Name:
Pinus resinosa / Gaylussacia baccata - Vaccinium angustifolium Woodland
Reference:
Eastern Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This red pine - heath woodland is scattered across the glaciated regions of the northeastern United States (and possibly adjacent Canada). Usually found on bedrock outcrops or mid-elevation ridges and summits, it can also occur on steep, excessively drained glacial deposits such as eskers and deltas. Elevations of known examples range from 500-2700 feet; most are at 1000-2400 feet. The soils are dry, acidic, and nutrient-poor; on outcrops, soil development is restricted to crevices or sheltered areas interspersed with significant amounts of exposed bedrock. Most if not all sites have a history of fire. Scattered conifers form a partial canopy over a patchy, but locally extensive, heath-forb understory. The bryoid layer may be extensive, with lichens generally more abundant than bryophytes. Pinus resinosa dominates the canopy. Associates at lower elevations include Quercus rubra, Pinus strobus, and Acer rubrum; as elevation increases above about 2000 feet, the common associates become Picea rubens, Betula papyrifera var. papyrifera, Betula papyrifera var. cordifolia, and Abies balsamea. Scattered shrubs include Sorbus americana, Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides, Acer pensylvanicum, Nemopanthus mucronatus, Photinia melanocarpa (= Aronia melanocarpa), or Amelanchier spp. The low heath layer is characteristically well-developed, and typical species include Vaccinium angustifolium, Vaccinium myrtilloides, Vaccinium pallidum, Gaylussacia baccata, Kalmia angustifolia, and, at higher elevations, Diervilla lonicera. Herbs, less abundant than the dwarf-shrubs, include graminoids such as Deschampsia flexuosa, Danthonia spicata, and Carex lucorum; Pteridium aquilinum as a typical fern; and forbs such as Sibbaldiopsis tridentata, Solidago simplex var. randii, Corydalis sempervirens, Epigaea repens, Maianthemum canadense, Aralia nudicaulis, and Gaultheria procumbens. Rock outcrops have abundant mosses (Grimmia spp. and others) and lichens (Cladina spp.). The ground cover is sparse needle litter and exposed bedrock. Red pine is fire-resistant, and fire appears be important in maintaining its dominance at some sites. In the absence of fire, the associated spruces, white pines, and hardwoods tend to become more abundant. The open red pine canopy and well-developed dwarf-shrub layer dominated by heaths are diagnostic features of this association.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.26878.PINUSRESINOSAGA
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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