AUGUST 2008, SYSTEM MAPPING MEETING NOTES FROM LEE ELLIOTT

**Attendees:**

  ------------------------ --------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  **[Name]{.underline}**   **[Agency]{.underline}**    **[email]{.underline}**

  Amie Treuer              Texas Parks & Wildlife      [[amie.treuer-kuehn@tpwd.state.tx.us]{.underline}](mailto:amie.treuer-kuehn@tpwd.state.tx.us)
                           Department                  

  Stephen Lange            Texas Parks & Wildlife      [[stephen.lange@tpwd.state.tx.us]{.underline}](mailto:stephen.lange@tpwd.state.tx.us)
                           Department                  

  Bill Bartush             United States Forest        [[bbartush@fs.fed.us]{.underline}](mailto:bbartush@fs.fed.us)
                           Service                     

  Kim Ludeke               Texas Parks & Wildlife      [[kim.ludeke@tpwd.state.tx.us]{.underline}](mailto:kim.ludeke@tpwd.state.tx.us)
                           Department                  

  Judy Teague              NatureServe                 [[judy_teague@natureserve.org]{.underline}](mailto:judy_teague@natureserve.org)

  Jason Singhurst          Texas Parks & Wildlife      [[jason.singhurst@tpwd.state.tx.us]{.underline}](mailto:jason.singhurst@tpwd.state.tx.us)
                           Department                  

  Curt Stripling           Texas Forest Service        [[cstripling@tfs.tamu.edu]{.underline}](mailto:cstripling@tfs.tamu.edu)

  Keith McKnight           Lower Mississippi Valley    [[kmcknight@ducks.org]{.underline}](mailto:kmcknight@ducks.org)
                           Joint Venture               

  Jason Engle              United States Forest        [[jaengle@fs.fed.us]{.underline}](mailto:jaengle@fs.fed.us)
                           Service                     

  Kate Crosthwaite         Texas National Guard        [[kate.crosthwaite@us.army.mil]{.underline}](mailto:kate.crosthwaite@us.army.mil)

  Jim Sutherlin            Texas Parks & Wildlife      [[jim.sutherlin@tpwd.state.tx.us]{.underline}](mailto:jim.sutherlin@tpwd.state.tx.us)
                           Department                  

  Lee Elliott              The Nature Conservancy      [[lelliott@tnc.org]{.underline}](mailto:lelliott@tnc.org)

  David Diamond            Missouri Resource           [[diamondd@missouri.edu]{.underline}](mailto:diamondd@missouri.edu)
                           Assessment Department,      
                           University of Missouri      

  Diane True               Missouri Resource           [[truecd@missouri.edu]{.underline}](mailto:truecd@missouri.edu)
                           Assessment Department,      
                           University of Missouri      

  Bill Carr                Texas Parks & Wildlife      [[bcarr@tnc.org]{.underline}](mailto:bcarr@tnc.org)
                           Department                  

  Jackie Poole             Texas Parks & Wildlife      [[jackie.poole@tpwd.state.us.tx]{.underline}](mailto:jackie.poole@tpwd.state.us.tx)
                           Department                  
  ------------------------ --------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[PLACES]{.underline}**

**Gus Engeling WMA, Anderson County:**

*Pinus echinata* found on the Reklaw formation to the northeast of Gus
Engeling WMA.

**Camp Maxey, Lamar County:**

*Pinus echinata* and *Quercus shumardii* in northern part. Riparian
areas could probably be considered [West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream
and River Forest]{.smallcaps} with *Quercus nigra, Q. phellos*, and *Q.
stellata*. These are generally temporarily flooded. Some *Platanus
occidentalis* present. On sandy loams there is presence of herbaceous
components with significant eastern affinities, but generally could be
considered [East-central Texas Plain Post Oak Savanna and Woodland. West
Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-hardwood Forest]{.smallcaps} may be present and
contain *Pinus echinata* and associated with Freestone and Hicota soils
at this site. *Quercus falcata, C. tomentosa \[=C. alba\]*, and *Q.
texana* may be present and conspicuous in the uplands. On the slopes,
*Carya ovata* is present.

