We classified forest types at Wildwood Park using U.S. Forest Service "Forest Inventory and Analysis" and "NatureServe" ecological classification systems, as defined in the Central Appalachians Forest Ecosystem Vulnerability Assessment (Butler et al. 2015).
Four major forest types were identified at Wildwood Park, based on our field research and vegetation analysis. These include:
Large stream floodplain and riparian forests are associated with medium/large rivers and streams and are known to have a variety of wetland and upland vegetation that prefer the environmental conditions provided by well-developed floodplains. These forests are typically inundated with seasonal flooding that contributes to erosion, sediment deposition, and a moisture and enrichment gradient (Butler et al. 2015). On upper-slopes, these forests often are semi-drained with moderately enriched conditions. On lower-slopes, forest soils tend to be wet and highly enriched (fertile). The most hydric floodplain forests tend are dominated by species such as silver maple and black willow; slightly drier areas are typically dominated by sycamore, green ash and box elder. |
Ordination analysis was used to classify plots into major forest community types at Wildwood Park. Floodplain and seep forests (shown in blue) were only found in areas with highest moisture. Based on tree species and site conditions, these forests were most similar to mixed-mesophytic forests (grey circles). |
Forest Classification:
In our forest assessment of Wildwood Park, two of the 12 assessed plots were classified as floodplain/seep forests based on dominant species and site conditions.
Forest Species & Site Environment:
Disturbance Impacts/Potential Threats:
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Table 1. Dominant tree species in wetland habitats (Floodplain and Seep Forests) at Wildwood Park. Data represent tree basal area (m2/ha), an indicator of tree trunk size and relative importance of each species.
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Ordination analysis showing the distribution of box elder (Acer negundo) across forest plots at Wildwood Park. Symbol size indicates the abundance of box elder trees in each plot.
Box elder is a wetland indicator species (FACW = Facultative Wetland Species), found almost exclusively in floodplain forests at Wildwood Park (plot 1567-8). A few box elder trees also were observed as a minor component of mixed-mesophytic forests. |