Anoka Ecosystems:
Wet Meadow
Wet meadows are shallow wetland communities that occur on peat, muck and wet mineral soils. The water table of wet meadows are typically below the soil surface for most of the growing season, but soils are saturated enough that standing water occurs during the spring and after heavy rains. This community often exists along stream corridors and on lake edges that provide a constant water level. Seasonal drawdowns of water levels oxidize organic matter that release nutrients for the vegetation.
Predominantly medium- or broad-leaved sedges occur in wet meadows with sedges such as lake sedge and wiregrass found less commonly. Forbs such as spotted joe-pye weed, common mint, and swamp milkweed are quite common, though they are not obvious in the landscape. Some more rare forbs can also be found, such as the turtlehead, marsh vetchling, and purple fringed orchid. However, mosses are rare and shrubs such as willows and pussy willows can vary from 0 to 70% of the tree cover. Species composition varies largely on based on soil saturation and nutrient availability.
Wet meadows, though still somewhat common in Anoka County, are not of the quality they once were. Many of these wetlands have become disturbed and degraded due to grazing, mowing, and other agricultural us. Often, when wet meadows are ditched, damed upstream, or experience a long drought period, they often become shrub swamps. Wet meadows are very susceptible to alteration through unnatural flooding or draining, and once altered, this community recovers very slowly, if at all.
Sources:
"Minnesota Land Cover Classification System: User Manual." Version 5.3 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Central Region, 2004.
"Minnesota's Native Vegetation: A Key to Natural Communities" Version 1.5 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program, 1993.
Wovcha, D, Delaney, B, Nordquist, G. Minnesota's St. Croix River Valley and Anoka Sandplain: A Guide to Native Habitats Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, 1995.
