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CEGL002018 Populus deltoides - Salix nigra - Acer saccharinum Floodplain Forest

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Eastern Cottonwood - Black Willow - Silver Maple Floodplain Forest

Colloquial Name: Midwestern Cottonwood - Black Willow - Silver Maple Floodplain Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This cottonwood - black willow - silver maple forest is characteristic of the fronts and banks of most major rivers and large streams throughout the Central Forest Region, extending into the northern forest particularly within the Mississippi, Ohio, and Missouri river systems. It develops on bare, moist soil on recently formed sand bars, front-land ridges, and well-drained flats, along with Salix interior, Eragrostis hypnoides, Leptochloa panicea ssp. brachiata, Lipocarpha micrantha, Rumex maritimus, Potentilla paradoxa, and Bidens spp. This natural community can also be found well-drained ridges in the first bottoms. Soils are formed in alluvium, are deep, medium-textured, and with adequate or excessive moisture available for vegetation during the growing season. The tree canopy is tall (to 30 m) and dominated by Populus deltoides, Salix nigra, and Acer saccharinum, although Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Acer negundo, Platanus occidentalis, and Ulmus americana are also commonly encountered. Tree diversity is limited due to the dynamics of flooding and resultant deposition and scouring of sediments. In earlier successional stages, the subcanopy can be strongly dominated by Salix nigra. The shrub layer is conspicuously absent in many parts of the range. Herbaceous growth can be thick and lush but is often patchy and sparse due to frequent inundation. Species most often encountered in the ground layer include Carex spp., Leersia oryzoides, Bidens spp., and Asteraceae spp.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: The name of the community has had Acer saccharinum added to it to highlight the distinction between this and ~Populus deltoides - Salix nigra / Mikania scandens Floodplain Forest (CEGL007346)$$. Kentucky occurrences are intermediate between the two. This type does not occur in Nebraska, where Salix nigra is a very uncommon tree species. In fact it is thought to have been incorrectly reported as more widespread in the state because it can be confused with Salix amygdaloides (G. Steinauer pers. comm. 2000). In floodplains with a history of agricultural activity, this type can also be found re-establishing on abandoned fields.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Cottonwood trees can exceed 30 m in height with massive trunks which fork into stout branches when growing on sites protected from prolonged severe flooding. Thick "dog hair" stands of cottonwood and willow occur on newly formed sand bars. This is an early-successional forest exhibiting rapid growth.

Floristics: This community is dominated by broadleaf deciduous trees. Canopy closure is complete, or nearly so, with few shrubs and limited tree species found in the type. The tree canopy is tall (to 30 m) and dominated by Populus deltoides, Salix nigra, and Acer saccharinum, although Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Acer negundo, and Ulmus americana are also commonly encountered. Tree diversity is limited due to the dynamics of flooding and deposition/scouring of sediments. The subcanopy can be strongly dominated by Salix nigra. The shrub layer is conspicuously absent in many parts of the range. Herbaceous growth can be thick and lush but is often patchy and sparse due to frequent inundation. Species most often encountered in the ground layer include Carex spp., Leersia oryzoides, Bidens spp., and Asteraceae spp. (TNC 1995a). Cottonwood trees can exceed 30 m in height with massive trunks which fork into stout branches when growing on sites protected from prolonged severe flooding. Thick "dog hair" stands of cottonwood and willow occur on newly formed sand bars. This is an early-successional forest exhibiting rapid growth.

Dynamics:  Stands develop on bare, moist soil on recently formed sand bars, front-land ridges, and well-drained flats, often forming a patchy scrub phase that includes other pioneer species. Frequent flooding contributes to a highly unstable ecosystem where substrate availability is constantly changing due to excessive water depth, scouring, and sediment deposition. The dynamic forces of flowing water maintain this early-successional forest type. Prolonged flooding in late winter and early spring and storms (wind and lightning damage) are the most significant contributors to natural disturbance in this community. This is a pioneer forest which quickly colonizes moist soils in banks along rivers, streams, lakes, and floodplain depressions. Cottonwood and black willow display phenomenal growth under favorable conditions in this forest. Species composition is uniform throughout the range of this community. Species density is governed by the duration and depth of flooding. The more stable sites display very large cottonwood trees with lush understory and herbaceous layers. Sites frequently affected by flooding exhibit dense even-aged stands of cottonwood and willow. This forest often has considerable deposits of woody debris and high tree mortality.
Environmental Description:  This community colonizes newly deposited substrates adjacent to rivers, lakes, streams, and in frequently flooded, low, wet depressions in floodplains. Dynamic substrate availability caused by frequent flooding encourages the establishment and maintenance of this community type. Frequent flooding contributes to a highly unstable ecosystem where substrate availability is constantly changing due to excessive water depth, scouring, and sediment deposition. The dynamic forces of flowing water maintain this early-successional forest type. Flooding is seasonal (early spring/late fall).

