Shale Talus Slope Woodland |
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| Shale talus slope woodland |
D.J. Evans |
System: Terrestrial
SubSystem: Barrens And Woodlands
State Protection:
Not Listed
Federal Protection:
Not Listed
State Rarity Rank:
S3
Global Rarity Rank:
G3G4
Did you know?
What is talus? Talus, or scree, is a steep slope usually found at the base of a mountain. The block size of the talus is strongly influenced by the type of rock forming the cliff face and the rate of erosion; for example, shale or rapidly eroding sandstone forms unstable, small, loose talus. The unstable nature of shale results in uneven slopes and many rock crevices. Other rocky types, such as hard dolostone caprock, produces stable, very large talus that provides habitat for much larger organisms.
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| State Ranking Justification |
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There are probably less than a couple hundred occurrences statewide. A few documented occurrences have good viability and few are protected on public land or private conservation land. This community is limited to regions of the state with shale bedrock/talus outcrops, and there are very few high quality examples. The current trend of this community is probably stable for occurrences on public land, or declining slightly elsewhere due to moderate threats that include development, trampling by visitors, and invasive species.
The number and acreage of shale talus slope woodlands in New York have probably declined slightly in recent decades as a result of development, trampling by visitors, and invasive species.
The number and acreage of shale talus slope woodlands in New York have probably declined moderately from historical numbers likely correlated with past development, trampling by visitors, and invasive species.
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