Natural Communities of NH -- Photo Guide

Montane sandy pond shore  (S1)


Montane sandy pond shore occurs in narrow, peaty sand zones along sand or gravel pond and lake shores in the mountains and northern New Hampshire. Low nutrient levels, fluctuating water, and high disturbance create stressful environmental conditions. Wave-wracked shorelines often support a mix of short, stress-tolerant marsh and fen plants.  

Characteristic vegetation: Typical species include slender bog clubmoss (Lycopodiella appressa), rushes (Juncus spp.), Pickering's bluejoint (Calamagrostis pickeringii), bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis), spatulate-leaved sundew (Drosera intermedia), prickly sedge (Carex echinata), shore sedge (Carex lenticularis), fertile yellow sedge (Carex cryptolepis), flat-topped goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia), rough bentgrass (Agrostis scabra), and a thin layer of disturbance-tolerant peat mosses. Coastal plain plants are absent. 

Good examples of this community occur at Gentian Pond (Success), Greeley Ponds (Livermore), Umbagog Lake (Errol), and Lily Pond (Livermore).


montane sandy pond shore at Lily Pond in the White Mountains (photo by Dan Sperduto)
montane sandy pond shore at Lily Pond in the White Mountains (photo by Dan Sperduto)

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