Name:
Fagus grandifolia - Acer saccharum - (Liriodendron tulipifera) Forest Alliance
Reference:
Midwestern Ecology Working Group...
Description:
This alliance is composed of rich, mesic forests of the east-central United States and southern Canada. The southern range of this alliance is limited by the distribution of Acer saccharum which is largely absent from the Coastal Plain. The forest canopy and subcanopy are typically dominated by Acer saccharum and Fagus grandifolia, although Liriodendron tulipifera may be an important canopy component in some parts of the range. Other common trees include Carpinus caroliniana, Carya spp., Fraxinus americana, Ostrya virginiana, Quercus rubra, Tilia americana, and Ulmus americana. In the southern part of this alliance's range, additional species may include Quercus alba, Tilia americana, Liquidambar styraciflua, Aesculus glabra, Nyssa sylvatica, and Carya cordiformis. Shrubs are usually rare in northern stands but become more abundant in southern stands. Asimina triloba and Lindera benzoin (in the southern parts of this alliance's range), Diervilla lonicera, Euonymus obovata, and Sambucus spp. (in the northern parts), Morus rubra, and Corylus americana are typical shrubs. The herbaceous layer is well-developed. The most abundant species include Adiantum pedatum, Arisaema triphyllum, Claytonia virginica, Dicentra canadensis, Dryopteris intermedia, Galium aparine, Maianthemum canadense (in the north), Maianthemum racemosum, Menispermum canadense, Osmorhiza claytonii, Phegopteris hexagonoptera (in the south), Podophyllum peltatum, Polygonatum biflorum, Sanguinaria canadensis, Trillium grandiflorum, and Viola spp. Stands of this alliance are found on flat, rolling, or, in the south, dissected topography. South of the limit of glaciation there is an increasing tendency for this alliance to be found on north- or east-facing slopes. The soils are fertile well-drained, silt, silt loam, sandy loam, or loam. Those in the north have formed over glacial till almost exclusively, while stands south of the limit of Wisconsin glaciation may form from till, alluvium, sandstone, or shale.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.19433.FAGUSGRANDIFOLI
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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