**Red River and Bowie Counties:**

Mima mounds present on Pleistocene terraces where *Quercus falcata*, *Q.
stellata*, and *Q. marilandica* are present between mounds, with some
*Quercus alba* and *Carya alba \[=C. tomentosa\]* and *Quercus nigra.*
On mounds, *Pinus echinata* is present. These situations may be
occurrences of [West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood
forest.]{.smallcaps}

**Northern Prairie Outliers (EPA Level IV):**

We should consider prairie occurrences as [Southern Blackland Tallgrass
Prairie.]{.smallcaps} In Franklin County, alfisols prairies are present
but would still be considered as blackland outliers. Other alfisols
situations occur in the heart of the blackland prairie ecoregion.

**Northern Titus and Franklin Counties:**

[East-central Texas Plains Post Oak Savanna and Woodland]{.smallcaps}
with very highest points presenting some *Pinus echinata -- Quercus
incana.*

**Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces on the Red River:**

On uplands you have [West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood
Forest]{.smallcaps} as discussed previously (Red River and Bowie
Counties).

**Caddo Lake:**

Hardwood flatwoods present.

Saline glades are present at upper end of Caddo. Steve and Jason have
seen these, no *Geocarpon* detected, but they are visible on 1930s
imagery and appear natural.

**Southeastern tier of counties in Phase II (primarily based on
conversation with Jim Sutherlin):**

Most of this area should be considered as Gulf Coast Chenier Plain
systems. This would include all areas east of Galveston Bay, but
excluding Smith Point, which is an Ingleside Strand outlier. Numerous
marsh types, including tidal, non-tidal, oligohaline. On QBB (Beaumont
formation with barrier island and beach deposits), prairie with mima
mounds and depresional swales occur on Chambers/Jefferson County line.

There are remnant swamps at the mouth of Sabine River. Also some
remnant, somewhat distinct, herbaceous marshes in Orange County. These
are remnants of a once more expansive marsh that had *Cladium mariscus*
ssp. *jamaicense* as a dominant. Marshes at head of Sabine Lake were
historically more extensive but now degraded by various factors,
including oil/gas operations. These sites now have *Spartina patens,
Borrichia frutescens, Schoenoplectus, Sagitarria,* and *Phragmites.* We
decided to retain these somewhat distinct types as part of the Gulf
Coast Chenier Plain system.

Freshwater goes through bayous and eventually into GIWW, water
management gates along the canals. Where saltwater intrusion is
controlled, fresh to intermediate marsh develops. Generally, fresh to
oligohaline marsh develops landward of the GIWW. Occurrences of marsh
with banana water lily and *Potamogeton* can be found at Lost Lake and
Round Lake.

South of the GIWW, there is a isohaline break as you go west to east
(becomes fresher towards the west).

There are Chenier woodlands at Audubon Woods containing *Quercus
virginiana, Q. nigra*, *Celtis laevigata*, and some *Fraxinus
pennsylvanica*.

Texas Point NWR:

Gulf side marsh, tidal marsh dominated by *Spartina alterniflora*,
*Salicornia* sp. also present. Between ridges -- dominated by *Spartina
patens* and *Distichlis spicata.* Brackish marsh -- burns frequently.
Brackish to intermediate marshes are generally tidally connected.

McFaddin NWR:

Contact is Dean Bossert (USFWS) who will be able to discuss marsh types
there. Prairie on McFaddin has mima mounds. Sabine Ranch (private land
contiguous with McFaddin) has about 7,000 acres cleared of Chinese
tallow and well-managed for good coastal prairie.

Chenier Plain USFWS plan deals a lot with bottomlands. Taylor's Bayou
and Mayhall Bayou occurrences have a palmetto understory -- mainly
flatwoods with *Quercus nigra* and *Q. phellos.*

Historically, there was *Pinus palustris* in Chambers County near head
of Galveston Bay. There are also flatwoods at head of Galveston Bay in
Chambers County.

