Name:
Acer saccharum - Fraxinus spp. - Tilia americana / Matteuccia struthiopteris - Ageratina altissima Forest
Reference:
Eastern Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
These rich floodplain forests are found on slightly elevated alluvial terraces and active floodplains of larger rivers throughout the glaciated Northeast. The setting is a raised river terrace; however, this forest may occur very close to the riverbank if the water channel is well entrenched, and may even be on sloping banks along some river reaches. The alluvial soils are coarse and less regularly inundated than the soils supporting silver maple floodplain forests. Many of our examples occur on circumneutral to slightly calcareous soils. The canopy is closed to somewhat open, and unlike lower-elevation floodplain forests, a subcanopy is often present. Shrubs are occasional, but do not form high cover. The herb layer is well-developed and seasonally variable, with spring ephemerals giving way to taller ferns, graminoids, and forbs. Bryoids are very minor. The canopy dominants can vary from site to site, but are usually some combination of Acer saccharum, Tilia americana, Quercus rubra, Ulmus americana, Fraxinus americana, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, and Prunus serotina. Minor canopy associates include Acer saccharinum, Juglans cinerea, Fraxinus nigra, and Acer rubrum. Shrubs include Corylus americana, Viburnum lentago, and Prunus virginiana; vines such as Toxicodendron radicans, Parthenocissus spp., or Vitis spp. may be locally common. The herb layer usually features Matteuccia struthiopteris and a mixture of other ferns, forbs, and graminoids. Characteristic species include Ageratina altissima (= Eupatorium rugosum), Allium tricoccum, Allium canadense, Athyrium filix-femina, Caulophyllum thalictroides, Carex gracillima, Carex intumescens, Carex sprengelii, Deparia acrostichoides, Elymus virginicus, Elymus riparius, Elymus wiegandii (= Elymus canadensis var. wiegandii), Onoclea sensibilis, Sanguinaria canadensis, Solidago flexicaulis, Solidago rugosa, and Solidago gigantea in addition to abundant spring ephemerals in the early growing season. Exotic species, such as Lysimachia nummularia, Glechoma hederacea, and Hesperis matronalis, may be abundant, especially in disturbed areas. These terrace forests are distinguished from lower-floodplain forests by the reduced importance of Acer saccharinum; they differ from enriched northern hardwood forests, e.g., Acer saccharum - Fraxinus americana - Tilia americana / Acer spicatum / Allium tricoccum - Caulophyllum thalictroides Forest (CEGL005008), in their alluvial soils and flooding regime; also, Matteuccia struthiopteris is generally not found in enriched northern hardwood forests.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.21272.ACERSACCHARUMFR
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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