Moistsoilplantcommunitydescriptionsusedin Thisresearch

APPENDIXA:

MOISTSOILPLANTCOMMUNITYDESCRIPTIONSUSEDIN THISRESEARCH

We provide plant community descriptions that relate to the National Vegetation Classification System descriptions for annual and perennial Associations used in this research. Thesedescriptions aremodified from Grossman et al. (1998), Steinauer and Rolfsmeier(2003), and Rolfsmeier and Steinauer (2010) to allow definitive separation ofannual and perennial plantcommunities typicallyfound in Rainwater Basin wetland habitats. Life form categories specificto theRainwaterBasin werederived from Kaulet al. (2006).

PerennialMoist SoilStands(i.e., MSP)

V.A.5.N.j.12 PolygonumT coccineumspp. PlayaLakeHerbaceous Vegetation

The perennial moist soil wetland communityis foundinthecentralGreatPlainsof theUnited States,whereitoccurs in shallowdepressionson gentlyto moderatelyslopingtopography. Soilsaredeepto moderatelydeep loamsorclayloamsunderlain byadenseclaysublayer. Pondsoftendrawdownperiodicallyinthese playa-typehabitats. Herbaceousgraminoidsand forbs, mostly<1 mtall, dominate theexposed mud flats, and speciescomposition and extentofthecommunityfluctuatefromsite tositeand year to year. In the RainwaterBasin, commonperennialgraminoidsand othergrass-likespecies include:Bolboschoenusfluviatilis, Cyperusesculentus, Eleocharisacicularis, Eleochariscompressa, Eleocharispalustris, Hordeumjubatum, Leersiaoryzoides, and Leersiavirginica. Forbsand commonlyfound include:Alismaplantago-aquatica, Alismatriviale, Ambrosia grayi, Ambrosiapsilostachya, Bacoparotundifolia, Boltoniaasteroides, Heterantheralimosa, Rumexspp.,Sagittariabrevirostra, Sagittariagraminea, Sagittarialatifolia, Sparganiumeurycarpum, Symphyotrichumspp, Verbanaspp., and Veronica spp. Marsilea vestitamayalso becommon in someareas.Hydroperiod anddisturbancemayinfluenceother perennialhydrophyteoccurrence in MSP standssuch asSchoenoplectusspp.,Scirpusspp.,and Typha spp.

V.A.5.N.k.20 PhalarisarundinaceaT Western Herbaceous Vegetation (Reed Canarygrass WesternHerbaceousVegetation)

The Phalaris arundinaceaassociation isreportedwidely across the western United States fromWashington, Colorado, Nebraska, Montana, Idaho, and into northeastern Utah,and isannually spreading into many suitable habitats in thewestern United States (Drahota personal observation). Itsdistributionas anatural typeiscomplicated becausethisnativespecies iswidelycultivatedasaforagecrop andhas escaped and establishedinwetlandsand riparian areas,displacingthelocalflora.Elevationsrangefrom nearsealevelto 1700 m. Standsare found alongriparian areas,pond and lakemargins, wetmeadows, and intermittentdrainages.Soilsarecommonlyfine-textured and maybe floodedforbriefto extended periods. In Nebraska,thevegetationischaracterized byadense,tallherbaceouslayer (often>80% canopycoverand1.5-2mtall)thatisdominated byP.arundinacea, which tendsto occurin mono cultures. Associated speciesmayincludeEquisetumarvense, Lepidiumdensiflorum, Muhlenbergiaasperifolia,Menthaarvensis, Polygonumcoccineum, Schoenoplectuspungens,and manyotherspecies in trace amountswheredisturbed. Introduced speciessuch asCirsiumarvense, Sonchusoleraceus, and Phleumpratensearecommon insomestands. Thispantcommunityis included in thisresearch because ofitsrapid invasivenature.Even though thisresearchdoes notfocuson seed production within thisplant community, individualplants were observed withinresearch plots.

AnnualMoist SoilStands(i.e., MSA)

V.A.5.N.j.12 PolygonumT spp. -Echinochloaspp. Playamarsh, PlayaLake (smartweed species otherthan P. coccineum)-BarnyardGrass – Smartweed species Herbaceous Vegetation)

The annual moist soil communityis found in the central Great Plains oftheUnitedStates, where it occurs in shallow depressions on gentlyto moderatelyslopingtopography. Soils aredeep to moderatelydeep loams or clayloams underlain byadense claysublayer. Ponds often dry periodicallyin theseplaya-typehabitats. Annual herbaceousgraminoidsand forbs, mostly 1 m tall, dominatetheexposed mud flats, and species composition and extent ofthe community fluctuate from siteto siteandyeartoyear. In the RainwaterBasin,graminoidsand grass-like species include: Cyperusacuminatus, Cyperusaristatus, Echinochloamuricata, Echinochloacrus-galli, Eleocharisengelmannii, Leptochloafascicularis, Panicumdichotomiflorum. Forbs includeAbutilon theophrasti, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Ambrosia trifida, Ammanniarobusta, Amaranthusspp. Bidensspp., Chenopodium album, Coreopsis tinctoria, Heterantheralimosa, Helianthus annulus, Iva annua, Mollugoverticillata, Polygonum bicorn, Polygonum hydropiper, Polygonumhydropiperoides, Polygonum lapathifolium, Polygonum pensylvanicum, Rorippapalustris, Rorippasessiliflora, Sagittariacalycina, and Xanthium strumarium.

LITERATURE CITED

Grossman DH, Faber-Langendoen D, Weakley AW, Anderson M, Bourgeron P, Crawford R, Goodin K, Landaal S, Metzler K, Patterson KD, Pyne M, Reid M, Sneddon L(1998) International Classification of Ecological Communities: Terrestrial Vegetation of the United States. Volume I: The National Vegetation Classification Standard. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA

Kaul RB, Sutherland D, Rolfsmeier S(2006)The flora of Nebraska. School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE

Rolfsmeier SB, Steinauer G(2010) Terrestrial ecological systems and natural communities of Nebraska. Nebraska Natural Heritage Program, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Lincoln, Nebraska

Steinauer G, Rolfsmeier S (2003) Terrestrial Natural Communities ofNebraska.

NebraskaGameand Parks Commission.Lincoln,Nebraska