**Mouth of Sabine, Neches, and Trinity Rivers:**

Near coastal -- *Taxodium* at mouth of Sabine, Neches, and Trinity.
Occurrences gulfward should go into Near Coastal fresh tidal; Houseman
tidal may not go much farther north than IH10 on the Sabine. Ten Mile --
on the Neches mainly due to the salt water barrier as top end.
Conservation Fund lands north of IH10 and south of Salt Water Barrier --
on Neches -- transferred to NPS.

Mouth of Trinity -- Intermediate to brackish marsh.

**Sam Houston Forest**:

Blackland prairie outliers on northern edge. Wet Pine-Hardwood
Flatwoods, *Pinus palustris* on east side of Sam Houston. Pines are
generally *P. taeda* and *P. echinata*. North side is mostly *P.
echinata*, with Pine-hardwood Forest. Near Cold Springs, flatwoods are
present.

**Eastern Houston County:**

Mesic slope forest on bluff of the Neches River with *Quercus alba*,
species of *Hexalectris* also mentioned. Weches is where the mesic slope
forest occurs. Part of Kisatchie Wold.

**Matlock Hills, northern Sabine County:**

Ravine woodland present. Also, Xeric Longleaf stands on sandy uplands,
generally on Sparta formation

**Near Fairmont, southern Sabine County:**

500 to 600 acre occurrences of Wet Savannas -- these are disjunct
outliers.

**Bear Creek (Sabine County, SW of Pineland) and Ayish Bayou (San
Augustine County):**

Cypress stringers, presumably WGCP Small Stream Riparian

**Tonkawa Sandhills**:

On Eocene Carrizo Sands occur occurrences of a *Pinus echinata* system,
probably the [West Gulf Coastal Plain Sandhill Oak and Shortleaf Pine
Forest and Woodland]{.smallcaps} system.

**Southern Rusk County:**

Drainages have are beech coves ([West Gulf Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood
Forest)]{.smallcaps}, heads have Baygall/Seep Forest ([West Gulf Coastal
Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall]{.smallcaps}) with *Parnassia
asarifolia* present.

**North Toledo Bend WMA, Shelby County:**

Ridges at northwest end of WMA are about 1-2 m above base elevation --
cypress on low inter-ridge sites; ridgetops have *Pinus taeda, Quercus
phellos*, and *Quercus nigra*. Further west you lose cypress.
Distribution of cypress is modified as a result of hydrologic changes
produced by the construction of the lake. Lake influence has increased
cypress, though some naturally occurring stands persist.

**[SYSTEMS]{.underline}**

[West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Forest]{.smallcaps} -- This
includes pine on drier sites (south facing upper slopes) within the
range of *P. palustris*, but multiple sites outside the range.

[West Gulf Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Forest and
Woodland]{.smallcaps} -- Decided to retain xeric sandy sites (except for
the terrace system) within this system. Include in the description xeric
sandy sites.

[West Gulf Coastal Plain Sandhill Oak and Shortleaf Pine Forest and
Woodland --]{.smallcaps} Mentioned as present in Cass and Marion
Counties?

[West Gulf Coastal Plain Herbaceous Seepage Bog]{.smallcaps} --
Associated with Pickton fine sand or loamy fine sand. This system may be
invaded by woody species such as *Alnus serrulata* and/or *Myrica
cerifera*. A shrubby subsystem will therefore be needed for this system.

[West Gulf Coastal Plain Flatwoods Pond]{.smallcaps} -- Inclusions
within wetland pine savanna in depression ponds or ancient stream
channels and sloughs. *Panicum hemitomum* may be conspicuous. Herbaceous
pond within longleaf matrix. Often mapped on USGS quads and visible from
NHD layer. Typically on Beaumont and Lissie surfaces.

[West Gulf Coastal Plain Seeapge Swamp and Baygall]{.smallcaps} --
Associated with springs and seepage flow at headwater and margins of
topographically flat creek bottoms of low velocity. These are not tree
dominated ponds. May occur at the upper ends of streams. Jason Singhurst
has some mapped. Sometimes found on Catahoula on south facing ridges
(Trott Creek example). May be associated with Melhomes soils?

