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CEGL006244 Peltandra virginica - Polygonum amphibium var. emersum - Carex stricta - Impatiens capensis Marsh
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Green Arrow-arum - Longroot Smartweed - Upright Sedge - Orange Jewelweed Marsh
Colloquial Name: Virginia Ridge & Valley Calcareous Low Marsh
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This community is an herbaceous wetland of calcareous, groundwater-saturated sloughs, abandoned meanders, depressions, and toeslope spring overflows on large stream or river floodplain terraces in carbonate rock districts of the Ridge and Valley region. Soils typically have a surface horizon of organic muck (about 10 cm), or occasionally fibric peat, below which is a deep, gleyed or reduced clay with some organic matter. Soil samples collected from plots are strongly acidic but have high calcium, very high magnesium, and moderate total base saturation levels. Sites are more-or-less permanently saturated or flooded by perched groundwater or seepage inputs. The vegetation is marsh-like and characterized by a combination of coarse emergent forbs and sedges. Peltandra virginica, Polygonum amphibium var. emersum, Carex stricta, and Impatiens capensis are constant, high-cover species. More local patch-dominants include Sparganium eurycarpum, Carex trichocarpa, Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis, and Equisetum fluviatile. Other characteristic species are Nuphar advena, Boehmeria cylindrica, Symplocarpus foetidus, Polygonum sagittatum, Galium tinctorium, Leersia virginica, and Iris versicolor. Examples of this vegetation heavily disturbed by cattle grazing are frequently characterized by large, invasive clones of Phalaris arundinacea. In the absence of fires, prolonged flooding, and other natural disturbances, habitats supporting this community may also be invaded by woody swamp plants.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Data have been collected from five plots representing this vegetation type. Carex emoryi, formerly a nominal species, was misidentified in the plots defining this community type. Specimens collected in May 2013 from Cowbane were determined to be Carex stricta and the name has been changed to reflect that.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The vegetation is marshlike and characterized by a combination of coarse emergent forbs and sedges. Peltandra virginica, Polygonum amphibium var. emersum, Carex stricta, and Impatiens capensis are constant, high-cover species. More local patch-dominants include Sparganium eurycarpum, Carex trichocarpa, Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis (= Juncus balticus var. littoralis), and Equisetum fluviatile. Other characteristic species are Nuphar advena, Boehmeria cylindrica, Symplocarpus foetidus, Polygonum sagittatum, Galium tinctorium, Leersia virginica, and Iris versicolor. Mean species richness of five plot samples was 17 taxa per 100 m2. Examples of this vegetation heavily disturbed by cattle grazing are frequently characterized by large, invasive clones of Phalaris arundinacea. In the absence of fires, prolonged flooding, and other natural disturbances, habitats supporting this community may also be invaded by woody swamp plants such as Acer rubrum, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Rosa palustris, and Salix nigra.
Dynamics: This very rare vegetation type is highly threatened by impoundments and hydrological alterations, grazing, agricultural pollution, fire exclusion, and woody succession. One occurrence is protected on a state natural area preserve (Cowbane Natural Area Preserve).
Environmental Description: This community is an herbaceous wetland of calcareous, groundwater-saturated sloughs, abandoned meanders, depressions, and toeslope spring overflows on large stream or river floodplain terraces in carbonate rock districts of the Ridge and Valley region. Soils typically have a surface horizon of organic muck (about 10 cm), or occasionally fibric peat, below which is a deep, gleyed or reduced clay with some organic matter. Soil samples collected from plots are strongly acidic (perhaps the result of a rather high percent of organic matter) but have high calcium, very high magnesium, and moderate total base saturation levels. Sites are more-or-less permanently saturated or flooded by perched groundwater or seepage inputs. However, the amount of surface water usually fluctuates greatly during the growing season, so that the habitats are probably best considered seasonally flooded. During dry periods, the habitats were probably susceptible to occasional wildfires, at least historically.
Geographic Range: This community is known only from a few sites in the central Ridge and Valley region of Virginia (Augusta County). Further investigation is needed to determine whether this type occurs in West Virginia marl wetlands (Bartgis and Lang 1984).
Nations: US
States/Provinces: VA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.758658
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G1
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.2 Temperate to Polar Bog & Fen Formation | F016 | 2.C.2 |
| Division | 2.C.2.Na North American Bog & Fen Division | D029 | 2.C.2.Na |
| Macrogroup | 2.C.2.Na.2 Shrubby cinquefoil - Woolly-fruit Sedge / Star Campylium Moss Alkaline Fen Macrogroup | M877 | 2.C.2.Na.2 |
| Group | 2.C.2.Na.2.f North-Central Interior & Appalachian Alkaline Fen Group | G805 | 2.C.2.Na.2.f |
| Alliance | A4479 <i>Dasiphora fruticosa - Carex flava - Carex tetanica</i> Alkaline Fen Alliance | A4479 | 2.C.2.Na.2.f |
| Association | CEGL006244 Green Arrow-arum - Longroot Smartweed - Upright Sedge - Orange Jewelweed Marsh | CEGL006244 | 2.C.2.Na.2.f |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Peltandra virginica - Polygonum amphibium var. emersum - Carex emoryi - Impatiens capensis Herbaceous Vegetation (VDNH unpubl. data)
= Ridge and Valley Calcareous Spring Marsh (Arrow-Arum - Water Smartweed Type) (Fleming et al. 2004)
= Ridge and Valley Calcareous Spring Marsh (Arrow-Arum - Water Smartweed Type) (Fleming et al. 2004)
- Bartgis, R. L., and G. E. Lang. 1984. Marl wetlands in eastern West Virginia: Distribution, rare plant species, and recent history. Castanea 49:17-25.
- Eastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boston, MA.
- 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., P. P. Coulling, K. D. Patterson, and K. M. McCoy. 2004. The natural communities of Virginia: Classification of ecological community groups. Second approximation. Natural Heritage Technical Report 04-01. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond, VA. [http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/dnh/ncintro.htm]
- Fleming, G. P., and P. P. Coulling. 2001. Ecological communities of the George Washington and Jefferson national forests, Virginia. Preliminary classification and description of vegetation types. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond, VA. 317 pp.
- VDNH [Virginia Division of Natural Heritage]. No date. Unpublished data. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond.