Appendix J: Natural heritage resources of Ontario: S-ranks for communities in site regions 6 and 7

The classification of communities in this appendix is a first approximation of a classification system for southern Ontario. It is based on a combination of empirical data, literature review and expert opinion of ecologists work in this field. The S-ranks are assigned on frequency of occurrence as described in the following pages.

Introduction

The mission of the Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR), is to acquire, maintain and update, and make available data on the province’s rare species, vegetation communities, and natural areas. Together, flora, fauna, and vegetation communities are considered to be ‘elements’of biodiversity.

The NHIC actively collects information on rare vegetation types in Ontario, as well as information on high-quality, extensive examples of non-rare vegetation types. “Rare” in this case refers to those types which are ranked as S1, S2 or S3, as are explained later in this document. These data are stored and maintained in the NHIC central database, and are used for environmental and conservation planning and research.

This document lists the vegetation communities of southern Ontario that occur within Site Regions 6E and 7E (Figure 1), and provides global and provincial ranks for each community type, along with the rationale used to determine each provincial rank, as well as additional comments. Communities that are cultural (anthropogenic) in origin, and dominated by introduced species, are not tracked by the NHIC, and are excluded from this list.

Site Region refers to an ecological subdivision of the land, based upon a combination of climate, physiography, and biological productivity. The Site Regions of Ontario were developed and mapped by Angus Hills (Hills 1961). The map below shows recent modifications to the Site Region boundaries, based on more detailed mapping and interpolation of physiographic features (Jalava et al. 1996).

The vegetation classification is based upon the Ecological Land Classification (ELC) for southern Ontario developed jointly by the Southcentral Region Science and Technology Transfer Unit (STTU) and the NHIC. This ELC currently exists as a first approximation; developed to ‘rough out’a preliminary hierarchy and classification, based on the review, sorting and collation of existing information. These data have been collected from numerous sources, including OMNR reports, International Biological Program (IBP) inventories, consultant studies, and the published literature (Lee et al. 1996). This assembled information has been compiled into a Community Catalogue, which presents the ELC and lists documented associations for each vegetation type, as an aid to understanding and recognizing the vegetation types (Lee and Bakowsky 1996).

The OMNR is currently collecting quantitative quadrat data on the vegetation in these two site regions (6E and 7E) which, when completed, can be analyzed and correlated with environmental variables (soil, site and landscape) using multivariate methods to derive an updated and refined classification. Since this project is ongoing and will require several more years to complete, this first approximation will be used in the interim (Lee et al. 1996). The planned publication date for both this document and the Community Catalogue is 1997 (Harold Lee pers. comm.).

Outline format

Column 1. System

System refers to a broad classification category for organizing the landscape, largely on the basis of moisture. In this ELC, there are three traditional systems:

• Aquatic
• Wetland
• Terrestrial

Aquatic systems are defined as shallow to deep open water not dominated by emergent vegetation. Wetlands are lands that are seasonally or permanently flooded, as well as lands where the water table is close to the surface; in either case the presence of abundant water has caused the formation of hydric soils and has favoured the dominance of either hydrophytic or water-tolerant plants (OMNR 1993). Terrestial refers to all systems occurring on non-hydric soils. In some cases, such as the interface between terrestrial and either aquatic or wetland systems, these distinctions become less meaningful. For example, flat sandy beaches may be dry in some places and wet in others. Similar situations occur with gravel and bedrock shorelines which are exposed to fluctuating water levels. Out of necessity, these variable habitats need a ‘place’, and in this classification they reside in the terrestrial system

Column 2. Community Series I

The Community Series are useful units for grouping communities, based on similarities in physiognomy and site. The first Series is the broader of the two, organizing communities into largely widely-known units such as swamps, marshes, etc. This Series places a greater emphasis on physiognomic similarity.

Column 3. Community Series II

The second Series represents a refinement of the first Series, and broadly groups communities further along site criteria such as substrate and site moisture. For example, marshes are grouped into meadow marsh (drier) and shallow marsh (wetter).

