State 1
Reference State (minimally-managed)

This site occurs in gently sloping areas near the bottom of watersheds where water saturates glacial till deposits for much of the growing season. Soils are poorly-drained with varying textures and parent materials. The water table is seasonally high (within 18 inches of the surface) and typically dries out in late summer and fall. This site is typically drier than Loamy Till Seepage Bottoms (Cedar), is not usually ponded, and does not include a major component of very poorly-drained soils. Black spruce and red spruce are abundant, with larch common and balsam fir occurring in younger patches. Cinnamon fern and other herbs are often abundant in the understory.

Resilience management. This site is dominated by red spruce, sometimes mixed with black spruce, and a sphagnum moss understory. It is often logged, which sets the stand through a series of phases, beginning with herbaceous colonizers, then dense spruce and balsam fir saplings, and eventually to mature spruce-fir forest. Within 100 years, any balsam fir dies out from the overstory, and red spruce once again dominates the site. Blowdowns with subsequent gap regeneration are the most frequent form of natural disturbance, with large-scale fires important at longer return intervals.

Community 1.1
Spruce - Northern Hardwood Forest

A mixed forest that occurs on lower mountain slopes and upper margins of flats on glacial till. This is a broadly defined community with several regional and edaphic variants; it is one of the most common forest types in the Adirondacks. Codominant trees are red spruce (Picea rubens), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), and red maple (Acer rubrum), with scattered balsam fir (Abies balsamea). Striped maple (Acer pensylvanicum) and mountain maple (A. spicatum) are common subcanopy trees. Characteristic shrubs are hobblebush (Viburnum lantanoides), American fly honeysuckle (Lonicera canadensis), and Canada yew (Taxus canadensis). Characteristic groundlayer plants are common wood-sorrel (Oxalis montana), common wood fern (Dryopteris intermedia), shining fir clubmoss (Huperzia lucidula), wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis), blue bead-lily (Clintonia borealis), goldthread (Coptis trifolia), bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense), Indian cucumber-root (Medeola virginiana), and twisted stalk (Streptopus roseus). (Edinger et al. 2014)

Resilience management. New York Natural Heritage Program State Rank: S3/S4 S3- Typically 21 to 100 occurrences, limited acreage, or miles of stream in New York State. S4- Apparently secure in New York State. Gaps formed by wind, snow, ice, and harvesting are the major replacement agents; fires may be important but only over a long return interval. (Edinger et al. 2014)

State 2
Semi-natural State

Shifts in ecological site composition, functionality, and dynamics driven by natural disturbances, processes, and pressures (may have some anthropogenic drivers). More research is needed to determine the extent of the Semi-natural state associated with this ecological site.

Community 2.1
Invasiveness and Biological Introductions

Introduction of invasive species, pathogens, and/or pests resulting in shifts in ecological site composition, functionality, and dynamics. More research is needed to determine the extent of these effects on the semi-natural state associated with this ecological site.

Community 2.2
Ponded

Site may transition to a ponded environment under certain ecological conditions or constraints such as increased annual/decadal precipitation or significant increase in flooding events.

State 3
Cultural State

Community 3.1
Grass/Hayland

Site transitioned to grassland for pasture or grazing or cultivated for hay production.

Transition T1A
State 1 to 2

climate change, hydrological alteration, significant increase in flooding events and annual precipitation, introduction of invasive species, pests, and pathogens

Transition T1B
State 1 to 3

hydrologic alteration (barrier, obstruction, dam, diversion), landscape alteration, mechanical soil disturbance, landscape alteration, planting, seeding

Restoration pathway R2A
State 2 to 1

remediation of hydrologic alteration, management of invasive species, pests, and pathogens, restoration of key native plant species, restoration of terrestrial and aquatic habitat

Transition T2A
State 2 to 3

hydrologic alteration (barrier, obstruction, dam, diversion), landscape alteration, mechanical soil disturbance, landscape alteration, planting, seeding

Restoration pathway R3B
State 3 to 1

remediation of hydrologic alteration, seeding, planting, significant flooding events and increase in annual precipitation, compacted soil, establishment of key native plant species

Restoration pathway R3A
State 3 to 2

remediation of hydrologic alteration, seeding, planting, significant flooding events and increase in annual precipitation, compacted soil, establishment of key native plant species