Characteristics:

• Intolerant of shading, fast-growing, short-lived, temporary overstory.
• Naturally maintained by frequent disturbance such as flooding and meander erosion; require exposed, moist, mineral soil for germination.
• Artificially maintained by clear cutting in areas of high moisture.
• Examples:

  Silver maple (Acer saccharinum)

  River birch (Betula nigra)  (Shown opposite growing in the wild)

  Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)

  Cottonwood (Populus deltoides)

  Black willow (Salix nigra)