PROTECTING WISCONSIN'S BIODIVERSITY

Wisconsin's natural communities

NaturalCommunity_meyer.jpg

Forbes Springs State Natural Area. Photo by Thomas Meyer, Wisconsin DNR.

The natural communities on Wisconsin's Natural Heritage Working List are defined by the assemblage of different plant and animal species that live together in a particular area, at a particular time. Natural communities may be named for their dominant plant species, for example, pine barrens, sedge meadows and oak savannas, a prominent environmental feature, such as Great Lakes dune or dry cliff, or a combination of these factors. Natural communities range in size from less than an acre to thousands of acres and are dynamic and always changing. Some changes may be rapid while other changes are too slow for many humans to notice during their brief lifetimes. The Natural Heritage Inventory tracks examples of all types of Wisconsin's natural communities that are deemed significant because of their undisturbed condition, size, what occurs around them or for other reasons. The Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan identified additional aquatic and anthropogenic habitats important for Species of Greatest Conservation Need.

Community pages provide descriptions, general locations and other information for Wisconsin's natural communities. The communities are presented in aggregated groups. See the Working List for rank definitions.

 
   
 
 
Community Name Global
Rank		 State
Rank		 Community Group
Alder Thicket G4 S4 Shrub Communities
Algific Talus Slope G2 S1 Bedrock Dependent
Alvar G3 S1 Bedrock Dependent
American Lotus-Lily Marsh G3G4 S3 Marshes
Bedrock Glade G2 S3 Bedrock Dependent
Bedrock Shore G3G4 S2 Bedrock Dependent
Black Spruce Swamp G5 S3? Northern Forests
Bog Relict G3 S3 Sedge Meadows, Fens, and Bogs
Boreal Forest G3? S2 Northern Forests
Boreal Rich Fen G4G5 S2 Sedge Meadows, Fens, and Bogs
Bracken Grassland G3 S2 Barrens and Savannas
Calcareous Fen G3 S3 Sedge Meadows, Fens, and Bogs
Cave GNR SU Bedrock Dependent
Central Poor Fen G3G4 S3 Sedge Meadows, Fens, and Bogs
Central Sands Pine-Oak Forest G3 S3 Southern Forests
Clay Seepage Bluff GNR S2 Sand or Bare Soil Dependent
Coastal Plain Marsh G2? S1 Marshes
Dry Cliff G4G5 S4 Bedrock Dependent
Dry Prairie G3 S3 Prairies
Dry-mesic Prairie G3 S2 Prairies
Eastern Red-cedar Thicket GNR S4 Southern Forests
Emergent Marsh G4 S4 Marshes
Floating-leaved Marsh G4G5 S4 Marshes
Floodplain Forest G3? S3 Southern Forests
Forested Seep GNR S2 Northern Forests
Glaciere Talus G2G3 S2 Bedrock Dependent
Great Lakes Alkaline Rockshore G3 S2 Bedrock Dependent
Great Lakes Barrens G2 S1 Barrens and Savannas
Great Lakes Beach G3 S2 Sand or Bare Soil Dependent
Great Lakes Dune G3 S2 Sand or Bare Soil Dependent
Great Lakes Ridge and Swale G3 S2 Community Complexes
Great Lakes Shore Fen GNR S2 Sedge Meadows, Fens, and Bogs
Hemlock Relict G2Q S2 Southern Forests
Inland Beach G4G5 S3 Sand or Bare Soil Dependent
Interdunal Wetland G2? S1 Marshes
Lacustrine Mud Flat GNR SU Sand or Bare Soil Dependent
Lake--Deep, Hard, Drainage GNR S3 Lakes and Ponds
