Name:
Tsuga canadensis - (Betula alleghaniensis) - Picea rubens / Cornus canadensis Forest
Reference:
Eastern Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This mesic coniferous to mixed hemlock forest of northern and central New England and New York occurs on somewhat sheltered slopes at moderate elevations (100-2000 feet). Hillslopes, stream valleys, ravines, and river or kame terraces are typical settings. The soils are mesic, well-drained sands or loams, often derived from till, acidic and typically shallow (<50 cm to obstruction). Canopy cover is typically dense, resulting in low light levels near the forest floor and correspondingly sparse lower layers. The canopy is dominated by Tsuga canadensis, and may be either almost entirely coniferous or a mixture of conifers and deciduous trees. Northern hardwoods are characteristic associates, including Betula alleghaniensis, Betula papyrifera, Fagus grandifolia, and Acer saccharum. Picea rubens is a common conifer associate, and may approach codominance with hemlock at some sites. Scattered subcanopy and shrub layers may feature Acer pensylvanicum and Viburnum lantanoides (= Viburnum alnifolium). Herb richness and cover are very low; typical species include Aralia nudicaulis, Cornus canadensis, Dryopteris intermedia, Gaultheria procumbens, Maianthemum canadense, Medeola virginiana, Mitchella repens, Thelypteris noveboracensis, and Trientalis borealis. In northern settings (e.g., where red spruce is common), the herb layer may contain more boreal species such as Dryopteris campyloptera, Huperzia lucidula, Oxalis montana, and Trillium undulatum. This association differs from other upland hemlock forest associations in the presence of red spruce and/or yellow birch and the more generally boreal species affinities, lacking plants such as Kalmia latifolia, Rhododendron maximum, Betula lenta, and Quercus spp.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.19300.TSUGACANADENSIS
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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