Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Freshwater/Brackish Marsh Macrogroup: Tidal Marsh yourStateNatural Heritage Ecologist for more information about this habitat. This is modeledmap a distributiononbased current and is data nota substitute for field inventory. based Contact © Gary P. Fleming (Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation Natural Heritage Program) Description: A emergent marsh of the embayed region of southeastern Virginia and adjacent North Carolina. The water is fresh to slightly brackish (oligohaline) over most of the tidal areas, with brackish and saltwater only near the coast and near barrier island inlets. Oligohaline marshes, predominant in the drowned creeks and inland estuary shores, typically occur as complexes dominated by large graminoids such as salt hay, bulrushes, cattails, and rushes, sometimes with species-rich associations of shorter graminoids, forbs, and floating or submerged aquatics. Brackish marshes tend to be low diversity, sometimes a single plant species, found on intertidal flats cut off from direct oceanic influence by State Distribution: VA protective barrier islands. Embedded within the matrix of marshes are smaller salt pannes. Total Habitat Acreage: 13,051 Ecological Setting and Natural Processes: Percent Conserved: 69.1% These wetlands are associated with the extensive brackish State State GAP 1&2 GAP 3 Unsecured water and wind tidal flooding characteristic of the region. State Habitat % Acreage (acres) (acres) (acres) They are driven by irregular wind tides, with minimal lunar VA 100% 13,051 6,992 2,030 4,029 tidal influence. Irregular flooding, variations in salinity, fire, and sea-level rise are important drivers of ecosystem dynamics. Similar Habitat Types: Most of these marshes give way to tidal swamps inland and upstream, but some occur on islands. The irregular wind tidal flooding, with periodic shallow flooding for days at a time at all times of the year, make for lower sediment transport and lower productivity, and distinguish this system from other tidal marshes in the region. Crosswalk to State Wildlife Action Plans: Crosswalk to State Name Examples: Wetland Habitat - Emergent (VA) Oligohaline Tidal Shrub Swamp (VA) Places to Visit this Habitat: Habitat Patch Distribution Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge | VA 7,000 False Cape State Park | VA 6,000 Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge | VA 5,000 4,000 North Landing River Preserve | VA 3,000 Acres 2,000 1,000 0 Associated Species: Appendix lists scientific names 0 to 1 1 to 5 5 to 10 1000+ BIRDS: black skimmer, black-crowned night-heron, clapper rail, 10 to 100 forster’s tern, glossy ibis, king rail, least bittern, least tern, marsh 100 to 1000 wren, royal tern, snowy egret, tri-colored heron, yellow-crowned Patch Size Classes night-heron The average patch size for this habitat is 20 acres and the largest single patch is 1,916 acres. This chart shows the proportion of the habitat that is in each patch-size PLANTS: american lipocarpha (Lipocarpha maculata), american class. waterwort (Elatine americana), common frog-fruit (Phyla nodiflora), creeping seedbox (Ludwigia repens), long-stalked Age Class Distribution crowfoot (Ranunculus hederaceus), low nutrush (Scleria 100 verticillata), river bulrush (Schoenoplectus fluviatilis), rooted 80 spikerush (Eleocharis radicans), sandpaper vervain (Verbena 60 scabra), seaside heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum), 40 tuberous grass-pink (Calopogon tuberosus), white-top fleabane 20 (Erigeron vernus), eastern wild rice (Zizania aquatica) 0 Percent of Habitat 1 to 20 20 to 40 40 to 60 60 to 80 80 to 100100 to 140 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. INSECTS: Dukes' skipper Predicted Habitat Loss to Development PLANTS: bog rush (Juncus elliottii), carolina lilaeopsis (Lilaeopsis carolinensis), cypress-knee sedge (Carex 14,000 decomposita), elliott's aster (Symphyotrichum elliotii), wide- 13,900 leaved yellow-eyed grass (Xyris laxifolia var. iridifolia), winged 13,800 seedbox (Ludwigia alata) Acreage 13,700 13,600 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 Decade This chart shows the predicted loss of habitat over the next five decades (198 acres) if loss continues at the same rate as 1990-2000. The average rate of loss is 4 acres per year. 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 Embayed Region Tidal Freshwater/Brackish Marsh http://nature.ly/HabitatGuide.