Comm #2351
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NY Heritage: Floodplain forest
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accession code: VB.CC.28663.NYHERITAGEFLOOD
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Ecological Communities of New York, 2nd Ed. |
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A hardwood forest that occurs on mineral soils on low terraces of river floodplains and river deltas. These sites are characterized by their flood regime; low areas are annually flooded in spring, and high areas are flooded irregularly. Some sites may be quite dry by late summer, whereas other sites may be flooded again in late summer or early autumn (these floods are caused by heavy precipitation associated with tropical storms). This is a broadly defined community; floodplain forests are quite variable and may be very diverse.
The most abundant trees include silver maple (Acer saccharinum), ashes (Fraxinus pensylvanica, F. nigra, F. americana), cottonwood (Populus deltoides), red maple (Acer rubrum), box elder (Acer negundo), elms (Ulmus americana, U. rubra), hickories (Carya cordiformis, C. ovata, C. laciniosa), butternut and black walnut (Juglans cinerea, J. nigra), sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), oaks (Quercus bicolor, Q. palustris), and river birch (Betula nigra). Other less frequently occurring trees include hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), basswood (Tilia americana), and sugar maple (Acer saccharum). Introduced trees, such as white willow (Salix alba) and black locust (Robinia pseudo-acacia), have become established in some floodplain forests.
The most abundant shrubs include spicebush (Lindera benzoin), American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), bladdernut (Staphylea trifoliata), speckled alder (Alnus incana spp. rugosa), dogwoods (Cornus sericea, C. foemina spp. racemosa, C. amomum), viburnums (Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides, V. prunifolium, V. dentatum, V. lentago), and sapling canopy trees. Invasive exotic shrubs that may be locally abundant include shrub honeysuckles (Lonicera tatarica, L. morrowii), and multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora). Other less frequently occurring shrubs include meadowsweet (Spiraea alba var. latifolia) and winterberry (Ilex verticillata).
The most abundant vines include poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), wild grapes (Vitis spp., V. riparia), Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), virgin's bower (Clematis virginiana), and less frequently, moonseed (Menispermum canadense). Vines may form a dense liana in tree canopy and/or dominate the groundcover.
The most abundant herbs include sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis), jewelweeds (Impatiens capensis, I. pallida), ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris), white snakeroot (Eupatorium rugosum), wood nettle (Laportea canadensis), false nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica), goldenrods (Solidago spp., S. gigantea, S. canadensis), lizard's tail (Saururus cernuus), and jumpseed (Polygonum virginianum). Invasive exotic herbs that may be locally abundant include moneywort (Lysimachia nummularia), garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), dame's-rockets (Hesperis matronalis), and stilt grass (Microstegium vimineum). Other less frequently occurring herbs include skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus), enchanter's nightshade (Circaea lutetiana ssp. canadensis), bluejoint grass (Calamagrostis canadensis), white avens (Geum canadense), clearweed (Pilea pumila), jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum), rice cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides), sedges (Carex lacustris, C. intumescens, C. lupulina), and many others.
Characteristic birds include yellow-throated vireo (Vireo flavifrons), tufted titmouse (Parus bicolor), red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus), and pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus).
The composition of the forest apparently changes in relation to flood frequency and elevation of floodplain terraces along larger rivers. Neighboring states recognize several floodplain forest variants based on dominant plants, flood regime, and topographic position (Fike 1999, Kearsley 1999, Podniesinski and Wagner 2002, Sorenson and Lapin et al. 1998). The composition of floodplain forests in New York State has not been studied in sufficient detail to characterize compositional variations and how they correlate with flood regime and terrace elevation. |
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