[West Gulf Coastal Plain Nonriverine Wet Hardwood Flatwoods]{.smallcaps}
-- Occur on tight soils on Pleistocene and Tertiary terraces. Hydrology
not based on overflow from stream banks, but rather from local
accumulations of precipitation and perched water table. Occur in EPA
35c. Ponds may be a variant based on hydroperiod. Fire dynamics are
important. Often found on the Beaumont and Lissie surfaces, but
generally west of the range of *P. palustris*. Known from, but not
restricted to, northern Montgomery and western Liberty Counties. May be
associated with Wrightsville and Rodessa soils. This system may be
difficult to distinguish from other flatwoods systems. Evadale soils
mentioned in the context of this system (or maybe it was for another
flatwood system?).

[West Gulf Coastal Plain Stream Terrace Sandyland Longleaf Pine
Woodland]{.smallcaps} -- Dry woodlands on excessively-drained sand on
Quaternary alluvium (terraces). *P. taeda* is not characteristic. Need
to include mixed hardwood mapping subsystem, as well as a herbaceous
one.

[West Gulf Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and
Flatwoods]{.smallcaps} - Found on Lissie and upper Beaumont surfaces.
Poorly drained upland soils with generally high water table. Fire
suppressed occurrences may produce a mixed hardwood mapping subsystem.
Singhurst has seen open (reduced overstory canopy) occurrences on some
of the Hancock property. Historically, this occurred in southern Jasper
and Newton Counties (Singhurst).

[West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Flatwoods]{.smallcaps} -- On
uplands, not associated with rivers. Occur on loamy to fine-textured
soils. Found on ridgetops and adjacent sideslopes with moderate
fertility and moisture retention. (This comment seems wrong).
Occurrences with more deciduous component will need subsystem and may
occur along the Red River. Singhurst's understanding is that these are
the beech sites on terraces along the middle/lower Neches and lower
Sabine Rivers. Also on Pleistocene terraces and intermediate terraces on
the Beaumont and Willis formations.

[West Gulf Coastal Plain Weches Glade]{.smallcaps} -- Woody invaded
occurrences will require shrubby mapping subsystem. Singhurst suggests
that these are mapped as Trawick-Bub Complex soils. He has a polygon
coverage for the glades.

[South-central Saline Glade]{.smallcaps} -- Occurrences found in the
upper Neches and south of Caddo Lake, sometimes associated with Bonn
soils. Sites on Verdum-Cart or Bonn-Cart in Panola and Harrison
Counties. Other sites occur in Cherokee, Marion, Jasper, Smith, Van
Zand, and Trinity Counties. Also in Van Zandt County. Occurrences in
Harris, Waller, Galveston, and Fort Bend Counties may be confused with
saline prairie?

[West Gulf Coastal Plain Catahoula Barrens]{.smallcaps} -- Associated
with Browndell soils.

[West Gulf Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood Forest]{.smallcaps} -- Need to
broaden description and allow for north and south phases. North of the
Navasota River, occurrences of this system generally lack *Fagus
grandifolia,* *Magnolia grandiflora,* and *Symplocos tinctoria*. *Acer
saccharum* becomes less prominent to the north. This would include
Bowie, Cass, and Harrison Counties and generally counties north of
Panola County. The southern occurrences are sometimes referred to as
beech-magnolia ravine forest, and Rick Turner did some mapping of these
occurrences of this type. *Quercus alba, Quercus shumardii,* and *Carya
alba \[=C. tomentosa\]* would occur to the north and south. Don't need
to include an evergreen subsystem, as this will not have sufficient
canopy of evergreen to require it. We should also exclude the
temporarily flooded examples and retain them as riparian. Beech tends to
grow in acidic soils, often with clay loam subsurface, with sand on the
surface, preferring moister sites on sandy soil (same in Newton and
Jasper Counties, but here they may be associated with deeper sands above
the lower topographic position where they occur, with drainage off the
deep sands accumulating downslope). Occurs on restricted sites with
unique mesic condition, probably because this is the western edge of
range. Look at break at about 50' of rainfall precipitation, at 60'
rainfall, start picking up additional eastern species. In situation that
are not at least temporarily flooded, then sites will probably be in
this system, rather than sometimes adjacent riparian system.

