Coniferous swamps are forested

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

s in which the dominant trees are lowland

conifers Conifers are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single extant class, Pinopsida. All ex ...

such as northern white cedar (''

Thuja occidentalis ''Thuja occidentalis'', also known as northern white-cedar, eastern white-cedar, or arborvitae, is an evergreen coniferous tree, in the cypress family Cupressaceae, which is native to eastern Canada and much of the north-central and northeaster ...

''). The soil in these swamp areas is typically saturated for most of the growing season and is occasionally inundated by seasonal storms or by winter snow melt. The substrate is usually organic in nature and may contain

peat Peat (), also known as turf (), is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, moors, or muskegs. The peatland ecosystem covers and is the most efficien ...

in varying amounts or be composed entirely of muck. The swamp substrate is typically nutrient-rich and neutral to

alkaline In chemistry, an alkali (; from ar, القلوي, al-qaly, lit=ashes of the saltwort) is a basic, ionic salt of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. An alkali can also be defined as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of a ...

, but can be

acidic In computer science, ACID ( atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability) is a set of properties of database transactions intended to guarantee data validity despite errors, power failures, and other mishaps. In the context of databases, a s ...

and nutrient-poor. Coniferous swamps vary in composition, with different species of conifer dominating, and varying amounts of deciduous hardwoods growing within the swamp. A wide diversity of plants is represented within the swamps, with certain species dominating in a variety of

microhabitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

s dependent on factors such as available sunlight (as in cases of trees downed by wind or disease),

Soil pH Soil pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity (alkalinity) of a soil. Soil pH is a key characteristic that can be used to make informative analysis both qualitative and quantitatively regarding soil characteristics. pH is defined as the n ...

, standing groundwater, and differences of elevation within the swamp such as

tussock Tussock may refer to: * Tussock grass, a group of species in the family Poaceae *Floating island * Lymantriinae, called tussock moths or tussocks See also * Hassock (disambiguation) Hassock may refer to: * Kneeler, a cushion or a piece of f ...

s and nurse logs.Wetlands of the American Midwest: a historical geography of changing attitudes By Hugh C. Prince p.66 The different types of coniferous swamps are referred to according to their dominant trees. ''Rich conifer swamp'' is dominated by northern white cedar and typically occurs south of the climatic

tension zone A tension zone is a transitional zone between two distinctive zones, the zones may be influenced by climatic factors, and geological variation. creating a floristic tension zone. A marine tension zone may be affected by variables such as depth, ...

throughout the

Midwest The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. ...

and northeastern United States and adjacent areas in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tota ...

. North of the climatic tension zone, tamarack (''

Larix laricina ''Larix laricina'', commonly known as the tamarack, hackmatack, eastern larch, black larch, red larch, or American larch, is a species of larch native to Canada, from eastern Yukon and Inuvik, Northwest Territories east to Newfoundland, and als ...

'') is the dominant species of conifer in

minerotrophic Minerotrophic refers to environments that receive nutrients primarily through groundwater that flows through mineral-rich soils or rock,Environment Canada (2014). Ontario wetland evaluation system: Northern Manual, 1st edition, version 3.2. Queen’ ...

wetlands classified as ''rich tamarack swamp''. A roughly equal mix of hardwood trees and conifers is known as a ''hardwood-conifer swamp''.

Rich conifer swamp

Flora

Trees

Eastern Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) bark and foliage

A variety of both

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...

and

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, a ...

trees may be present in the rich conifer swamp in addition to the dominant species. *''

'': Northern white cedar, the dominant conifer, also known as arborvitae, a common landscape specimen in northern U.S. states and Canada. *'' Abies balsamea'': Balsam fir *''

Acer rubrum ''Acer rubrum'', the red maple, also known as swamp maple, water maple, or soft maple, is one of the most common and widespread deciduous trees of eastern and central North America. The U.S. Forest Service recognizes it as the most abundant nati ...

