Upper Floodplain

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 upon the size of the river system. The following rivers may be found along medium to larger rivers systems:
• Acer saccharinum - Ulmus americana - (Populus deltoides) Floodplain Forest (CEGL002586)
(Translated name: Silver Maple - American Elm - (Eastern Cottonwood) Floodplain Forest)
[Common name: Silver Maple - Elm - (Cottonwood) Floodplain Forest];
• Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Ulmus spp. - Celtis occidentalis Floodplain Forest (CEGL002014),
(Translated Name: Green Ash - Elm species - Common Hackberry Floodplain Forest),
[Common Name: Central Green Ash - Elm - Hackberry Floodplain Forest];
And along sandy riverfronts and stable point bars:
• Populus deltoides - Salix nigra - Acer saccharinum Floodplain Forest (CEGL002018),
(Translated Name: Eastern Cottonwood - Black Willow - Silver Maple Floodplain Forest),
[Common Name: Midwestern Cottonwood - Black Willow - Silver Maple Floodplain Forest].

Common along medium to small rivers:
• Betula nigra - Platanus occidentalis Floodplain Forest (CEGL002086),
(Translated Name: River Birch - American Sycamore Floodplain Forest,
(Common Name: River Birch - Sycamore Small River Floodplain Forest];

As well as othe plant communities:
• Fagus grandifolia - Quercus spp. - Acer rubrum - Juglans nigra Floodplain Forest (CEGL005014),
(Translated Name: American Beech - Oak species - Red Maple - Black Walnut Floodplain Forest),
[Common Name: Beech - Mixed Hardwood Floodplain Forest].
• Platanus occidentalis - Acer saccharinum - Juglans nigra - Ulmus rubra Floodplain Forest (CEGL007334)
(American Sycamore - Silver Maple - Black Walnut - Slippery Elm Floodplain Forest)
[Sycamore - Silver Maple Calcareous Floodplain Forest]

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