A field guide to the natural communities of Michigan

Table 1: Natural Community Types by Ecological Class and Group

Table 2: Natural Community State Ranks

Table 3: Soil pH Ranges

Key to the natural community

Types of Michigan

Palustrine Class:

Marsh Group:

Submergent Marsh

Emergent Marsh

Great Lakes Marsh

Inland Salt Marsh

Coastal Plain Marsh

Intermittent Wetland

Northern Wet Meadow

Southern Wet Meadow

Interdunal Wetland

Wet Prairie Group:

Wet Prairie

Wet-mesic Prairie

Wet-mesic Sand Prairie

Lakeplain Wet Prairie

Lakeplain Wet-mesic Prairie

Fen Group:

Poor Fen

Patterned Fen

Northern Fen

Prairie Fen

Coastal Fen

Bog Group:

Bog

Muskeg

Shrub Wetland Group:

Inundated Shrub Swamp

Northern Shrub Thicket

Southern Shrub-Carr

Forested Wetland Group:

Poor Conifer Swamp

Rich Conifer Swamp

Rich Tamarack Swamp

Hardwood-Conifer Swamp

Floodplain Forest

Northern Hardwood Swamp

Southern Hardwood Swamp

Wet-mesic Flatwoods

Terrestrial Class:

Prairie Group:

Hillside Prairie

Dry Sand Prairie

Dry-mesic Prairie

Mesic Prairie

Mesic Sand Prairie

Savanna Group:

Pine Barrens

Oak-Pine Barrens

Oak Barrens

Oak Openings

Lakeplain Oak Openings

Bur Oak Plains

Forest Group:

Dry Northern Forest

Dry-mesic Northern Forest

Mesic Northern Forest

Boreal Forest

Dry Southern Forest

Dry-mesic Southern Forest

Mesic Southern Forest

Palustrine/Terrestrial Class:

Wooded Dune & Swale Group:

Wooded Dune & Swale Group:

Wooded Dune & Swale complex

Primary Class:

Dunes Group:

Open Dunes

Great Lakes Barrens

Sand/Cobble Shore Group:

Sand & Gravel Beach

Limestone Cobble Shore

Sandstone Cobble Shore

Volcanic Cobble Shore

Bedrock Lakeshore Group:

Limestone Bedrock Lakeshore

Sandstone Bedrock Lakeshore

Granite Bedrock Lakeshore

Volcanic Bedrock Lakeshore

Bedrock Grassland Group:

Alvar

Bedrock Glade Group:

Limestone Bedrock Glade

Granite Bedrock Glade

Volcanic Bedrock Glade

Northern Bald

Lakeshore Cliff/Bluff Group:

Clay Bluff

Limestone Lakeshore Cliff

Sandstone Lakeshore Cliff

Granite Lakeshore Cliff

Volcanic Lakeshore Cliff

Inland Cliff Group:

Limestone Cliff

Sandstone Cliff

Granite Cliff

Volcanic Cliff

Subterranean/Sink Class:

Karst Group:

Cave

Sinkhole.