West Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest
Geology
Typically occupying Quaternary Alluvium along major rivers including the Trinity (downstream of Cobb Creek), Neches, Angelina, Sabine, Sulphur, and San Jacinto, and a few of their major tributaries.
Landform
Broad floodplains with significant development of bottomland soils. These areas include an array of local geomorphic features such as natural levees, point bars, meander scrolls, oxbows, terraces, and sloughs.
Soils
This system occupies soils of various textures derived from alluvial processes of the associated rivers. The hydrology of these soils is variable, including temporary, seasonal, semi-permanent flooding regimes.
Parent Description
This system is typically represented by forests that vary relative to the flooding regime, which is often controlled by local topographic variation and proximity to the river. Swamps are typically represented by forests of Taxodium distichum (baldcypress), with other species such as Nyssa aquatica (water tupelo), Gleditsia aquatica (water honeylocust), and Carya aquatica (water hickory) also present. Some semi-permanently flooded sites may also be dominated by Planera aquatica (water elm). Floating aquatics, such as Lemna minor (common duckweed), Potamogeton spp. (pondweeds), Ceratophyllum demersum (coontail), and Nymphaea odorata (American waterlily) may also be present at those sites. Quercus lyrata (overcup oak) is characteristic of seasonally flooded bottomlands, but numerous other species are also important components of the canopy, including Taxodium distichum (baldcypress), Quercus phellos (willow oak), Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash), Liquidambar styraciflua (sweetgum), Nyssa biflora (swamp tupelo), Fraxinus caroliniana (Carolina ash), and Quercus similis (bottomland post oak). Commonly encountered, and sometimes dominant, species of temporarily flooded sites include Liquidambar styraciflua (sweetgum), Quercus nigra (water oak), and Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash). Numerous other species, such as Quercus laurifolia (laurel oak), Quercus michauxii (swamp chestnut oak), Quercus pagoda (cherrybark oak), Celtis laevigata (sugar hackberry), Acer rubrum (red maple), Ulmus crassifolia (cedar elm), Ulmus americana (American elm), and Carya illinoinensis (pecan) may also be important components of the canopy. Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore), Populus deltoides (eastern cottonwood), Betula nigra (river birch), and Salix nigra (black willow) are more conspicuous as early successional species along the riverfront. Understory and shrub cover is variable, but is typically relatively low, particularly in more frequently flooded sites and sites with significant overstory canopy. The understory may have small individuals of the overstory, as well as species such as Alnus serrulata (smooth alder), Arundinaria gigantea (giant cane), Carpinus caroliniana (American hornbeam), Ilex decidua (possumhaw), Ilex opaca (American holly), Callicarpa americana (American beautyberry), Crataegus viridis (green hawthorn), Crataegus marshallii (parsley hawthorn), Crataegus opaca (riverflat hawthorn), Styrax americanus (American snowbell), Ditrysinia fruticosa (sebastian-bush), Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis (common elderberry), Cephalanthus occidentalis (common buttonbush), Forestiera acuminata (swamp privet), Planera aquatica (water elm), and/or Sabal minor (dwarf palmetto). Where the overstory canopy is open, Planera aquatica (water elm), Cephalanthus occidentalis (common buttonbush), or Forestiera acuminata (swamp privet) may form dense stands. Woody vines that may be encountered include Berchemia scandens (Alabama supplejack), Smilax bona-nox (saw greenbrier), Vitis rotundifolia (muscadine grape), Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy), and Campsis radicans (trumpet creeper). Herbaceous species may include Boehmeria cylindrica (false nettle), Saururus cernuus (lizard's tail), Saccharum baldwinii (narrow plumegrass), Elymus virginicus (Virginia wildrye), Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern), Carex cherokeensis (Cherokee sedge), Carex intumescens (bladder sedge), Carex joorii (cypress swamp sedge), Carex debilis (spindlefruit sedge), other Carex (sedge) species, Chasmanthium latifolium (creek oats), Chasmanthium sessiliflorum (narrowleaf woodoats), Justicia ovata (looseflower waterwillow), Bidens aristosa (bearded beggarticks), Panicum hemitomon (maidencane), Leersia virginica (Virginia cutgrass), and numerous others. Pinus taeda (loblolly pine) may be found, particularly on some better drained sites, and where it has been planted. Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow) sometimes invades this system.
Ecological Mapping Systems
Pineywoods: Bottomland Temporarily Flooded Live Oak Forest
This very minor component of the system is dominated by broadleaf evergreen species. However, some cold deciduous species that retain their leaves for extended periods, such as Quercus nigra (water oak) and Quercus laurifolia (laurel oak), may actually dominate these sites.
Distribution Map
Public Land Occurrence
- None.
