Significant Habitats and Habitat Complexes

of the New York Bight Watershed

Table of Contents

click image for title page

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

Background of Project

Geographic Boundaries and Area

Regionwide Threats and Conservation Considerations

Watershed or Ecosystem Approach

Methodology

PHYSIOGRAPHIC SETTING

Regional Geomorphology

Geomorphic or Physiographic Provinces

REGIONAL SPECIES AND COMMUNITY CHARACTERIZATIONS

Legally Protected Species

Federally Listed Endangered and Threatened Species

State-listed Species

Species Groups of Special Interest

Waterfowl

Coastal Colonial Waterbirds

Seabirds

Shorebirds

Neotropical Migrants

Diadromous Fishes

Estuarine Fishes

Freshwater Fishes

Commercial Marine Fisheries

Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles

Rare Natural Communities and Habitat Types

Pine Barrens Communities

Calcareous Habitats

Traprock Ridge Communities

Tidal River Communities

Coastal Plain Ponds

Beach Strand Habitats

HABITAT COMPLEXES BY PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGION

REGION

Zone or sub-region

Habitat complex

MARINE

Nearshore Zone

Continental Shelf Zone

Shelf Break Zone

Canyons and Valleys

ATLANTIC COASTAL PLAIN (Maps)

New Jersey Atlantic Coastal Watershed

1. Cape May Peninsula

2. New Jersey Pinelands

New Jersey Barrier Beach/Backbarrier Lagoon System

3. Great Egg Harbor Estuary

4. Brigantine Bay and Marsh Complex

5. Mullica River - Great Bay Estuary

6. Barnegat Bay Complex

Long Island Atlantic Coastal Watershed

7. Montauk Peninsula

8. Long Island Pine Barrens - Peconic River Complex

9. Long Island Grasslands

10. Long Pond Greenbelt

Long Island Barrier Beach/Backbarrier Lagoon System

11. South Fork Atlantic Beaches

12. Shinnecock Bay

13. Moriches Bay

14. Great South Bay

15. Hempstead Bays - South Oyster Bay Complex

NEW YORK - NEW JERSEY HARBOR URBAN CORE (Map)

New York - New Jersey Harbor Estuary (Summary Chapter)

16. Jamaica Bay and Breezy Point

17. Raritan Bay - Sandy Hook Bay Complex

18. Arthur Kill Complex

19. Hackensack Meadowlands

East River/Western Long Island Sound

20. The Narrows

Hudson River Estuary

21. Lower Hudson River Estuary

(Mid-Hudson River Estuary and Upper Hudson River Estuary listed below under Appalachian Ridge and Valley)

PIEDMONT LOWLANDS (Newark Basin) (Map)

Traprock Ridges

22. The Palisades

23. Preakness Mountain

Glacial Lake Basins

24. Passaic Meadows

(Arthur Kill Complex and Hackensack Meadowlands listed above under New York - New Jersey Harbor)

NEW ENGLAND UPLANDS (Maps)

New York - New Jersey Highlands

25. New York - New Jersey Highlands

Taconic Highlands

26. Harlem Valley Calcareous Wetlands Complex

APPALACHIAN RIDGE AND VALLEY (Maps)

Wallkill/Hudson Valley

27. Dutchess County Wetlands Complex

28. Shawangunk Kill

29. Upper Wallkill River Valley

30. Albany Pine Bush

Ridge Systems

31. Shawangunk - Kittatinny Ridge

Hudson River Estuary

32. Mid-Hudson River Estuary

33. Upper Hudson River Estuary

(Lower Hudson River Estuary listed above under New York - New Jersey Harbor)

ALLEGHENY PLATEAU (Map)

Catskills

34. Catskill High Peaks

Helderberg Highlands

35. Helderberg Escarpment

APPENDICES

Appendix I

List of Animal Species of Special Emphasis in the New York Bight Watershed study area (Note: may take several minutes to download.)

List of Plant Species of Special Emphasis in the New York Bight Watershed study area (Note: may take several minutes to download.)

Definitions of Ranks Used in List

Appendix II

Rare Natural Communities

Cross-Reference Table of Natural Communities

Appendix III

List of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and State Environmental Agency Offices

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Southern New England - New York Bight Coastal Ecosystems Program
P.O. Box 307
Charlestown, Rhode Island 02813
(401) 364-9124

Joseph Dowhan, Project Leader
Thomas Halavik, Senior Biologist
Andrew Milliken, Senior Biologist
Andrew MacLachlan, Biologist/GIS Specialist
Marcianna Caplis, Outreach Specialist
Kelly Lima, GIS Technician
Andrew Zimba, Cartographic Technician