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| General Description |
Like the General Wet-Hydric Floodplains, this habitat comprises bottomlands, swamps, and the forested edges of lakes and impoundments, but in this case includes only those that occur within the Coastal Plain. The mild winters, slow-moving waters, poorly drained, and often acidic and nutrient poor soils are probably additional factors that limit the Determining Species to this region.
Plant species restricted to this habitat include primarily the few species that can grow in both swamps and bottomlands. They are highly tolerant of flooding but can also grow in the wet but not permanently flooded soils of the bottomlands
Animal species include the herbivores that specialize on the plants included in this habitat. Also included are predatory species that either require semi-permanent pools for breeding or for adult habitat or that feed primarily on prey species that require pools or slow-flowing waters.
This habitat is similar to the General Wet-Hydric Forests but the Determining Species are limited to the Coastal Plain, due to climate, soil types, or landforms.
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| Abiotic Factors |
Geographic Regions: Fall Zone to Lower Coastal Plain. USDA Hardiness Zones: 7b-8. Landform: restricted to floodplains and wet flats. Soil Moisture: wet to hydric. Soil Texture: alluvial/loamy to silty. Soil pH: acidic to circumneutral -- includes blackwater as well as brownwater floodplains. Soil Nutrients: poor to rich. Microclimate: warm to cool, humid. Flood Frequency: annual to several times per year. Flood Duration: weeks to months or permanent. Presence of Pools: common to abundant year-round. Fire Frequency: extremely rare. Drought Frequency: extremely rare. Ice Storm Damage: low to moderate. Wind Storm Damage: moderate (windthrows are common). Insolation: the canopy is well-insolated, lower strata are deeply shaded.
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| Biotic Structure |
Vegetation Type: Closed-canopy forests composed of hardwoods and Cypress species. Strata: Subcanopy hardwoods are present but shrub and herb layer are sparse to absent; only species that are tolerant of flooding are included in this habitat. Organic Shelter, Foraging, and Nesting Structures: fallen logs are common; leaf litter is submerged for extensive periods in swamps and species that depend on dry leaf litter are treated in other habitats.
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| Co-evolved Species Groups |
Phagic and Competitory Symbioses:
Coastal Plain Wet-hydric Hawthorns // Catocala aestivalia-Catocala lincolnana
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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 |
2022-02-04 16:31:43 |
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