Print Report
CEGL007093 Ilex cassine - Morella cerifera / Woodwardia areolata - Sphagnum sp. Flotant Shrub Swamp
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Dahoon - Wax-myrtle / Netted Chainfern - Peatmoss species Flotant Shrub Swamp
Colloquial Name: Gulf Coast Dahoon - Wax-myrtle / Chainfern - Peatmoss Flotant Shrub Swamp
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This floating marsh of the Mississippi Deltaic Plain occurs on extensive floating peat mats. It is apparently restricted to one area of approximately 35 ha (88 acres), and has a ground layer dominated by Sphagnum sp., with Panicum hemitomon in more open areas, and abundant Woodwardia areolata in more shaded portions. The dominant woody plant is Morella cerifera, but there is substantial cover by taller individuals of Ilex cassine, Persea palustris, and Acer rubrum. Herbs that are present at low cover include Andropogon glaucopsis, Andropogon glomeratus, Cyperus haspan, Eleocharis albida, Hydrocotyle ranunculoides, Panicum verrucosum, Polygonum hydropiperoides, Rhynchospora microcephala, Rubus trivialis, Sacciolepis striata, Sagittaria lancifolia, Solidago sempervirens, Thelypteris palustris, Triadenum virginicum, and Xyris laxifolia var. iridifolia. This area differs from the physiognomy of the related ~Morella cerifera - Panicum hemitomon Floating Marsh (CEGL007834)$$ by having much more cover by taller woody plants, being at least a shrubland with trees, if not a woodland in terms of its physiognomy. Flotant marshes are dynamic systems and may switch from herbaceous dominance to shrub dominance in a cyclic pattern. Since floating marshes do not experience the stress of high floodwaters, shrubs may more easily become established in flotant marshes than in marshes rooted in the underlying substrate and subjected to floods. However, as shrubs become established and increase in biomass, the marsh mat becomes heavier and sinks, increasing flooding levels and killing off the woody shrubs.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Two other marsh communities dominated by Morella cerifera have been identified for coastal Louisiana. ~Morella cerifera - Panicum hemitomon Floating Marsh (CEGL007834)$$ is described as strongly dominated by Morella cerifera with Panicum hemitomon as the only other species often present. At Jean Lafitte, these two species often strongly codominate occurrences of CEGL007834. ~Morella cerifera / Typha domingensis - Sagittaria lancifolia - Eleocharis spp. Tidal Marsh (CEGL007241)$$ is described to accommodate vegetation that is more floristically diverse than ~Morella cerifera - Panicum hemitomon Floating Marsh (CEGL007834)$$. These communities appear to co-occur and intermingle in the marsh in the Louisiana Deltaic Plain and more information is needed to better understand the dynamics of these communities and whether they should be merged.
Nolfo-Clements (2006) identified a "wax-myrtle thicket" floating marsh community at Jean Lafitte dominated by Morella cerifera and Sphagnum spp. Associated species include Thelypteris palustris, Woodwardia areolata, Rhynchospora microcephala, Decodon verticillatus, Xyris laxifolia var. iridifolia (in clumps), Eupatorium perfoliatum, Ageratina altissima, Pluchea foetida, Solidago fistulosa, Acer rubrum, Triadica sebifera, Panicum hemitomon, and Sagittaria lancifolia.
Nolfo-Clements (2006) identified a "wax-myrtle thicket" floating marsh community at Jean Lafitte dominated by Morella cerifera and Sphagnum spp. Associated species include Thelypteris palustris, Woodwardia areolata, Rhynchospora microcephala, Decodon verticillatus, Xyris laxifolia var. iridifolia (in clumps), Eupatorium perfoliatum, Ageratina altissima, Pluchea foetida, Solidago fistulosa, Acer rubrum, Triadica sebifera, Panicum hemitomon, and Sagittaria lancifolia.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This shrub-herb marsh vegetation has a ground layer dominated by Sphagnum moss, with Panicum hemitomon in more open areas, and abundant Woodwardia areolata in more shaded portions. The dominant woody plant is Morella cerifera, but there is substantial cover by taller individuals of Ilex cassine, Persea palustris, and Acer rubrum. Herbs that are present at low cover include Andropogon glaucopsis, Andropogon glomeratus, Cyperus haspan, Eleocharis albida, Hydrocotyle ranunculoides, Panicum verrucosum, Polygonum hydropiperoides, Rhynchospora microcephala, Rubus trivialis, Sacciolepis striata, Sagittaria lancifolia, Solidago sempervirens, Thelypteris palustris, Triadenum virginicum (= Hypericum virginicum), and Xyris laxifolia var. iridifolia. This area differs from the physiognomy of the related ~Morella cerifera - Panicum hemitomon Flotant Marsh (CEGL007834)$$ by having much more cover by taller woody plants, being at least a shrubland with trees, if not a woodland in terms of its physiognomy (NatureServe unpubl. data 2015).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This is a floating marsh of the Mississippi Deltaic Plain. Flotant marshes are dynamic systems and may switch from herbaceous dominance to shrub dominance in a cyclic pattern (Battaglia et al. 2007). Since floating marshes do not experience the stress of high floodwaters, shrubs may more easily become established in flotant marshes than in marshes rooted in the underlying substrate and subjected to floods (Battaglia et al. 2007). However, as shrubs become established and increase in biomass, the marsh mat becomes heavier and sinks, increasing flooding levels and killing off the woody shrubs (Shirley and Battaglia 2008).