Column 4. Ecosite and Vegetation Type

Ecosite is a mappable landscape unit defined by a relatively uniform parent material, soil and hydrology, and consequently supports a consistently recurring formation of plant species which develop over time (vegetation chronosequence). The Vegetation Type is part of an ecosite, and represents a specific assemblage of species which generally occur in a site with a more uniform parent material, soil and hydrology, and a more specific stage within a chronosequence.

In this document, the Vegetation Type represents the basic community unit that is ranked for conservation purposes. In some instances, where a vegetation type is known to occur but for which insufficient information exists, the classification is left at the ecosite level, and the ecosite receives the provincial rank.

Columns 5 & 6. Occurrence in site regions 6E and 7E

An ‘X’ in either column indicates the occurrence of a particular vegetation type within the site region, as documented in the Community Catalogue (Lee and Bakowsky 1996). In some cases, a community type or ecosite is known to occur in a site region, but no descriptions are available, thus it is not documented in the catalogue. In these instances, the column is marked as ‘(X)’, which indicates it is present, but not listed in the catalogue.

Column 7. Global Rank (GRANK)

Heritage Programs such as the NHIC use a combination of global and provincial ranks as a tool to prioritize conservation and protection efforts, focusing efforts first on those elements of diversity that are both globally and provincially rare. Global ranks for each element are assigned by The Nature Conservancy (United States), based upon consideration of the provincial and state ranks assigned by heritage programs for the element across the range of its distribution, as well as the opinion of scientific experts.

The two major criteria used in determining a community’s rank are the total number of occurrences and the total areal extent of the community range-wide. Secondary factors used in determining global rank include measures of the geographic range of an element’s distribution, trends in status (e.g. expanding or shrinking range), trends in condition (e.g. declining condition of remaining areal extent), threats, and fragility (Grossman et al. 1994).

Until recently, global ranks were unavailable for community types, as there was no overall classification scheme that heritage programs could use to consistently classify vegetation according to similar standards. The Nature Conservancy (U.S.) has been working with the heritage programs to develop a standardized, hierarchical North American classification system appropriate for conservation planning and management, and for the long-term monitoring of ecological communities and ecosystems (Grossman et al. 1994). Global ranks for this list were provided by The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Midwestern Regional Office, Minneapolis, Minnesota, in December 1996.

Global ranks are defined as follows:

G1

Critically imperiled globally because of extreme rarity (5 or fewer occurrences or very few remaining hectares) or because of some factor(s) making it particularly vulnerable to extinction.

G2

Imperiled globally because of extreme rarity (6 to 20 occurrences or few remaining hectares) or because of some factor(s) making it very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range.

G3

Either very rare and local throughout its range or found locally (even abundantly at some of its locations) in a restricted range (e.g. a single province or physiographic region) or because of other factor(s) making it vulnerable to extinction throughout its range; in terms of occurrences, in the range of 21 to 100.

Vegetation communities assigned lower ranks, such as G4 and G5, are considered to be globally secure. A rank of G4 refers to a community which is apparently secure globally, while a rank of G5 indicates a community is demonstrably secure globally.

Global ranks can be modified further, usually in cases where insufficient information exists for a community type. For example, G2G3 indicates that an element is rare, but it is not known if it is clearly G2 or G3. Since the global classification has only very recently been developed, and is based in some cases on incompletely documented community occurrences, in some cases there is uncertainty as to the validity or appropriateness of the global community type. In such cases, a rank of GQ may be applied. There are numerous information gaps for many communities, hence, a number of global types have insufficient information on which to properly determine rank. These have received an interim rank of G?, until more information on the community becomes available.

Column 8. Provincial Rank (SRANK)

The NHIC uses a ranking system that considers the provincial rank of an element (=species or community type) as a tool to prioritize protection efforts. These ranks are not legal designations. The provincial (=subnational) rank is known as SRANK. These ranks have been assigned using the best available scientific information, and follow a systematic ranking procedure developed by The Nature Conservancy (U.S.). The ranks are based on the three factors outlined in the three previous columns, namely: estimated number of occurrences, estimated community areal extent, and estimated range of the community within the province. The provincial ranks are explained below.

