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Eastern Great Plains Wet Meadow and Marsh

EVT 7488Eastern Great Plains Wet Meadow-Prairie-Marsh
CES205.687G2HerbRiparian
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Summary
This system is found along creeks and streams from Nebraska and Iowa to Illinois, and from Minnesota to Texas. It is also found in depressions and along lake borders, especially in the northern extension of its range into Minnesota. It is often adjacent to a floodplain system but is devoid of trees and riparian vegetation. It is also distinguished from upland prairie systems by having more hydrology, especially associated with silty, dense clay soils that are often hydric, classified as Vertic Haplaquolls. The landform is usually floodplain or poorly drained, relatively level land. The vegetation is dominated by Spartina pectinata, Tripsacum dactyloides, numerous large sedges, such as Carex frankii and Carex hyalinolepis, and in wetter areas, Eleocharis spp. Other emergent marsh species such as Typha spp. can be associated with this system. Forbs can include Helianthus grosseserratus, Vernonia fasciculata, and Physostegia virginiana. Some parts of this system may be saline and have species such as Distichlis spicata and Bolboschoenus maritimus (= Schoenoplectus maritimus). Fire has been the primary influence in keeping these wet areas free of trees. Other dynamic processes include grazing and flooding (often in late spring). Many areas have been converted to agricultural, but this usually requires some sort of drainage.
Source: NatureServe Explorer
Vegetation
Spartina pectinata, Tripsacum dactyloides, and numerous large sedges, such as Carex frankii and Carex hyalinolepis, dominate this system. In wetter areas, Eleocharis spp. and Typha spp. may be significant. Forbs such as Helianthus grosseserratus, Vernonia fasciculata, and Physostegia virginiana also may be common. Shrub species can be present, especially in the northern range of this system; however, they are usually insignificant compared to the prairie and meadow species.
Source: NatureServe Explorer
Environment
This system is found primarily on silty and/or dense clay, hydric soils, usually classified as Vertic Haplaquolls. It is found within poorly drained, relatively level areas.
Source: NatureServe Explorer
Dynamics
Fire and grazing can affect this system. Fire could spread from adjacent upland prairie, especially in the fall when water levels tended to be low and vegetation was driest. The wet prairie/wet meadow zone burned most frequently, but in the fall, dense, dry tall emergent vegetation in shallow or deep marshes could carry fire, as well. These fires could remove standing dead vegetation, allowing more light to reach the ground and returning nutrients to the soil, but they did not result in a conversion to a different system. In the eastern portion of this system's range, fire was more important in keeping woody species from invading. Native ungulates grazed the margins of potholes and used them as water sources. Muskrats live in larger, wetter potholes and, when populations get high, can have significant effects on the vegetation by eating Typha spp. and substantially reducing its cover. Flooding or saturation of sites for part of the growing season is required for the dominant species to survive over time. Grazing during the late summer or other dry periods can result in significant reduction in herbaceous cover but, in general, grazing is of lower importance than fire and flooding in maintaining this system.
Source: NatureServe Explorer
Threats
The primary threat to this system is drainage followed by conversion to agriculture or urban/infrastructure development. In addition to the direct effects of conversion of this system, landscape fragmentation from conversion of this or other related natural systems affects remaining stands by further reducing the opportunities for landscape-level fires, increasing the opportunities for exotic species to invade from nearby populations, and reducing the amount of suitable habitat that can be converted to this system as part of the natural fluid response to fire and precipitation. A lack of fire quickly results in invasion by shrubs and trees and conversion to a shrub swamp or swamp.
Source: NatureServe Explorer
Distribution
This system is found throughout the northeastern Great Plains ranging from eastern Kansas to western Illinois and north into Minnesota.
Source: NatureServe Explorer
Ecologically Associated Plant Species

Plant species that characterize this ecosystem type, organized by vegetation stratum. These are species ecologically associated with the ecosystem, not confirmed present in any specific area.

Herb (field)

Bolboschoenus maritimus, Calamagrostis canadensis, Calamagrostis stricta ssp. inexpansa, Carex frankii, Carex hyalinolepis, Carex pellita, Distichlis spicata, Eleocharis wolfii, Helianthus grosseserratus, Physostegia virginiana, Platanthera leucophaea, Schoenoplectiella hallii, Spartina pectinata, Tripsacum dactyloides, Vernonia fasciculata
Source: NatureServe Ecological System assessment
Ecologically Associated Animals (5)

Animal species ecologically associated with this ecosystem type based on NatureServe assessment. These are species whose habitat requirements overlap with this ecosystem, not confirmed present in any specific roadless area.

Mammals (1)

Common NameScientific NameG-Rank
Western Harvest MouseReithrodontomys megalotisG5

Reptiles (3)

Common NameScientific NameG-Rank
Common WatersnakeNerodia sipedonG5
Plains GartersnakeThamnophis radixG5
Common GartersnakeThamnophis sirtalisG5

Butterflies & Moths (1)

Common NameScientific NameG-Rank
Swamp MetalmarkCalephelis muticumG3
Source: NatureServe Ecological System assessment
At-Risk Species Associated with this Ecosystem (3)

Species with conservation concern that are ecologically associated with this ecosystem type. G-Rank indicates global conservation status: G1 (critically imperiled) through G5 (secure). ESA status indicates U.S. Endangered Species Act listing.

Common NameScientific NameG-RankESA Status
Swamp MetalmarkCalephelis muticumG3--
Eastern Prairie White-fringed OrchidPlatanthera leucophaeaG2G3Threatened
Hall's BulrushSchoenoplectiella halliiG3--
Source: NatureServe Ecological System assessment
Component Associations (34)

Plant community associations that occur within this ecological system. Associations are the finest level of the U.S. National Vegetation Classification (USNVC) and describe specific, repeating assemblages of plant species. Each association represents a distinct community type that may be found where this ecosystem occurs.

