Name:
Tsuga canadensis - Betula alleghaniensis Forest Alliance
Reference:
Eastern Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This alliance is found in the Great Lakes region and the northeastern United States and can range as far south as the Southern Blue Ridge of North Carolina and Tennessee, where it can occur in high-elevation areas. Forests in this alliance are late successional upland forests, dominated by coniferous and deciduous trees. Tsuga canadensis and some combination of Acer saccharum, Betula alleghaniensis, and Fagus grandifolia are typically the dominant trees. Fagus grandifolia is not found in stands west of eastern Wisconsin. Associated trees include Acer rubrum, Betula lenta (in the eastern portion of this alliance's range), Carya spp. (in the south), Liriodendron tulipifera (in the south), Pinus strobus, Prunus serotina var. serotina (in the Allegheny Mountains), Quercus alba, Quercus rubra, and Ulmus americana. Picea rubens can be found in northern New England. The small tree Ostrya virginiana is often present in the subcanopy. In the northern portions of this alliance's range, the shade from the canopy and dense stands of Acer saccharum saplings and seedlings inhibits the growth of many other species. These stands often have depauperate ground layer strata. Where the shade is not as complete, shrubs such as Corylus cornuta, Diervilla lonicera, Hamamelis virginiana, Sambucus racemosa var. racemosa (= Sambucus pubens), and Viburnum lantanoides (= Viburnum alnifolium) may be found along with saplings of Abies balsamea and Picea glauca. In the southern portion of this alliance's range, ericaceous shrubs are common. Among these Kalmia latifolia, Rhododendron maximum, and Vaccinium pallidum are typically the most abundant. The herbaceous layer consists of species such as Anemone quinquefolia, Cornus canadensis (in the north), Dryopteris carthusiana (in the north), Epigaea repens, Maianthemum canadense, Medeola virginiana, Mitchella repens, Oxalis montana (in the east), Trientalis borealis (in the north), Trillium grandiflorum (in the north), and Viola spp. Stands of this alliance tend to be on dry-mesic to mesic loam and sand soils. The soil is sometimes acidic, especially in the southern portion of this alliance's range. The parent material is glacial till in the north and sandstone in the unglaciated southern part. Stands can be on flat to moderately steep slopes of any aspect.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.19301.TSUGACANADENSIS
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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