Name:
Salicornia (virginica, bigelovii, maritima) - Spartina alterniflora Herbaceous Vegetation
Reference:
Eastern Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This association represents tidally flooded hypersaline flats or very shallow depressions (pannes) dominated by succulents and other halophytic herbs, including <i>Salicornia virginica, Salicornia bigelovii, Salicornia maritima</i>, and stunted <i>Spartina alterniflora</i>, that occur in salt marshes of the Atlantic Coast. Vegetation of this association tends to develop in shallow depressions within high or salt marshes where drainage is poor. The depressions are regularly to irregularly flooded by high tides, but as the water evaporates during low tide, the salinity concentration increases forming "salt pannes." Formation of the pannes may result from ice-scouring, rafting flotsam, peat compaction, mosquito ditch levees, or erosion of tidal creek banks, which create small, sparsely vegetated to unvegetated impoundments. Bare peat and/or mucky soils are prevalent (up to 85% bare soils). Total vegetative cover is variable in pannes, from near total absence of vascular plants to a dense cover of <i>Salicornia virginica, Salicornia bigelovii, Salicornia maritima</i>, or <i>Spartina alterniflora</i> (short form). Common associates include <i>Limonium carolinianum, Plantago maritima var. juncoides, Triglochin maritima, Spartina patens, Suaeda maritima</i>, and <i>Atriplex</i> spp. <i>Borrichia frutescens</i> can be an occasional component in Virginia. Algal mats are characteristically present, visible even in densely vegetated pannes. Blue-green algae are an important component of these mats, in some cases contributing significantly more biomass to the community than do vascular species. Diagnostic species include <i>Salicornia bigelovii</i> and <i>Salicornia virginica</i>.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.31222.CEGL004308
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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- status: accepted
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This Community's Level:
association
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 This Community's Children:
[none]
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Names:
UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686149
NatureServe
Explorer
Common: Salt Panne (Salicornia Type)
Translated: (Virginia Glasswort, Dwarf Saltwort, Slender Grasswort) - Smooth Cordgrass Herbaceous Vegetation
Scientific: Salicornia (virginica, bigelovii, maritima) - Spartina alterniflora Herbaceous Vegetation
Code: CEGL004308
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