Name:
Quercus alba - Quercus (rubra, coccinea) - Carya (alba, glabra) / Vaccinium pallidum Piedmont Dry-Mesic Forest
Reference:
Southeastern Ecology Working Gro...
Description:
This forest is found on submesic to dry-mesic to subxeric upland sites of mid- to upper-slope position with northerly or easterly aspects, or mid to lower slopes with more southerly aspects. In drier landscapes, this type could occupy habitats considered relatively mesic (e.g., concave slopes, lower slopes, shallow ravines). These sites are described as dry to intermediate in soil moisture. The soils are acidic and nutrient-poor, being weathered from felsic metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, or composed of unconsolidated sediments. Stands of this forest are closed to somewhat open and are dominated by mixtures of oaks and hickories, with Quercus alba being most prevalent, along with Quercus rubra, Quercus coccinea, Quercus velutina, Carya alba, Carya ovalis, and Carya glabra. The Carya spp. are common in this type but often most abundant in the understory. In forests with a history of disturbance such as selective logging or windstorms, early-successional species such as Liriodendron tulipifera or Pinus sp. may codominate. In Virginia examples, Quercus prinus is inconstant but sometimes important. In addition, Pinus spp., Liriodendron tulipifera, Liquidambar styraciflua, and Acer rubrum may be common. Understory species include Acer rubrum, Cornus florida, Oxydendrum arboreum, Ilex opaca, and Nyssa sylvatica. Shrubs include Vaccinium stamineum, Vaccinium pallidum, Viburnum acerifolium, Viburnum rafinesquianum, and Euonymus americana. In Virginia, Vaccinium pallidum is the principal ericad of patchy low-shrub layers, and stands may contain Calycanthus floridus. The woody vines Vitis rotundifolia and Toxicodendron radicans often are present. Herbs are fairly sparse, with Hexastylis spp., Goodyera pubescens, Chimaphila maculata, Desmodium nudiflorum, Maianthemum racemosum, Polygonatum biflorum, Viola hastata, Tipularia discolor, and Hieracium venosum as some common components. This association is less nutrient-rich than Quercus rubra - Quercus alba - Carya glabra / Geranium maculatum Forest (CEGL007237).
Accession Code:
VB.CC.19526.QUERCUSALBAQUER
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
|
