the level of saturation of the substrate. Acer rubrum var. drummondii is the typical variety of red maple found in these swamps in southern Illinois (Mohlenbrock 1986).
Dynamics: Frequent or prolonged ponding due to excessive rainfall or beaver activity results in considerable variations in vegetative structure and composition, often causing high tree mortality. Flooding occurs during the winter and spring and often extends into the growing season. This community can be climax at the edge of swamps or in shallow depressions. It grades into both wetter Taxodium distichum and Nyssa aquatica - (Taxodium distichum) forests and drier Acer rubrum - Fraxinus spp. forests. This dynamic community may colonize available habitat when mature bald-cypress and water tupelo are removed by logging.
Environmental Description: Prolonged inundation and hydric soils are characteristic of this seasonally flooded forest. It is generally a community of floodplains, and water is removed from the system primarily by evapotranspiration (Golet et al. 1993). Stands occur on the seasonally flooded bottomlands along rivers and large streams in the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain. Soils which support this forest are predominantly medium- and fine-textured, clayey, slowly permeable, alluvial sediments deposited in slackwater areas of floodplains. The water regime is characterized by seasonal shallow flooding, although hydrologic conditions are often extremely variable.
Soils include dominantly level or nearly level soils that formed in water-deposited clayey or loamy sediments on floodplains of the Mississippi and other rivers and large perennial streams in the Coastal Plain. These soils are flooded or saturated for a significant portion of the growing season, and water is often ponded for most of the year in shallow depressions. These soils are very wet during the growing season (McNab and Avers 1994). Soils are Aquepts, Aqualfs, Aquents, Udolls, and Udalfs. Haplaquepts, Ochraqualfs, Fluraquents, Natraqualfs and Hapludalfs are found in backswamp areas and older natural levees. Dystrochrepts, Udifluvents, and Fluvaquents occur in smaller areas. Hydraquents and Medisaprists are in southern Louisiana. These soils have a udic or aquic moisture regime, thermic temperature regime, and montmorillonitic or mixed mineralogy. These soils formed in alluvium and are deep, medium-textured, and have adequate or excessive moisture available for vegetation. Bedrock is deeply buried Paleozoic sandstone or stratified Cenozoic marine deposits. Unconsolidated alluvial sediments need further characterization. This community is subjected to soil saturation or prolonged shallow flooding for a significant portion of the growing season. This flooding regime is highly variable, resulting in a wide variety of plant associations within this floodplain forest. Flooding can reach 1 m deep (Robertson et al. 1984).
Soils include dominantly level or nearly level soils that formed in water-deposited clayey or loamy sediments on floodplains of the Mississippi and other rivers and large perennial streams in the Coastal Plain. These soils are flooded or saturated for a significant portion of the growing season, and water is often ponded for most of the year in shallow depressions. These soils are very wet during the growing season (McNab and Avers 1994). Soils are Aquepts, Aqualfs, Aquents, Udolls, and Udalfs. Haplaquepts, Ochraqualfs, Fluraquents, Natraqualfs and Hapludalfs are found in backswamp areas and older natural levees. Dystrochrepts, Udifluvents, and Fluvaquents occur in smaller areas. Hydraquents and Medisaprists are in southern Louisiana. These soils have a udic or aquic moisture regime, thermic temperature regime, and montmorillonitic or mixed mineralogy. These soils formed in alluvium and are deep, medium-textured, and have adequate or excessive moisture available for vegetation. Bedrock is deeply buried Paleozoic sandstone or stratified Cenozoic marine deposits. Unconsolidated alluvial sediments need further characterization. This community is subjected to soil saturation or prolonged shallow flooding for a significant portion of the growing season. This flooding regime is highly variable, resulting in a wide variety of plant associations within this floodplain forest. Flooding can reach 1 m deep (Robertson et al. 1984).
Geographic Range: This red maple - southern hardwoods bottomland forest is found in the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain and adjacent riverine areas of the United States, ranging from Illinois to Kentucky, Arkansas, and Missouri, and possibly into Tennessee and Indiana.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AR, IL, IN?, KY, MO, TN?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.687957
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3G5
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 | A3592 Red Maple - Water-locust - Pumpkin Ash Swamp Forest Alliance | A3592 | 1.B.3.Nb.4.c |
| Association | CEGL002422 Red Maple - Water-locust - Planertree - Pumpkin Ash Swamp Forest | CEGL002422 | 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: = Acer rubrum - Gleditsia aquatica - Planera aquatica - Fraxinus profunda Forest (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Acer rubrum - Nyssa aquatica floodplain type (Robertson et al. 1984)
>< Fraxinus lanceolata [pennsylvanica] - Populus heterophylla / Cephalanthus community (Voigt and Mohlenbrock 1964) [The Fraxinus lanceolata [pennsylvanica] - Populus heterophylla / Cephalanthus community has no equivalent dominants to this association, but hydrology and understory dominants are very similar.]
>< Taxodium - Fraxinus tomentosa / Itea virginica community (Voigt and Mohlenbrock 1964)
< Baldcypress - Tupelo: 102 (Eyre 1980)
< Eastern Broadleaf and Needleleaf Forests: 113: Southern Floodplain Forest (Quercus-Nyssa-Taxodium) (Küchler 1964)
= Acer rubrum - Nyssa aquatica floodplain type (Robertson et al. 1984)
>< Fraxinus lanceolata [pennsylvanica] - Populus heterophylla / Cephalanthus community (Voigt and Mohlenbrock 1964) [The Fraxinus lanceolata [pennsylvanica] - Populus heterophylla / Cephalanthus community has no equivalent dominants to this association, but hydrology and understory dominants are very similar.]
>< Taxodium - Fraxinus tomentosa / Itea virginica community (Voigt and Mohlenbrock 1964)
< Baldcypress - Tupelo: 102 (Eyre 1980)
< Eastern Broadleaf and Needleleaf Forests: 113: Southern Floodplain Forest (Quercus-Nyssa-Taxodium) (Küchler 1964)
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