This report is part of a series of profiles on the ecology of wetland and
deepwater habitats. This particular profile addresses red maple swamps in the glaciated
northeastern United States. Red maple (Acer rubrum) swamp is a dominant wetland
type in most of the region; it reaches its greatest abundance in southern New England
and northern New Jersey, where it comprises 60-800/o of all inland wetlands. Red maple
swamps occur in a wide variety of hydrogeologic settings, from small, isolated basins in
till or glaciofluvial deposits to extensive wetland complexes on glacial lake beds, and from
hillside seeps to stream floodplains and lake edges. Individual swamps may be seasonally
flooded, temporarily flooded, or seasonally saturated, and soils may be mineral or organic.
As many as five distinct vegetation layers may occur in these swamps, including trees,
saplings, shrubs, herbs, and ground cover plants such as bryophytes and clubmosses. On
a regional scale, red maple swamps support at least 50 species of trees, more than
90 species of shrubs and vines, and more than 300 species of nonwoody plants. These
swamps also provide habitat for a rich faunal community, including several
wetland-dependent species. In areas that are becoming urbanized, these wetlands often
constitute critical habitat for facultative species as well. Red maple swamps also are
important sites for flood storage, water quality improvement, recreation, scenic beauty,
and open space.