'': Red maple *''

Betula papyrifera ''Betula papyrifera'' (paper birch, also known as (American) white birch and canoe birch) is a short-lived species of birch native to northern North America. Paper birch is named for the tree's thin white bark, which often peels in paper like ...

'': Paper birch *''

Cornus stolonifera ''Cornus sericea'', the red osier or red-osier dogwood, is a species of flowering plant in the family Cornaceae, native to much of North America. It has sometimes been considered a synonym of the Asian species ''Cornus alba''. Other names includ ...

'': Red-osier dogwood *'' Cornus florida'': Flowering dogwood *''

'': Tamarack *''

Picea mariana ''Picea mariana'', the black spruce, is a North American species of spruce tree in the pine family. It is widespread across Canada, found in all 10 provinces and all 3 territories. It is the official tree of the province of Newfoundland and La ...

'': Black spruce *''

Picea glauca ''Picea glauca'', the white spruce, is a species of spruce native to the northern temperate and boreal forests in North America. ''Picea glauca'' is native from central Alaska all through the east, across southern/central Canada to the Avalon P ...

'': White spruce *''

Pinus strobus ''Pinus strobus'', commonly called the eastern white pine, northern white pine, white pine, Weymouth pine (British), and soft pine is a large pine native to eastern North America. It occurs from Newfoundland, Canada west through the Great Lakes ...

'': White pine * ''

Taxodium distichum ''Taxodium distichum'' (bald cypress, swamp cypress; french: cyprès chauve; ''cipre'' in Louisiana) is a deciduous conifer in the family Cupressaceae. It is native to the southeastern United States. Hardy and tough, this tree adapts to a wide r ...

'': Bald cypress *'' Tsuga canadensis'': Hemlock *''

Ulmus americana ''Ulmus americana'', generally known as the American elm or, less commonly, as the white elm or water elm, is a species of elm native to eastern North America, naturally occurring from Nova Scotia west to Alberta and Montana, and south to Flo ...

'': American elm *''

Populus tremuloides ''Populus tremuloides'' is a deciduous tree native to cooler areas of North America, one of several species referred to by the common name aspen. It is commonly called quaking aspen, trembling aspen, American aspen, mountain or golden aspen, t ...

'': Quaking aspen *''

Populus balsamifera ''Populus balsamifera'', commonly called balsam poplar, bam, bamtree, eastern balsam-poplar, hackmatack, tacamahac poplar, tacamahaca, is a tree species in the balsam poplar species group in the poplar genus, ''Populus.'' The genus name ''Populu ...

'': Balsam poplar *'' Nyssa aquatica'': Water tupelo *''

Nyssa ogeche ''Nyssa ogeche'', commonly referred to as Ogeechee tupelo, white tupelo, river lime, ogeechee lime tree, sour gum or wild lime is a deciduous tree. Growing to 15 m (~50 ft), it is in flower from March to May, and the seeds ripen from August to O ...

'': White tupelo *''

Nyssa sylvatica ''Nyssa sylvatica'', commonly known as tupelo, black tupelo, black gum or sour gum, is a medium-sized deciduous tree native to eastern North America from the coastal Northeastern United States and southern Ontario south to central Florida and ...

'': Black tupelo *''

Alnus glutinosa ''Alnus glutinosa'', the common alder, black alder, European alder, European black alder, or just alder, is a species of tree in the family Betulaceae, native to most of Europe, southwest Asia and northern Africa. It thrives in wet locations ...

'': Common alder

Shrubs

*'' Alnus rugosa'' Tag elder *''

Ilex verticillata ''Ilex verticillata'', the winterberry, is a species of holly native to eastern North America in the United States and southeast Canada, from Newfoundland west to Ontario and Minnesota, and south to Alabama. Other names that have been used inc ...

'' Winterberry *''

Ilex mucronata ''Ilex mucronata'', the mountain holly or catberry, is a species of holly native to eastern North America, from Newfoundland west to Minnesota, and south to Maryland and West Virginia. Taxonomy It was formerly treated in its own monotypic genus ...

