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Picea rubens - Acer rubrum / Nemopanthus mucronatus Forest | Eastern Ecology Working Group of...
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Name: Picea rubens - Acer rubrum / Nemopanthus mucronatus Forest Reference: Eastern Ecology Working Group of... Description: This spruce - red maple swamp occurs in the glaciated Northeast. It occurs most commonly in basins or low flats with poor drainage, characterized by soils that are poorly drained organic muck or shallow peat over clay loam. The substrate is characterized by pronounced hummock-and-hollow microtopography with abundant slowly decomposing leaf/needle litter. The tree canopy is closed to partly open, and the tall-shrub layer is often well-developed. Dwarf-shrubs are sparse, but herbs typically form high cover. The ground layer features extensive Sphagnum and other bryophytes. The canopy is codominated by Picea rubens and Acer rubrum, in association with other trees such as Betula alleghaniensis, Betula populifolia, Thuja occidentalis, Abies balsamea, and, occasionally, Tsuga canadensis. The most abundant shrubs are Vaccinium corymbosum, Nemopanthus mucronatus, Ilex verticillata, Spiraea alba, and Alnus incana. The herbaceous layer is generally dominated by the ferns Osmunda cinnamomea, Osmunda regalis, Onoclea sensibilis, and Thelypteris palustris. Associated herbs include Carex trisperma, Cornus canadensis, Doellingeria umbellata (= Aster umbellatus), Trientalis borealis, Oclemena acuminata (= Aster acuminatus), Carex intumescens, and others. The bryophyte layer is dominated by Sphagnum spp. including Sphagnum girgensohnii and Sphagnum magellanicum. This association is differentiated from Picea rubens - Abies balsamea / Gaultheria hispidula / Osmunda cinnamomea / Sphagnum spp. Forest (CEGL006312) of the northern Appalachian and adjacent ecoregions by its mixed canopy, lack of Abies balsamea and presence of Vaccinium corymbosum and Ilex verticillata. This association is differentiated from Picea rubens - Acer rubrum / Ilex verticillata Forest [Provisional] (CEGL006556) of the central Appalachians by the presence of Thuja occidentalis and Cornus canadensis. Although Nyssa sylvatica may be present in some occurrences of the southern range limit, this species is not characteristic of this type. This association is differentiated from those of the Thuja occidentalis - Acer rubrum Saturated Forest Alliance (A.446) by its restriction to acidic wetlands and the lower importance of Thuja occidentalis. It can be compositionally similar to Acer rubrum - Fraxinus spp. / Nemopanthus mucronatus - Vaccinium corymbosum Forest (CEGL006220) except in the reduced amount of red maple and the increased amount of conifers in the present type.  Accession Code: VB.CC.25422.PICEARUBENSACER Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 26-Nov-1997 to: 17-Nov-2014
	status: accepted Community's Parent: Picea rubens - Acer rubrum Saturated Forest Alliance This Community's Level: Association This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   Translated: Red Spruce - Red Maple / Mountain Holly Forest   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.688437 NatureServe Explorer   Code: CEGL006198   Scientific: Picea rubens - Acer rubrum / Nemopanthus mucronatus Forest   Common: Conifer- Red Maple Acidic Swamp (convergence) and Synonyms: (undetermined) Picea rubens - Acer rubrum / Nemopanthus mucronatus Forest