[East-central Texas Plains Xeric Sandylands]{.smallcaps} -- Rentzel
soils at Gus Engleing, Darco and Tonkawa also. To Nacogdoces County.
Darco will more readily be invaded with woody. On Tonkawa might have
*Aristida desmantha, Quercus margarettae,* and *Quercus incana;* on
Darco might have *Quercus stellata,* *Q. marilandica*, and *Carya
texana*. Some sites may be up to 800 acres in size, and are sometimes on
level ground and sometimes on ridges. Anderson County north more likely
to be on ridgetops, and Freestone and Leon Counties south less
restricted to ridges.

[Western Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Calcareous Prairie]{.smallcaps} --
Southern Mixedgrass Fleming Prairie occur on Fleming formation.
Something similar may be found on Cook Mountain, Jackson Group, and
Morse Clay. On Fleming, associated with Ferris and Wiergate soils
(calcareous clays). Occurrences generally of sizes around 50 to 80
acres. These may, alternatively, represent outliers of blackland prairie
to the east. Some affinities with northern prairies. Prairies on Red
River Terraces on Morse Clay in northern Red River County. And on Cook
Mountain formations in Anderson County at Elkhart.

[Texas Saline Coastal Prairie]{.smallcaps} -- shrub phase would include
species such as *Baccharis halimifolia, Iva frutescens, Prosopis
glandulosa,* and *Acacia minuata \[=A. farnesiana, A. smallii\]*

[Red River Large Floodplain Forest]{.smallcaps} -- May have *Quercus
stellata* as a component of the overstory. Present in Red River County
in Northern Prairie Outlier (EPA Level IV), here contains mima mounds
with *Pinus echinata* on drained mounds and hardwood on the intermound.
Also in Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces in Bowie County.

[East-central Texas Plains Floodplain Forest]{.smallcaps} -- Evergreen
phase may have *Pinus taeda* on Rentzel soils.

[East-central Texas Plains Riparian Forest]{.smallcaps} -- Someone noted
that *Maclura pomifera* is a conspicuous component in some occurrences.
*May* need to add seep stream version of this system, which is often
herbaceous and dominated by species such as *Andropogon* sp. and
*Zizanopsis*. Occurs from Leon County eastward into the range of *Pinus
echinata*. These situations are groundwater controlled (as opposed to
overbank flooding), and can be shrub invaded. Catfish Creek has a good
example of this. Seems to be related to Herbaceous Seepage Bog.

[West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Forest]{.smallcaps} --
Occurs on temporarily flooded sites at Gus Engeling WMA with *Quercus
phellos* and *Q. nigra* with some *Pinus taeda* and *Q. lyrata.* May be
found on Nahatche and Pluck soils. Occurs in Northern Post Oak Savanna
(EPA Level IV), all the way down to the Navasota River. Also present at
Camp Maxey, with *Q. phellos* and *Q. nigra.* An evergreen phase may
have *Pinus taeda*, especially on Rentzel soils (such as at Gus
Engeling).

**RANDOM SPECIES NOTES**

*Carya aquatica* gets leaves last, drops them first. Brief leaf-on
period.

*Pinus palustris* was on Beaumont and Lissie, mostly Lissie.

*Ctenium aromaticum*? in Jasper/Newton on Lissie, with pimple mounds.

**INTERPRETIVE BOOKLET**

Parts --

County Range Map

Name

Photo

Brief description: Species

Conservation Notes: in protection; status; rarity; endemicity,
regionally rare

Variation in the mapping unit -- what we have mapped, there may be some
confusion, how well is it mapped, adjacent or similar types.

Profile -

Landform -

Geology -

Soil -- restricted in soil

Rare species present?

Examples on public land or easily accessible