Name:
Picea rubens - Betula alleghaniensis / Dryopteris campyloptera Forest
Reference:
Eastern Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This transitional hardwood - spruce forest occurs in montane regions of northern New England, the northern Appalachians, and in adjacent Canada. This forest is most extensive at middle elevations, between 1000-2500 feet, occurring on slopes with rocky, nutrient-poor, and often shallow till soils that are well-drained to excessively well-drained. This association forms a relatively broad transitional zone between northern hardwood forests and montane spruce-fir forests. The canopy varies from nearly closed to partly open. Shrubs, herbs, and tree regeneration forms a dense cover in gaps; under closed canopies, understory layers can be sparse. The dominant trees are Picea rubens and a variable mixture of the northern hardwoods Acer saccharum, Betula alleghaniensis, and Fagus grandifolia. Other canopy associates include Acer rubrum, Abies balsamea, Thuja occidentalis, and Betula papyrifera. Abies balsamea may be the major conifer, in either the canopy or subcanopy, in stands that have been selectively logged. Shrub and herbaceous layers contain species common to both northern hardwood and spruce-fir forests. Characteristic shrubs include Sorbus americana, Sorbus decora, Acer pensylvanicum, Acer spicatum, and Viburnum lantanoides (= Viburnum alnifolium). Characteristic herbs include Dryopteris intermedia, Dryopteris campyloptera, Clintonia borealis, Oxalis montana, Linnaea borealis, Maianthemum canadense, Streptopus lanceolatus var. roseus (= Streptopus roseus), and Aralia nudicaulis. The bryophyte layer is of variable cover and may include Bazzania trilobata, Dicranum scoparium, Hypnum imponens, Hylocomium splendens, Leucobryum glaucum, and Polytrichum commune. On the ground, this community can grade into both northern hardwood forest and spruce-fir forest types; this type is distinguished by the codominance of conifers and hardwoods.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.21352.PICEARUBENSBETU
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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