Mississippi's Approved Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy CWCS Federal Requirements Mississippi Species of Greatest Conservation Need Approval Letter Suggestions/Comments TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword   Table of Contents   Executive Summary........................................................................................... 1 Hurricane Katrina's Impact............................................................................... 11 Chapter I. Introduction and Purpose................................................................ 13 Chapter II. Approach and Method 17   1. Organizational Structure and Committees 2. Stakeholder and Public Input 3. Coordination with Other Agencies 4. Criteria for Selecting and Prioritizing Species of Greatest Conservation Need 5. Mississippi's Species of Greatest Conservation Need 6. Classifying and Ranking Wildlife Habitats in Mississippi 7. Identifying Threats and Conservation Actions for Species and their Habitats 8. References for this Section Chapter III. Mississippi's Ecological Framework - Ecoregions of Mississippi........................ 61   1. East Gulf Coastal Plain Ecoregion 2. Mississippi River Alluvial Plain Ecoregion 3. Upper East Gulf Coastal Plain Ecoregion 4. Northern Gulf of Mexico Ecoregion 5. References for this Section Chapter IV. Wildlife Habitats for Mississippi's SGCN, Threats and Conservation Actions.. 77   1. Introduction 2. A Guide to Using this Section 3. Habitat Types and Subtypes   1. Dry-Mesic Upland Forests/Woodlands.......................................................................... 87   1.1 Dry Hardwood Forests 1.2 Dry Longleaf Pine Forests 1.3 Dry-Mesic Hardwood Forests 1.4 Dry-Mesic Shortleaf/Loblolly Pine Forests   2. Agriculture Fields, Hay and Pasture Lands, Old Fields, Prairies, Cedar Glades and Pine Plantations...... 101   2.1 Northeast Prairie/Cedar Glades 2.2 Jackson Prairie 2.3 Hay and Pasture Lands 2.4 Pine Plantations 2.5 Old Fields and Young Hardwoods (Shrublands) 2.6 Agriculture Fields (Row Crops)   3. Mesic Upland Forests.......................................................... 119   3.1 Beech/Magnolia Forests 3.2 Mesic Longleaf Pine Savanna/Forests 3.3 Loess Hardwood Forests 3.4 Lower Slope/High Terrace Hardwood Forests   4. Bottomland Hardwood Forests............................................ 133   4.1 Bottomland Hardwood Forests   5. Riverfront Forests/Herblands/Sandbars............................... 139   5.1 Cottonwood/Black Willow/River Birch Woodlands 5.2 Sandbars   6. Wet Pine Savannas............................................................. 147   6.1 Wet Pine Savannas 6.2 Slash Pine Flatwoods   7. Spring Seeps...................................................................... 155   7.1 Hardwood Seeps 7.2 Pine Seeps   8. Bogs................................................................................... 163   8.1 Pitcher Plant Flat/Bogs   9. Inland Freshwater Marshes.................................................. 167   9.1 Freshwater Marshes   10. Swamp Forests................................................................... 171   10.1 Bald Cypress/Gum Swamp Forests 10.2 Small Stream Swamp Forests   11. Lacustrine (Lentic) Communities......................................... 179   11.1 Oxbow Lakes 11.2 Reservoirs 11.3 Artificial Ponds 11.4 Ephemeral (Temporary) Ponds 11.5 Beaver Ponds   12. Streams (Lotic Communities)............................................... 193   12.1-12.8 12.1 Mississippi River 12.2 Northeast Hills , Tennessee River Drainage 12.3 Tombigbee Drainage 12.4 Lower Mississippi North Drainage (LMND) Hatchie and Wolf Systems 12.5 Upper Coastal Plain, Yazoo Drainage 12.6 Big Black River Drainage 12.7 Upper Coastal Plain, Pearl River Drainage 12.8 Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) 12.9-12.13 12.9 Lower Coastal Plain, Pearl Drainage 12.10 Pascagoula Drainage 12.11 Coastal Rivers Drainage 12.12 Lake Ponchartrain Drainage 12.13 Lower Mississippi South Drainage   13. Upland Maritime and Estuarine Fringe............................... 233   13.1 Barrier Island Uplands 13.2 Man-Made Beaches 13.3 Barrier Island Wetlands 13.4 Mainland Beaches 13.5 Barrier Island Beaches 13.6 Shell Middens and Estuarine Shrublands 13.7 Maritime Woodlands   14. Estuary and Mississippi Sound (Inside or Associated with Barrier Islands)............................ 253   14.1 Estuarine Bays, Lakes and Tidal Streams 14.2 Mississippi Sound 14.3 Estuarine Marshes 14.4 Barrier Island Passes 14.5 Salt Pannes 14.6 Seagrass Beds 14.7 Mollusk Reefs   15. Marine Habitats (Outside Barrier Islands)........................... 275   15.1 Marine Habitats (Smooth Bottoms) 15.2 Hard Bottoms and Oceanic Reefs 15.3 Artificial Reefs   16. Urban and Suburban Lands................................................. 283   16.1 Urban And Suburban Lands 16.2 Buildings, Bridges, Overpasses, Etc.   17. Rock Outcrops and Caves.................................................. 289   17.1 Rock Outcrops 17.2 Caves   4. References for this Section Chapter V. Status and Trend Monitoring and Survey and Research Needs.. 303 Chapter VI. Review and Revision of Mississippi's CWCS................. 313 Glossary.......................................................................................................... 315 Supporting References .............................................................................. 319 Acknowledgements................................................................................ 329 Appendices     I. IAFWA Guiding Principles....................................................... 335   II. CWCS Committees.................................................................. 339   III. Copy of Survey, Evaluation of Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Mississippi...................................... 347   IV. Presentations and Meetings Regarding Mississippi's CWCS...... 353   V. Mississippi's CWCS Promotional Brochure............................... 357   VI. Articles about Mississippi's CWCS........................................... 361   VII. Wildlife Habitat Types and Subtypes by Ecoregion................... 371   VIII. Mississippi Species of Greatest Conservation Need by Ecoregion 375   IX. Pelagic and Migratory Bird Species of Concern Included as Groups in Mississippi's Wildlife Habitat Subtypes............................. 381   X. Value of Habitats to SGCN...................................................... 383   XI. Crosswalk of CWCS Habitat Types and Subtypes with Ecological Community Types............................................ 391   XII. Interpreting NatureServe Conservation Status Ranks................. 395   XIII. Survey and Research Needs..................................................... 399 Disclaimer | Contact Us 1505 Eastover Drive - Jackson, MS 39211-6374 - Phone: 601.432.2400