Vegetation Classification and Mapping Project Report - USGS

More documents

Recommendations

Info

USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Colonial National Historical Park COMMON NAME (PARK-SPECIFIC): COASTAL PLAIN CALCAREOUS SEEPAGE SWAMP SYNONYMS USNVC English Name: Red Maple - Green Ash / Golden Groundsel - Bromelike Sedge - Lesser Clearweed - Smooth Beggarticks Forest USNVC Scientific Name: Acer rubrum - Fraxinus pennsylvanica / Packera aurea - Carex bromoides - Pilea fontana - Bidens laevis Forest USNVC Identifier: CEGL006413 LOCAL INFORMATION Environmental Description: Coastal Plain Calcareous Seepage Swamp includes deciduous forests occurring on moderately to highly base-rich substrates in the bottoms of ravines that have downcut into Tertiary shell deposits or limesands. Habitats consist of mucky, braided ravine bottoms saturated by constant groundwater seepage, and soils with high base status. Hummockand-hollow microtopography is prevalent, and exposed shells are common in springs and rills. Vegetation Description: Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash) and Acer rubrum (red maple) are common overstory trees in most stands, but a subset of ravines on the south side of the James River features the unusual codominance of Taxodium distichum (bald cypress). Climbing lianas and seedlings of Decumaria barbara (woodvamp) are abundant. Small trees and shrubs include Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash), Ulmus americana (American elm), Liquidambar styraciflua (sweetgum), and Lindera benzoin (northern spicebush). Common or patch-dominant herbs on the better-drained hummocks include Packera aurea (golden ragwort), Scirpus lineatus (drooping bulrush), Carex bromoides (bromelike sedge), Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens (eastern marsh fern), Cicuta maculata var. maculata (spotted water hemlock), and Carex granularis (limestone meadow sedge). Mucky hollows and seepage rills support abundant Saururus cernuus (lizard's tail), Bidens laevis (smooth beggartick), Pilea fontana (lesser clearweed), Glyceria striata (fowl mannagrass), and Impatiens capensis (jewelweed). Disturbed stands of this type may have Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore) in the canopy. Some stands are codominated by Taxodium distichum (bald cypress). Most Abundant Species: Stratum Lifeform Species Tree canopy Broad-leaved deciduous tree Acer rubrum (red maple), Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash) Herb (field) Forb Packera aurea (golden ragwort), Saururus cernuus (lizard's tail) Herb (field) Graminoid Scirpus lineatus (drooping bulrush) Characteristic Species: Acer rubrum (red maple), Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash), Packera aurea (golden ragwort), Pilea fontana (lesser clearweed), Saururus cernuus (lizard's tail), Scirpus lineatus (drooping bulrush). Other Noteworthy Species: Species GRank Type Note Ponthieva racemosa (hairy shadow witch) - plant VA watchlist (S3) Scirpus lineatus (drooping bulrush) - plant VA watchlist (S3) 258
USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Colonial National Historical Park Subnational Distribution with Crosswalk Data: State SRank Rel Conf SName Reference VA SNR* B 1 Coastal Plain / Piedmont Basic Fleming et al. 2006 Seepage Swamp Local Range: Coastal Plain Calcareous Seepage Swamp is mapped at Swanns Point, along Colonial Parkway near Papermill Creek, and in various ravine bottoms in the vicinity of Yorktown Battlefield. Classification Comments: Coastal Plain Calcareous Seepage Swamp is easily recognized in the field by its occurrence in narrow ravine bottoms and the characteristic canopy and herbaceous flora. Some wetlands mapped as Disturbed Seepage Swamp may have once been this association, but now lack the species composition to confidently classify them as this association. Other Comments: High-quality examples of Coastal Plain Calcareous Seepage Swamp are uncommon throughout the range of this globally rare association. Even though only three examples of this association in Colonial National Historical Park meet the criteria to be considered a Natural Heritage exemplary natural community occurrence, all examples of this native plant association should be targets for conservation and management. These habitats are generally wet and somewhat protected from fire. Several uncommon odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) depend on forested seeps for breeding habitat. Coastal Plain Calcareous Seepage