NJ Natural Heritage Program, NJDEP Division of Parks and Forestry, Office of Natural Lands Management, 22 S. Clinton Ave, Plaza Bldg 4, Fl. 4, PO Box 404 Trenton, NJ, 08625-0404
From railroad crossing of Manalapan Brook (off Schoolhouse Rd., Jamesburg) enter woods from NW corner of RR bridge and proceed W into woods ~200' at 255 degrees.
Latitude/longitude coordinates taken from approximate plot center. Plot is 20x20m.
Environment Fields:
Elevation
12.5
m
Slope Aspect
270
º
Slope Gradient
0
º
Topographic Position
Low level
Landscape Narrative
General Landscape Description: Diverse, mixed hardwood floodplain forest dominated by Acer rubrum located on the W bank of Manalapan Brook. Forest is flat and is transected by a few shallow (dry at the time) ditches. Mesic woods are to the E; the boundary is poorly defined. Land rises sharply beyond the woods to a raised railroad bed.
Soil Texture: Organic - peat; Mineral - silt loam, silty clay loam, clay
Overall Taxon Cover Values are Automatically Calculated?
no
Stem Observation Area
400
m²
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(1) occurrence plot: sufficient for determining type occurrence
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Dominant Stratum
Tree
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Community Type: non-tidal floodplain forest
General Description: Floodplain forest between Manalapan Brook and N-S railroad embankment; on a terrace about 30' above stream surface at time of visit. There are no obvious signs of recent flooding, but there is standing water in the low spots of several, more or less, dry channels, that cross the site. Dominant trees are Acer rubrum, with Carya ovata, other Carya spp., Quercus spp., and Robinia pseudoacacia. The shrub layer is dominated by Lindera benzoin. There is some Vitis labrusca, Lonicera japonica, Celastrus orbiculatus, and Smilax rotundifolia. Forbs and ferns include Impatiens sp., Circaea lutetiana, and Athyrium filix-femina. There is some Microstegium vimineum. There is little sign of human disturbance. Soils are dark brown silt and clay loams, well drained.; Evidence of Community Processes: Very little - a few small piles of flood debris originating from runoff from railroad bed, some scouring of stream banks.; Species Composition and Biological Structure: good variety of hardwood species in a small area.; Community Description: Floodplain forest with a nice variety of hardwood tree species located on the N bank of Manalapan Brook. To the W of the floodplain lies a narrow band of mesic woods which ends abruptly at a steep grade rising to a N-S running railroad bed. Dominant tree species are Carya ovata and Acer rubrum, codominant. Shrubs are Ilex verticillata and Lindera benzoin. Forb layer is fairly diverse with Circaea lutetiana, Impatiens, and Arisaema triphyllum, the most frequently occuring species. A dry backswamp area with hydric species, a few meters wide, lies at the base of the embankment. There is little disturbance beyond the obvious RR embankment built up along the edge. Floodplain continues on the other side of the tracks. Soil is brown silt loam 7.5 YR 3/3 which becomes damp at about 50 cm. Gradual transition to clay loam occurs at about 60 cm, with a few mottles. pH is low throughout, about 4.4.; Physiographic Province: Inner Coastal Plain; Green frog, woodthrush, yellowthroat, ebony jewelwing damselfly present.