S1

Extremely rare in Ontario; usually 5 or fewer occurrences in the province, or very few remaining remaining hectares.

S2

Very rare in Ontario; usually between 5 and 20 occurrences in the province, or few remaining hectares.

S3

Rare to uncommon in Ontario;usually between 20 and 100 occurrences in the province; may have fewer occurrences, but with some extensive examples remaining.

Communities are assigned lower ranks, such as S4 and S5, are considered to be common and widespread in Ontario. A rank of S4 denotes a community that is apparently secure in the province, with many occurrences, while S5 indicates it is demonstrably secure in the province.

The provincial ranks may be further modified. For example, S2S3 indicates that an element is rare, but insufficient information exists to accurately assign a single rank. SH indicates that an element is known from the province historically, but that it hasn't been seen in many years, although it is not known conclusively to be extirpated. SX indicates that an element is extirpated from the province.

It is important to note that while only those communities which occur in southern Ontario are listed here, many of them occur elsewhere in the province. Consequently, these ranks are intended to reflect their total provincial extent and distribution.

Column 9. Estimated number of community element occurrences

In the methodology employed by the NHIC, a species or community is referred to as an element. For the estimated number of element occurrences, the letter codes are:

• A: 1-5 occurrences
• B: 6-20 occurrences
• C: 21-100 occurrences
• D: >100 occurrences

In some cases, such as when communities have disappeared to the point that they now exist mostly as tiny fragments, such as tallgrass prairie, only larger (e.g. > 2 ha) occurrences are considered in the ranking.

Column 10. Estimated areal extent of the community element

The codes for the estimated areal extent of a community element within the province are:

• A: < 1,000 ha
• B: 1,000 - 5,000 ha
• C: 5,000 - 25,000 ha
• D: >25,000 ha

Column 11. Estimated distribution range of the community element

The codes for the estimated distribution range of the community element within the province are:

• A: Very small range in province, < 3% of province area
• B: Narrow range, > 3% but < 10% of province area
• C: Moderately widespread, > 10% but < 50% of province area
• D: Widespread, > 50% of the province area

Column 12. Comments

This column provides notes on various community types.

Final comments

The NHIC welcomes comments and information on community occurrences in the province, particularly those which are are ranked as rare, or which are high-quality, extensive examples of non-rare types. Also appreciated is any information or comments that would assist in refining the accuracy of assigned provincial ranks. See the next page for the mailing address.

Literature cited

Grossman, D.H., K.L. Goodin and C.L. Reuss, eds. 1994. Rare Plant Communities of the Conterminous United States, An Initial Survey. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, Virginia.

Hills, G.A. 1961. The Ecological Basis for Land-use Planning. Ontario Department of Lands and Forests, Toronto. Research Report 46. 204 pp.

Jalava, J.V., J.L. Riley, D.G. Cuddy, and W.J. Crins. 1996. A Proposed Revision to Ecological Site District Boundaries in Site Regions 6 and 7 (Unpublished draft). Natural Heritage Information Centre, Peterborough, Ontario.

Lee, H.T. and W.D. Bakowsky. 1996. Community Catalogue for Southern Ontario (Unpublished draft). Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, London, Ontario.

Lee, H.T., W.D. Bakowsky, J.L. Riley, H. Stewart, P. Neave, D. G. Cuddy, K. Coleman and P. Uhlig. 1996. An Ecological Community Classification for Southern Ontario: A First Approximation (Unpublished draft). Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Aurora, Ontario.

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. 1993. Ontario Wetland Evaluation System Southern Manual. 3^rd Edition. NEST Technical Manual TM-002.