Lake--Deep, Hard, Seepage GNR S2 Lakes and Ponds
Lake--Deep, Soft, Drainage GNR S1 Lakes and Ponds
Lake--Deep, Soft, Seepage GNR S3 Lakes and Ponds
Lake--Deep, Very Soft, Seepage GNR S3 Lakes and Ponds
Lake--Hard Bog GNR S2 Lakes and Ponds
Lake--Meromictic GNR S1 Lakes and Ponds
Lake--Shallow, Hard, Drainage GNR SU Lakes and Ponds
Lake--Shallow, Hard, Seepage GNR SU Lakes and Ponds
Lake--Shallow, Soft, Drainage GNR S3 Lakes and Ponds
Lake--Shallow, Soft, Seepage GNR S4 Lakes and Ponds
Lake--Shallow, Very Hard, Drainage (Marl) GNR S2 Lakes and Ponds
Lake--Soft Bog GNR S4 Lakes and Ponds
Lake--Spring GNR S3 Lakes and Ponds
Lake--Unique GNR SU Lakes and Ponds
Mesic Cedar Forest G3? S1 Northern Forests
Mesic Floodplain Terrace GNR S2 Northern Forests
Mesic Prairie G2 S1 Prairies
Moist Cliff GNR S4 Bedrock Dependent
Moist Sandy Meadow GNR SU Sedge Meadows, Fens, and Bogs
Muskeg G4G5 S4 Shrub Communities
Northern Dry Forest G3? S3 Northern Forests
Northern Dry-mesic Forest G4 S3 Northern Forests
Northern Hardwood Swamp G4 S3 Northern Forests
Northern Mesic Forest G4 S4 Northern Forests
Northern Sedge Meadow G4 S3 Sedge Meadows, Fens, and Bogs
Northern Tamarack Swamp G4 S3 Northern Forests
Northern Wet Forest G4 S4 Northern Forests
Northern Wet-mesic Forest G3? S3S4 Northern Forests
Oak Barrens G2? S2 Barrens and Savannas
Oak Opening G1 S1 Barrens and Savannas
Oak Woodland GNR S1? Barrens and Savannas
Oligotrophic Marsh GNR S3 Marshes
Open Bog G5 S4 Sedge Meadows, Fens, and Bogs
Patterned Peatland GNR S1 Community Complexes
Pine Barrens G2 S2 Barrens and Savannas
Pine Relict G4 S2 Southern Forests
Poor Fen G3G4 S3 Sedge Meadows, Fens, and Bogs
Riverine Lake/Pond GNR SU Lakes and Ponds
Riverine Mud Flat GNR SU Sand or Bare Soil Dependent
Sand Barrens GNR SU Barrens and Savannas
Sand Prairie GNR S2 Prairies
Shrub-carr G5 S4 Shrub Communities
Southern Dry Forest G4 S3 Southern Forests
Southern Dry-mesic Forest G4 S3 Southern Forests
Southern Hardwood Swamp G4? S2 Southern Forests
Southern Mesic Forest G3? S3 Southern Forests
Southern Sedge Meadow G4? S3 Sedge Meadows, Fens, and Bogs
Southern Tamarack Swamp G3 S3 Southern Forests
Spring Pond GNR S3 Lakes and Ponds
Springs and Spring Runs, Hard GNR S4 Springs and Streams
Springs and Spring Runs, Soft GNR SU Springs and Streams
Stream--Fast, Hard, Cold GNR S4 Springs and Streams
Stream--Fast, Hard, Warm GNR SU Springs and Streams
Stream--Fast, Soft, Cold GNR SU Springs and Streams
Stream--Fast, Soft, Warm GNR SU Springs and Streams
Stream--Slow, Hard, Cold GNR SU Springs and Streams
Stream--Slow, Hard, Warm GNR SU Springs and Streams
Stream--Slow, Soft, Cold GNR SU Springs and Streams
Stream--Slow, Soft, Warm GNR SU Springs and Streams
Submergent Marsh G5 S4 Marshes
Surrogate Grassland GNR SNR Anthropogenic Habitats
Talus Forest G4G5 S1 Bedrock Dependent
Wet Prairie G3 SU Prairies
Wet-mesic Prairie G2 S2 Prairies
White Pine-Red Maple Swamp G3G4 S2 Southern Forests
Wild Rice Marsh G3G4 S3 Marshes

For more information, contact

Ryan O'Connor
Conservation Biologist
tel:+1-608-354-2383