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G123 Salicornia spp. - Sarcocornia spp. - Spartina spartinae Tidal Flat & Panne Group

Type Concept Sentence: These are tidally-influenced hypersaline areas found along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts from the New England states and the Canadian Maritime Provinces south to northern Mexico, dominated by Salicornia spp. and Sarcocornia spp., as well as Batis maritima, Distichlis spicata, Spartina alterniflora, Spartina spartinae, and/or Sporobolus virginicus.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Saltwort species - Swampfire species - Gulf Cordgrass Tidal Flat & Panne Group

Colloquial Name: Atlantic & Gulf Coastal Tidal Flat & Panne

Hierarchy Level:  Group

Type Concept: Vegetation of this group occupies tidally-influenced hypersaline areas along the Atlantic Coast and Gulf of Mexico region from the New England states and the Canadian Maritime Provinces, along the southeastern coast and south to northern Mexico. Examples of this vegetation may occur in patches throughout this relatively large range. The southern limit depends on where the temperate-tropical line is set in relation to this division. These irregularly tidally-flooded marshes are generally somewhat hypersaline from evaporation of seawater after storm surges or exceptionally high tides. They vary somewhat locally in expression, but all tend to exhibit low vascular plant diversity, dominated by halophytic species. There are relatively few plant species which are able to occupy these environments. These include various species of the succulent genera Salicornia spp. and Sarcocornia spp., as well as several grasses (which may be stunted), including Distichlis spicata, Spartina alterniflora, Spartina spartinae, and/or Sporobolus virginicus. Some more southerly associations may contain or be dominated by Batis maritima. Common associates include Atriplex spp., Limonium carolinianum, Monanthochloe littoralis, Plantago maritima var. juncoides, Suaeda maritima, and Triglochin maritima. Total vegetative cover is quite variable, from near total absence of vascular plants to a dense cover of vascular and nonvascular plants; however, unlike high marsh Spartina vegetation, pannes do not feature dense Spartina cover. Algal mats are characteristically present, visible even in densely vegetated pannes. In some cases, blue-green algae may contribute significantly more biomass than vascular species.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Salt marsh zonation has long been recognized and well-studied. The four groups in ~North American Atlantic & Gulf Coastal Salt Marsh Macrogroup (M079)$$ reflect these common salt marsh zones (low marsh, high marsh, brackish marsh, panne); see, for example, Adam (1990) and Mendelssohn and McKee (2000). This type description fits Atlantic Canada. Salt pannes there usually include Triglochin maritima, Glaux maritima, and Plantago maritima. In western Nova Scotia, they include Agalinis maritima (a coastal plain species).

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: These pannes are typically dominated by low, salt-tolerant forbs, with variable cover, and they typically occur as islands within other marsh vegetation. Stunted saltmarsh grasses may be present.

Floristics: There are relatively few plant species which are able to occupy these environments. These include various species of the succulent genera Salicornia (e.g., Salicornia depressa (= Salicornia virginica), Salicornia bigelovii, Salicornia maritima) and Sarcocornia (e.g., Sarcocornia pacifica), as well as several grasses (which may be stunted), including Distichlis spicata, Spartina alterniflora, Spartina spartinae, and/or Sporobolus virginicus. Some more southerly associations may contain or be dominated by Batis maritima. Other common associates include Agalinis maritima, Atriplex spp., Blutaparon vermiculare, Cynanchum angustifolium, Limonium carolinianum, Lycium carolinianum, Monanthochloe littoralis, Plantago maritima var. juncoides, Sesuvium portulacastrum, Suaeda maritima, Symphyotrichum tenuifolium (= Aster tenuifolius), and Triglochin maritima. Scattered individuals of Avicennia germinans can occur in Florida and southern Texas. Total vegetative cover is quite variable, from near total absence of vascular plants to a dense cover of vascular and nonvascular plants. Algal mats are characteristically present, visible even in densely vegetated pannes. Blue-green algae are an important component of these mats, in some cases contributing significantly more biomass to the community than do vascular species. The following algae were noted to occur in association with Spartina alterniflora in the littoral zone of a Massachusetts salt marsh: Hydrocoleum lyngbyaceum, Lyngbea spp., Microcoleus chthonoplastes, Nodularia harveyana, Oscillatoria amphibia, Oscillatoria subuliformis, and Symploca spp. (Webber 1967). In Atlantic Canada, in addition to the above species, salt pannes may include Glaux maritima, and in western Nova Scotia, they include Agalinis maritima (a coastal plain species) (S. Basquill pers. comm. 2015).

