Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater/Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest Macrogroup: Southern Bottomland Forest your State Natural Heritage Ecologist for more information about this habitat. this about information more for Ecologist Heritage State Natural your Contact based inventory. field for substitute a not data is and current based on distribution a mapmodeled is This
© Gary P. Fleming (Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation Natural Heritage Program) Description: A complex of wetland and upland vegetation on floodplains of coastal plain streams south of the James river in southeast Virginia. These are narrow but sometimes long dendritic patches of wetland forest dominated by bald cypress and tupelo with oaks and other bottomland hardwoods found in drier areas. Small shrubby sloughs may be present, and shrub and herb layers are generally well- developed. Two variants are recognized. "Blackwater" floodplains originate in sandy soils; their waters are strongly stained by tannins and carry little suspended clay sediment. Depositional landforms are limited. Streams in more nutrient- rich and diverse "brownwater" floodplains carry substantial State Distribution: VA amounts of silt and clay. Natural levees are often distinctly present. Total Habitat Acreage: 163,607 Ecological Setting and Natural Processes: Percent Conserved: 6.2% Soils in blackwater systems tend to be strongly acidic; finer State State GAP 1&2 GAP 3 Unsecured textured brownwater soils are generally more fertile. State Habitat % Acreage (acres) (acres) (acres) Flooding period is more variable than for larger rivers, VA 100% 163,607 8,510 1,556 153,541 ranging from short duration to semipermanent, and vegetation is more uniform and less landform-differentiated. Wind throw is the primary disturbance agent; fire less important. Often in very human-altered landscapes.
Similar Habitat Types: Blackwater and brownwater streams are smaller and usually slower-moving than waterways in Piedmont-Coastal Plain Large River Floodplains, and wet bottomland forests in these floodplains are more commonly dominated by bald cypress and water tupelo than in floodplain systems to the west and north.
Crosswalk to State Wildlife Action Plans: Crosswalk to State Name Examples: Wetland Habitat - Forested (VA) Bald Cypress - Water Tupelo Brownwater Swamp (VA) Places to Visit this Habitat: Habitat Patch Distribution Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge | VA 60,000 Big Woods State Forest | VA 50,000 Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge | VA 40,000 North Landing River Preserve | VA 30,000
Acres 20,000 Piney Grove Preserve | VA 10,000 0
Associated Species: Appendix lists scientific names 0 to 1 1 to 5 5 to 10 1000+ BIRDS: acadian flycatcher, bald eagle, prothonotary warbler, 10 to 100 swainson’s warbler, wood duck, yellow-throated warbler 100 to 1000 Patch Size Classes
MAMMALS: rafinesque's big-eared bat The average patch size for this habitat is 9 acres and the largest single patch is 3,841 acres. This chart shows the proportion of the habitat that is in each patch-size HERPTILES: canebrake rattlesnake class.
INSECTS: burgundy bluet, fine-lined emerald, southern sprite Age Class Distribution 50 PLANTS: bay-gail holly (Ilex coriacea), bog-buttons 40 (Lachnocaulon anceps), hairy seedbox (Ludwigia pilosa), 30 maidencane (Panicum hemitomon), mississippi buttercup 20 (Ranunculus laxicaulis), miterwort (Mitreola petiolata), plukenet's 10 cyperus (Cyperus plukenetii), ravenfoot sedge (Carex crus- 0 corvi), shaded mudflower (Micranthemum umbrosum), small- Percent of Habitat flower throughwort (Eupatorium glaucescens), tall yellow-eye- 1 to 20 20 to 40 40 to 60 60 to 80 grass (Xyris platylepis), water-purslane (Didiplis diandra), yellow 80 to 100100 to 140 pitcherplant (Sarracenia flava) Age (Years)
This chart shows the average age of trees associated with this habitat based on forest Inventory data. For non-forested systems or small habitats the average age is Species of Concern (G1-G4): Appendix lists scientific names influenced by the surroundings. BIRDS: red-cockaded woodpecker Predicted Habitat Loss to Development MAMMALS: dismal swamp southeastern shrew 160,000 HERPTILES: dwarf waterdog, timber rattlesnake - coastal plain 155,000 population 150,000
Acreage 145,000 INSECTS: Chowanoke crayfish, Dukes' skipper, swamp forestfly, sweetbay silkmoth, southeastern cane borer moth 140,000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 PLANTS: chapman's beakrush (Rhynchospora stenophylla), creeping blueberry (Vaccinium crassifolium), dusty zenobia Decade (Zenobia pulverulenta), flowering pixie-moss (Pyxidanthera barbulata), giant peatmoss (Sphagnum torreyanum), hairy st. This chart shows the predicted loss of habitat over the next five decades (7,137 john's-wort (Hypericum setosum), longleaf wedgescale acres) if loss continues at the same rate as 1990-2000. The average rate of loss is (Sphenopholis filiformis), pinebarren rush (Juncus abortivus), 143 acres per year. slender rattlesnake-root (Prenanthes autumnalis), winter quillwort (Isoetes hyemalis) Habitat Connectedness Index 60 40 20 0 Percent of Habitat
0 to 25 25 to 50 50 to 75 75 to 100 Degree of Fragmentation (0=Highly Fragmented & 100= Highly Connected)
This metric measures how connected or fragmented the land directly surrounding (18 © Gary P. Fleming (Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation Natural square miles) the habitat is, this the chart shows the proportion of the habitat in each Heritage Program) connectedness class.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater/Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest http://nature.ly/HabitatGuide