Name:
NY Heritage: Pine barrens vernal pond
Reference:
Ecological Communities of New York, 2nd Ed.
Description:
A seasonally fluctuating, groundwater-fed pond and associated wetland that typically occur in pine barrens. Examples are primarily known from inland pine barrens settings, such as the Albany Pine Bush, but may also occur on the coastal plain. Within the pine barren landscape, this community forms in low kettlehole depressions or in swales between forested dunes. The water is intermittent, typically vernally ponded, and circumneutral. The substrate is coarse sand, however, development of a shallow floating peat layer is common . These ponds and wetlands may be small. A split into pine barrens vernal wetland (or pine barrens vernal pondshore) and pine barrens vernal pond (a lacustrine community) may be warranted and is being evaluated.
Well-developed examples of this community may consist of about four physiognomic zones. Ponds are characterized by submergent aquatic plants such as pondweeds (Potamogeton spp.). Surrounding ponds are typically a zone of emergent aquatic plants dominated by graminoids and herbs. Sedges such as Carex canescens, three three-way sedge (Dulichium arundinaceum), and woolgrass (Scirpus cyperinus) and soft rush (Juncus effusus) may be dominant in this zone. Other herbs include tussock sedge (Carex stricta), marsh St. John=s-wort (Triadenum virginicum), cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea) marsh fern (Thelypteris palustris), and Virginia chain fern (Woodwardia virginica). Characteristic mosses include include Sphagnum recurvum and S. fallax.
Some of these sites are ringed by a zone of low shrubs. Characteristic shrubs include scattered highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), winterberry (Ilex verticillata) and patches of leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata). Other shrubs include buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata), mountain holly (Nemopanthus mucronatus), and meadow sweet (Spiraea alba var. latifolia). Stunted trees may be present on hummocks within the wetland or surround the wetland; characteristic trees include red maple (Acer rubrum), gray birch (Betula populifolia), pitch pine (Pinus rigida), and quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides).
Amphibians that may be found in pine barrens vernal ponds include frogs such as eastern American toad (Bufo americanus), northern spring peeper (Pseudoacris crucifer), green frog (Rana clamitans melanota), and wood frog (Rana sylvatica). Less frequently occurring amphibians include eastern spadefoot toad (Scaphiopus holbrookii), Fowler=s toad (Bufo fowleri), and Jefferson salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum). Reptiles that may be found include spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata) and common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) (Hunsinger 1999). Birds that may be found include red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) and common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas). Characteristic macroinvertebrates may include beetles (Coleoptera), Lepidoptera and water striders (Gerris spp.). These ponds are too small and emphemeral to support fish populations.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.28593.NYHERITAGEPINEB
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
2
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