Vegetation Transition Model

Water

      Description.--Either standing or flowing water may be represented in this cover type. There is a small vegetation component in some places, e.g., emergent Typha latifolia or floating Ranunculus aquaticus or Nuphar luteum.

      Distribution.–Water cover is found at all elevations (Figure-distribution map; Figure-elevation chart; Table-areal coverage).

      Stand conditions.–Water was treated as a static cover type (i.e., no succession) and therefore did not have separate stand conditions.

    No Conditions (NC) – we did not recognize separate stand conditions in this cover type.

      Succession Transitions.–Although succession does occur in aquatic ecosystems, we did not treat aquatic succession in our modeling work (RMLANDS).

      Disturbance Transitions.-Disturbance by wildfire or insect/pathogens generally are not important in streams and ponds of the region. Animal disturbances, particularly hydro-geomorphic disturbances caused by beaver, may be locally important but were considered beyond the scope of this modeling exercise. Thus, water was treated as ineligible for disturbances in RMLANDS.