Appendix F: Vegetative Alliances
F. Vegetative Alliances of the Texas Midcoast National Wildlife Refuge Complex
I. BOTTOMLAND HARDWOOD FOREST
I.A.1 CARYA ILLINOINENSIS - CELTIS LAEVIGATA TEMPORARILY FLOODED FOREST ALLIANCE
Pecan – Sugarberry Temporarily Flooded Forest Alliance
I.A.2 CELTIS LAEVIGATA – ULMUS CRASSIFOLIA TEMPORARILY FLOODED FOREST ALLIANCE
Sugarberry – Cedar Elm Temporarily Flooded Forest Alliance
a. Cedar Elm – Pecan – Sugarberry/Longleaf Spikegrass – Cherokee Sedge Forest (Ulmus crassifolia - Carya illinoinensis - Celtis laevigata / Chasmanthium sessiliflorum - Carex cherokeensis)Ulmus crassifolia - Carya illinoinensis - Celtis laevigata / Chasmanthium sessiliflorum - Carex cherokeensis Forest
Cedar Elm - Pecan - Sugarberry / Longleaf Spikegrass - Cherokee Sedge Forest Association
I.A.3 FRAXINUS PENNSYLVANICA - ULMUS AMERICANA - CELTIS LAEVIGATA TEMPORARILY FLOODED FOREST ALLIANCE
Green Ash - American Elm - Sugarberry Temporarily Flooded Forest Alliance a. Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Ulmus americana - Celtis laevigata / Ilex decidua Forest Green Ash - American Elm - Sugarberry / Possum-haw Forest
I.A.4 QUERCUS VIRGINIANA TEMPORARILY FLOODED FOREST ALLIANCE Live Oak Temporarily Flooded Forest Alliance
a. Live Oak / Yaupon - Dwarf Palmetto / Cherokee Sedge - Texas Mallow Forest (Quercus virginiana / Ilex vomitoria - Sabal minor / Carex cherokeensis - Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii)
I.A.5 QUERCUS VIRGINIANA - CARYA ILLINOINENSIS ALLIANCE
Live Oak – Pecan Alliance
I.A.6 QUERCUS VIRGINIANA - CELTIS LAEVIGATA FOREST ALLIANCE
Live Oak – Sugarberry Forest Alliance
Texas Mid‐coast NWR Complex Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment F-1 Appendix F: Vegetative Alliances
a. Live Oak - Sugarberry / Dwarf Palmetto Forest (Quercus virginiana - Celtis laevigata / Sabal minor)
I.A.7 TRIADICA SEBIFERA FOREST ALLIANCE
Chinese Tallow Tree Forest Alliance
I.A.8 QUERCUS NIGRA FOREST ALLIANCE
Water Oak Forest Alliance
a. Water Oak / Yaupon / Longleaf Spikegrass Forest (Quercus nigra / Ilex vomitoria / Chasmanthium sessiliflorum)
II. OPEN WATER
II.A.1 HALODULE WRIGHTII PERMANENTLY FLOODED - TIDAL HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Shoal-grass Permanently Flooded - Tidal Herbaceous Alliance
III. DISTURBED
Disturbed areas can be categorized as 1) continuously disturbed (e.g., roads, spoil sites, moist soil units, etc), 2) static successional disturbed (e.g., unclassified static successional communities, mud flats, salt pans, etc), and 3) successional disturbed (e.g. old fields). Disturbed areas undergo environmental stresses either naturally or culturally and result in a static vegetation or landscape succession. Therefore they have vegetative or non-vegetative characteristics. If naturally disturbed, as in the case of old fields, the shift in succession to another population may take several years to a decade or more. Salt pans or mud flats for example are frequently disturbed by tidal action to the point where the soil is hypersaline and pioneering seeds are washed away before they germinate. Moist soil units are mechanically manipulated to disrupt invasion by plants such as cattails to keep the area open for waterfowl activity. Other natural conditions may for a time inhibit or promote the occurrence of one dominant species year after year such as those found occupied by wolfweed (Chloracantha spinosus).
IV. SALINE MARSH
A. UPPER SALINE MARSH
BACCHARIS HALIMIFOLIA - IVA FRUTESCENS TIDAL SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
Groundsel-tree - Maritime Marsh-elder Tidal Shrubland Alliance
a. Baccharis halimifolia - Iva frutescens - Morella cerifera - (Ilex vomitoria) Shrubland
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Groundsel-tree - Maritime Marsh-elder - Wax-myrtle - (Yaupon) Shrubland b. Iva frutescens ssp. frutescens / Spartina spartinae Shrubland Southern Maritime Marsh-elder / Gulf Cordgrass Shrubland
BORRICHIA FRUTESCENS TIDAL SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
Seaside Oxeye Tidal Shrubland Alliance a. Seaside Oxeye / Saltmeadow Cordgrass - (Black Needlerush) Shrubland Association Borrichia frutescens / Spartina patens - (Juncus roemerianus) Shrubland Upper marsh edges and flats strongly dominated by Borrichia frutescens, ranging in size from narrow bands to flats in excess of 500 ha, often just below Iva frutescens or Baccharis halimifolia, often just above marshes dominated by Juncus roemerianus or Spartina alterniflora. Other characteristic species include Spartina patens, Iva frutescens, and Limonium carolinianum. b. Seaside Oxeye / Gulf Cordgrass Shrubland Borrichia frutescens / Spartina spartinae)Irregularly tidally flooded shrubland. Other species can include Sarcocornia perennis, Lycium carolinianum, and Batis maritima.
