Tall Shrub Fen These Plants Are Frequently Found in This Community Type

Characteristic Plants Tall Shrub Fen These plants are frequently found in this community type. Those with an asterisk are State Rank S4 Similar Types often diagnostic of this community. Alder Shrub Thickets can be similar, but Canopy Community Description occur on mineral/muck soil and are not Black spruce This peatland vegetation is characterized associated with peatlands. Sweetgale Mixed Red maple by tall shrubs, with spotty tree cover Shrub Fens can have similar structure and Sapling/shrub above. Shrub cover is usually >70%, with can be associated with peatlands, but they Balsam fir alder and mountain holly almost always are more strongly dominated by sweetgale Highbush blueberry present and with other shrubs locally and heath shrubs rather than alder or Mountain holly* common. Red maple is typical in the other shrubs. Spruce - Larch Wooded Red maple tree layer, along with black spruce. The Bogs and Red Maple Woodland Fens have Mountain Holly Flowers Speckled alder* herb layer is patchy, with 10-50% cover. greater tree cover, less tall shrub cover, and Wild-raisin Labrador tea and pitcher plants are typically occur on deeper peat. maintenance of appropriate wetland buffers Dwarf Shrub frequent, though not necessarily in high can help retain the quality of individual Labrador tea abundance. Cinnamon fern and wild Conservation, Wildlife, and occurrences. Leatherleaf calla are good indicators. The bryoid Management Considerations Small cranberry layer is mostly peat mosses and is patchy, This community is common around Wetland species that use this community Herb averaging ~50% cover. the perimeter of peatlands and in some type include common yellowthroat, Cinnamon fern* non-peatland drainages as well. It often Wilson’s warbler, Lincoln’s sparrow, Marsh St. Johnswort Soil and Site Characteristics receives runoff from adjacent uplands, so spotted salamander, wood frog, and Pitcher plant Sites occur in peat filled basin wetlands, northern waterthrush. The black Three-leaved false Solomon’s seal meadowhawk, an uncommon dragonfly Three-seeded sedge often at the upland/peatland transition. Location Map Mountain Holly - Alder Woodland Areas bordering the upland (the peatland of open fens and marshes, may be found Bryoid “lagg”) have standing water for much in this community. Some occurrences of Sphagnum mosses of the growing season; however, this this community type host vernal pools, community can be found in settings which are important breeding habitat for a Associated Rare Plants other than the peatland lagg. Substrates variety of amphibians including wood frogs, Bog bedstraw are somewhat acidic to circumneutral, spotted salamanders, and blue-spotted with relatively high levels of nitrogen, salamanders. The rusty blackbird may Associated Rare Animals occur in this type in northern Maine. presumably from the nitrogen fixing Rusty blackbird alders. Distribution Diagnostics Central Maine northward, extending west Vegetation associated with a peatland, through New England and New York, and Examples on Conservation with well-developed shrub layer (1-3 m) presumably north and east into Canada. Lands You Can Visit is dominated by non-heath shrubs and • Acadia National Park – Hancock Co. often with scattered trees. Some heaths Landscape Pattern: Small Patch • Appleton Bog Preserve – Knox Co. and other peatland species are present. • Great Heath Public Lands – The substrate Washington Co. is peat or is • Number Five Bog Public Lands transitional – Somerset Co. from peat to • Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife mineral soil. Refuge – Penobscot Co.

Cinnamon Fern Maine Natural Areas Program