Soils are somewhat poorly drained to poorly drained (occasionally moderately well-drained), slowly to moderately permeable, and formed in silty, loamy, sandy, or clayey alluvial materials. Characteristic topography is undulating narrow to broad linear ridges and natural levees along sloughs, overflow channels, and intermediate terrain between ridges and depressions in river floodplains. Prominent physical properties include low organic matter and subsequent light color and acidic pH. Soils which support this floodplain forest are developed in sandy to clayey alluvial sediments deposited by large rivers on bottomlands. These soils are deep and moderately to extremely acidic with little or no horizon development. Major soil orders which support this natural community include Entisols and Inceptisols. In Illinois, soils which commonly support this floodplain forest include the Medway, Ware, Bowdre, Cairo, and Gorham Series. Other bottomland soils which can also support this forest include the Millington, Confrey, Ambraw, Wallkill, Birds, Bonnie, Wastenaw, Petrolia, Propolis, Blackroar, Otter Beaucoup, Sawmill, Colo, Calco, Fults, McFain, Cape, Bungay, Karnak, Titus, Shiloh, Darwin, Wabash Jacob, and Booker Series. Bedrock is deeply buried by alluvium deposited during floods. Rock units were formed during the Cenozoic Era. Twenty percent consists of tertiary marine deposits (lignitic sandy and argillaceous deposits). The remaining rock consists of equal amounts of Quaternary marine deposits of glacial outwash. Bedrock is deeply buried by alluvium deposited during floods. Rock units were formed during the Cenozoic Era. Twenty percent consists of tertiary marine deposits (lignitic sandy and argillaceous deposits). The remaining rock consists of equal amounts of Quaternary marine deposits of glacial outwash.
Geographic Range: This cottonwood - black willow - silver maple forest is characteristic of the fronts and banks of most major rivers and streams throughout the Central Forest Region, extending into the northern forest particularly within the Mississippi, Ohio, and Missouri River systems, extending from Ohio west to Minnesota, southward to Oklahoma, and east to Kentucky.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AR?, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MN, MO, NE, OH, OK, WI


Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3G4

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.Na Eastern North American-Great Plains Flooded & Swamp Forest Division D011 1.B.3.Na
Macrogroup 1.B.3.Na.1 Silver Maple - American Sycamore - Hackberry species Floodplain Forest Macrogroup M029 1.B.3.Na.1
Group 1.B.3.Na.1.a Silver Maple - Green Ash - American Sycamore Floodplain Forest Group G652 1.B.3.Na.1.a
Alliance A4472 <i>Acer saccharinum - Populus deltoides</i> Midwest Floodplain Forest Alliance A4472 1.B.3.Na.1.a
Association CEGL002018 Eastern Cottonwood - Black Willow - Silver Maple Floodplain Forest CEGL002018 1.B.3.Na.1.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Populus deltoides - Salix nigra / Leersia community (Voigt and Mohlenbrock 1964)
= Populus deltoides - Salix nigra Forest (TNC 1995a)
= Populus deltoides - Salix nigra Forest (Faber-Langendoen 2001) [Floodplain Forest Cottonwood-Willow Subtype]
< Black Willow: 95 (Eyre 1980)
= Cottonwood-Dogwood Floodplain Woodland (Steinauer and Rolfsmeier 2003)
< Cottonwood: 63 (Eyre 1980)
< Eastern Broadleaf Forests: 98: Northern Floodplain Forest (Populus-Salix-Ulmus) (Küchler 1964)
< Eastern Broadleaf and Needleleaf Forests (Küchler 1964)
Concept Author(s): D. Faber-Langendoen (2001)

Author of Description: M. Guetersloh and D. Faber-Langendoen

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 06-24-13
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