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| General Description |
This habitat consists of open or partially shaded, shallow wetlands that are dominated by forbs; graminoids that are often mixed in with the forbs are treated separately in under General Sedge, Grass, and Rush Mires. These habitats are generally created and maintained by some form of disturbance. Historically, most were probably associated with beaver ponds but now often occur in wet pastures, where grazing by livestock keeps them open. In absence of grazing or beaver tree-cutting, these sites typically succeed to swamp or bottomland forests. Whether or not Mountain Bogs -- which have well developed peat layers -- originated from beaver ponds, they often have some of the species included under this habitat and are thus considered a component of it.
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| Abiotic Factors |
Geographic Regions: High Mountains to the Lower Coastal Plain. USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-8. Landform: restricted to floodplains and wet flats. Soil Moisture: hydric. Soil Texture: mucky. Soil pH: usually acidic due to the build-up of humic acids. Soil Nutrients: generally poor with nutrient-rich examples found only in a few fens. Mucky soils are typically anoxic. Microclimate: warm to cool, humid. Flood Frequency: several times per year to permanent. Flood Duration: weeks to months or permanent. Presence of Pools: common; both permanent and ephemeral ponds and pools may imbedded withing this habitat. Fire Frequency: uncommon in bottomlands but frequent when adjoining fire-maintained habitats. Drought Frequency: rare. Insolation: partial to full sun.
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| Biotic Structure |
Vegetation Type: herbland. Key Species species of forbs are the dominant plant species in this habitat; graminoids are also typically present, but like woody species, occur primarily as scattered individuals or patches. Strata: canopy, subcanopy, and shrub layers are absent, although individual trees or small shrubs may be present. Woody Debris and Leaf Litter: due to the saturated nature of the soils, decomposition takes place only slowly, with build-up of peat a common occurrence.
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| Co-evolved Species Groups |
Phagic and Competitory Symbioses:
Ambrosia trifida // Chionodes mediofuscella
Verbesina species // Basilodes pepita
Vernonia noveboracensis // Papaipema cerussata
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| Determining Species |
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| Estimated Risk to the Determining Species |
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| Estimated Risk to the Co-evolved Species Groups |
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| Estimated Security of the Habitat |
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| Index of Habitat Imperilment |
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| Identified Risks |
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| Observed Trends |
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| Distribution Map | |
| Distribution |
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| Major Conservation Reserves |
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| Priority Areas for Surveys and Conservation Protection |
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| Stewardship and Management Recommendations |
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| References |
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| Updated on |
2021-12-21 13:55:42 |
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