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Ecological site F126XY005OH

Wet Floodplain

Last updated: 9/27/2024
Accessed: 09/13/2026

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General information

Provisional. A provisional ecological site description has undergone quality control and quality assurance review. It contains a working state and transition model and enough information to identify the ecological site.

MLRA notes

Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 126X–Central Allegheny Plateau

This site contains poorly and very poorly drained on alluvial land deposited during the Quaternary period. ecosite is found in alluvial plain, and river valleys within hills, mountains, plateau, in MLRA 126

Classification relationships

USDA-NRCS (USDA 2006):
Land Resource Region (LRR): N—East and Central Farming and Forest Region
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 126—Central Allegheny Plateau

USDA-FS (Cleland et al. 2007)
Province: 221 - Eastern Broadleaf Province
Section: 221E - Southern Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau
Subsection: 221Ea - Pittsburgh Low Plateau
221Eb - Teays Plateau
221Ec - Ohio Valley Lowland
221Ed - East Hocking Plateau

This site crosswalks to Landfire biophysical setting (BpS) Central Interior and Appalachian Floodplain Systems.

NatureServe (2007) describes this as an aggregated system including the following standard ecological systems (for MLRA 127):
• Central Appalachian River Floodplain (CES202.608)
Component Associations (all not applicable to MLRA 127)
Association Unique ID Association Name
CEGL002014 Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Ulmus spp. - Celtis occidentalis Forest
CEGL002086 Betula nigra - Platanus occidentalis Forest
CEGL002191 Cephalanthus occidentalis / Carex spp. - Lemna spp. Southern Shrubland
CEGL002586 Acer saccharinum - Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Ulmus americana Forest
CEGL003896 Platanus occidentalis - Betula nigra - Salix (caroliniana, nigra) Woodland
CEGL004073 Platanus occidentalis - Acer negundo - Juglans nigra / Asimina triloba / Mertensia virginica Forest
CEGL004103 Carex torta Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL004286 Justicia americana Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL005014 Fagus grandifolia - Quercus spp. - Acer rubrum - Juglans nigra Forest
CEGL005033 Acer negundo Ruderal Floodplain Forest
CEGL005082 Alnus serrulata Swamp Shrubland
CEGL005449 Calamagrostis canadensis North-Central Wet Meadow
CEGL006001 Acer saccharinum - Ulmus americana / Onoclea sensibilis Forest
CEGL006036 Platanus occidentalis - Fraxinus pennsylvanica Forest
CEGL006042 Acer saccharinum - Ulmus americana / Physocarpus opulifolius Forest
CEGL006069 Cephalanthus occidentalis - Decodon verticillatus Shrubland
CEGL006114 Acer saccharum - Fraxinus spp. - Tilia americana / Matteuccia struthiopteris - Ageratina altissima Forest
CEGL006147 Acer saccharinum - (Populus deltoides) / Matteuccia struthiopteris - Laportea canadensis Forest
CEGL006176 Acer saccharinum / Onoclea sensibilis - Boehmeria cylindrica Forest
CEGL006184 Betula nigra - Platanus occidentalis / Impatiens capensis Forest
CEGL006185 Quercus palustris - Acer rubrum / Carex grayi - Geum canadense Forest
CEGL006217 Acer saccharinum - Acer negundo / Ageratina altissima - Laportea canadensis - (Elymus virginicus) Forest
CEGL006218 Quercus bicolor - Fraxinus pennsylvanica - (Platanus occidentalis) / Chasmanthium latifolium - Dichanthelium clandestinum - Zizia aurea Woodland
