Print Report
CEGL004654 Taxodium distichum / Carex hyalinolepis Tidal Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Bald-cypress / Shoreline Sedge Tidal Woodland
Colloquial Name: Bald-cypress / Shoreline Sedge Tidal Woodland
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This community occurs in narrow bands along the fringes of wind-tidal marshes on the Northwest River and North Landing River in southeastern Virginia, and likely occurs in northeastern North Carolina as well. It also occurs on the Pocomoke River of Maryland, where it is influenced by lunar, rather than wind tides. Substrates are poorly decomposed to moderately decomposed, root-rich peats. These sites are frequently flooded by wind tides or lunar tides and have some standing water throughout the growing season. This community usually develops in narrow ecotones between water-fringing marshes and tidal swamp forests, but may also occur between marshes and upland forests. Taxodium distichum dominates the open to sparse canopy. Other less common tree species may include Nyssa biflora, Liquidambar styraciflua, and Acer rubrum. Fraxinus profunda and occasional Chamaecyparis thyoides also occur in Maryland examples. The sparse to moderately dense shrub layer is dominated by Morella cerifera, Clethra alnifolia, Rosa palustris, and Toxicodendron radicans ssp. radicans. The herbaceous layer is very well-developed and is dominated by swards of Carex hyalinolepis. Despite the dense growth of this rhizomatous sedge, the herb layer is diverse. Herbaceous species include those more typical of forested swamps, such as Saururus cernuus, Triadenum walteri, and Woodwardia areolata, and those typical of marshes, such as Eleocharis fallax, Typha angustifolia, Panicum virgatum, Leersia oryzoides, Polygonum arifolium, Polygonum punctatum, Osmunda cinnamomea, and Schoenoplectus americanus. Some species, including the dominant Carex hyalinolepis, reach their nodal abundance in the landscape in this community.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association was part an analysis of over 300 tidal arboreal vegetation plots from Virginia and Maryland. It was classified based on five plots from Virginia and Maryland. It most likely also occurs in North Carolina.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The open canopy is dominated by Taxodium distichum, with less common associates including Nyssa biflora, Liquidambar styraciflua, Acer rubrum, and in Maryland, Fraxinus profunda and Chamaecyparis thyoides. The sparse to moderately dense shrub layer is dominated by Morella cerifera (= Myrica cerifera var. cerifera), Clethra alnifolia, Rosa palustris, and Toxicodendron radicans ssp. radicans. The herbaceous layer is very well-developed and is dominated by swards of Carex hyalinolepis. Despite the dense growth of this rhizomatous sedge, the herb layer is diverse. Herbaceous species include those more typical of forested swamps, such as Saururus cernuus, Triadenum walteri, and Woodwardia areolata, and those typical of marshes, such as Eleocharis fallax, Typha angustifolia, Panicum virgatum, Leersia oryzoides, Polygonum arifolium, Polygonum punctatum, Osmunda cinnamomea, and Schoenoplectus americanus. Some species, including the dominant Carex hyalinolepis, reach their nodal abundance in the landscape in this community. Carex hyalinolepis often forms dense patches reaching 80% cover, although the herbaceous layer can achieve high species diversity overall. Exotic species Lonicera japonica and Microstegium vimineum are reported from some stands (Harrison et al. 2004).
Dynamics: This vegetation occurs in fresh to oligohaline conditions but can receive greater salinity pulses during storm tides. Wind tides influence this vegetation in Virginia, while lunar tides form the prevalent dynamic in Maryland examples.
Environmental Description: This association occurs on the slightly elevated alluvial floodplains on the oligohaline to freshwater tidal portions of tidal rivers. It forms a narrow band that is transitional to non-tidal wetlands or to uplands. In Virginia, wind tides are the prevalent dynamic, and in Maryland the tidal regime is lunar. The substrate is relatively firm, exhibiting slight to moderate hummock-and hollow-microtopography. In Maryland examples, salinity is typically less than 0.5 ppt but may be greater with storm tide salinity pulses or with lower river flow (Harrison et al. 2004).
Geographic Range: This association occurs on the Coastal Plain from Maryland to Virginia, with a likelihood of occurrence in North Carolina.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: MD, NC?, VA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.688972
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2?
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 | A3595 Bald-cypress - Swamp Tupelo Tidal Swamp Forest Alliance | A3595 | 1.B.3.Nb.4.c |
| Association | CEGL004654 Bald-cypress / Shoreline Sedge Tidal Woodland | CEGL004654 | 1.B.3.Nb.4.c |
Concept Lineage: This type restored (LAS 1-06).
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Taxodium distichum / Carex hyalinolepis Tidal Woodland (Harrison et al. 2004)
- 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, Gary P. Personal communication. Ecologist, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond, VA.
- 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., P. Stango, III, and M. C. Aguirre. 2004. Forested tidal wetland communities of Maryland''s eastern shore: Identification, assessment, and monitoring. Unpublished report submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency. Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program, Annapolis. 96 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.
- 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.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.