Print Report

G322 Alnus spp. - Salix spp. - Spiraea spp. Wet Shrubland Group

Type Concept Sentence: This group includes alder, willow, and non-willow wet shrub swamps occurring on poorly drained, well-drained seasonally wet or saturated soils that may dry out completely during the growing season, on mineral or shallow (<30 cm) organic soils over mineral substrates. Stands may be dominated by Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata, Cornus sericea, Malus fusca, Rubus spectabilis, Salix hookeriana, Salix sitchensis, Spiraea douglasii, and/or Vaccinium uliginosum and are found west of the Pacific coastal mountain summits from Alaska to California.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Alder species - Willow species - Meadowsweet species Wet Shrubland Group

Colloquial Name: Vancouverian Wet Shrubland

Hierarchy Level:  Group

Type Concept: This group includes shrublands that occur on poorly drained or well-drained seasonally wet to saturated soils that may dry out completely during the growing season, mostly on mineral or shallow (<30 cm) organic or muck soils over mineral substrates. Stands may be dominated by Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata, Cornus sericea, Malus fusca, Rubus spectabilis, Salix hookeriana, Salix sitchensis, Spiraea douglasii, and/or Vaccinium uliginosum, singly or in various combinations. They may occur in mosaics with marshes or forested swamps, being on average more wet than forested swamps and more dry than marshes. However, it is also frequent for them to dominate entire wetland systems. Wetland species, including Carex aquatilis var. dives, Carex utriculata, Equisetum fluviatile, and Lysichiton americanus, dominate the understory. On some sites, Sphagnum spp. are common in the understory. This group includes wet shrublands found throughout the Pacific Northwest coast, from Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound, Alaska, to the northern coast of California. These are deciduous broadleaf tall shrublands that are located in depressions, around lakes or ponds, or river terraces where water tables fluctuate seasonally (mostly seasonally flooded regime), in areas that receive nutrient-rich waters. These depressions are poorly drained with fine-textured organic, muck or mineral soils and standing water common throughout the growing season.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Shrublands that occur on poorly drained or well-drained seasonally wet to saturated soils that may dry out completely during the growing season, mostly on mineral or shallow (<30 cm) organic or muck soils over mineral substrates.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: No Data Available

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: These are deciduous broadleaf tall shrublands that are located in depressions, around lakes or ponds, or river terraces where water tables fluctuate seasonally (mostly seasonally flooded regime), in areas that receive nutrient-rich waters. They occur as linear bands or stringers, and can form small patches around springs and seeps.

Floristics: Wet shrub swamps are dominated by one of several species, singly or in various combinations. Dominant shrub species include Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia (= Alnus tenuifolia), Alnus viridis ssp. crispa (= Alnus crispa), Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata (= Alnus sinuata), Cornus sericea, Malus fusca, Rubus spectabilis, Salix hookeriana, Salix sitchensis, Spiraea douglasii, Vaccinium cespitosum, and/or Vaccinium uliginosum. The shrub layer can have many dead stems. Wetland species, including Carex aquatilis var. dives (= Carex sitchensis), Carex utriculata, Equisetum fluviatile, and Lysichiton americanus, dominate the understory. On some sites, Sphagnum spp. are common in the understory. Floristic information was compiled from Franklin and Dyrness (1973), Eyre (1980), Meidinger et al. (1988), Lloyd et al. (1990), MacKinnon et al. (1990), Viereck et al. (1992), Banner et al. (1993), DeLong et al. (1993, 1994), Steen and Coupe (1997), Ecosystems Working Group (1998), DeVelice et al. (1999), Boggs (2002), DeLong (2003), Chappell and Christy (2004), and Boggs et al. (2008b).

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  Stands that belong to this group are located in depressions, around lakes or ponds, or river terraces where water tables fluctuate seasonally (mostly seasonally flooded regime), in areas that receive nutrient-rich waters. These depressions are poorly drained with fine-textured organic, muck or mineral soils and standing water common throughout the growing season. Environmental information was compiled from Franklin and Dyrness (1973), Eyre (1980), Meidinger et al. (1988), Lloyd et al. (1990), MacKinnon et al. (1990), Viereck et al. (1992), Banner et al. (1993), DeLong et al. (1993, 1994), Steen and Coupe (1997), Ecosystems Working Group (1998), DeVelice et al. (1999), Boggs (2002), DeLong (2003), Chappell and Christy (2004), and Boggs et al. (2008b).
Geographic Range: This group occurs throughout the Pacific Northwest coast, from Cook Inlet basin and Prince William Sound, Alaska, to the northern coast of California.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  AK, BC, CA, OR, WA


Confidence Level: Moderate

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.4 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Formation F013 2.C.4
Division 2.C.4.Nb Western North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division D031 2.C.4.Nb
Macrogroup 2.C.4.Nb.4 Vancouverian Lowland Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup M073 2.C.4.Nb.4
Group 2.C.4.Nb.4.c Alder species - Willow species - Meadowsweet species Wet Shrubland Group G322 2.C.4.Nb.4.c
Alliance A1123 Bog Blueberry - Dwarf Bilberry Wet Shrubland Alliance A1123 2.C.4.Nb.4.c
Alliance A2577 Oregon Crabapple Shrub Swamp Alliance A2577 2.C.4.Nb.4.c
Alliance A2609 Salmonberry Wet Shrubland Alliance A2609 2.C.4.Nb.4.c
Alliance A3833 Sitka Alder - Siberian Alder - Vine Maple Shrub Swamp Alliance A3833 2.C.4.Nb.4.c
Alliance A3834 Red-osier Dogwood Pacific Slope Shrub Swamp Alliance A3834 2.C.4.Nb.4.c
Alliance A3835 Dune Willow - Sitka Willow - Rose Spirea Wet Shrubland Alliance A3835 2.C.4.Nb.4.c
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
Concept Author(s): G. Kittel, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2011)

Author of Description: G. Kittel, K. Boggs, C. Chappell, P. Comer, M.S. Reid

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-02-15
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