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Pinus palustris - Pinus (elliottii, serotina) Saturated Woodland Alliance | Southeastern Ecology Working Gro...
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Name: Pinus palustris - Pinus (elliottii, serotina) Saturated Woodland Alliance Reference: Southeastern Ecology Working Gro... Description: This alliance consists of wet pinelands (often termed pine flatwoods, wet pine flatwoods, and pine savannas) of the Outer Coastal Plain or "coastal flatlands" typically dominated by Pinus palustris, with or without the presence of the other nominals. Pinus elliottii var. elliottii and Pinus serotina are more restricted geographically and edaphically than is Pinus palustris. Pinus serotina may be present within its natural range (from southeastern Virginia south to panhandle Florida) but tends to be codominant only on the wettest, often organic soils. Pinus elliottii var. elliottii may be present or codominant within its natural range from South Carolina to eastern Louisiana, as well as in limited areas of the West Gulf Coastal Plain (which are outside the natural range of Pinus elliottii var. elliottii. Both Pinus elliottii and Pinus serotina may replace Pinus palustris on wetter sites. Both species are less tolerant of frequent fire than is Pinus palustris. While Pinus elliottii can survive reasonably frequent fire, it has been estimated that natural fire frequencies are less than half that of longleaf pine, while typical regimes for Pinus serotina may be less than one-third as frequent. Thus, it is often believed that these species were confined historically to wetter flatwoods sites with lower burn frequencies than those typical of Pinus palustris-dominated communities. With fire suppression, alteration of fire regimes, and widespread logging of Pinus palustris, Pinus elliottii has invaded many flatwoods sites historically dominated almost exclusively by Pinus palustris. To a lesser extent this phenomenon may also have occurred with Pinus serotina. As presently defined, this alliance includes both naturally mixed Pinus palustris - Pinus elliottii stands, as well as those originally dominated by Pinus palustris into which Pinus elliottii has invaded, as well as silviculturally managed stands outside of the natural range of Pinus elliottii var. elliottii in Louisiana and Texas. Across the range of this alliance, pine densities vary from low with widely spaced trees giving an open savanna-like aspect, to high with dense, nearly closed canopies. Nevertheless, even the densest stands have discontinuous canopies which allow considerable light to penetrate to the forest floor. Probably the most significant factor affecting community composition is fire. In fire-suppressed examples, an understory of Acer rubrum, Liquidambar styraciflua, and Morella cerifera (= Myrica cerifera) is likely to develop. Understory composition is variable, and includes both shrub- and shrub/graminoid-dominated systems. Heavily shrubby examples may be indicative of lower fire frequencies than are more herbaceous-dominated examples. Appreciable herb layers typically exist only where the canopy and shrub layers are relatively open, and where there has been relatively frequent fire history. Grasses usually make up the majority of total cover. This alliance also includes silviculturally managed stands from the West Gulf Coastal Plain of Louisiana and Texas.  Accession Code: VB.CC.17929.PINUSPALUSTRISP Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 26-Nov-1997 to: 01-May-2019
	status: accepted This Community's Level: Alliance This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   Scientific: Pinus palustris - Pinus (elliottii, serotina) Saturated Woodland Alliance   Translated: Longleaf Pine - (Slash Pine, Pond Pine) Saturated Woodland Alliance   UID: HIGHER_CLASS_UNIT.2.124501 NatureServe Explorer   Code: A.578