Photo by Drew Feldkirchner
- WDNR
State Rank: S2 Global Rank: GNR what are these ranks?
Mesic floodplain terraces are deciduous forests developed on alluvial terraces along rich, infrequently flooding (or flooding only for a very short period) rivers draining into Lake Superior. The dominant trees are usually sugar maple (Acer saccharum), basswood (Tilia americana), and sometimes ashes (Fraxinus spp.). There is a diverse spring ephemeral flora, which in Wisconsin includes many southern species at their northern range limits. By late spring, however, these may be overtopped by dense stands of ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) and wood-nettle (Laportea canadensis).
The following Species of Greatest Conservation Need are listed according to their level of association with the Mesic Floodplain Terrace natural community type, based on the findings in Wisconsin's 2015 Wildlife Action Plan.
Scores: 3 = high association, 2 = moderate association, and 1 = low association. See the key to association scores for complete definitions.
| Amphibians | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Four-toed Salamander | Hemidactylium scutatum | 3 |
| Pickerel Frog | Lithobates palustris | 2 |
| Mink Frog | Lithobates septentrionalis | 1 |
| Aquatic and terrestrial snails | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Flat-whorl | Planogyra asteriscus | 3 |
| Boreal Top | Zoogenetes harpa | 2 |
| Broad-banded Forestsnail | Allogona profunda | 1 |
| Deep-throated Vertigo | Vertigo nylanderi | 1 |
| Beetles | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| A Predaceous Diving Beetle | Agabus leptapsis | 2 |
| A Water Scavenger Beetle | Agabetes acuductus | 1 |
| Birds | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Least Flycatcher | Empidonax minimus | 3 |
| American Woodcock | Scolopax minor | 2 |
| Black-backed Woodpecker | Picoides arcticus | 1 |
| Long-eared Owl | Asio otus | 1 |
| Northern Goshawk | Accipiter gentilis | 1 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | Buteo lineatus | 1 |
| Grasshoppers and allies | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Crackling Forest Grasshopper | Trimerotropis verruculata | 1 |
| Spotted-winged Grasshopper | Orphulella pelidna | 1 |
| Mammals | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Little Brown Bat | Myotis lucifugus | 3 |
| Northern Flying Squirrel | Glaucomys sabrinus | 2 |
| Northern Long-eared Bat | Myotis septentrionalis | 2 |
| Silver-haired Bat | Lasionycteris noctivagans | 2 |
| Water Shrew | Sorex palustris | 2 |
| American Marten | Martes americana | 1 |
| Big Brown Bat | Eptesicus fuscus | 1 |
| Woodland Jumping Mouse | Napaeozapus insignis | 1 |
| Reptiles | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Turtle | Glyptemys insculpta | 3 |
Please see Section 2. Approach and Methods of the Wildlife Action Plan to learn how this information was developed.
The Natural Heritage Inventory has developed scores indicating the degree to which each of Wisconsin's rare plant species is associated with a particular natural community or ecological landscape. This information is similar to that found in the Wildlife Action Plan for animals. As this is a work in progress, we welcome your suggestions and feedback.
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Cardamine maxima | Large Toothwort | 3 |
The following Ecological Landscapes have the best opportunities to manage for Mesic Floodplain Terrace, based on the Ecological Landscapes of Wisconsin Handbook.
| Ecological Landscape | Opportunity |
|---|---|
| Superior Coastal Plain | Important |
Major (3 on map)
A major opportunity for sustaining the natural community in the Ecological Landscape exists, either because many significant occurrences of the natural community have been recorded in the landscape or major restoration activities are likely to be successful maintaining the community's composition, structure, and ecological function over a longer period of time.
Important (2 on map)
Although the natural community does not occur extensively or commonly in the Ecological Landscape, one to several occurrences do occur and are important in sustaining the community in the state. In some cases, important opportunities may exist because the natural community may be restricted to just one or a few Ecological Landscapes within the state and there may be a lack of opportunities elsewhere.
Present (1 on map)
The natural community occurs in the Ecological Landscape, but better management opportunities appear to exist in other parts of the state.
Conservation actions respond to issues or threats, which adversely affect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) or their habitats. Besides actions such as restoring wetlands or planting resilient tree species in northern communities, research, surveys and monitoring are also among conservation actions described in the WWAP because lack of information can threaten our ability to successfully preserve and care for natural resources.
Threats/issues and conservations actions for natural communities
Click to view a larger version. Please considering donating your photos to the Natural Heritage Conservation Program for educational uses. Photo use
Low Black River terrace with mesic to dry-mesic to wet-mesic forest near mouth of Morrison Creek, Jackson County.
Photo by Eric Epstein.
Photo by Drew Feldkirchner.
Note: photos are provided to illustrate various examples of natural community types. A single photograph cannot represent the range of variability inherent in a given community type. Some of these photos explicitly illustrate unusual and distinctive community variants. The community photo galleries are a work in progress that we will expand and improve in the future.