Acknowledgements

The following people have contributed toward the development of the classification, or provided comments on the classification and/or the provincial ranks: Peter W. Ball, Jane M. Bowles, William J. Crins, Donald G. Cuddy, Don Faber-Langendoen, Anthony Goodban, Jarmo V. Jalava, Judith Jones, James Kamstra, Donald A. Kirk, Harold T. Lee, Douglas W. Larson, Michael J. Oldham, Murray Radford, John L. Riley, Claudia Schaefer, Donald A. Sutherland and David J. White.

Wasyl D. Bakowsky
Natural Heritage Information Centre
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
300 Water Street, 2^nd Floor, North Tower
P.O. Box 7000
Peterborough, Ontario
K9J 8M5
Telephone: 705-755-2162
Fax: 705-755-2168
Email: wasyl.bakowsky@ontario.ca

Common and scientific names

• Balsam Fir, Abies balsamea L. Miller
• Manitoba Maple, Acer negundo L.
• Red Maple, Acer rubrum L.
• Silver Maple, Acer saccharinum L.
• Black Maple, Acer saccharum Marhsall ssp. nigrum (Michaux f.) Desmarais
• Sugar Maple, Acer saccharum Marshall. ssp. saccharum
• Mountain Maple, Acer spicatum Lam.
• Maple, Acer spp.
• Swamp Maple, Acer x freemanii E. Murr. [rubrum x saccharinum]
• Red-top, Agrostis gigantea Roth
• Nodding Onion, Allium cernuum Roth
• Alder, Alnus spp.
• Serviceberry, Amelanchier spp.
• Beachgrass, Ammophila breviligulata Fern.
• Chokeberry, Aronia melanocarpa (Michaux) Elliott [= Pyrus melanocarpa]
• Wormwood, Artemisia campestris L. ssp. caudata (Michaux) H.M. Hall & Clements
• Paw-paw, Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal
• Yellow Birch, Betula allegheniensis Britton
• White Birch, Betula papyrifera Marshall
• Fen Birch, Betula pumila L.
• Lowland Ash Black Ash, Green Ash, Red Ash
• Sea Rocket, Cakile edentula (Bigelow) Hook.
• Bluejoint, Calamagrostis canadensis (Michaux) P. Beauv.
• Long-leaved Reed Grass, Calamovilfa longifolia (Hook.) Scribner var. magna Scribner & Merr.
• Calla Lily, Calla palustris L.
• Slender Sedge, Carex lasiocarpa Ehrh.
• Few-seeded Sedge, Carex oligosperma Michaux
• Hay Sedge, Carex siccata Dewey [= C. foenea]
• Sedge, Carex spp.
• Beaked Sedge, Carex utriculata F. Boott
• Bitternut Hickory, Carya cordiformis (Wang.) K. Koch
• Shagbark Hickory, Carya ovata (Miller) K. Koch
• Hickory, Carya spp.
• Hackberry, Celtis occidentalis L.
• Buttonbush, Cephalanthus occidentalis L.
• Leatherleaf, Chamaedaphne calyculata (L.) Moench
• Stonewort, Chara spp.
• Twig-rush, Cladium mariscoides (Muhlenb.) Torrey
• Silky Dogwood, Cornus amomum Miller ssp. obliqua (Raf.) J.S. Wilson [= C. obliqua]
• Gray Dogwood, Cornus foemina Miller ssp. racemosa (Lam.) J.S. Wilson [C. racemosa]
• Round-leaved Dogwood, Cornus rugosa Lam.
• Red-osier, Cornus stolonifera Michaux
• Hawthorn, Crataegus spp.
• Bulblet Fern, Cystopteris bulbifera (L.) Bernh.
• Water Willow, Decodon verticillatus (L.) Elliott
• Tufted Hairgrass, Deschampsia cespitosa (L.) P. Beauv.
• Spike Rush, Eleocharis spp.
• Waterweed, Elodea spp.
• Slender Wheat-grass, Elymus trachycaulus (Link) Gould in Shinn. [Agropyron trachycaulum]
• Great Lakes Wheat-grass, Elymys lanceolatus (Scribner & J.G. Smith) Gould ssp. psammophilus (J.M. Gillett & Senn) A. Löve [=Agropyron psammophilum]
• Horsetail, Equisetum spp.
• Cotton-grass, Eriophorum spp..
• Beech, Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.
• White Ash, Fraxinus americana L.
• Black Ash, Fraxinus nigra Marshall
• Green Ash, Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall
• Red Ash, Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall
• Huckleberry, Gaylussacia baccata (Wang.) K. Koch
• Herb Robert, Geranium robertianum L.
• Fowl Manna Grass, Glyceria spp.
• Water Star-grass, Heteranthera dubia (Jacq.) MacMillan
• Winterberry, Ilex verticillata (L.) A. Gray
• Jewelweed, Impatiens spp.
• Low Sedge includes, Carex chordorrhiza Ehrh., C. limosa L., C. livida (Wahlenb.) Willd.
• Butternut, Juglans cinerea L.
• Black Walnut, Juglans nigra L.
