Fresh/Brackish Tidal Swamp State Rank: S1 - Critically Imperiled

layer is often very dense, and typically includes northern arrow-wood, winterberry holly, swamp rose and silky dogwood. Common greenbrier, poison ivy, and grapes weave through the shrub layer. Large mucky hollows flooded by daily tides support a diverse assemblage of herbaceous and Diagram: Brian Reid graminoid plants. Most of these are typical of the nearby trees would be indicative of freshwater Description: Fresh/Brackish Tidal community occurs along smaller streams Freshwater Tidal Marsh including tidal conditions, however the best sensitive fern, blue joint grass, arrow Swamps occur along free-flowing coastal at the upper limit of tidal influence. Tidal indicators, Estuary beggar-ticks and arum, wild rice, smart-weeds, and rivers and are influenced daily by the amplitude may range from 0 to 40 cm Eaton's beggar-ticks, are very uncommon. tearthumbs. Plants typical of tidal mud- incoming tides. Although they are flooded (~16 in) or higher; the habitat is flooded flats such as water purslane and bittercress by the tides, they are located upstream of (usually twice) daily with fresh to Habitat for Associated Fauna: also occur in the rich mucky hollows the salt front, with the river essentially brackish water. While no occurrences The size of the swamp and structure becoming backed up as it meets resistance have been identified in Massachusetts, between trees. produced by the forest and shrubs present from high tides. Tidal swamps occur brackish swamps would occur closer than are more important to most animals that upslope of freshwater or brackish tidal purely freshwater tidal swamps to the Differentiating from Related would use a tidal swamp, than are the marshes, within the upper limits of tidal ocean along tidal rivers, upslope of Communities: The key difference slight daily fluctuations in water levels influence, to more typical non-tidal brackish tidal marshes. from other types of forested wetlands, from the tides. Freshwater Tidal Swamps forested wetlands. A variation of this particularly Red Maple Swamp, Alluvial and Shrublands provide habitat for nesting Characteristic Species: Fresh/ Red Maple Swamp, and Alluvial Atlantic Gray Catbird, Common Yellow-throat, Brackish Tidal Swamps are characterized White Cedar Swamp, is that Tidal Swamp Sparrow, Wood Duck, Marsh Fresh/Brackish Tidal Swamps occur along by low stature trees, a dense shrub Swamps are restricted to the area of Wren, and Veery. The habitat is used by free-flowing coastal rivers at the upper understory and an unusually rich freshwater tidal action on coastal rivers, Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, and limit of tidal influence and are flooded by herbaceous layer. Red maple, swamp above the zone of regular salt water raptors like Red Tailed Hawks. daily tides; These low-statured forested white oak, Atlantic white cedar, and incursion. Being associated with freshwater and brackish tidal marshes, the wetlands often have a dense shrub occasionally green ash and/or American Examples with Public Access: elm occur on elevated hummocks, and presence of species from those understory; Willow Brook Farm Preserve (Wildlands form an open forest canopy. The shrub communities in the openings between Trust), Pembroke.

From: Classification of Natural Communities of Massachusetts htthttpp://www;mass;gov/nhesp/://www;mass;gov/nhesp/ Updated: 2016 Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program, Division of FishFisheeriesries & Wildlife, 1 Rabbit Hill Rd;, Westborough, M! 01581 (508) 389-6360