DISTICHLIS SPICATA TIDAL HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Saltgrass Tidal Herbaceous Alliance a. Saltgrass – (Saltmarsh Dropseed) Herbaceous Vegetation (Distichlis spicata - (Sporobolus virginicus)
This association occurs in upper tidal areas (coastal prairies) and is dominated by Distichlis spicata, often mixed with other halophytic grasses and succulents such as Sporobolus virginicus, Sarcocornia perennis, Batis maritima, Lycium carolinianum, Heliotropium curassavicum, and others.
SPARTINA PATENS - (DISTICHLIS SPICATA) TIDAL HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Saltmeadow Cordgrass - (Saltgrass) Tidal Herbaceous Alliance a. Saltmarsh cordgrass – Saltgrass – Saltmeadow Cordgrass Mesohaline Tidal Herbaceous Vegetation (Spartina alterniflora - Distichlis spicata - Spartina patens ) b. Gulf Cordgrass - Saltmarsh Dropseed Tidal Herbaceous Vegetation Association (Spartina spartinae – Sporobolus virginicus) c. Paspalum vaginatum - Spartina patens Oligohaline Herbaceous VegetationSeashore Crowngrass - Saltmeadow Cordgrass Oligohaline Herbaceous Vegetation d. Spartina alterniflora - Distichlis spicata - Spartina patens Mesohaline Tidal Herbaceous Vegetation Saltmarsh Cordgrass - Saltgrass - Saltmeadow Cordgrass Mesohaline Tidal HerbaceousVegetation
Texas Mid‐coast NWR Complex Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment F-3 Appendix F: Vegetative Alliances
e. Spartina patens - Schoenoplectus (americanus, pungens) - (Distichlis spicata) Herbaceous Vegetation Saltmeadow Cordgrass - (Chairmaker's Bulrush, Threesquare) - (Saltgrass) Herbaceous Vegetation
F.1.1. PHRAGMITES AUSTRALIS TEMPORARILY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Common Reed Temporarily Flooded Herbaceous Alliance
RUPPIA MARITIMA PERMANENTLY FLOODED - TIDAL TEMPERATE HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Beaked Ditch-grass Permanently Flooded - Tidal Temperate Herbaceous Alliance
SPARTINA PATENS - (DISTICHLIS SPICATA) TIDAL HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Saltmeadow Cordgrass - (Saltgrass) Tidal Herbaceous Alliance
SPARTINA PATENS - (SCHOENOPLECTUS PUNGENS) HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Saltmeadow Cordgrass - (Threesquare) Herbaceous Alliance
B. LOWER SALINE MARSH
BACCHARIS HALIMIFOLIA - IVA FRUTESCENS TIDAL SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
Groundsel-tree - Maritime Marsh-elder Tidal Shrubland Alliance
a. Baccharis halimifolia - Iva frutescens - Morella cerifera - (Ilex vomitoria) Shrubland Groundsel-tree - Maritime Marsh-elder - Wax-myrtle - (Yaupon) Shrubland
This community is usually best developed at the upper limit of non-storm tidal inundation, on natural levees deposited by above-normal tides. The most common species are typically Baccharis halimifolia, Morella cerifera, Iva frutescens ssp. frutescens, Lycium carolinianum, Baccharis angustifolia, and Ilex vomitoria. Other species which may be present include Borrichia frutescens, Fimbristylis castanea, Limonium carolinianum, and Solidago sempervirens. Iva frutescens ssp. frutescens / Spartina spartinae Shrubland b. Iva frutescens ssp. frutescens / Spartina spartinae ShrublandSouthern Maritime Marsh- elder / Gulf Cordgrass Shrubland
SARCOCORNIA PERENNIS - (DISTICHLIS SPICATA, SPARTINA ALTERNIFLORA) TIDAL DWARF-SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
F-4 Texas Mid‐coast NWR Complex Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment Appendix F: Vegetative Alliances
Woody Glasswort - (Saltgrass, Saltmarsh Cordgrass) Tidal Dwarf-shrubland Alliance a. Sarcocornia perennis - Batis maritima - Distichlis spicata Dwarf-shrubland Woody Glasswort - Saltwort - Saltgrass Dwarf-shrubland
BORRICHIA FRUTESCENS TIDAL SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
Seaside Oxeye Tidal Shrubland Alliance a. Seaside Oxeye / Saltmeadow Cordgrass - (Black Needlerush) Shrubland b. Borrichia frutescens / Spartina patens - (Juncus roemerianus) Shrubland c. Seaside Oxeye/Gulf Cordgrass Shrubland d. Borrichia frutescens / Spartina spartinae Shrubland
BATIS MARITIMA TIDAL DWARF-SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