• Common Juniper, Juniperus communis L.
• Juniper, Juniperus communis L. and Juniperus horizontalis Moench
• Creeping Juniper, Juniperus horizontalis Moench
• Red Cedar, Juniperus virginiana L.
• European Larch, Larix decidua Miller
• Tamarack, Larix laricina (DuRoi) K. Koch
• Japanese Larch, Larix leptolepis (Sieb. & Zucc.) Gord.
• Rice Cut-grass, Leersia spp.
• Duckweed, Lemna spp.
• Spicebush, Lindera benzoin (L.) Blume
• Tulip Tree, Liriodendron tulipifera L.
• Water Marigold, Megalodonta beckii (Torrey ex Sprengel) E. Greene [= Bidens beckii]
• Bog Buckbean, Menyanthes trifoliata L.
• Sweet Gale, Myrica gale L.
• Water Milfoil, Myriophyllum spp.
• Watercress, Nasturtium officinale R. Br. Ex Aiton and N. microphyllum (Boenn.) Reichb.
• American Lotus, Nelumbo lutea (Willd.) Pers.
• Mountain Holly, Nemopanthus mucronatus (L.) Loes.
• Bullhead Lily, Nuphar spp.
• Water Lily, Nymphaea spp.
• Ironwood, Ostrya virginiana (Miller) K. Koch
• Philadelphia Panic Grass, Panicum philadelphicum Bernh. ex Trin.
• Switchgrass, Panicum virgatum L.
• Cliffbrake, Pellaea spp.
• Reed-canary Grass, Phalaris arundinacea L.
• Rush Grass, Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin ex Steudel [= P. communis]
• Ninebark, Physocarpus opulifolius (L.) Maxim.
• Norway Spruce, Picea abies (L.) Karsten
• White Spruce, Picea glauca (Moench) Voss
• Black Spruce, Picea mariana (Miller) Britton, Sterns & Pogg.
• Red Spruce, Picea rubens Sarg.
• Jack Pine, Pinus banksiana Lambert
• Red Pine, Pinus resinosa Sol. ex Aiton
• Pitch Pine, Pinus rigida P. Mill.
• Pine, Pinus spp.
• White Pine, Pinus strobus L.
• Scotch Pine, Pinus sylvestris L.
• Canada Bluegrass, Poa compressa L.
• Pickerel-weed, Pontederia cordata L.
• Balsam Poplar, Populus balsamifera L.
• Poplar, Populus balsamifera L. and Populus grandidentata Michaux
• Cottonwood, Populus deltoides Bartram ex Marshall
• Aspen, Populus tremuloides Michaux
• Hybrid Poplar, Populus x
• Pondweed, Potamogeton spp.
• Shrubby Cinquefoil, Potentilla fruticosa L.
• Sand Cherry, Prunus pumila L.
• Black Cherry, Prunus serotina Ehrh.
• Chokecherry, Prunus virginiana L.
• Hop-tree, Ptelea trifoliata L.
• Bracken Fern, Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn
• White Oak, Quercus alba L.
• Swamp White Oak, Quercus bicolor Willd.
• Bur Oak, Quercus macrocarpa Michaux
• Chinquapin Oak, Quercus muehlenbergii Engelm.
• Pin Oak, Quercus palustris Muenchh.
• Red Oak, Quercus rubra L. [= Q. borealis]
• Shumard's Oak, Quercus shumardii Buckley
• Oak, Quercus spp.
• Black Oak, Quercus velutina Lam.
• Fragrant Sumac, Rhus aromatica Aiton
• Poison Ivy, Rhus radicans L.
• Sumac, Rhus typhina L. and R. glabra L.
• Poison Sumac, Rhus vernix L.
• Raspberry, Rubus idaeus L.
• Black Willow, Salix nigra Marshall
• Willow, Salix spp.
• Sassafras, Sassafras albidum (Nutt.) Nees
• Little Bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium (Michaux) Nees [= Andropogon scoparius]
• Clubrush, Scirpus hudsonianus (Michaux) Fern. and S. cespitosus L.
• Threesquare, Scirpus pungens M. Vahl [= S. americanus]
• Bulrush, Scirpus spp.
• Bur-reed, Sparganium spp.
• Prairie Slough Grass, Spartina pectinata Link
• Meadowsweet, Spiraea spp.
• Northern Dropseed, Sporobolus heterolepis(A. Gray) A. Gray
• White Cedar, Thuja occidentalis L.
• Basswood, Tilia americana L.
• False Pennyroyal, Trichostema brachiatum L. [= Isanthus brachiatus]
• Hemlock, Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carriere
• Cattail, Typha spp.
• White Elm, Ulmus americana L.
• Bladderwort, Uticularia spp.
• Highbush Blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum L.
• Velvet-leaf Blueberry, Vaccinium myrtilloides Michaux
• Blueberry, Vaccinium spp.
• Wild Celery, Vallisneria americana Michaux
• Nannyberry, Viburnum lentago L.
• Southern Arrow-wood, Viburnum dentatum L. var. lucidum Ait [= V. recognitum]
• Prickly Ash, Zanthoxylum americanum Miller [= Xanthoxylum americanum]
• Wild-rice, Zizania spp.

