MISSISSIPPI’S STATE WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN 2015 – 2025 DRAFT Coordinated by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks On behalf of the State of Mississippi October 2015 Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Mission: The mission of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) is to conserve and enhance Mississippi’s wildlife, fisheries, and parks, provide quality outdoor recreation, and engage the public in natural resource conservation. For comments or queries regarding this strategy, please contact: Kathy Shelton [email protected] Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Mississippi Museum of Natural Science 2148 Riverside Drive Jackson, MS 39202 601-354-7303 www.mdwfp.com Credits: Kathy Shelton, MDWFP Mississippi State Wildlife Action Plan Coordinator Photos by the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, except where noted. Illustrations by Sam Beibers from Endangered Species of Mississippi Maps by Ryan Theel, GIS Analyst, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-Ecological Services Suggested Citation Format: Mississippi Museum of Natural Science. 2015. Mississippi’s State Wildlife Action Plan, 2015-2025. Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Jackson, Mississippi. The MDWFP is an equal opportunity employer and provider of programs and services. If anyone believes they have been subjected to discrimination on the basis of political affiliation, race, color, national origin, marital status, sex, religion, creed, age or disability, they may file a complaint alleging discrimination with either the MDWFP, P. O. Box 451, Jackson, MS 39205-0451, or the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission, 1801 L. Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20507 MISSISSIPPI❜S STATE WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN 2015 – 2025 MISSISSIPPI’S STATE WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN Table of Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................................................ 1 Chapter 1 Introduction and Purpose of Mississippi’s State Wildlife Action Plan ......................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 2 Approach and Methods (Elements 7 and 8) ................................................ 16 Chapter 3 Selecting and Prioritizing Mississippi’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need (Element 1) ................................................... 23 Chapter 4 Stresses, Threats and Priority Conservation Actions for Mississippi’s SGCN and Their Habitats (Element 3) ............................................... 46 Chapter 5 Ecoregions and Habitats of Mississippi (Elements 2, 3, and 4) A. East Gulf Coastal Plain Habitats (EGCP) 1. Xeric-Mesic Upland Forests/Woodlands ............................................................ 75 1.1 Xeric Hardwood Forests 1.2 Xeric Longleaf Pine Forests 1.3 Xeric-Mesic Hardwood Forests 1.4 Xeric-Mesic Shortleaf/Loblolly Pine Forests 2. Mesic Upland Forests .......................................................................................... 97 2.1 Southern Mixed Hardwood Forests 2.2 Mesic Longleaf Pine Savanna/Forests 2.3 Lower Slope/High Terrace Hardwood Forests 3. Rock Outcrops and Caves ................................................................................... 112 3.1 Rock Outcrops 3.2 Caves 4. Bottomland Hardwood Forests ........................................................................... 119 4.1 Bottomland Hardwood Forests 5. Swamp Forests .................................................................................................... 128 5.1 Bald Cypress/Gum Swamp Forests 5.2 Small Stream Swamp Forests 6. Riverfront Forests/Herblands/Sandbars ............................................................ 140 6.1 Cottonwood/Black Willow/River Birch Woodlands 6.2 Sandbars MISSISSIPPI’S STATE WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN 7. Wet Pine Savannas/Flatwoods/Bogs ................................................................. 150 7.1 Wet Pine Savannas 7.2 Slash Pine Flatwoods 7.3 Pitcherplant Bogs 8. Inland Freshwater Marshes ................................................................................ 163 8.1 Freshwater Marshes 9. Lacustrine (Lentic) Communities ....................................................................... 171 9.1 Oxbow Lakes 9.2 Reservoirs 9.3 Ephemeral (Temporary) Ponds 9.4 Beaver Ponds 10. Artificial Habitats ................................................................................................. 185 10.1 Urban and Suburban Lands 10.2 Buildings, Bridges, Overpasses Etc. 10.3 Utility Right-of-ways 10.4 Hay and Pasture Lands 10.5 Pine Plantations 10.6 Shrublands 10.7 Row Crops 10.8 Artificial Ponds B. Upper East Gulf Coastal Plain (UEGCP) 1. Xeric-Mesic Upland Forests/Woodlands ........................................................... 