Wet Lowland and Depression

Description

As a result of a long history of human activity, the associations listed below, may in reality, reflect the current naturalized, minimally-managed state rather than the historic, pre-European settlement condition. Notice that no transition pathways are designated between some of the communities in the reference state because the differences in vegetation are more controlled by landscape position, rather than disturbances or management, or that the relationships are not understood. In addition, undisclosed successional plant community-types following disturbance may be included as community phases.

Within the reference state, the plant communities are quite variable depending on many factors such as differences in hydrology and the nature of the substrate. Typical plant communities include:

• Acer (rubrum, saccharinum) - Fraxinus spp. - Ulmus americana Swamp Forest (CEGL005038)
Translated Name: (Red Maple, Silver Maple) - Ash species - American Elm Swamp Forest)
Common Name: [Maple - Ash - Elm Swamp]
• Quercus palustris - Quercus bicolor - (Liquidambar styraciflua) Swamp Forest (CEGL002432)
Translated Name: (Pin Oak - Swamp White Oak - (Sweetgum) Swamp Forest)
Common Name: [Pin Oak Mixed Hardwood Depression Forest]

And many others:
• Quercus palustris - Quercus bicolor - Nyssa sylvatica - Acer rubrum Sand Wet Flatwoods Forest (CEGL002100)
Translated Name: (Pin Oak - Swamp White Oak - Blackgum - Red Maple Sand Wet Flatwoods Forest)
Common Name: [Pin Oak - Swamp White Oak Sand Wet Flatwoods ]
• Larix laricina / Aronia melanocarpa / Sphagnum spp. Swamp Forest (CEGL002472)
Translated Name: (Tamarack / Black Chokeberry / Peatmoss species Swamp Forest)
Common Name: [Southern Tamarack Swamp]
• Fraxinus nigra - Acer rubrum / Rhamnus alnifolia / Carex leptalea Swamp Forest(CEGL007144)
Translated Name: (Black Ash - Red Maple / Alderleaf Buckthorn / Bristly-stalked Sedge Swamp Forest)
Common Name: [Black Ash - Red Maple Swamp Forest]
• Cornus sericea - Salix spp. - (Rosa palustris) Shrub Swamp (CEGL002186)
Translated Name: (Red-osier Dogwood - Willow species - (Swamp Rose) Shrub Swamp)
Common Name: [Red-osier Dogwood - Willow Midwest Shrub Swamp]

(Source: NatureServe, 2020)

Submodel

Description

The Semi-natural State would expect plant communities where ecological processes are primarily operating with some land conditioning in the past or present, e.g., managed forests, or plant communities that are an artifact of land management e.g., predominately invasive plants.

Submodel

Description

The Cultural State would expect the ecological site to be very strongly conditioned by land management, i.e., transformed/converted to cultivated, pasture, or plantation.

Submodel