Community field reporting form

Instructions

Please read carefully

1. Important: this form to be completed by the person who made the observation and is for reporting first-hand on-site field observations; do not use this form to report second-hand data from a letter, report, or conversation. Send us a copy of the letter, report, memo etc. and we will process it in another manner.
2. Complete one form per community per site. Use a pen or dark pencil.
3. Data sheets or cards from a standard survey method (e.g. quadrat) may be attached to this sheet.
4. Very Important: attach a copy of the NTS or OBM topographic map indicating the location/boundary of the community (see next page).

• Community type
• Observation data
  • Last observed
  • First observed
  • Name of observer(s)
  • Address
  • Telephone
  • Fax
  • Others knowledgeable about this occurrence (name, address, telephone):
• Locational data
  • Survey site name (local or place name)
  • Topographic map name datum (e.g. NAD27)
  • Topographic map number
  • Centroid UTM
  • Grid zone
  • County or district
  • Township
  • Site district (Hill’s Site Region and district)
  • Directions to the occurrence: Describe in detail the precise location of the community occurrence. Refer to nearby topographic landmarks and street names. Include distances whenever possible. Be clear and concise
• Community profile sketch
• Community information
  • Dominant species
  • Other species
  • Community description (describe structure and composition of community in terms of layers)
  • Adjacent communities
  • Mosaic comments
  • Successional dynamics
  • Disturbance comments
• Species list: Important - If a species list for the community has been compiled, attach (staple) a photocopy of the species list. Also indicate the date the list was compiled, and the approximate time spent compiling the list.
  • Species list attached:
    • Yes
    • No
• Environmental information
  • Landform (e.g. alluvial sand plain, gound moraine, bedrock)
  • Topographic position
  • Geology
  • Soil type
  • Site moisture
  • Drainage
  • Soil description
  • Hydrological influence
• Topographic map: (very important) - attach (staple) a photocopy of the appropriate portion of the topographic map for the area, and indicate the precise location of each community occurrence centroid, and preferably draw a boundary or apporximate boundary for the community. If the community occurs as a mosaic within an area, please indicate this on the map with a comment.
• Form filled out by
  • Name
  • Date
  • Address

