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 the intersection of the Shark river at the bridge on Shark River Rd., enter woods at NW corner of bridge and follow stream N for approximately 750'.
Lat/long given for plot center. Coordinates for plot corners were not obtained. Plot is 30x15 m.
Environment Fields:
Elevation
19.8
m
Slope Aspect
90
º
Slope Gradient
0
º
Topographic Position
Low level
Landscape Narrative
General Landscape Description: Wet floodplain forest dominated by Acer rubrum amd lesser amounts of Nyssa sylvatica with a dense understory of Clethra alnifolia, located between the Shark River to the E and mesic forest to the W.;
Soil Texture: Organic - muck
Watershed: Shark River.
Overall Taxon Cover Values are Automatically Calculated?
no
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(1) occurrence plot: sufficient for determining type occurrence
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Dominant Stratum
Tree
Growthform1 Type
Trees
Growthform2 Type
Shrubs
Growthform3 Type
Shrubs
Growthform1 Cover
75
%
Growthform2 Cover
60
%
Growthform3 Cover
45
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Community Type: non-tidal floodplain forest
General Description: Floodplain forest on a wide (~150 m) almost level terrace on the W bank of the Shark R, ~1 m above water level. River here is ~1.5 m wide and only a few inches deep. Floodplain is generally wet, but there is no evidence of recent flooding. Dominant trees are Acer rubrum and Nyssa sylvatica with almost no other species. Area near stream has more Nyssa. Area farther from stream has more Acer. Area close to stream is slightly elevated and less wet than area away from stream at base of mesic slope, which has some small shallow trickling streams and pools of water, perhaps to drainage down slope. Shrub layer is Clethra alnifolia with very few other species. Low spots have abundant Osmunda cinnamomea. Invasive plant species include Microstegium vimineum, Ampelopsis brevipedunculata, Lonicera japonica and Rosa multiflora in small amounts. Soils are black muck. Water at ~45 cm.; Community Description: Wet floodplain forest on a low terrace between the Shark River to the E and a mesic forest to the W. Terrace is 2.5-3' above the level of the stream which is narrow, shallow, and gravel/sand-bottomed. Acer rubrum and Nyssa sylvatica dominate the tree layer. There is a dense understory of Clethra alnifolia. About 150' W of the stream is a wide swath of swampy ground crossed by a few narrow channels with trickling water. Further beyond, the land slopes gradually uphill to a mesic forest with oaks and pine mixing with the maple and gum trees. No evidence is seen of flooding. Soil is loose, black crumbly organic matter over black muck. Water is 45 cm below the surface. Much of the surface throughout the community is exposed tree roots of mature trees. In the wettest spots Acer rubrum and Osmunda cinnamomea dominate the landscape. There is no evidence of disturbance and only small amounts of invasive species.
General Comments: Dense shrub layer is unusual for floodplains in this general vicinity - most are badly deer browsed.
Uphill on E side of stream is a very large landfill - runoff? sedimentation?
Grazing, native ungulates
shrub layer is badly deer browsed
Other disturbances
Low
Invasive species just starting near stream edge: Microstegium vimineum, Celaastrus orbiculatus, Ampelopsis brevipedunculata, Rosa multiflora, Berberis thunbergii
