Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R057XY001MN
Marsh
Last updated: 10/03/2023
Accessed: 11/21/2024
General information
Provisional. A provisional ecological site description has undergone quality control and quality assurance review. It contains a working state and transition model and enough information to identify the ecological site.
MLRA notes
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 057X–Northern Minnesota Gray Drift
The Northern Minnesota Gray Drift (57) is located within the Northern Lakes Forest and Forage Region. This area is entirely in north-central Minnesota and makes up about 9,785 square miles (Figure 1). The entire area is covered by Wisconsin-age glacial drift. The glacial deposits are from four major ice lobes-Des Moines, Rainy, Superior, and Wadena. The landscape developed through a series of glaciations and the subsequent retreating and wasting of the ice sheets, which resulted in a complex pattern of moraines, outwash plains, drumlins, lake plains and drainages. Lakes, ponds and marshes are common. The thickness of the glacial till ranges from 90 to 185 meters. Some areas of these deposits are overlain by outwash or lacustrine sediments. Some depressional areas have an accumulation of organic matter. The organic deposits are more than 2.5meters thick in some areas. Elevation ranges from 300 to 500 meters across the area. (USDA-NRCS 2006)
Prior to settlement, the vegetation in this area was mainly a mixture of deciduous trees and conifers. White Pine and red pine grew on moraines. Jack pine was dominant on outwash plains and sandy lake plains. Red oak, sugar maple, and basswood grew in sheltered areas close to lakes. Forested lowlands were dominated by black spruce, tamarack, white cedar, and black ash. Wetlands that were not forested were dominated by sedge meadow communities. The western part of the area was dominated by tall prairie grasses. Most of this area is still forested today, aspen as become the most common species both in pure stands and mixed stands with birch, maple, oak, white spruce, and red pine. (USDA-NRCS 2006)
The dominant soil orders in this MLRA are Alfisols, Entisols, and Histisols. Some Mollisols are in the westernmost part of the area. The soils in the area have a frigid soil temperature regime; aquic or udic soil moisture regime, and mixed mineralogy. Their natural drainage class is related to landscape position. In general, the Alfisols formed in till on moraines, Entisols formed in outwash on moraines and outwash plains, and Histosols formed in organic material over outwash or till on moraines or outwash plains. (USDA-NRCS 2006)
Classification relationships
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): Northern Minnesota Gray Drift (57) (USDA Handbook 296, 2006)
USFS Subregions: Northern Minnesota Drift & Lake Plain Section (212N); Chippewa Plains Subsection (212Na), Pine Moraines & Outwash Plains Subsections (212Nc), St. Louis Moraines Subsection (212Nb); Minnesota & NE Iowa Morainal Section (222M); Hardwood Hills Subsection (222Ma); Northern Superior Uplands Section (212L); Nashwauk Uplands Subsection (212Lc); Northern Minnesota & Ontario Peatlands Section (212M); Littlefork-Vermillion Uplands Subsection (212Ma) (Cleland et al. 2007).
US EPA Level IV Ecoregion: Itasca and St. Louis Moraines (50q); Chippewa Plains (50r); Nashwauk/Marcell Moraines and Uplands (50s); Alexandria Moraines and Detroit Lakes Outwash Plain (51j); McGrath Till Plain and Drumlins (51k); Wadena/Todd Drumlins and Osakis Till Plain (51l)(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2013)
Ecological site concept
Marsh sites typically occurs on slightly concave landscape positions in closed depressions, shallow wetland basins, drainage ways; and adjacent to open water along lakeshore, ponds, and near streams. Soil surface textures are typically muck or mucky-modified surface layers over variable parent materials. Soils are typically saturated on all horizons, frequently ponded, and inundated with water for very long duration, at least 7 out of 12 months.
Associated sites
F057XY002MN |
Wet Depressional Forest Wet Depressional Forest occurs in shallow wetland basins, closed depressions, and generally in narrow transition zones between mineral uplands and peatlands. Soil surface layers are typically mucky-modified surface textures or muck less than 8” thick over variable parent materials. |
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F057XY003MN |
Peatland Peatland occurs in shallow wetland basins, closed depressions, and along drainage ways. Soils are occasionally ponded with standing water in spring but tend to recede by late summer. Soil surface layers are typically muck 8 to 16” thick over variable parent materials. |
R057XY005MN |
Open Peatland Open Peatland occurs on level to gently sloping surfaces. Soils have greater than 16” of organic material and soil pH values are greater than 4.5. This site has a high water table that remain near the surface throughout the growing season, preventing the establishment of significant tree cover. |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
Not specified |
---|---|
Shrub |
Not specified |
Herbaceous |
(1) Typha latifolia |
Click on box and path labels to scroll to the respective text.
Ecosystem states
T1A | - | Altered hydrology/invasion of exotic species |
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T1B | - | Little or no spring ponding/drought. |
R2A | - | Complete hydrologic restoration of wetland basin, invasive species management, seeding, muskrat re-establishment. |
T2A | - | Tile drainage, tilling, seeding, herbicides. |
R3A | - | Complete hydrologic restoration of wetland basin, invasive species management, seeting, muskrat re-establishment. |
T3A | - | Partial or complete hydrologic restoration of wetland basin; agricultural abandonment. |
State 1 submodel, plant communities
1.1A | - | Increased water depth and duration/excessive precipitation years. |
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1.2A | - | Decreased water depth and duration, cattail dominance. |
1.2B | - | Decreased water depth and duration; Little or no spring ponding/drought. |
1.3B | - | Increased water depth and duration/excessive precipitation years. |
1.3A | - | Increased water depth and duration/excessive precipitation years. |
State 2 submodel, plant communities
2.1A | - | Draw-down or partial drainage. |
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2.1B | - | Invasion of exotic purple loosestrife |
2.2A | - | Increased water depth and duration/excessive precipitation years. |
2.2B | - | Invasion of exotic purple loosestrife. |
2.3A | - | Chemical, mechanical removal of purple loosestrife, and use of biocontrol. |
2.3B | - | Chemical, mechanical removal of purple loosestrife, and use of biocontrol. |