Natural Heritage Information Centre community type provincial ranks

W.D. Bakowsky

Aquatic

• Shallow to deep open water without emergent vegetation dominance (standing water always present)

Community series I: Lacustrine / Riverine

Community series II: Open water

Community series II: Shallow water

These community types are poorly documented and described in Ontario

Submerged shallow aquatic ecosite

Submerged - floating-leaved shallow aquatic ecosite

Floating-leaved shallow aquatic ecosite

Wetland

• Lands that are seasonally or permanently flooded by shallow water as well as lands where the water table is close to the surface; in either case the presence of abundant water has caused the formation of hydric soils and has favoured the dominance of either hydrophytic or water tolerant plants

Community series I: Marsh

Community series II: Meadow Marsh

Great Lakes Coastal Meadow Marsh Ecosite (‘Shoreline Fen’ or ‘Panne’)

Wet - Moist Tallgrass Prairie Meadow Marsh Ecosite

Mineral Meadow Marsh Ecosite

Organic Meadow Marsh Ecosite

Community series II: Shallow Marsh

Mineral Shallow Marsh Ecosite

Organic Shallow Marsh Ecosite

Community series II: Thicket Swamp

Mineral Thicket Swamp Ecosite

Organic Thicket Swamp Ecosite

Community series II: Deciduous Mineral Swamp (includes Wet Woods)

Oak Deciduous Mineral Swamp Ecosite

Ash Deciduous Mineral Swamp Ecosite

Maple Deciduous Mineral Swamp Ecosite

White Elm Deciduous Mineral Swamp Ecosite

Aspen - White Birch - Poplar Mixed Deciduous Mineral Swamp Ecosite

Yellow Birch Mineral Deciduous Swamp Ecosite

Community series II: Deciduous Organic Swamp

Ash Deciduous Organic Swamp Ecosite

Maple Deciduous Organic Swamp Ecosite

Aspen - White Birch - Poplar Organic Swamp Ecosite

Community series II: Mixed Mineral Swamp

White Cedar - Mixed Mineral Swamp Ecosite

Red Maple Mixed Mineral Swamp Ecosite

Community series II: Mixed Organic Swamp

White Cedar Mixed Organic Swamp Ecosite

Red Maple Mixed Organic Swamp Ecosite

Community series II: Coniferous Mineral Swamp

White Cedar Mixed Mineral Swamp Ecosite

White Pine Coniferous Mineral Swamp Ecosite

Community series II: Coniferous Organic Swamp

Tamarack - Black Spruce Coniferous Organic Swamp Ecosite

White Cedar Coniferous Organic Swamp Ecosite

Community series I: Fen

• fen indicators present, more species than in bogs, mineralized groundwater

Community series II: Open Fen

Graminoid Fen Ecosite

Shrub Fen Ecosite

Community series II: Treed Fen

Treed Fen Ecosite

Community series I: Bog

• species-poor, fen indicators few or absent

Community series II: Open Bog

Graminoid Bog Ecosite

Shrub Bog Ecosite

Community series II: Treed Bog

Treed Bog Ecosite

Community series I: Kettle Peatland

• occur in kettles, local areas of bog and fen within, both fen and bog indicator species present

Community series II: Open Kettle Peatland

Shrub Kettle Peatland Ecosite

Community series II: Treed Kettle Peatland

Treed Kettle Peatland Ecosite

Terrestrial

• All communities occurring on non-hydric soils

Community series I: Shoreline

Community series II: Beach / Bar

• these communities interface with water, may be wet due to fluctuating water levels, and violate the strict terrestrial definition