'' Mountain holly *''

Sambucus racemosa ''Sambucus racemosa'' is a species of elderberry known by the common names red elderberry and red-berried elder. Distribution and habitat It is native to Europe, northern temperate Asia, and North America across Canada and the United States. ...

'' Red elderberry *''

Gaylussacia baccata ''Gaylussacia baccata'', the black huckleberry, is a common huckleberry found throughout a wide area of eastern North America. Distribution The plant is native to Eastern Canada and the Great Lakes region, the Midwestern and Northeastern Unit ...

'' Huckleberry *'' Taxus canadensis'' Canadian yew *''

Lonicera canadensis ''Lonicera canadensis'' (American fly honeysuckle or Canada fly honeysuckle) is a flowering deciduous, perennial, phanerophytic shrub which is monoclinous and grows tall. It typically flowers from the last week of April until the third or fo ...

'' American fly honeysuckle *''

Lonicera oblongifolia ''Lonicera oblongifolia,'' also known as the swamp honeysuckle and swamp fly honeysuckle is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Caprifoliaceae. Its native range is the US and Canada. References {{Taxonbar, from=Q17435078 ...

'' Swamp fly honeysuckle *''

Vaccinium angustifolium ''Vaccinium angustifolium'', commonly known as the wild lowbush blueberry, is a species of blueberry native to eastern and central Canada (from Manitoba to Newfoundland) and the northeastern United States, growing as far south as the Great Smok ...

'' Low sweet blueberry *'' Vaccinium myrtilloides'' Canada blueberry *'' Ribes americanum'' Wild black currant *'' Ribes triste'' Swamp red currant *''

Ribes lacustre The shrub ''Ribes lacustre'' is known by the common names prickly currant, black swamp gooseberry, and black gooseberry. It is widely distributed in North America. Description The shrub grows erect to spreading, . Clusters of reddish to maroon f ...

'' Swamp black currant

Vines

*'' Toxicodendron radicans'' Poison ivy *'' Lonicera dioica'' Limber honeysuckle

Ferns

*'' Osmunda cinnamomea'' Cinnamon fern *''

Thelypteris palustris ''Thelypteris palustris'', the marsh fern, or eastern marsh fern, is a species of fern native to eastern North America and across Eurasia. It prefers to grow in marshy situations in full sun. The species epithet ''palustris'' is Latin for "of t ...

'' Marsh fern *'' Osmunda spectabilis'' Royal fern *''

Gymnocarpium dryopteris ''Gymnocarpium dryopteris'', the western oakfern, common oak fern , oak fern, or northern oak fern, is a deciduous fern of the family Cystopteridaceae. It is widespread across much of North America and Eurasia. It has been found in Canada, the ...

'' Oak fern

Gramminoids

A variety of grasses and sedges may be present including multiple varieties of ''

carex ''Carex'' is a vast genus of more than 2,000 species of grass-like plants in the family Cyperaceae, commonly known as sedges (or seg, in older books). Other members of the family Cyperaceae are also called sedges, however those of genus ''Carex'' ...

''. *''

Glyceria striata ''Glyceria striata'' is a species of '' Glyceria'' which is known by the common names fowl mannagrass and ridged glyceria. It is native to much of North America, from Alaska and northern Canada to northern Mexico. It is a common bunchgrass spe ...

'' Fowl manna grass

Mosses

*'' Callicladium haldanianum'' Callicladium moss *'' Sphagnum centrale''

Orchids

*''

Cypripedium calceolus ''Cypripedium calceolus'' is a lady's-slipper orchid, and the type species of the genus '' Cypripedium''. It is native to Europe and Asia. Taxonomy ''Cypripedium'' comes from the Greek Κυπρισ πεδιον (''Kupris pedion''), meaning V ...

'' Yellow lady’s-slipper *'' Platanthera hyperborea'' Tall northern bog orchid

Forbs

*'' Aquilegia canadensis'' Red Columbine

References

{{Wetlands Swamps Conifers