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CEGL004195 Spartina cynosuroides Salt Marsh

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Big Cordgrass Salt Marsh

Colloquial Name: Atlantic Big Cordgrass Salt Marsh

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This community includes narrow, almost pure stands of Spartina cynosuroides along tidal creeks and sloughs or on levees of oligohaline tidal marshes along the central Atlantic coast. Some occurrences are nearly monospecific, while others have a diverse component of other graminoids and forbs. Where mixed, associated plants include Schoenoplectus pungens, Bolboschoenus robustus, Schoenoplectus americanus, Kosteletzkya virginica, Hibiscus moscheutos, Amaranthus cannabinus, Panicum virgatum, Peltandra virginica, and Polygonum punctatum. Where more saline, Spartina alterniflora and Iva frutescens can become more frequent. Where less saline, associates can include Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Pontederia cordata, Peltandra virginica, Leersia oryzoides, Mikania scandens, Rumex verticillatus, Echinochloa walteri, Polygonum hydropiperoides, and Typha angustifolia (or Typha domingensis in the south), among others. In more disturbed areas, this association can be displaced by Phragmites australis.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: ~Spartina cynosuroides - Panicum virgatum - Phyla lanceolata Salt Marsh (CEGL007741)$$ is similar in terms of dominant and codominant species, however, associated species differ somewhat and CEGL007741 occurs in wind-tidal situations in North Carolina and Virginia. North of New Jersey, Spartina cynosuroides is a component of brackish high marsh associations, but does not tend to dominate.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: Spartina cynosuroides is strongly dominant in this community, often occurring in pure stands. Where stands are mixed, common associates can include Bolboschoenus robustus (= Scirpus robustus), Schoenoplectus pungens (= Scirpus pungens), Schoenoplectus americanus (= Scirpus olneyi), Peltandra virginica, Kosteletzkya virginica, Amaranthus cannabinus, Panicum virgatum, Peltandra virginica, and Polygonum punctatum. Where more saline, Spartina alterniflora and Iva frutescens can become more frequent. Where less saline, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (= Scirpus validus), Polygonum hydropiperoides, Pontederia cordata, Peltandra virginica, Leersia oryzoides, Mikania scandens, Rumex verticillatus, Echinochloa walteri, and Typha angustifolia are also common associates. In more disturbed areas, this association can be displaced by Phragmites australis.

Dynamics:  Brackish marsh vegetation responds to interacting gradients of salinity and inundation. This association is irregularly flooded by spring and storm tides. Natural deposition occurs adjacent to river and creek channels, which builds natural levees with coarser, more freely drained substrates than the surrounding peat and silty muds. The riverbanks are freely drained and receive regular tidal flushing, which creates silty fibrous peat substrate. As brackish conditions diminish, species composition shifts to more freshwater species and the organic matter content in soils decreases.
Environmental Description:  This association occurs along tidal creeks, guts, and levees of oligohaline to mesohaline marshes in irregularly flooded high marsh situations, but in areas that are well-drained.
Geographic Range: This association occurs along the Atlantic coast from New Jersey to Georgia.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  DE, GA, MA, MD, NC, NJ, SC, VA


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.5 Salt Marsh Formation F035 2.C.5
Division 2.C.5.Nb North American Atlantic & Gulf Coastal Salt Marsh Division D034 2.C.5.Nb
Macrogroup 2.C.5.Nb.1 North American Atlantic & Gulf Coastal Salt Marsh Macrogroup M079 2.C.5.Nb.1
Group 2.C.5.Nb.1.d Southern Cattail - Bulrush species - Awl-leaf Arrowhead Tidal Salt Marsh Group G120 2.C.5.Nb.1.d
Alliance A4493 <i>Spartina alterniflora - Spartina cynosuroides - Carex paleacea</i> Brackish Tidal Marsh Alliance A4493 2.C.5.Nb.1.d
Association CEGL004195 Big Cordgrass Salt Marsh CEGL004195 2.C.5.Nb.1.d
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Spartina cynosuroides Herbaceous Vegetation (Coulling 2002)
= Spartina cynosuroides Tidal Herbaceous Vegetation (Clancy 1996)
? Big Cordgrass Community Type (Odum et al. 1984)
< Brackish Marsh (Wharton 1978)
Concept Author(s): A.S. Weakley

Author of Description: S.L. Neid

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 05-13-02
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