210 1.1 Xeric Hardwood Forests 1.2 Xeric-Mesic Hardwood Forests 1.3 Xeric-Mesic Shortleaf/Loblolly Pine Forests 2. Mesic Upland Forests .......................................................................................... 225 2.1 Southern Mixed Hardwood Forests 2.2 Loess Hardwood Forests 2.3 Lower Slope/High Terrace Hardwood Forests 3. Rock Outcrops and Caves .................................................................................. 240 3.1 Rock Outcrops 3.2 Caves 4. Bottomland Hardwood Forests .......................................................................... 248 4.1 Bottomland Hardwood Forests 5. Swamp Forests .................................................................................................... 258 5.1 Bald Cypress/Gum Swamp Forests 5.2 Small Stream Swamp Forests MISSISSIPPI’S STATE WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN 6. Riverfront Forests/Herblands/Sandbars ........................................................... 269 6.1 Cottonwood/Black Willow/River Birch Woodlands 6.2 Sandbars 7. Prairies and Cedar Glades .................................................................................. 279 7.1 Northeast Prairie/Cedar Glades 7.2 Jackson Prairie 8. Inland Freshwater Marshes ................................................................................ 290 8.1 Freshwater Marshes 9. Lacustrine (Lentic) Communities ....................................................................... 298 9.1 Oxbow Lakes 9.2 Reservoirs 9.3 Ephemeral (Temporary) Ponds 9.4 Beaver Ponds 10. Artificial Habitats ................................................................................................. 314 10.1 Urban and Suburban Lands 10.2 Buildings, Bridges, Overpasses Etc. 10.3 Utility Right-of-ways 10.4 Hay and Pasture Lands 10.5 Pine Plantations 10.6 Shrublands 10.7 Row Crops 10.8 Artificial Ponds C. Mississippi River Alluvial Plain (MSRAP) 1. Bottomland Hardwood Forests .......................................................................... 336 1.1 Bottomland Hardwood Forests 2. Swamp Forests .................................................................................................... 348 2.1 Bald Cypress/Gum Swamp Forests 3. Riverfront Forests/Herblands/Sandbars ........................................................... 357 3.1 Cottonwood/Black Willow/River Birch Woodlands 3.2 Sandbars 4. Inland Freshwater Marshes ................................................................................ 368 4.1 Freshwater Marshes 5. Lacustrine (Lentic) Communities ....................................................................... 376 5.1 Oxbow Lakes 5.2 Ephemeral (Temporary) Ponds 5.3 Beaver Ponds MISSISSIPPI’S STATE WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN 6. Artificial Habitats ................................................................................................. 388 6.1 Urban and Suburban Lands 6.2 Buildings, Bridges, Overpasses Etc. 6.3 Utility Right-of-ways 6.4 Hay and Pasture Lands 6.5 Shrublands 6.6 Row Crops 6.7 Artificial Ponds D. Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGM) 1. Upland Maritime and Estuarine Fringe .............................................................. 406 1.1 Barrier Island Uplands 1.2 Barrier Island Wetlands 1.3 Barrier Island Beaches 1.4 Mainland Beaches 1.5 Shell Middens and Estuarine Shrublands 1.6 Maritime Woodlands 2. Estuary and Mississippi Sound (Inside or Associated with Barrier Islands) ............................................................................................ 426 2.1 Estuarine Bays, Lakes and Tidal Streams 2.2 Estuarine Marshes 2.3 Salt Pannes 2.4 Seagrass Beds 2.5 Mollusk Reefs 2.6 Mississippi Sound 2.7 Barrier Island Passes 3. Marine Habitats (Outside Barrier Islands) ......................................................... 452 3.1 Marine Habitats (Smooth Bottoms) 3.2 Hard Bottoms and Oceanic Reefs 4. Artificial Habitats ................................................................................................. 460 4.1 Man-Made Beaches 4.2 Artificial Reefs 4.3 Urban and Suburban Lands 4.4 Buildings, Bridges, Overpasses Etc. 4.5 Utility Right-of-ways E. Streams 1. Mississippi River and Associated Drainages .................................................... 472 1.1 Mississippi River 1.2 Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) 1.3 Upper Coastal Plain, Yazoo Drainage 1.4 Big Black River Drainage 2. Northeast Mississippi Drainages ....................................................................... 491 2.1 Northeast Hills, Tennessee River Drainage 2.2 Tombigbee Drainage 2.3 Lower Mississippi River North Drainage 3. Pearl River Drainage ............................................................................................ 506 3.1 Upper Coastal Plain, Pearl