Silty Low 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 transition pathways are not always 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 of the Silty Low Floodplain ecological site, the plant communities are quite variable depending upon the size of the river system. Ranked by the size of river system, the following low floodplain plant communities occur; along large rivers:

• Acer saccharinum - (Populus deltoides) / Matteuccia struthiopteris - Laportea canadensis Floodplain Forest (CEGL006147),
(Translated Name: Silver Maple - (Eastern Cottonwood) / Ostrich Fern - Canadian Woodnettle Floodplain Forest,
[Common Name: Silver Maple Floodplain Levee Forest]);

Along medium-sized rivers:
• Platanus occidentalis - Fraxinus pennsylvanica Floodplain Forest (CEGL006036),
(Translated Name: American Sycamore - Green Ash Floodplain Forest,
[Common Name: Riverine Floodplain Forest (Transitional Type)]);

and along small rivers:
• Quercus palustris - Acer rubrum / Carex grayi - Geum canadense Wet Forest (CEGL006185),
Translated Name: Pin Oak - Red Maple / Gray's Sedge - White Avens Wet Forest,
Common Name: Pin Oak Small River Floodplain Forest]).

Additionally, another common plant community along large rivers within the wetter more frequently flooded Silty Low Floodplain is:
• Acer saccharinum / Onoclea sensibilis - Boehmeria cylindrica Floodplain Forest (CEGL006176),
Translated Name: Silver Maple / Sensitive Fern - Small-spike False Nettle Floodplain Forest,
[Common Name: Silver Maple Floodplain Bottom Forest (Sensitive Fern Type)])

(Source: NatureServe 2020)

Submodel

Description

The Semi-natural State would expect plant communities that have been conditioned by land management, e.g. managed forests and lands; or plant communities that are an artifact of land management e.g., predominantly 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