rare plant communities in canaan valley, west virginia

nearly circular monotypic communities that are clearly visible from aerial photographs. Severallarge colonies of the rare sedge, Carex cannescens, and one colony of C. atherodes occur in thecentral part of the valley. Associated species are those listed for other wet meadow types. Thiscommunity type is typically associated with floodprone areas of streams and rivers, and inassociation with the edges of beaver impoundments.Juncus Marsh/Wet Meadow. This type is usually dominated by common rush. It appears that itsoccurrence as a dominant or co-dominant species is often correlated with disturbance,particularly along streams and areas that have been heavily impacted by past ATV activities.Mixed Graminoid-Forb Wet Meadow (Fig. 8). This highly variable mixture of commongraminoid and forb species occurs on a variety of mineral soils and under different hydrologicregimes. It may occur in large expanses near streams and rivers, in abandoned fields withseasonally high water tables, or as meadows that occur as an intermediate wetland type betweenuplands and shrub or forested wetlands. Generally, forbs are more important on drier sites. Themost frequently occurring graminoid species include redtop, bluejoint grass, sedges such asCarex folliculata, C. lurida, C. scoparia, C. stricta, C. vulpinoidea, C. gynandra, Americanmannagrass, rushes (Juncus effusus and J. subcaudatus), rice cut-grass, and bulrushes (Scirpusatrovirens and S. atrocinctus). Prominent forbs and ferns include bedstraw (Galium obtusum),dewberry, bog goldenrod, grass-leaved goldenrod, flat-topped white aster, marsh fern(Thelypteris palustris), and cinnamon fern. The following are common mixtures of graminoidsand forbs that occur as definable communities:Carex-Leersia-Calamagrostis-Glyceria Wet MeadowCarex-Scirpus-Solidago-Aster Wet MeadowCarex-Solidago-Rubus Wet MeadowGraminoid Wet Meadow/Marsh (Fig. 9). This is one of the few wetland graminoid communitiesfor which there is some evidence of occurrence before logging (Core 1966). Some bluejointgrass communities were cut for hay by early settlers. This type is similar to the graminoid-forbmeadows but with a clear dominance of one or more graminoid species. A further distinguishingfeature is that graminoid meadows generally develop under wetter hydrologic regimes than themixed graminoid-forb type. They are also often associated with disturbed habitats along streamswhere overbank flooding is frequent and where beaver activity has resulted in sustained highwater tables. Wet meadows are often dominated by bluejoint, rice cutgrass, or a combination ofmany of the same sedges and grasses listed for Mixed Graminoid-Forb Wet Meadow. Severalrare species are typically found in these habitats (e.g. American mannagrass and and marshspeedwell Veronica scutellata). The following are common mixtures of graminoids and forbsthat often occur as definable communities:Calamagrostis canadensis Wet MeadowLeersia oryzoides Wet Meadow/MarshScirpus Wet Meadow/MarshBluejoint grass typically dominates meadows along streams where there is frequent overbankflow. Associated species are the same as those found in mixed graminoid-forb wet meadows.The Carex type occurs frequently throughout the valley. The most frequently occurring sedgesare Carex folliculata, C. scoparia, C. stricta, and C. vulpinoidea. Associated species are thosecited in other wet meadow types. The Rush type is usually dominated by common rush. Theoccurrence of this type appears to be correlated with recent disturbances, particularly along8