Print Report
M109 Nuphar polysepala - Azolla filiculoides - Elodea nuttallii Western North American Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Macrogroup
Type Concept Sentence: This macrogroup consists of rooted and floating freshwater aquatic herbaceous vegetation dominated by western U.S. aquatic species Azolla filiculoides, Azolla microphylla, Nuphar polysepala, Nymphaea tetragona, Stuckenia striata, and several other cosmopolitan species, found throughout the temperate regions of western North America.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Rocky Mountain Pond-lily - Pacific Mosquito Fern - Western Waterweed Western North American Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Macrogroup
Colloquial Name: Western North American Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation
Hierarchy Level: Macrogroup
Type Concept: This macrogroup consists of rooted, floating, and submerged freshwater aquatic herbaceous vegetation found throughout the temperate regions of western North America. Their occurrence tends to be small-patch or linear in spatial pattern, confined to lakes, ponds, oxbows, and slow-moving portions of rivers and streams. In large bodies of water, they are usually restricted to the littoral region where penetration of light is the limiting factor for growth. A variety of rooted or floating aquatic herbaceous species may dominate, including (but not limited to) Azolla filiculoides, Nuphar polysepala, Polygonum amphibium, Potamogeton foliosus, Potamogeton diversifolius, Potamogeton epihydrus, Potamogeton robbinsii, Ranunculus aquatilis, Ranunculus trichophyllus, and Wolffia spp. Submerged vegetation, such as Ceratophyllum demersum, Ceratophyllum echinatum, Elodea canadensis, Elodea nuttallii, Myriophyllum hippuroides, and Myriophyllum sibiricum, is often present. These communities occur in water too deep for emergent vegetation. Species composition is often dominated by cosmopolitan species but many regionally characteristic species may also occur. Characteristic western U.S. species include Azolla filiculoides, Azolla microphylla, Nuphar polysepala, Nymphaea tetragona, and Stuckenia striata.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Open water with rooted or floating herbaceous aquatic vegetation dominated by western U.S. aquatic species Azolla filiculoides, Azolla microphylla, Nuphar polysepala, Nymphaea tetragona, Stuckenia striata, and several other cosmopolitan species.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Many dominant species are cosmopolitan; many species are regionally characteristic. The geographic spilt between eastern and western North America may be too arbitrary, and needs further review. These are open water wetlands with floating aquatic plants, and do not include the adjacent emergent marsh (Scirpus, Schoenoplectus, Carex, Typha, etc.). Characteristic western U.S. species include Azolla filiculoides, Azolla microphylla, Nuphar polysepala, Nymphaea tetragona, and Stuckenia striata. Presumably Chara spp. also belong in this type, as well as other macrogroups within the formation.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Rooted, floating, or submerged aquatic herbaceous vegetation.
Floristics: A variety of rooted, floating, or submerged aquatic herbaceous species may dominate, including western U.S. characteristic species such as Azolla filiculoides, Azolla microphylla (= Azolla mexicana), Nuphar polysepala, Nymphaea tetragona, and Stuckenia striata. Most common dominants found in western U.S. waterbodies include Azolla filiculoides, Azolla microphylla, Bacopa eisenii, Brasenia schreberi, Callitriche heterophylla, Callitriche palustris, Ceratophyllum demersum, Elodea canadensis, Fontinalis antipyretica, Hippuris vulgaris, Isoetes bolanderi, Isoetes howellii, Isoetes nuttallii, Isoetes occidentalis, Isoetes tenella (= Isoetes echinospora), Lemna minor, Ludwigia palustris, Menyanthes trifoliata, Myriophyllum hippuroides, Myriophyllum sibiricum, Nuphar polysepala, Nymphaea odorata, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiperoides, Potamogeton diversifolius, Potamogeton foliosus, Potamogeton natans, Potamogeton richardsonii, Ranunculus aquatilis, Ranunculus lobbii, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Sagittaria latifolia, Schoenoplectus subterminalis, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium eurycarpum, Stuckenia filiformis, Stuckenia striata, Utricularia macrorhiza, Utricularia minor, Utricularia ochroleuca, Wolffia borealis, and Wolffia columbiana. These communities generally occur in water too deep for emergent vegetation. Floristic information compiled from Viereck et al. (1992), Holland and Keil (1995), Shephard (1995), Boggs (2000), and Boggs et al. (2008a).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: Climate: Temperate North America, west of the Great Plains. Soil/substrate/hydrology: Vegetation floating in freshwater is small-patch in size, confined to lakes, ponds, oxbows, and slow-moving portions of rivers and streams. In larger bodies of water, stands are usually restricted to the littoral region where penetration of light is the limiting factor for growth. Soils may be either mineral or organic, often with a mucky or mucky-mineral surface layer. Environmental information compiled from Viereck et al. (1992), Holland and Keil (1995), Shephard (1995), Boggs (2000), and Boggs et al. (2008a).
Geographic Range: This macrogroup consists of freshwater aquatic herbaceous vegetation found throughout the temperate regions of western North America, from the Rocky Mountains, including New Mexico to Alberta, west to California and southern coastal Alaska.
Nations: CA,MX?,US
States/Provinces: AB?, AK, BC, CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, WA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.860576
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 5 Aquatic Vegetation Class | C05 | 5 |
| Subclass | 5.B Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Subclass | S13 | 5.B |
| Formation | 5.B.2 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Formation | F057 | 5.B.2 |
| Division | 5.B.2.Na North American Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Division | D049 | 5.B.2.Na |
| Macrogroup | 5.B.2.Na.2 Rocky Mountain Pond-lily - Pacific Mosquito Fern - Western Waterweed Western North American Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Macrogroup | M109 | 5.B.2.Na.2 |
| Group | 5.B.2.Na.2.a Pond-lily species - Pondweed species - Duckweed species Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Group | G544 | 5.B.2.Na.2.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Freshwater Marshes: Open Water and Floating Island Zones (Mitsch and Gosselink 2000) [pp. 390-391]
< III.D.1. - Freshwater aquatic herbaceous (Viereck et al. 1992) [Alaska]
< Shallow Waters (MacKenzie and Moran 2004) [British Columbia]
< III.D.1. - Freshwater aquatic herbaceous (Viereck et al. 1992) [Alaska]
< Shallow Waters (MacKenzie and Moran 2004) [British Columbia]
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