Name:
Betula papyrifera Forest Alliance
Reference:
Midwestern Ecology Working Group...
Description:
This alliance is found in the Black Hills, Great Lakes area, and northern New England. The canopy is moderately closed to closed and tree density can be high. The dominant tree, Betula papyrifera, does not cast dense shade and thus there is usually a prominent subcanopy or shrub layer. The subcanopy, and most other tree reproduction, is composed largely of more shade-tolerant tree species such as Abies balsamea (near the western Great Lakes), Acer rubrum, Acer saccharum, Betula alleghaniensis, Picea glauca (near the western Great Lakes), Pinus banksiana (in northwestern Ontario), Pinus ponderosa (in the western Great Plains), and Quercus rubra. These trees may be found in small amounts in the canopy, especially in older stands of this alliance. Populus tremuloides and Populus grandidentata are common canopy associates, as well, although in the range of Populus tremuloides this alliance is restricted to stands where Betula papyrifera comprises >90% of the deciduous canopy. Amelanchier spp. and Corylus cornuta are common shrubs across the range of this alliance. In the western Great Lakes area, Acer spicatum, Diervilla lonicera, Rosa acicularis, and Vaccinium spp. are typical shrubs. The herbaceous layer contains species such as Actaea rubra, Aralia nudicaulis, Eurybia macrophylla (= Aster macrophyllus), Clintonia borealis (in the western Great Lakes area), Maianthemum canadense, Schizachne purpurascens (in the Great Plains), and Trientalis borealis (in the western Great Lakes area). This alliance is an early successional forest and occurs on a variety of sites. It is most often found on well-drained or rapidly drained, fresh to moist soil. Stands can be found on flat to moderately sloping areas, generally, although they may occur on steep slopes in the Great Plains. The soil texture is usually loam.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.17971.BETULAPAPYRIFER
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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