NameG-Rank
Bolboschoenus fluviatilis - Schoenoplectus spp. MarshG3 NatureServe
Bolboschoenus maritimus - Atriplex patula - Eleocharis parvula Saline MarshG1 NatureServe
Calamagrostis canadensis - Carex spp. Laurentian-Acadian Wet MeadowG4 NatureServe
Calamagrostis canadensis North-Central Wet MeadowG4 NatureServe
Calamagrostis stricta - Carex sartwellii - Carex praegracilis - Plantago eriopoda Saline Wet MeadowG2 NatureServe
Carex aquatilis - Carex spp. Wet MeadowG4 NatureServe
Carex atherodes Wet MeadowG4 NatureServe
Carex lacustris Midwest Wet MeadowG4 NatureServe
Carex pellita - Calamagrostis stricta Wet MeadowG4 NatureServe
Carex stricta - Carex spp. Wet MeadowG4 NatureServe
Carex utriculata - Carex stricta - Carex lacustris - Carex vesicaria Wet MeadowG4 NatureServe
Ceratophyllum demersum - Stuckenia pectinata Aquatic VegetationG4 NatureServe
Cornus sericea - Salix (bebbiana, discolor, petiolaris) / Calamagrostis stricta Shrub SwampG3 NatureServe
Cornus sericea - Salix spp. - (Rosa palustris) Shrub SwampG5 NatureServe
Distichlis spicata - Bolboschoenus maritimus - Salicornia rubra Wet MeadowG1 NatureServe
Impatiens pallida - Cystopteris bulbifera - Adoxa moschatellina Algific TalusG2 NatureServe
Nuphar advena - Nymphaea odorata Aquatic VegetationG4 NatureServe
Polygonum amphibium - (Polygonum hydropiperoides) Wet MeadowG4 NatureServe
Polygonum spp. - Mixed Forbs Wet MeadowG4 NatureServe
Potamogeton nodosus Aquatic VegetationGNR NatureServe
Potamogeton spp. - Ceratophyllum spp. Midwest Aquatic VegetationG5 NatureServe
Sagittaria cuneata - Sagittaria longiloba MarshGNR NatureServe
Sagittaria latifolia - Leersia oryzoides MarshGNR NatureServe
Schoenoplectus acutus - (Bolboschoenus fluviatilis) Freshwater MarshG4 NatureServe
Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani - Typha spp. - (Sparganium spp., Juncus spp.) MarshG4 NatureServe
Spartina pectinata - Calamagrostis stricta - Carex spp. Wet MeadowG3 NatureServe
Spartina pectinata - Carex spp. - Calamagrostis canadensis - Lythrum alatum - (Oxypolis rigidior) Wet MeadowG3 NatureServe
Spartina pectinata - Carex spp. - Calamagrostis canadensis Sand Wet MeadowG3 NatureServe
Spartina pectinata - Eleocharis spp. - Carex spp. Wet MeadowG3 NatureServe
Spiraea tomentosa - Salix humilis / Andropogon gerardii - Panicum virgatum Wet ShrublandG1 NatureServe
Typha (angustifolia, domingensis, latifolia) - Schoenoplectus americanus MarshG3 NatureServe
Typha latifolia - Thalia dealbata MarshGNR NatureServe
Typha spp. Midwest MarshG5 NatureServe
Typha spp. - Schoenoplectus acutus - Mixed Herbs Midwest MarshG4 NatureServe
State Conservation Ranks (9)

Subnational conservation status ranks (S-ranks) assigned by Natural Heritage Programs in each state where this ecosystem occurs. S1 indicates critically imperiled at the state level, S2 imperiled, S3 vulnerable, S4 apparently secure, and S5 secure. An ecosystem may be globally secure but imperiled in specific states at the edge of its range.

StateS-Rank
IASNR
ILSNR
KSSNR
MNSNR
MOSNR
NDSNR
NESNR
OKSNR
SDSNR
Roadless Areas (5)

Inventoried Roadless Areas where this ecosystem is present, identified from LANDFIRE 2024 Existing Vegetation Type spatial analysis. Coverage indicates the proportion of each area occupied by this ecosystem type.

North Dakota (5)

AreaForestCoverageHectares
DelamereDakota Prairie Grasslands18.6%382.86
McleodDakota Prairie Grasslands6.3%233.73
DurlerDakota Prairie Grasslands4.2%213.39
VenloDakota Prairie Grasslands2.5%54.72
SheyenneDakota Prairie Grasslands2.1%123.84
Methodology and Data Sources

Ecosystem classification: Ecosystems are classified using the LANDFIRE 2024 Existing Vegetation Type (EVT) layer, mapped to NatureServe Terrestrial Ecological Systems via a curated crosswalk. Each EVT is linked to the USNVC (U.S. National Vegetation Classification) hierarchy through pixel-level co-occurrence analysis of LANDFIRE EVT and NatureServe IVC Group rasters across all roadless areas.

Vegetation coverage: Coverage percentages and hectares are derived from zonal statistics of the LANDFIRE 2024 EVT raster intersected with roadless area boundaries.

Ecosystem narratives and community species: Sourced from the NatureServe Explorer API, representing professional ecological assessments of vegetation composition, environmental setting, dynamics, threats, and characteristic species assemblages.

IVC hierarchy: The International Vegetation Classification hierarchy is sourced from the USNVC v3.0 Catalog, providing the full classification from Biome through Association levels.

Component associations: Plant community associations listed as components of each NatureServe Ecological System. Association data from the NatureServe Explorer API.

State ranks: Conservation status ranks assigned by NatureServe member programs in each state where the ecosystem occurs.