Dynamics:  Salt pannes are part of the shifting mosaic of plant communities of the salt marsh complex. They tend to occur more frequently on the high marsh, but are present in the low marsh as well. Pannes are variable in shape and likely variable in origin. Formation can result from ice-scouring or rafting flotsam that scrapes away or smothers existing vegetation, or from peat compaction, mosquito ditch levees, or tidal creekbank erosion that blocks or impedes drainage. Lack of vegetation decreases local sedimentation, which also maintains lower micro-relief (Redfield 1972). Evaporation from these poorly drained shallow depressions leads to hypersaline conditions (Niering and Warren 1980, Bertness et al. 1992). Gradients of salinity and standing water depth and duration correlate to vegetative cover and composition. The lowest portions of pannes tend to be wetter and more saline and can have little or no vegetation. As duration of wetness and salinity decrease across the micro-relief, forb-dominated species assemblages tend to dominate followed by mixed graminoid-forb assemblages at the outer, higher edges (Redfield 1972). Pannes can be ephemeral features on the marsh, and vegetation cover and composition can vary from year to year. Unvegetated, soft-bottomed pannes generally have plentiful worm and crab burrows (Godfrey et al. 1978).
Environmental Description:  Vegetation of this association tends to develop in shallow depressions in salt marshes where drainage is poor. They tend to occur more frequently on the high marsh but occur within low marsh as well. Pannes form in depressions that range from 2-30 cm lower than the elevation of the marsh. The depressions are regularly to irregularly flooded by tides, and as the water evaporates during low tide, the salinity concentration increases, forming "salt pannes." Substrate is soft, silty muck or peat of variable density.
Geographic Range: This hypersaline vegetation is found along the Atlantic Coast and Gulf of Mexico region from the New England states and the southern Maritime Provinces of Canada south to northern Mexico. The southern limit depends on where the temperate-tropical line is set in relation to this division.

Nations: CA,MX,US

States/Provinces:  AL, CT, DE, FL, GA, LA, MA, MD, ME, MS, MXTAM, NB, NC, NH, NJ, NS, NY, QC, RI, SC, TX, VA


Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR

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.b Saltwort species - Swampfire species - Gulf Cordgrass Tidal Flat & Panne Group G123 2.C.5.Nb.1.b
Alliance A3955 Turtleweed - Swampfire species - Saltwort species Intertidal Salt Flat Alliance A3955 2.C.5.Nb.1.b
Alliance A3956 Saltgrass - Seashore Dropseed Intertidal Salt Marsh Alliance A3956 2.C.5.Nb.1.b
Alliance A3957 Gulf Cordgrass - Seashore Dropseed - Shoregrass Intertidal Salt Marsh Alliance A3957 2.C.5.Nb.1.b
Alliance A4487 <i>Salicornia depressa - Salicornia maritima</i> Intertidal Salt Flat Alliance A4487 2.C.5.Nb.1.b
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Salicornia - Bassia salt flat (Harvill 1965) [Virginia]
= Salicornia tidal flat (Clovis 1968) [Virginia]
= Salicornietum ambiguae (Conard 1935) [New York]
= Sarcocornia perennis - (Distichlis spicata, Spartina alterniflora) Dwarf-shrubland (Bartgis 1986)
= Spartina alterniflora / Salicornia europaea community [Salt panne] (Clancy 1993b) [Delaware]
>< Glasswort-Saltwort Series (Diamond 1993)
= Pan (Nichols 1920) [Connecticut]
= Panne (Good 1965) [New Jersey]
= Panne marsh (Baumann 1978b) [Virginia]
= Pans (Higgins et al. 1971) [Assateague Island]
= Pans (Hill 1986) [Assateague Island]
? Salt Marsh (Rawinski 1984a) [formerly Southern New England and Gulf of Maine Salt Marshes]
= Salt marsh complex, pannes (Breden 1989) [New Jersey]
= Salt pan (Klotz 1986) [Virginia]
= Salt panne (Miller and Egler 1950) [Connecticut]
= Salt panne (Reschke 1990) [New York]
= Stunted Spartina alterniflora community (Miller and Egler 1950) [Connecticut]
Concept Author(s): W.R. Miller and F.E. Egler (1950)

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

Acknowledgements: Sean Basquill

Version Date: 06-05-15
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