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Ecological Communities

Mid-reach stream

be present. Typical aquatic macrophytes include waterweed, and linear
leaved pondweeds such as sago pondweed.

Successional old field

occurs on fields 1 to 3 years after last cultivation.; ragweed, daisy,
Queen Anne’s lace, crab grass, golden foxtail, and chickweed are common.
The golden rod subtype occurs 3 - 15 years after last cultivation.
Dominant species are perennial composites: goldenrods and asters. Other
herbs include timothy, orchard grass, smooth brome, bluegrasses,
wild strawberry, and hawkweeds. Shrubs represent less than 50% cover but
include gray and silky dogwoods, arrowwood, raspberries, sumac, and
eastern red cedar.

Successional shrubland

A woodland community that commonly occurs on abandoned agricultural
fields and pastures, particularly on fertile soils, on slopes along the
lakes, and occasionally on well drained soils of alluvial valleys. The
layers are similar to that of successional old field.

Successional forest

Shallow emergent marsh

A marsh that is better drained than a deep emergent marsh; water depths may range from 15 cm to 1 m during flood stages, but the water level usually drops by mid to late summer and the substrate is exposed. Characteristic plants include bluejoint grass, reed canary grass, rice cutgrass, mannagrass, three-way sedge, bulrushes, sweetflag, wild iris, and water smartweed.

Shrub swamp

A shrub dominated wetland that occurs along a lake or river, in a wet depression , or as a transition between wetland and upland communities. The substrate is usually mineral soil or muck. Alder or willow are common dominants. Other characteristic species include red osier, silky, gray dogwoods, meadowsweet, steeplebush, swamp azalea, highbush blueberry, maleberry, spicebush, viburnums, and buttonbush.

Wet meadow