Geographic Range: As described, this community occurs in the Deltaic Plain of coastal Louisiana.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: LA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.952647
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G1G2
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.Ne Atlantic & Gulf Coastal Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division | D322 | 2.C.4.Ne |
| Macrogroup | 2.C.4.Ne.1 Annual Wild Rice - Saltmeadow Cordgrass - Pickerelweed Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Macrogroup | M066 | 2.C.4.Ne.1 |
| Group | 2.C.4.Ne.1.b <i>Zizaniopsis milacea - Spartina patens - Panicum hemotimon</i> Freshwater Tidal Marsh Group | G913 | 2.C.4.Ne.1.b |
| Alliance | A4482 <i>Morella cerifera - Rosa palustris</i> South Tidal Freshwater Shrubland Alliance | A4482 | 2.C.4.Ne.1.b |
| Association | CEGL007093 Dahoon - Wax-myrtle / Netted Chainfern - Peatmoss species Flotant Shrub Swamp | CEGL007093 | 2.C.4.Ne.1.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
- Battaglia, L. L., J. S. Denslow, J. R. Inczauskis, and S. G. Baer. 2009. Effects of native vegetation on invasion success of Chinese tallow in a floating marsh ecosystem. Journal of Ecology 97:239-246.
- Battaglia, L. L., J. S. Denslow, and T. G. Hargis. 2007. Does woody species establishment alter herbaceous community composition of freshwater floating marshes? Journal of Coastal Research 23(6):1580-1587.
- Couvillion, B. R., J. A. Barras, G. D. Steyer, W. Sleavin, M. Fischer, H. Beck, N. Trahan, B. Griffin, and D. Heckman. 2011. Land area change in coastal Louisiana from 1932 to 2010. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3164, scale 1:265,000. 12 pp. pamphlet.
- Couvillion, B. R., and H. Beck. 2013. Marsh collapse thresholds for coastal Louisiana estimated using elevation and vegetation index data. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue 63:58-67.
- Deegan L. A., H. M. Kennedy, and C. Neill. 1984. Natural factors and human modifications contributing to marsh loss in Louisiana''s Mississippi River deltaic plain. Environmental Management 8(6):519-528.
- Glick, P., J. Clough, A. Polaczyk, B. Couvillion, and B. Nunley. 2013. Potential effects of sea-level rise on coastal wetlands in southeastern Louisiana. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue 63:211-233.
- Howard R. J., and I. A. Mendelssohn. 1999. Salinity as a constraint on growth of oligohaline marsh macrophytes. I. Species variation in stress tolerance. American Journal of Botany 86(6):785-794.
- NatureServe Ecology - Southeastern United States. No date. Unpublished data. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- Neubauer, S. C. 2013. Ecosystem responses of a tidal freshwater marsh experiencing saltwater intrusion and altered hydrology. Estuaries and Coasts 36:491-507.
- Nolfo-Clements, L. E. 2006. Vegetative survey of wetland habitats at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in southeastern Louisiana. Southeastern Naturalist 5(3):499-514.
- Shirley, L. J., and L. L. Battaglia. 2008. Projecting fine resolution land-cover dynamics for a rapidly changing terrestrial-aquatic transition in Terrebonne Basin, Louisiana, U.S.A. Journal of Coastal Research 24(6):1545-1554.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- USGS [U.S. Geological Survey]. 2013b. Trends and causes of historical wetland loss in coastal Louisiana. Fact Sheet 2013-3017. U.S. Geological Survey. March 2013
- Whitbeck, Julie L., Ph.D. Personal communication. Ecologist, National Park Service, New Orleans, LA.
- Williams, S. J. 2013. Sea-level rise implications for coastal regions. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue 63:184-196. [http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/sltrends/msltrendstable.htm]
- Willis, J. M., and M. W. Hester. 2004. Interactive effects of salinity, flooding, and soil type on Panicum hemitomon. Wetlands 24(1):43-50.