Name:
NY Heritage: Northern white cedar swamp
Reference:
Ecological Communities of New York, 2nd Ed.
Description:
A conifer or mixed swamp that occurs on organic soils in cool, poorly drained depressions in central and northern New York, and along lakes and streams in the northern half of the state. These swamps are often spring fed or enriched by seepage of cold, minerotrophic groundwater, resulting in a stable water table and continually saturated soils. Soils are often rich in calcium. At some sites these soils have developed above a marl substrate.
The characteristic tree is northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis), which makes up more than 30% of the canopy cover. Thuja may form nearly pure stands, or it may be mixed with other conifers and hardwoods, including red maple (Acer rubrum), eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), balsam fir (Abies balsamea), tamarack (Larix laricina), yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), black ash (Fraxinus nigra), white pine (Pinus strobus), and black spruce (Picea mariana).
The shrub layer is usually sparse; characteristic species are dwarf raspberry (Rubus pubescens), red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea), swamp fly honeysuckle (Lonicera oblongifolia), and highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum). The groundlayer is typically diverse, with many bryophytes and boreal herbs. There are typically many hummocks formed by decaying downed trees or tip-up mounds.
Characteristic herbs on the hummocks are the sedges Carex leptalea and C. eburnea, oak fern (Gymnocarpium dryopteris), gold thread (Coptis trifolia), starflower (Trientalis borealis), bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), miterwort (Mitella nuda), Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense), blue bead lily (Clintonia borealis), snowberry (Gaultheria hispidula), and partridge berry (Mitchella repens).
Characteristic herbs of hollows between the hummocks are the sedge Carex intumescens, sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis), marsh fern (Thelypteris palustris), cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea), royal fern (O. regalis), crested wood fern (Dryopteris cristata), showy lady's-slipper (Cypripedium reginae), yellow lady's-slipper (Cypripedium calceolus), and golden ragwort (Senecio aureus).
Characteristic bryophytes are several species of Sphagnum moss, feathermosses such as Hylocomium splendens and Ptilium crista-castrensis, and leafy liverworts such as Bazzania trilobata and Trichocolea tomentella.
Characteristic birds include northern waterthrush (Seiurus noveboracensis), winter wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), and golden-crowned kinglet (Regulus satrapa).
Accession Code:
VB.CC.28589.NYHERITAGENORTH
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
3
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