|
| Habitat Overview |
Members of this habitat type are species that depend on seepage wetlands and small, low-order streams for breeding and larval development but that use the surrounding forest for adult foraging and/or residence. One species, the Four-toed Salamander, also makes use of upland depression ponds, but only where there is seepage-like vegetation -- mosses and sedges -- growing along the margins. Seepage vegetation itself is typically not confined to seeps, usually also occurring in bottomlands, bogs, marshes, and other types of wetlands or very mesic habitats. On the other hand, these plants rarely extend into the surrounding forest floor, as is characteristic of the members of this habitat type. Consequently, seepage plant species (and their associated herbivores) are treated as members of other intersecting habitat groups.
This particular habitat type contains the most generalized of these species, including those that not strongly limited by temperature regime and that are found in two or all three of the main physiographic provinces in the state. These species are associated primarily with hardwood forests, including dry or mesic stands, but also with at least some floodplain examples. The amphibian members of this habitat group range out from the wetlands to varying extents, foraging or dwelling under hardwood leaf litter, underground burrows, or fallen logs. The Odonates feed primarily on aerial prey, including arthropods associated with both the wetland and forest components of their environment.
This habitat intersects both purely wetland and stream communities on the one hand and purely terrestrial forest communities on the other, all of which are treated in separate habitat groups. |
| Related NHP Natural Communities |
Small seepage wetlands occur in most natural communities dominated by dry-to-mesic hardwoods. Communities that have large enough seepage wetlands to support distinctive vegetation include Rich Montane Seep, Low Elevation Seep (Typic Subtype), Low Elevation Seep (Montane Subtype), Low Elevation Seep (Piedmont/Mountain Springhead Subtype), Low Elevation Seep (Floodplain Subtype), Piedmont Boggy Streamhead. Larger and more open, herb- and/or shrub-dominated communities are treated as various kinds of boggy wetlands. |
| Determining Species |
Phagic and Competitory Symbioses: (Impatiens species/Pristerognatha agilana) |
| Candidates for Inclusion |
Crayfish and other invertebrates associated with seeps can be included in this habitat type once websites have been developed for their taxa |
| Habitat Sub-sets |
|
| Distribution Map | |
| Distribution |
|
| Survey Coverage Map |
|
| Survey Coverage |
|
| Survey Priorities |
|
| Average Imperilment of Habitat Members |
|
| Habitat Conservation Status |
|
| High Quality Habitat Occurrence Table |
|
| High Quality Habitat Occurrences |
|
| Protected Habitat Occurrences |
|
| Threats and Trends |
|
| Status Summary |
|
| Stewardship Recommendations |
|
| References |
Seymour, S.D. 2011. Vegetation of Non-alluvial Wetlands of the Southeastern Piedmont. M.S. Thesis. University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. |
| Updated on |
2021-01-02 18:32:32 |
»