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Abies balsamea - Picea rubens / Danthonia compressa - Lycopodium spp. / Sphagnum spp. Swamp Forest | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Abies balsamea - Picea rubens / Danthonia compressa - Lycopodium spp. / Sphagnum spp. Swamp Forest Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019 Description: This acidic conifer woodland or forested swamp occurs on moist to saturated soils in headwater basins in the Allegheny Mountains region of West Virginia, at elevations between 960 and 1130 m. It is a small-patch community fed by slow seepage and rainfall. It occupies gently sloping land (1-10° slopes) along small headwater streams and in mixed wetland mosaics, often at the base of upland slopes. Microtopography is characterized by irregular hummocks formed over tree roots, tip-up mounds, nurse logs, and decaying wood. Soils are moderately to poorly drained loamy soils with mottling in the upper 20 cm and occasional gleyed horizons. The canopy is open to closed and dominated by <i>Abies balsamea</i> and <i>Picea rubens</i>, with occasional presence of <i>Prunus serotina var. serotina</i>. The subcanopy is dominated by <i>Abies balsamea</i> with smaller amounts of <i>Picea rubens, Acer rubrum</i>, and <i>Betula alleghaniensis var. alleghaniensis</i>. The tall-shrub layer is also dominated by <i>Abies balsamea</i> and <i>Picea rubens</i>. The short-shrub layer contains regenerating canopy species and locally abundant <i>Vaccinium myrtilloides</i> and <i>Hypericum densiflorum</i>. The herbaceous ground layer is fairly diverse, typically including 25-50 species. The most abundant species are <i>Danthonia compressa, Lycopodium obscurum</i>, and <i>Rubus hispidus</i>. Other herbaceous species with high constancy include the regenerating canopy species, <i>Lycopodium clavatum, Carex folliculata, Dennstaedtia punctilobula, Pteridium aquilinum</i>, and <i>Oclemena acuminata</i>. Nonvascular plants are dominated by <i>Sphagnum</i> and <i>Polytrichum</i> species; <i>Leucobryum glaucum</i> is also common. The community is characterized by a number of diagnostic species that highlight the slightly drier habitat of this swamp type and include <i>Carex debilis, Crataegus</i> spp., <i>Lycopodium clavatum, Lycopodium digitatum, Mitchella repens, Polytrichum</i> ssp., <i>Prunus serotina var. serotina</i>, and <i>Pteridium aquilinum</i>. Mean species richness of all vascular plants and any nonvascular plants with cover &gt;1% is 41 taxa per 400 m2.  Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:35213-{D1CAD2AB-92C7-40FB-82C7-93239F8A80C1} Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 30-Mar-2007 to: ongoing
	status: accepted Community's Parent: Picea rubens Central Appalachian Swamp Forest Alliance This Community's Level: Association This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.800146 NatureServe Explorer   Code: CEGL006592   Translated: Balsam Fir - Red Spruce / Flattened Oatgrass - Clubmoss species / Peatmoss species Swamp Forest   Common: Balsam Fir - Red Spruce / Oatgrass / Peatmoss Swamp Forest   Scientific: Abies balsamea - Picea rubens / Danthonia compressa - Lycopodium spp. / Sphagnum spp. Swamp Forest (convergence) and Synonyms: (similar) Abies balsamea - Picea rubens / Danthonia compressa - Lycopodium spp. / Sphagnum spp. Forest