CEGL006244 Peltandra virginica - Polygonum amphibium var. emersum - Carex stricta - Impatiens capensis Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006251 Alnus serrulata - Physocarpus opulifolius Shrubland
CEGL006255 Liriodendron tulipifera - Platanus occidentalis - Betula lenta / Lindera benzoin / Circaea lutetiana ssp. canadensis Forest
CEGL006283 Andropogon gerardii - Panicum virgatum - Baptisia australis Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006305 Salix sericea Shrubland
CEGL006314 Liriodendron tulipifera - Fraxinus spp. / Lindera benzoin - Viburnum prunifolium / Podophyllum peltatum Forest
CEGL006386 Quercus bicolor - Acer rubrum / Carpinus caroliniana Forest
CEGL006405 Tilia americana - Acer saccharum - Acer nigrum / Laportea canadensis Forest
CEGL006445 Carya cordiformis - Prunus serotina / Ageratina altissima Forest
CEGL006447 Carex trichocarpa Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006459 Acer saccharum - Fraxinus americana / Carpinus caroliniana / Podophyllum peltatum Forest
CEGL006463 Salix nigra - Betula nigra / Schoenoplectus pungens Wooded Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006466 Platanus occidentalis / Aesculus flava Forest
CEGL006473 Acer saccharum - Liriodendron tulipifera / Galium concinnum - Carex laxiculmis Forest
CEGL006476 Platanus occidentalis - Acer saccharinum - Betula nigra - Fraxinus pennsylvanica / Boehmeria cylindrica - Carex emoryi Woodland
CEGL006478 Fraxinus americana / Andropogon gerardii - Sorghastrum nutans - Schizachyrium scoparium - Pycnanthemum tenuifolium Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006480 Verbesina alternifolia - Elymus riparius - Solidago gigantea - (Teucrium canadense) Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006481 Eupatorium serotinum - Polygonum (lapathifolium, punctatum, pensylvanicum) Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006483 Eragrostis hypnoides - Ludwigia palustris - Lindernia dubia - Cyperus squarrosus Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006484 Carpinus caroliniana - Ilex decidua Shrubland
CEGL006491 (Hypericum prolificum, Leucothoe racemosa) / Schizachyrium scoparium - Solidago simplex var. racemosa - Ionactis linariifolius Sparse Vegetation
CEGL006495 Quercus rubra - Quercus shumardii / Cercis canadensis Temporarily Flooded Forest
CEGL006497 Quercus palustris - Quercus bicolor / Carex tribuloides - Carex radiata - (Carex squarrosa) Forest
CEGL006518 Prunus pumila / Andropogon gerardii - Sorghastrum nutans Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006536 Carex torta - Apocynum cannabinum - Cyperus spp. Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006546 Alnus incana - Viburnum recognitum / Calamagrostis canadensis Shrubland
CEGL006548 Acer (rubrum, saccharinum) - Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Ulmus americana / Boehmeria cylindrica Forest
CEGL006575 Fraxinus pennsylvanica - (Juglans nigra, Platanus occidentalis) Forest
CEGL006595 Spiraea alba Shrubland
CEGL007696 Peltandra virginica - Saururus cernuus - Boehmeria cylindrica / Climacium americanum Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL007879 Juglans nigra / Verbesina alternifolia Ruderal Forest
CEGL008405 Liriodendron tulipifera - Pinus strobus - (Tsuga canadensis) / Carpinus caroliniana / Amphicarpaea bracteata Forest
CEGL008449 Pinus virginiana - Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana - Quercus stellata / Amelanchier stolonifera / Danthonia spicata / Leucobryum glaucum Woodland

• North-Central Interior Floodplain (CES202.694)
Component Associations (all not applicable to MLRA 127)
Association Unique ID Association Name
CEGL002018 Populus deltoides - Salix nigra - Acer saccharinum Forest
CEGL002026 Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani - Typha spp. - (Sparganium spp., Juncus spp.) Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL002086 Betula nigra - Platanus occidentalis Forest
CEGL002087 Carya illinoinensis - Celtis laevigata Forest
CEGL002099 Quercus michauxii - Quercus shumardii - Liquidambar styraciflua / Arundinaria gigantea Forest
CEGL002101 Quercus palustris - (Quercus stellata) - Quercus pagoda / Isoetes spp. Forest
CEGL002102 Quercus phellos - (Quercus lyrata) / Carex spp. - Leersia spp. Forest
CEGL002103 Salix nigra Forest
CEGL002191 Cephalanthus occidentalis / Carex spp. - Lemna spp. Southern Shrubland
CEGL002314 River Mudflats Sparse Vegetation
CEGL002386 Nuphar advena - Nymphaea odorata Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL002410 Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Celtis spp. - Quercus spp. - Platanus occidentalis Bottomland Forest
CEGL002417 Quercus stellata - Quercus marilandica - Quercus falcata / Schizachyrium scoparium Sand Woodland
CEGL002420 Taxodium distichum / Lemna minor Forest
CEGL002427 Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Ulmus americana - Celtis laevigata / Ilex decidua Forest
CEGL002430 Polygonum spp. - Mixed Forbs Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL002431 Acer saccharinum - Celtis laevigata - Carya illinoinensis Forest
CEGL002586 Acer saccharinum - Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Ulmus americana Forest
CEGL003725 Platanus occidentalis - Betula nigra / Cornus amomum / (Andropogon gerardii, Chasmanthium latifolium) Woodland
CEGL003836 Arundinaria gigantea ssp. gigantea Shrubland
CEGL003895 Alnus serrulata - Xanthorhiza simplicissima Shrubland
CEGL003910 (Diospyros virginiana, Platanus occidentalis) / Eupatorium serotinum - Diodia virginiana Ruderal Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL004049 River Valley Impoundment Mudflat Sparse Vegetation
CEGL004103 Carex torta Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL004286 Justicia americana Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL004420 Acer rubrum var. trilobum - Fraxinus pennsylvanica / Carex crinita - Peltandra virginica Forest
CEGL004544 Quercus macrocarpa - Quercus shumardii - Carya cordiformis / Chasmanthium latifolium Forest
CEGL004618 Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Ulmus crassifolia - Celtis laevigata Forest
CEGL004691 Platanus occidentalis - Liriodendron tulipifera - Betula (alleghaniensis, lenta) / Alnus serrulata - Leucothoe fontanesiana Forest
CEGL004979 Quercus nigra - Quercus (alba, phellos) Forest
CEGL005014 Fagus grandifolia - Quercus spp. - Acer rubrum - Juglans nigra Forest
CEGL005033 Acer negundo Ruderal Floodplain Forest
CEGL005035 Acer saccharum - Carya cordiformis / Asimina triloba Floodplain Forest
CEGL005057 Quercus stellata / (Danthonia spicata, Croton willdenowii) Woodland
CEGL005451 Lemna spp. Eastern North American Aquatic Vegetation
CEGL006458 Platanus occidentalis - Fraxinus pennsylvanica / Carpinus caroliniana / Verbesina alternifolia Forest
CEGL006462 Quercus (rubra, velutina, alba) / Carpinus caroliniana - (Halesia tetraptera) / Maianthemum racemosum Forest
CEGL006466 Platanus occidentalis / Aesculus flava Forest
CEGL006480 Verbesina alternifolia - Elymus riparius - Solidago gigantea - (Teucrium canadense) Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006620 Tsuga canadensis - Quercus rubra - (Platanus occidentalis, Betula nigra) / Rhododendron maximum / Anemone quinquefolia Forest
CEGL007064 Salix caroliniana Temporarily Flooded Ozark Shrubland
CEGL007334 Platanus occidentalis - Acer saccharinum - Juglans nigra - Ulmus rubra Forest
CEGL007339 Platanus occidentalis - Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Quercus imbricaria Forest
CEGL007399 Quercus palustris - (Fraxinus nigra) / Lindera benzoin / Carex bromoides Forest
CEGL007410 Salix nigra Large River Floodplain Forest
CEGL007702 Liquidambar styraciflua - Quercus michauxii - Carya laciniosa / Fagus grandifolia - (Aesculus flava) Forest
CEGL007810 Acer saccharinum - Betula nigra / Cephalanthus occidentalis Forest
CEGL007879 Juglans nigra / Verbesina alternifolia Ruderal Forest
CEGL007880 Liquidambar styraciflua - Liriodendron tulipifera - (Platanus occidentalis) / Carpinus caroliniana - Halesia tetraptera / Amphicarpaea bracteata Forest
CEGL007999 Platanus occidentalis - Betula nigra - Celtis laevigata - Fraxinus pennsylvanica / Arundinaria gigantea Temporarily Flooded Forest
CEGL008404 Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis Seepage Scour Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL008495 Hypericum densiflorum - Alnus serrulata / Tripsacum dactyloides Shrubland
CEGL008562 Salix interior Temporarily Flooded Shrubland

Ecological site concept

From NatureServe (2007): This system encompasses floodplains of medium to large rivers in Atlantic drainages from southern New England to Virginia. This system can include a complex of wetland and upland vegetation on deep alluvial deposits and scoured vegetation on depositional bars and on bedrock where rivers cut through resistant geology. This complex includes floodplain forests in which Acer saccharinum, Populus deltoides, and Platanus occidentalis are characteristic, as well as herbaceous sloughs, shrub wetlands, riverside prairies and woodlands. Microtopography and soil texture determine how long the various habitats are inundated. Depositional and erosional features may both be present depending on the particular floodplain.

From Landfire http://www.landfire.gov/index.php:
This systems group encompasses large-river floodplains over much of the eastern US (NatureServe 2007), but differs from the Coastal Plain model in several ways. First it is floristically different in that it lacks cypress and tupelo except in its lowest elevation where it transitions to the Coastal Plain. Permanent standing water is lacking except in the areas closest to sea level where oxbow lakes may exist. Hydroperiods are shorter and fluvial features such as river terraces, oxbows, alluvial flats, point bars, streamside levees and other fine-scale alluvial floodplain features are abundant. NatureServe (2007) notes some will include herbaceous sloughs and shrub wetlands, particularly in abandoned channels

The substrate is primarily alluvium. The generally fertile soils are usually sandy to loamy but include local clayey and gravelly areas (NatureServe 2007).

Synonyms for this BpS and its variations include eastern riverfront forest, bottomland hardwood forest, and alluvial forest. Fire and beaver activity create a mosaic whose elements include canebrake, beaver ponds, and grass-sedge meadows in abandoned beaver clearings, as well as the swamps and bottomland hardwood forests that make up more than 95% of the cover that exists today.

Standard Ecological Systems noted by NatureServe (2007) that make up this aggregated system include:
• Central Appalachian River Floodplain (CES202.608)
• North-Central Interior Floodplain (CES202.694)
• South-Central Interior Large Floodplain (CES202.705)
• Southern Piedmont Large Floodplain Forest (CES202.324)
Issues or Problems:
Federal reservoirs have had a serious and negative effect, along with agriculture that has converted much floodplain acreage to drained agricultural land. In the remaining less altered floodplains, flood duration varies according to the river's gradient (NatureServe 2007).

Associated sites

F126XY006OH	Well Drained Floodplain Well-drained floodplain

F126XY006OH

Well Drained Floodplain

Well-drained floodplain

Table 1. Dominant plant species

Tree	(1) Platanus occidentalis
Shrub	(1) Acer negundo
Herbaceous	(1) Carex

Download full description

Physiographic features

The ecological site are flood plains found in alluvial plain, and river valleys within hills, mountains, plateau, in MLRA 126

Table 2. Representative physiographic features

Landforms	(1) Flood plain
Runoff class	Very low to medium
Flooding frequency	Rare to frequent
Ponding frequency	Rare to frequent
Elevation	104 – 1385 ft
Slope	2 – 3 %
Water table depth	0 – 21 in

Climatic features

The regional climate of the unglaciated Central Allegheny Plateau is predominately a humid continental climate grading at the extreme southwestern corner a to humid temperate climate with hot summers and cool winters (Beck et al., 2018; Bailey, 2014). However, the local climate is highly influenced by the dissected terrain, where climatic variations may be greater at the local scale, e.g., cooler temperatures and shorter growing season at higher elevations and more northerly latitudes. High-intensity, convective thunderstorms are common in summer. Winter precipitation is mostly snow.

Climate change is occurring, and the resiliency of any ecological site will depend upon the direct and indirect effects upon component species and shifting atmospheric and soil conditions.

Table 3 Representative climatic features

Frost-free period (characteristic range)	140-170 days
Freeze-free period (characteristic range)	170-200 days
Precipitation total (characteristic range)	40-40 in
Frost-free period (actual range)	130-170 days
Freeze-free period (actual range)	160-200 days
Precipitation total (actual range)	40-50 in
Frost-free period (average)	150 days
Freeze-free period (average)	180 days
Precipitation total (average)	40 in

Characteristic range

Actual range

Bar

Line

Figure 1. Monthly precipitation range

Characteristic range

Actual range

Bar

Line

Figure 2. Monthly minimum temperature range

Characteristic range

Actual range

Bar

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Figure 3. Monthly maximum temperature range

Bar

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Figure 4. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature

Figure 5. Annual precipitation pattern

Figure 6 Annual average temperature pattern

Climate stations used

(1) WHEELING [USC00469482], Wheeling, WV
(2) SENECAVILLE LAKE [USC00337559], Senecaville, OH
(3) CALDWELL 3 SE [USC00331175], Caldwell, OH
(4) HANNIBAL L&D [USC00333500], New Martinsville, OH
(5) WAYNESBURG 1 E [USC00369367], Waynesburg, PA
(6) WEST UNION 2 [USC00469458], West Union, WV
(7) PARKERSBURG [USW00013867], Parkersburg, WV
(8) WINFIELD LOCKS [USC00469683], Red House, WV
(9) PEA RIDGE PSD [USC00466912], Huntington, WV
(10) HUNTINGTON SEWAGE PLT [USC00464397], Kenova, WV
(11) LOYALHANNA LAKE [USC00365212], New Alexandria, PA
(12) PITTSBURGH INTL AP [USW00094823], Coraopolis, PA

Influencing water features

Wet Floodplain and Drainageway ecological sites are wetlands located along river systems of varying size. River flooding and ponding are variable, ranging from rare to frequent. Flood events may be seasonal, most common in the spring and early summer.

Wetland description

In the National Wetland Classification System (Cowardin et al., 1979), the Wet Floodplain and Drainageway ecological site may be considered in the Palustrine system, with a vegetated class, such as emergent, scrub-shrub, or forested, and modified by a non-tidal water regime ranging from seasonally flooded to seasonally-flooded/saturated.

Soil features

The ecological site contains alluvial, poorly drained to very poorly drained soils.

Table 4. Representative soil features

Parent material	(1) Alluvium
Surface texture	(1) Silt loam
Permeability class	Very slow to slow
Depth to restrictive layer	30 – 72 in
Surface fragment cover <=3"	Not specified
Surface fragment cover >3"	Not specified
Available water capacity (Depth not specified)	4 – 9 in
Soil reaction (1:1 water) (Depth not specified)	4.5 – 7.8
Subsurface fragment volume <=3" (Depth not specified)	2 – 28 %
Subsurface fragment volume >3" (Depth not specified)	1 – 5 %

Ecological dynamics

Ecological Dynamics: Information contained in this section was adapted from several sources. The information presented is representative of very complex vegetation communities. Key indicator plants, animals and ecological processes are described to help inform land management decisions. Plant communities will differ across the MLRA because of the naturally occurring variability in weather, soils, and aspect. The reference plant community is not necessarily the management goal. The species lists are representative and are not botanical descriptions of all species occurring, or potentially occurring, on this site. They are not intended to cover every situation or the full range of conditions, species, and responses for the site.
State Correlation: This site will be correlated in: OH,PA,WV

From Landfire http://www.landfire.gov/index.php:
Most of the system is forest vegetation. The canopy is usually dominated by a mix of characteristic alluvial and bottomland species (depending on the region) such as sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), river birch (Betula nigra), box elder (Acer negundo), eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides), sugarberry (Celtis laevigata), green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), and red maple (Acer rubrum). NatureServe (2007) also notes characteristic trees include silver maple (Acer saccharinum), willows, especially black willow (Salix nigra) in the wettest areas, American elm (Ulmus Americana), swamp chestnut oak (Quercus michauxii), cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda), and (at least in the Midwest) Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) in more well-drained areas. The particular mix of tree species will vary across the geographic range of this systems group, with some trees absent over parts of the range. Successional areas are often dominated by sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), or tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera).

The driest and most fire sheltered sites support species such as pignut hickory (Carya glabra), shagbark hickory (Carya ovata), beech (Fagus grandifolia), and other fire sensitive species.
Subcanopy species included American holly (Ilex opaca), deciduous holly (Ilex decidua and Ilex ambigua), red mulberry (Morus rubra), ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana) and hop hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana). Shrubs such as spicebush (Lindera benzoin), beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), yellowroot (Xanthorhiza simplicissima), common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), roughleaf dogwood (Cornus drummondii), and pawpaw (Asimina triloba); sedges (Carex spp.); and grasses including eastern bottlebrush grass (Elymus hystrix), Canada wildrye (Elymus Canadensis), and Indian woodoats (Chasmanthium latifolium), and false nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica) may be present.

Because of the particular mix and diversity of tree species will vary across the geographic range of this systems group, the list of BpS dominant and indicator species is only a rudimentary list.

State and transition model

Custom diagram

Standard diagram

Figure 7. State and Transition

Figure 8. Legend

More interactive model formats are also available. View Interactive Models

More interactive model formats are also available. View Interactive Models
Click on state and transition labels to scroll to the respective text

State 1
Reference Pre-Contact Forest

The reference state can be represented by several communities within Central Appalachian River Floodplain (CES202.608) (Natureserve, 2007). Forest overstory canopies are sycamore dominated and generally closed canopy.

Community 1.1
Tree/Shrub/Herb

Sycamore and River Birch Forest best captures the nature of this vegetation state. The dominate overstory canopy consist of Sycamore and river birch with minor canopy coverage of red maple. The shrub layer contains box elder, hornbeam and poison ivy. The herb layer will contain flowering forbes, ferns,grasses and sedges.

State 2
Post Settlemet Forest

This forest vegetation community is the result poor logging techniques (high grading).

Community 2.1
Tree/Shrub/Herb

State 3
Agricultural Land

Land managed for agricultural production of crops and livestock.

Community 3.1
Pasture (Grasses, Forbes) or Cropland (Grasses, Forbes)

This community phase may contain a wide variety of plants depending on the level of management. In pasture circumstances that are managed tall fescue, bluegrass and white clover will dominate the vegetation canopy. Without management such as prescribed grazing, nutrient management and weed control, less desirable forage species and weeds will invade.

Transition T1A
State 1 to 2

The site is logged and managed for agricultural land.

Transition T1B
State 1 to 3

The site is logged and high graded, lees desirable species dominate succession.

Restoration pathway R3A
State 2 to 1

Remove undesirable species using herbicides, cutting or prescribed fire. Plant desired species if absent from the site.

Transition T3A
State 2 to 2

The site is logged and managed for agricultural land.

Transition T2A
State 3 to 3

The site agricultural management is abandoned and forest regrowth occurs through natural succession or tree planting.

Additional community tables

Table 5. Community 1.1 plant community composition

Group	Common name	Symbol	Scientific name	Annual production ()	Foliar cover (%)

Table 6. Community 2.1 plant community composition

Group	Common name	Symbol	Scientific name	Annual production ()	Foliar cover (%)

Table 7. Community 3.1 plant community composition

Group	Common name	Symbol	Scientific name	Annual production ()	Foliar cover (%)

Supporting information

Inventory data references

Site Development and Testing Plan Future work is needed, as described in a future project plan, to validate the information presented in this provisional ecological site description. Future work includes field sampling, data collection and analysis by qualified vegetation ecologists and soil scientists. As warranted, annual reviews of the project plan can be conducted by the Ecological Site Technical Team. A final field review, peer review, quality control, and quality assurance reviews of the ESD are necessary to approve a final document.

Other references

Anderson, D. M. 1982. Plant Communities of Ohio: A Preliminary Classification. Division of Natural Areas and Preserves, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Columbus, OH. (https://www.lm.doe.gov/cercla/documents/fernald_docs/cat/112509.pdf).

Apsley, D., and B.C. McCarthy. 2004. White-tailed deer herbivory on forest regeneration following fire and thinning treatments in southern Ohio mixed oak forests. P. 461–471. In: Yaussy, D.A., D.M. Hix, R.P. Long, and P.C. Goebel (eds.) Proceedings, 14th Central Hardwood Forest Conference, Wooster, OH. 16-19 March 2004. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-316. USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station, Newtown Square, PA.

Bailey, R. 2014. Ecoregions: the ecosystem geography of the oceans and continents. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Springer-Verlag.

Beck, H.E., N.E. Zimmermann, T.R. McVicar, N. Vergopolan, A. Berg, E.F. Wood. 2018. Present and future Köppen-Geiger climate classification maps at 1-km resolution. Scientific Data 5(1):1-12.

Butler, P.R., L. Iverson, F.R. Thompson, L. Brandt, S. Handler, M. Janowiak, P.D. Shannon, C. Swanston, K. Karriker, J. Bartig, and S. Connolly. 2015. Central Appalachians Forest Ecosystem Vulnerability Assessment and Synthesis: a Report From The Central Appalachians Climate Change Response Framework Project. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-146, US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Newtown Square, PA.

Cleland, D.T., J.A. Freeouf, J.E. Keys, G.J. Nowacki, C.A. Carpenter, and W.H.McNab. 2007. Ecological Subregions: Sections and Subsections for the conterminous United States. [Map. presentation scale 1:3,500,000, colored; A.M. Sloan, cartographer] Gen. Tech. Report WO-76D. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Washington, DC. (https://www.fs.fed.us/research/publications/misc/73326-wo-gtr-76d-cleland2007.pdf)

Comer, P., D. Faber-Langendoen, R. Evans, S. Gawler, C. Josse, G. Kittel, S. Menard, M. Pyne, M. Reid, K. Schulz, and K. Snow. 2003. Ecological Systems of the United States: A Working Classification of US Terrestrial Systems. NatureServe, Arlington, VA. (https://www.natureserve.org/sites/default/files/pcom_2003_ecol_systems_us.pdf).

FGDC (Federal Geographic Data Committee). 2008. National Vegetation Classification Standard, Version 2. VGDC‐STD‐005‐2008 (Version 2). FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee, Reston, Virginia. (https://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/vegetation/NVCS_V2_FINAL_2008-02.pdf).

Lafon, C.W., A.T. Naito, H.D. Grissino-Mayer, S.P. Horn, and T.A. Waldrop. 2017. Fire History of the Appalachian Region: a Review and Synthesis. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-219., U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Asheville, NC.

NatureServe 2007. NatureServe Explorer: An Online Encyclopedia of Life [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, VA. Available: http://explorer.natureserve.org (Accessed: April 2020).

Nowacki, G.J. and M.D. Abrams. 2008. The demise of fire and “mesophication” of forests in the eastern United States. Bioscience 58(2):123–138.

Ohio Division of Wildlife. 2015. Ohio’s State Wildlife Action Plan. Columbus, Ohio, USA. (https://ohiodnr.gov/static/documents/wildlife/wildlife-management/OH_SWAP_2015.pdf).

Soil Survey Staff-USDA-NRCS [United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service] 2016. National Soils Information Service (NASIS Data Model Version 7.3.4) Lincoln, NE. Available description: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/soils/survey/tools/?cid=nrcs142p2_053552 (Accessed January 2020).

USDA-NRCS [United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service]. 2006. Land Resource Regions and Major Land Resource Areas of the United States, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Basin. U.S. Department of Agriculture Handbook 296. (https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_051845.pdf).

USNVC [United States National Vegetation Classification]. 2019. United States National Vegetation Classification Database, V2.03. Federal Geographic Data Committee, Vegetation Subcommittee, Washington DC. http://usnvc.org (accessed April 2020).

Zimmerman, E., T. Davis, G. Podniesinski, M. Furedi, J. McPherson, S. Seymour, B. Eichelberger, N. Dewar, J. Wagner, and J. Fike (editors). 2012. Terrestrial and Palustrine Plant Communities of Pennsylvania, 2nd Edition. Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Harrisburg, PA.

Contributors

Jason Teets

Approval

Greg Schmidt, 9/27/2024

Rangeland health reference sheet

Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health is a qualitative assessment protocol used to determine ecosystem condition based on benchmark characteristics described in the Reference Sheet. A suite of 17 (or more) indicators are typically considered in an assessment. The ecological site(s) representative of an assessment location must be known prior to applying the protocol and must be verified based on soils and climate. Current plant community cannot be used to identify the ecological site.

Author(s)/participant(s)
Contact for lead author
Date	09/13/2026
Approved by
Approval date
Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on	Annual Production

Indicators

Number and extent of rills:
Presence of water flow patterns:
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
Functional/Structural Groups (list in order of descending dominance by above-ground annual-production or live foliar cover using symbols: >>, >, = to indicate much greater than, greater than, and equal to):

Dominant:

Sub-dominant:

Other:

Additional:
Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
Potential invasive (including noxious) species (native and non-native). List species which BOTH characterize degraded states and have the potential to become a dominant or co-dominant species on the ecological site if their future establishment and growth is not actively controlled by management interventions. Species that become dominant for only one to several years (e.g., short-term response to drought or wildfire) are not invasive plants. Note that unlike other indicators, we are describing what is NOT expected in the reference state for the ecological site:
Perennial plant reproductive capability:

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Ecological site F126XY005OH

Wet Floodplain

Last updated: 9/27/2024 Accessed: 09/13/2026

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General information

MLRA notes

Classification relationships

Ecological site concept

Associated sites

Table 1. Dominant plant species

Natural Resources
Conservation Service

Last updated: 9/27/2024
Accessed: 09/13/2026