Swamps are relatively small in size and threatened by beaver activities, agricultural pollutants, hydrologic disturbances, and logging. Local Description Authors: K. D. Patterson. Plots: COLO.4, COLO.5, COLO.8. Colonial National Historical Park Inventory Notes: Information not available. GLOBAL INFORMATION USNVC CLASSIFICATION Physiognomic Class Forest (I) Physiognomic Subclass Deciduous forest (I.B.) Physiognomic Group Cold-deciduous forest (I.B.2.) Physiognomic Subgroup Natural/Semi-natural cold-deciduous forest (I.B.2.N.) Formation Saturated cold-deciduous forest (I.B.2.N.g.) Alliance Acer rubrum - Fraxinus pennsylvanica Saturated Forest Alliance (A.3035) Alliance (English name) Red Maple - Green Ash Saturated Forest Alliance Association Acer rubrum - Fraxinus pennsylvanica / Packera aurea - Carex bromoides - Pilea fontana - Bidens laevis Forest Association (English name) Red Maple - Green Ash / Golden Groundsel - Bromelike Sedge - Lesser Clearweed - Smooth Beggarticks Forest Ecological System(s): Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Calcareous Ravine (CES203.069). GLOBAL DESCRIPTION Concept Summary: This calcareous seepage swamp occurs on the Virginia Coastal Plain on groundwater-saturated stream bottoms in ravines that have cut into Tertiary shell deposits or limesands. Braided streams and hummock-and-hollow microtopography are characteristic of the environmental setting. Soils are highly calcareous with pH values up to 7.4 and calcium levels that range up to 6000 ppm. The tree canopy is consistently codominated by Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash) and Acer rubrum (red maple) with a few other species locally important. The shrub layer is typically open and contains Lindera benzoin (northern spicebush), Morella cerifera (wax myrtle), Carpinus caroliniana (American hornbeam), and Cornus foemina 259
Page 1 and 2:
National Park Service U.S. Departme
Page 3 and 4:
USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program
Page 5 and 6:
Page 7 and 8:
Page 9 and 10:
Page 11 and 12:
Page 13 and 14:
Page 15 and 16:
Page 17 and 18:
Page 19 and 20:
Page 21 and 22:
Page 23 and 24:
Page 25 and 26:
Page 27 and 28:
Page 29 and 30:
Page 31 and 32:
Page 33 and 34:
Page 35 and 36:
Page 37 and 38:
Page 39 and 40:
Page 41 and 42:
Page 43 and 44:
Page 45 and 46:
Page 47 and 48:
Page 49 and 50:
Page 51 and 52:
Page 53 and 54:
Page 55 and 56:
Page 57 and 58:
Page 59 and 60:
Page 61 and 62:
Page 63 and 64:
Page 65 and 66:
Page 67 and 68:
Page 69 and 70:
Page 71 and 72:
Page 73 and 74:
Page 75 and 76:
Page 77 and 78:
Page 79 and 80:
Page 81 and 82:
Page 83 and 84:
Page 85 and 86:
Page 87 and 88:
Page 89 and 90:
Page 91 and 92:
Page 93 and 94:
Page 95 and 96:
Page 97 and 98:
Page 99 and 100:
Page 101 and 102:
Page 103 and 104:
Page 105 and 106:
Page 107 and 108:
Page 109 and 110:
Page 111 and 112:
Page 113 and 114:
Page 115 and 116:
Page 117 and 118:
Page 119 and 120:
Page 121 and 122:
Page 123 and 124:
Page 125 and 126:
Page 127 and 128:
Page 129 and 130:
Page 131 and 132:
Page 133 and 134:
Page 135 and 136:
Page 137 and 138:
Page 139 and 140:
Page 141 and 142:
Page 143 and 144:
Page 145 and 146:
Page 147 and 148:
Page 149 and 150:
Page 151 and 152:
Page 153 and 154:
Page 155 and 156:
Page 157 and 158:
Page 159 and 160:
Page 161 and 162:
Page 163 and 164:
Page 165 and 166:
Page 167 and 168:
Page 169 and 170:
Page 171 and 172:
Page 173 and 174:
Page 175 and 176:
Page 177 and 178:
Page 179 and 180:
Page 181 and 182:
Page 183 and 184:
Page 185 and 186:
Page 187 and 188:
Page 189 and 190:
Page 191 and 192:
Page 193 and 194:
Page 195 and 196:
Page 197 and 198:
Page 199 and 200:
Page 201 and 202:
Page 203 and 204:
Page 205 and 206:
Page 207 and 208: USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program
Page 257: USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program
Page 309 and 310:
Page 311 and 312:
Page 313 and 314:
Page 315 and 316:
Page 317 and 318:
Page 319 and 320:
Page 321 and 322:
Page 323 and 324:
Page 325 and 326:
Page 327 and 328:
Page 329 and 330:
Page 331 and 332:
Page 333 and 334:
Page 335 and 336:
Page 337 and 338:
Page 339 and 340:
Page 341 and 342:
Page 343 and 344:
Page 345 and 346:
Page 347 and 348:
Page 349 and 350:
Page 351 and 352:
Page 353 and 354:
Page 355 and 356:
Page 357 and 358:
Page 359 and 360:
Page 361 and 362:
Page 363 and 364:
Page 365 and 366:
Page 367 and 368:
Page 369:
show all

Vegetation Classification and Mapping Project Report - USGS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?