, Natural Characteristics Summary 



24a. Vegetation - Biotic Community Summary 



Community type: Mixed fresh hydrophytic grasses (Trending 

 toward red maple/mixed mesophytic grasses) 



Community cover type: Mixed fresh hydrophytic grasses. 



General habitat feature: Remnant of a large freshwater marsh 



in a deltaic area where a small swampy stream empties into the 



Dismal Swamp. ,.,,,, i ,- r 



Average canopy height: About % meter for grasses, up to 5 m 



for invading red maple. 



Estimated age of canopy trees: Maples about 4 to 6 years. 



Canopy cover: Closed (grasses) 



Estimated size of community: 30 acres. 



Successional stage: Originally pyroclimax. Now, subsequent to 



fire suppression, the community is moving into a sere that will 



J.ead to a swamp forest in which red maple will be the early dominant. 

 oere type : 



psaramosere. 



Common canopy species in community cover or community 

 type (but not dominant): 

 Acer rubrum 



Common sub-canopy or shrub stratum species in community 

 cover or community type (but not dominant ) : 



None. 



Common herb stratum species in community cover or 

 community type (but not dominant): 



None. 



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