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Picea sitchensis / Cornus sericea / Lysichiton americanus Swamp Forest | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Picea sitchensis / Cornus sericea / Lysichiton americanus Swamp Forest
Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description: This mid-seral to climax association occurs on floodplains of rivers and creeks near the Pacific Ocean, from the central coast of Oregon north to Washington. Soils are anoxic silt loams and mucky peats and are subject to daily freshwater tidal inundation and seasonal riparian flooding also. Stands are laced with dendritic tidal creeks and sloughs that enable daily tidal flooding into the interior of stands. Behind barely perceptible natural levees along the margins of tidal channels, topography is flat with local microrelief caused by logs, stumps, and buttressed roots of spruce trees. <i>Picea sitchensis</i> and <i>Alnus rubra</i> are the most frequent tree species on natural levees or on large woody debris, with a nearly impenetrable shrub layer dominated by <i>Cornus sericea, Rubus spectabilis, Rosa nutkana</i>, and <i>Rubus ursinus</i>. <i>Thuja plicata</i> is present but not abundant, and conditions appear to be too wet for this species to thrive. The somewhat sparse herb layer is dominated by <i>Lysichiton americanus, Athyrium filix-femina, Carex obnupta</i>, and/or <i>Impatiens capensis</i>. Spruce trees up to 450 years old have been documented in these stands. Diverse microtopography enables a high species diversity, with up to 9 species of trees, 20 shrubs, and 25 herbs recorded from plots. Stands are also characterized by an unusual mix of wetland species with more typically riparian or upland species such as <i>Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa, Fraxinus latifolia, Oemleria cerasiformis, Physocarpus capitatus, Acer circinatum</i>, and <i>Rubus parviflorus</i>. 
Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:28964-{4BC72A62-7417-4C02-9904-CDE502908BF8}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 26-Nov-1997 to: ongoing
      Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.683705 NatureServe ExplorerNatureServe Explorer logo
  Code: CEGL000055
  Translated: Sitka Spruce / Red-osier Dogwood / Yellow Skunk-cabbage Swamp Forest
  Scientific: Picea sitchensis / Cornus sericea / Lysichiton americanus Swamp Forest
(convergence) and Synonyms:
(similar) CEGL000055
(similar) Picea sitchensis / Cornus sericea / Lysichiton americanus Forest
(similar) Picea sitchensis / Cornus sericea / Lysichiton americanus Forest