Name:
Acer rubrum - Picea rubens - Tsuga canadensis Swamp Group
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This group includes north-temperate acidic, nutrient-poor swamps of the northeastern U.S. and adjacent Canada, from southeastern Canada and New England to New York through the Central Appalachians south to Virginia and west to Ohio. They occur on mineral soils that are nutrient-poor; there may be an organic epipedon, and the substrate may be shallow to deep peat. Most are basin wetlands that remain saturated for all or nearly all of the growing season, and may have standing water seasonally. Some occur on gently sloping seepage lowlands, and even basin settings may have some seepage influence, especially near the periphery. <i>Acer rubrum</i> is a nearly constant and often dominant to codominant tree species. It may form a mostly deciduous canopy with <i>Fraxinus</i> spp., <i>Betula alleghaniensis</i>, or <i>Nyssa sylvatica</i>, or it may be mixed with conifers. <i>Tsuga canadensis</i> is the most widespread conifer in associations of this group. From central New England and New York north, <i>Picea rubens</i> is a characteristic associate (less commonly <i>Picea mariana</i>). <i>Larix laricina, Pinus strobus</i>, and <i>Abies balsamea</i> are occasional and in some places may be locally important. The herbaceous and shrub layers tend to be fairly species-poor. <i>Ilex mucronata, Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides, Ilex verticillata</i>, and <i>Vaccinium corymbosum</i> are typical shrubs through much of the range of this group, and <i>Rhododendron maximum</i> is often important in the central and southern portions of this group's range. Typical herbs include <i>Osmunda</i> spp., <i>Onoclea sensibilis, Dryopteris cristata, Carex folliculata, Carex intumescens, Carex stricta</i>, and <i>Carex scabrata</i>, among others. <i>Sphagnum</i> is an important component of the bryoid layer. In many swamps, species richness tends to be higher near the periphery where seepage waters influence the hydrology.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:39768-{3C2ED33C-C8C1-45BF-84FE-B3F6C70D22B3}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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