Pineywoods: Bottomland Temporarily Flooded Mixed Pine / Hardwood Forest
Pinus taeda (loblolly pine) forms a significant portion of the canopy in this type. Areas that are clearly dominated by pine, typically Pinus taeda (loblolly pine), are mapped as Pine Plantation.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
Pineywoods: Bottomland Temporarily Flooded Hardwood Forest
This mapped type makes up a significant percentage of the system as it is mapped. The common canopy species are Liquidambar styraciflua (sweetgum), Quercus nigra (water oak), and Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash), although numerous other species may be important to dominant components. Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow) may be a canopy dominant within this mapped type.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- Big Thicket National Preserve: US National Park Service
- Caddo National Grasslands Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Davis Hill State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Old Sabine Bottom Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Sabine National Forest: USDA Forest Service
- Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge: US Fish and Wildlife Service
- White Oak Creek Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Wright Patman Lake: US Army Corps of Engineers
Pineywoods: Bottomland Evergreen Successional Shrubland
This minor component of the system represents transitional sites that may be dominated by Juniperus virginiana (eastern redcedar), or may be young planted Pinus taeda (loblolly pine).
Distribution Map
Photos
Pineywoods: Bottomland Deciduous Successional Shrubland
This mapped type may be composed of young trees, especially early successional species such as Salix nigra (black willow), Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash), Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore), Acer negundo (boxelder), or others. Shrublands may be dominated by species such as Cephalanthus occidentalis (common buttonbush), Forestiera acuminata (swamp privet), or Ilex decidua (possumhaw).
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- None.
Pinewoods: Bottomland Herbaceous Wetland
This mapped type corresponds to marsh landcover that occurs on bottomland soils. Occurrences may consist of graminoids such as Eleocharis spp. (spikerushes), Typha spp. (cattails), Rhynchospora spp. (beaksedges), Juncus spp. (rushes), Scirpus cyperinus (woolgrass bulrush), Panicum hemitomon (maidencane), Zizaniopsis miliacea (marshmillet), Saccharum baldwinii (narrow plumegrass), and/or Carex spp. (sedges). Nymphaea odorata (American waterlily), Ludwigia spp. (primroses), Polygonum spp. (smartweeds), Heteranthera spp. (mudplantains), Echinodorus cordifolius (heartleaf burhead), Sagittaria spp. (arrowheads), and other herbaceous wetland plants may also be common. These occurrences tend to be somewhat wetter than Pineywoods: Bottomland Wet Prairie.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- Angelina National Forest: US Forest Service
- Big Thicket National Preserve: US National Park Service
- Little Sandy National Wildlife Refuge: US Fish and Wildlife Service
- Sabine National Forest: USDA Forest Service
- Sam Houston National Forest Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge: US Fish and Wildlife Service
Pineywoods: Bottomland Seasonally Flooded Hardwood Forest
This mapped type tends to be occupied by species that are better adapted to flooded soil conditions such as Quercus lyrata (overcup oak), Carya aquatica (water hickory), Quercus phellos (willow oak), Acer rubrum (red maple), Quercus laurifolia (laurel oak), Salix nigra (black willow), and Taxodium distichum (baldcypress). However, less flood tolerant species or species with broad tolerances may also be present.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- Alazan Bayou Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Angelina National Forest: US Forest Service
- Big Thicket National Preserve: US National Park Service
- Little Sandy National Wildlife Refuge: US Fish and Wildlife Service
- Old Sabine Bottom Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge: US Fish and Wildlife Service
- White Oak Creek Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Pineywoods: Bottomland Wet Prairie
This herbaceous dominated mapped type is somewhat less wet than Pineywoods: Bottomland Herbaceous Wetland. Sites may be dominated by non-native species such as Paspalum notatum (Bahia grass), Sorghum halepense (Johnsongrass), and Cynodon dactylon (bermudagrass). Native species that may dominate these sites include Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem), Andropogon glomeratus (bushy bluestem), Carex spp. (caric sedges), Paspalum floridanum (Florida paspalum), Tripsacum dactyloides (eastern gamagrass), and Panicum virgatum (switchgrass).
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- None.
Pineywoods: Bottomland Baldcypress Swamp
This mapped type occupies the semi-permanently flooded sites within the system and is typically dominated by Taxodium distichum (baldcypress), with lesser amounts of Nyssa aquatica (water tupelo), Nyssa biflora (swamp tupelo), Carya aquatica (water hickory), Quercus lyrata (overcup oak), Fraxinus caroliniana (Carolina ash), Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash), Quercus phellos (willow oak), and Planera aquatica (water elm).
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- Angelina National Forest: US Forest Service
- Big Thicket National Preserve: US National Park Service
- Caddo National Grasslands Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Sabine National Forest: USDA Forest Service
- Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge: US Fish and Wildlife Service
- White Oak Creek Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Wright Patman Lake: US Army Corps of Engineers