Saltwort Tidal Dwarf-shrubland Alliance; Planta de Sal Dwarf-shrubland Alliance a. Saltwort – Woody Glasswort Dwarf-shrubland Association (Batis maritima - Sarcocornia perennis, S. virginica) JUNCUS ROEMERIANUS TIDAL HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Black Needlerush Tidal Herbaceous Alliance a. Juncus roemerianus Herbaceous VegetationBlack Needlerush Herbaceous Vegetation
SCHIZACHYRIUM LITTORALE SHRUB HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Seaside Little Bluestem Shrub Herbaceous Alliance
SPARTINA ALTERNIFLORA TIDAL HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE Saltmarsh Cordgrass Tidal Herbaceous Alliance a. Spartina alterniflora - Juncus roemerianus - Distichlis spicata Herbaceous Vegetation b. Saltmarsh Cordgrass - Black Needlerush - Saltgrass Herbaceous Vegetation
V. SALINE PRAIRIE
BACCHARIS HALIMIFOLIA SATURATED SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE Groundsel-tree Saturated Shrubland Alliance
BACCHARIS HALIMIFOLIA - IVA FRUTESCENS TIDAL SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
Groundsel-tree - Maritime Marsh-elder Tidal Shrubland Alliance
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a. Iva frutescens ssp. frutescens / Spartina spartinae Shrubland Southern Maritime Marsh-elder / Gulf Cordgrass Shrubland
BORRICHIA FRUTESCENS TIDAL SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
Seaside Oxeye Tidal Shrubland Alliance a. Borrichia frutescens / Spartina patens - (Juncus roemerianus) ShrublandSeaside Oxeye / Saltmeadow Cordgrass - (Black Needlerush) Shrubland b. Borrichia frutescens / Spartina spartinae ShrublandSeaside Oxeye / Gulf Cordgrass Shrubland Irregularly tidally flooded shrubland. Other species can include Sarcocornia perennis, Lycium carolinianum var. quadrifidum, and Batis maritima.
MONANTHOCHLOE LITTORALIS TIDAL HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Shoregrass Tidal Herbaceous Alliance
PROSOPIS GLANDULOSA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
Honey Mesquite Shrubland Alliance
On the complex it is considered to be the northernmost occurrence of its historic range on the Texas Gulf Coast. a. Prosopis glandulosa var. glandulosa - Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri - Borrichia frutescens ShrublandHoney Mesquite - Texas Prickly-pear - Seaside Oxeye Shrubland
SPARTINA PATENS - (DISTICHLIS SPICATA) TIDAL HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Saltmeadow Cordgrass - (Saltgrass) Tidal Herbaceous Alliance a. Saltmeadow Cordgrass - (Chairmaker's Bulrush, Threesquare) - (Saltgrass) Herbaceous Vegetation Association (Spartina patens – Schoenoplectus (Americanus, Pungens) – (Distichlis spicata) b. SPARTINA SPARTINAE SATURATED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Gulf Cordgrass Saturated Herbaceous Alliance a. Gulf Cordgrass – Little Bluestem Herbaceous Vegetation Spartina spartinae - Schizachyrium scoparium Vegetation
F-6 Texas Mid‐coast NWR Complex Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment Appendix F: Vegetative Alliances
VI. UPLAND PRAIRIE/FRESHWATER WETLANDS
ANDROPOGON GLOMERATUS TEMPORARILY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Bushy Broomsedge Temporarily Flooded Herbaceous Alliance
SAGITTARIA LATIFOLIA SEMIPERMANENTLY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Broadleaf Arrowhead Semipermanently Flooded Herbaceous Alliance
TRIADICA SEBIFERA FOREST ALLIANCE
Chinese Tallow-tree Forest Alliance
SCHOENOPLECTUS AMERICANUS SEMIPERMANENTLY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Chairmaker's Bulrush Semipermanently Flooded Herbaceous Alliance
SCHOENOPLECTUS CALIFORNICUS SEMIPERMANENTLY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Giant Bulrush Semipermanently Flooded Herbaceous Alliance
a. Schoenoplectus californicus Herbaceous VegetationGiant Bulrush Herbaceous Vegetation
PHRAGMITES AUSTRALIS SEMIPERMANENTLY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Common Reed Semipermanently Flooded Herbaceous Alliance
LUDWIGIA PEPLOIDES SEMIPERMANENTLY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Floating Water-primrose Semipermanently Flooded Herbaceous Alliance
