Editing Eastern Prickly Pear (section)

== Indicator Species ==

Taking into account all of Connecticut's ''Opuntia humifusa'' colonies which I have personally examined, there does not seem to be any single plant community which is especially indicative of the species.  That is to say, when we compare flora associated with ''O. humifusa'' on coastal sites to the flora associated with the cactus on inland sites, there is very little correlation.  It is instructive, then, to examine these two types of habitats separately. 

=== Coastal Indicator Species ===

Coastal colonies can be found growing in scrubland with a relatively high diversity of plant life including herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees.  All of these associate plants are typically found on warm, dry, sandy habitat along the coast.  Thus, I have so far been unable to correlate any specific plant species to ''O. humifusa'' on coastal sites.

There is a very minor degree of correlation between coastal ''O. humifusa'' and coniferous trees.  A field exploration of the [[#Short Beach Colony (Stratford)|Short Beach Colony]] in Stratford, Connecticut revealed ''O. humifusa'' growing amongst an unusually dense concentration of ''Toxicodendron radicans'' (Poison Ivy), though I do not have sufficient data at this point in time to believe that this association is anything more than incidental.

===  Inland Indicator Species ===

Inland colonies have demonstrated an undeniable association with ''Juniperus virginiana'' var. ''virginiana'', a coniferous juniper known commonly as the Eastern Red Cedar.  It would seem that the high-elevation inland habitat requirements for ''J. virginiana'' closely mirror those of ''Opuntia humifusa''.

To be clear, it is not as if ''O. humifusa'' can be found growing among every high-elevation inland site where ''J. virginiana'' thrives.  However, the strong association I've observed between these two species leads me to believe that wherever one does happen to find inland ''O. humifusa'' colonies, ''J. virginiana'' will be found in close association.  In fact, when conducting preliminary examinations of satellite imagery prior to an inland field exploration, I oftentimes rule out those potential habitat areas where I cannot see the tell-tale treetops of ''J. virginiana''.