Ohio subset of Plant Communities of the Midwest ... - NatureServe

Open and Emergent Marshes: Eastern Emergent Marshes
Schoenoplectus fluviatilis - Schoenoplectus spp. Herbaceous Vegetation
River Bulrush - Bulrush Species Herbaceous Vegetation
River Bulrush Marsh
CEGL002221
DESCRIPTION: The diagnostic dominant is Schoenoplectus fluviatilis (= Scirpus fluviatilis), which often forms almost
mono-dominant patches. Other marsh associates include Typha angustifolia, Typha latifolia, Schoenoplectus
tabernaemontani (= Scirpus tabernaemontani), and Sparganium eurycarpum.
Sites are subject to seasonal flooding that typically draws down by late summer.
COMMENTS: 3, MCS. This type is weakly defined, often being treated as part of a mixed emergent marsh type.
Further work is needed to characterize its extent and composition. But its potentially extensive nature along major
rivers and dependence on flooding may make it a good indicator of natural flooding regimes. In the northern tallgrass
prairie and Mississippi River floodplains these marshes can be heavily degraded due to heavy siltation, nutrient
enrichment, and plowed floodplains (R. Dana, E. Epstein pers. comm. 1999).
CONSERVATION RANK: G3G4. In the northern tallgrass prairie these marshes can be heavily degraded due to heavy
siltation, nutrient enrichment, and plowed floodplains (R. Dana pers. comm. 1999). In the Mississippi River
floodplains, extensive stands once occurred, but they are now subject to very altered hydrologic regimes (since the
1930s) (Eric Epstein pers. comm. 1999).
DISTRIBUTION: This community is found throughout the central and upper midwestern United States where it is
found along large rivers and lakeshores, ranging from Ohio west to Manitoba and south to Iowa.
USFS ECOREGIONS: 212Ja:PPP, 222Ab:C, 222Ak:C, 222Gc:CCC, 222Kg:CCC, 222Md:CCC, 251Aa:C, 251Cd:CC,
251Cf:CCC, 251Ck:CCC
CONSERVATION REGIONS: 35:C, 36:C, 37:P, 44:P, 46:C, 48:C
STATES: IA IL IN MN MO OH WI PROVINCES: MB
MIDWEST HERITAGE SYNONYMY: IL
marsh (S); marsh (N) I
IN marsh +
MN mixed emergent marsh (prairie section) +
MO freshwater marsh +
OH mixed emergent marsh +
WI deep marsh (river bulrush subtype) =
OTHER SYNONYMY:
USNVC HIERARCHY: SCHOENOPLECTUS FLUVIATILIS SEASONALLY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE (V.A.5.N.k)
PLANT COMMUNITIES OF THE MIDWEST – 2001. APPENDIX: ASSOCIATION DESCRIPTIONS
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