BACCHARIS HALIMIFOLIA SATURATED SHRUBLAND ALLIANC
EGroundsel-tree Saturated Shrubland Alliance
SAGITTARIA LANCIFOLIA SEMIPERMANENTLY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Lanceleaf Arrowhead Semipermanently Flooded Herbaceous Alliance
SCHIZACHYRIUM SCOPARIUM - PASPALUM PLICATULUM HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Little Bluestem - Brownseed Crowngrass Herbaceous Alliance
Texas Mid‐coast NWR Complex Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment F-7 Appendix F: Vegetative Alliances
a. Little Bluestem - Brownseed Crowngrass - Yellow Indiangrass - Few-flower Witchgrass - Slender Crowngrass - Western Silvery Aster Alfisol Herbaceous Vegetation Associatin (Schizachyrium scoparium - Paspalum plicatulum - Sorghastrum nutans - Dichanthelium oligosanthes - Paspalum setaceum - Symphyotrichum pratense) b. Schizachyrium scoparium - Paspalum plicatulum - Sorghastrum nutans - Dichanthelium oligosanthes - Paspalum setaceum - Symphyotrichum pratense Alfisol Herbaceous Vegetation Little Bluestem - Brownseed Crowngrass - Yellow Indiangrass - Few-flower Witchgrass - Slender Crowngrass - Western Silvery Aster Alfisol Herbaceous Vegetation. c. Schizachyrium scoparium - Sorghastrum nutans - Paspalum plicatulum - Carex microdonta - Neptunia lutea Herbaceous Vegetation Little Bluestem - Yellow Indiangrass - Brownseed Crowngrass - Little-tooth Sedge - Yellow-puff Herbaceous Vegetation
TYPHA (ANGUSTIFOLIA, LATIFOLIA) - (SCHOENOPLECTUS SPP.) SEMIPERMANENTLY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
(Narrowleaf Cattail, Broadleaf Cattail) - (Bulrush species) Semipermanently Flooded Herbaceous Alliance
a. Typha (angustifolia, domingensis, latifolia) - Schoenoplectus americanus Herbaceous Vegetation (Narrowleaf Cattail, Southern Cattail, Broadleaf Cattail) - Chairmaker's Bulrush Herbaceous Vegetation
POTAMOGETON SPP. - CERATOPHYLLUM SPP. - ELODEA SPP. PERMANENTLY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Pondweed species - Coontail species - Waterweed species Permanently Flooded Herbaceous Alliance
SPARTINA PATENS SEASONALLY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Saltmeadow Cordgrass Seasonally Flooded Herbaceous Alliance
a. Bushy Goldentop - Swamp Sunflower - White Doll's Daisy - Saltmeadow Cordgrass Herbaceous Vegetation Euthamia leptocephala - Helianthus angustifolius - Boltonia asteroides - Spartina patens Vegetation b. Saltmeadow Cordgrass - (Tufted Fimbry, Chestnut Fimbry) - (Gulfdune Crowngrass) Herbaceous Vegetation Spartina patens - Fimbristylis (caroliniana, castanea) - (Paspalum monostachyum) Herbaceous Vegetation
PANICUM VIRGATUM - TRIPSACUM DACTYLOIDES HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
F-8 Texas Mid‐coast NWR Complex Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment Appendix F: Vegetative Alliances
Switchgrass - Eastern Gammagrass Herbaceous Alliance
NELUMBO LUTEA PERMANENTLY FLOODED TEMPERATE HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
American Lotus Permanently Flooded Temperate Herbaceous Alliance
PASPALUM VAGINATUM TEMPORARILY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Seashore Crowngrass Temporarily Flooded Herbaceous Alliance
POLYGONUM SPP. SEASONALLY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Smartweed species Seasonally Flooded Herbaceous Alliance
Pennsylvania Smartweed - Pale Smartweed Herbaceous Vegetation Association (Polygonum pensylvanicum – Polygonum lapathipolium)
ELEOCHARIS QUADRANGULATA - SAGITTARIA SPP. SEASONALLY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Squarestem Spikerush - Arrowhead species Seasonally Flooded Herbaceous Alliance
PANICUM VIRGATUM - TRIPSACUM DACTYLOIDES HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Switchgrass - Eastern Gammagrass Herbaceous Alliance a. Switchgrass - Eastern Gammagrass - (Maidencane) Herbaceous Vegetation (Panicum virgatum - Tripsacum dactyloides - (Panicum hemitomon)
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F-10 Texas Mid‐coast NWR Complex Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment