28 



biota is temperate but has seasonal tropical elements. 

 The Gulf Stream is the primary influence, and winter 

 temperatures reach a minimum of 10°C; summer tem- 

 peratures are tropical (in excess of 20 °C). The tidal 

 range is small to moderate. 



• West Indian Province extends from Cape Kennedy 

 to Cedar Key, Florida, and also includes the southern 

 Gulf of Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula, Central 

 America, and the Caribbean Islands. The shoreland is 

 usually low-lying limestone with calcareous sands and 

 marls, except for volcanic islands. The biota is tropical 

 and includes reef corals and mangroves. Minimum 

 winter temperatures are about 20 °C and the tidal 

 range is small. 



• Louisianian Province extends along the northern 

 coast of the Gulf of Mexico from Cedar Key to Port 

 Aransas, Texas. The characteristics of the province 

 are similar to those of the Carolinian, reflecting the 

 past submergence of the Florida Peninsula. The biota 

 is primarily temperate and the tidal range is small. 



. Californian Province extends along the Pacific 

 coast from Mexico northward to Cape Mendocino. The 

 shoreland is strongly influenced by coastal mountains 

 and the coasts are rocky. Freshwater runoff is limited. 

 In the southern part volcanic sands are present; 

 marshes and swamps are scarce throughout the 

 province. The climate is Mediterranean and is influ- 

 enced by the California Current. The biota is tem- 

 perate, and includes well-developed offshore kelp beds. 

 The tidal range is moderate. 



• Columbian Province extends along the northern 

 Pacific coast from Cape Mendocino to Vancouver 

 Island. Mountainous shorelands with rocky foreshores 

 are prevalent. Estuaries are strongly influenced by 

 freshwater runoff. The biota is primarily temperate 

 with some boreal components, and there are extensive 

 algal communities. The province is influenced by both 

 the Aleutian and California currents. The tidal range is 

 moderate to large. 



• Fjord Province extends along the Pacific coast 

 from Vancouver Island to the southern tip of the 

 Aleutian Islands. Precipitous mountains, deep estu- 

 aries (some with glaciers), and a heavily indented 

 shoreline subject to winter icing are typical of the 

 coast. The biota is boreal to subarctic. The province is 

 influenced by the Aleutian and Japanese currents, and 

 the tidal range is large. 



• Pacific Insular Province surrounds all the 

 Hawaiian Islands. The coasts have precipitous moun- 

 tains and wave action is stronger than in most of the 

 other provinces. The biota is largely endemic and com- 

 posed of tropical and subtropical forms. The tidal 

 range is small. 



Use of Bailey's sections for the Riverine, Lacustrine, 

 and Palustrine systems and the provinces defined 

 above for the Marine and Estuarine systems provides 

 a regional locator for any wetland in the United States. 



USE OF THE CLASSIFICATION 

 SYSTEM 



This system was designed for use over an extremely 

 wide geographic area and for use by individuals and 

 organizations with varied interests and objectives. 

 The classification employs 5 system names, 8 sub- 

 system names, 11 class names, 28 subclass names, and 

 an unspecified number of dominance types. It is, of 

 necessity, a complex system when viewed in its en- 

 tirety, but use of the system for a specific purpose at a 

 local site should be simple and straightforward. Arti- 

 ficial keys to the systems and classes (Appendix E) are 

 furnished to aid the user of the classification, but ref- 

 erence to detailed definitions in the text is also 

 required. The purpose of this section is to illustrate 

 how the system should be used and some of the poten- 

 tial pitfalls that could lead to its misuse. 



Before attempting to apply the system, the user 

 should consider four important points: 



(1) Information about the area to be classified must 

 be available before the system can be applied. This 

 information may be in the form of historical data, 

 aerial photographs, brief on-site inspection, or detailed 

 and intensive studies. The system is designed for use 

 at varying degrees of detail. There are few areas for 

 which sufficient information is available to allow the 

 most detailed application of the system. If the level of 

 detail provided by the data is not sufficient for the 

 needs of the user, additional data gathering is man- 

 datory. 



(2) Below the level of class, the system is open-ended 

 and incomplete. We give only examples of the vast 

 number of dominance types that occur. The user may 

 identify additional dominance types and determine 

 where these fit into the classification hierarchy. It is 

 also probable that as the system is used the need for 

 additional subclasses will become apparent. 



(3) One of the main purposes of the new classification 

 is to ensure uniformity throughout the United States. 

 It is important that the user pay particular attention 

 to the definitions in the classification. Any attempt at 

 modification of these definitions will lead to lack of 

 uniformity in application. 



(4) One of the principal uses of the classification 

 system will be the inventory and mapping of wetlands 

 and deepwater habitats. A classification used in 

 mapping is scale-specific, both for the minimum size of 

 units mapped and for the degree of detail attainable. It 

 is necessary for the user to develop a specific set of 

 mapping conventions for each application and to 

 demonstrate their relationship to the generalized 

 classification described here. For example, there are a 

 number of possible mapping conventions for a small 

 wetland basin 50 m (164 feet) in diameter with con- 

 centric rings of vegetation about the deepest zone. At 