Open Sand Beach / Bar Ecosite

Gravel / Shingle / Cobble Beach / Bar Ecosite

Limestone Bedrock Beach / Bar Ecosite

Community series II: Sand Dune

Dune Grassland Ecosite

Dune Shrubland Ecosite

Dune Savannah Ecosite

Community series II: Bluff

Shale / Clay Bluff Ecosite

Sand / Till Bluff Ecosite

Community series I: Cliff, Talus, Crevice and Cave

Community series II: Cliff

Open Limestone / Dolostone Cliff Ecosite

Limestone / Dolostone Cliff Shrubland Ecosite

Treed Limestone / Dolostone Cliff Ecosite

Open Granite Cliff Ecosite

Community series II: Talus

Open Limestone / Dolostone Talus Ecosite

Limestone / Dolostone Talus Shrubland

Treed Limestone / Dolostone Talus Ecosite

Community series II: Crevice and Cave

Limestone / Dolostone Crevice Ecosite

Community series I: Rockland

Community series II: Open and Treed Rock Barren

Open Limestone/Dolostone Barren Ecosite

• Rolling or uneven limestone reef bedrock, not flat alvar

Limestone / Dolostone Shrubland Barren Ecosite

Treed Limestone / Dolostone Barren Ecosite

Open Sandstone Barren Ecosite

Open Granite Barren Ecosite

Granite Shrubland Barren Ecosite

Treed Granite Barren Ecosite

Community series II: Alvar

Open Alvar Ecosite

• <10% tree cover

Alvar Shrubland Ecosite

• > 25% shrub cover

Treed Alvar Ecosite

• tree cover between 10% and 60%

Community series I: Non-Forested Deep Soil Terrestrial

Community series II: Sand Barren

Sand Barren Ecosite

Community series II: Tallgrass Prairie, Savannah & Woodland

Dry Tallgrass Prairie Ecosite

Moist - Fresh Tallgrass Prairie Ecosite

Dry Tallgrass Savannah Ecosite

Moist - Fresh Tallgrass Savannah Ecosite

Dry Tallgrass Woodland Ecosite

Moist - Fresh Oak Tallgrass Woodland Ecosite

Community series II: Deciduous Forest

Dry Deciduous Forest Ecosite

Dry - Fresh Oak Deciduous Forest Ecosite

Dry - Fresh Oak - Maple Deciduous Forest Type

Dry - Fresh Hackberry Deciduous Forest Ecosite

Dry - Fresh Hickory Deciduous Forest Ecosite

Dry - Fresh White Birch - Poplar - Aspen - White Ash Deciduous Forest Ecosite

Dry - Fresh Sugar Maple - Mixed-Deciduous Forest Ecosite

Fresh Sugar Maple - Beech Deciduous Forest Ecosite

Fresh Sugar Maple - Mixed-Deciduous Forest Ecosite

Moist - Fresh Sugar Maple - Mixed-Deciduous Forest Ecosite

Moist - Fresh Black Walnut Deciduous Forest

Moist - Fresh Hackberry Deciduous Forest Ecosite

Moist - Fresh White Birch - Aspen - Poplar - Deciduous Forest Ecosite

Community series II: Mixed Forest

Dry Oak - Pine Mixed Forest Ecosite

Dry - Fresh White Pine Mixed Forest Ecosite

Dry - Fresh White Cedar Mixed Forest Ecosite

Dry - Fresh White Birch - Aspen Mixed Forest Ecosite

Moist - Fresh Hemlock Mixed Forest Ecosite

Moist - Fresh White Cedar Mixed Forest Ecosite

Moist - Fresh White Birch - Aspen Mixed Forest Ecosite

Community series II: Coniferous Forest

Dry Coniferous Forest Ecosite

Dry Red Cedar Coniferous Forest Ecosite

Dry - Fresh White Pine Coniferous Forest Ecosite

Dry - Fresh White Cedar - White Spruce Coniferous Forest Ecosite

Fresh Hemlock Coniferous Forest Ecosite

Moist - Fresh White Cedar - Mixed - Coniferous Forest Ecosite