Name:
A.143
Reference:
EcoArt 2002
Description:
This alliance is found in the Great Lakes area, the southern Appalachians, and the Coastal Plain of Maryland. The overstory is strongly dominated by ~Tsuga canadensis$, typically around 20 m tall in Canada. ~Betula alleghaniensis$ is often present in the canopy and subcanopy. Other species that may be present in small amounts in the Great Lakes region include ~Abies balsamea, Acer rubrum, Acer saccharum, Pinus strobus, Tilia americana$, and ~Thuja occidentalis$. ~Abies balsamea$ and ~Thuja occidentalis$ can be common as saplings, especially in canopy gaps. Shrubs are rare and herbaceous species only moderately abundant under the canopy in ~Tsuga canadensis$-dominated forests. Where gaps occur in the canopy, however, ~Acer spicatum, Amelanchier$ spp., ~Gaultheria procumbens$, and ~Rubus idaeus$ may be moderately abundant. Herbaceous species found in stands of this alliance include ~Coptis trifolia, Cornus canadensis, Dicranum$ spp., ~Maianthemum canadense$, and ~Pteridium aquilinum$. In the Southern Blue Ridge, common canopy/subcanopy associates include ~Liriodendron tulipifera, Tilia americana var. heterophylla, Pinus strobus, Betula alleghaniensis, Betula lenta, Magnolia fraseri, Acer rubrum, Halesia tetraptera$, and ~Fraxinus americana$. The density and composition of shrub and herbaceous strata vary with geography and habitat. In the south, shrub strata are often dense and dominated by a single species, such as ~Rhododendron maximum$ or ~Leucothoe fontanesiana$, but other typical shrub species include ~Ilex opaca, Clethra acuminata, Hydrangea arborescens$, and ~Kalmia latifolia$. In some forests shrubs are sparse or absent and herbs diversity is low. Characteristic herbaceous species in Appalachian ~Tsuga$ forests include ~Chimaphila maculata, Actaea racemosa (= Cimicifuga racemosa), Dennstaedtia punctilobula, Dryopteris intermedia, Galax urceolata, Goodyera pubescens, Hexastylis shuttleworthii, Medeola virginiana, Mitchella repens, Polystichum acrostichoides, Thalictrum clavatum, Thelypteris noveboracensis, Tiarella cordifolia$, and ~Viola rotundifolia$. ^Communities within this alliance are found on acidic soils that may be poorly drained. stands of this alliance occur on sandy loam and loam that averaged 115 cm deep and had a fragipan at 45-70 cm. Windthrow is the most common disturbance; surface fires and crown fires occur rarely. In the Southern Blue Ridge, these forests are found on valley flats, narrow ravines, and north- to east-facing slopes, at elevations from 1800-3500 feet (550-1060 m).
Accession Code:
VB.CC.1206.A143
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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