Name:
Tsuga canadensis - Quercus prinus - Betula lenta Forest
Reference:
Eastern Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This association is a hemlock - mixed oak forest which often occurs on steep northeastern to northwestern exposures. It ranges from the New Jersey Highlands south to the Blue Ridge, Ridge and Valley, Cumberlands, and Piedmont provinces of Maryland and West Virginia. Occurrences in West Virginia are known from the Bluestone River Gorge and are likely elsewhere. Stands occur at elevations from 150 m to about 750 m (500-2500 feet) on moderately to very steep, sheltered slopes. Northerly aspects and middle slope positions prevail among documented examples. Some sites are "boulderfields" with up to 60% cover by large rocks. Geologic substrate is variable. Soils are usually very stony to extremely stony sandy loams, consistently oligotrophic, with very low pH and base status. Stands of this association are typically floristically depauperate and generally dominated by variable combinations of <i>Quercus prinus</i> and <i>Tsuga canadensis</i>. <i>Betula lenta</i> and, less commonly, <i>Quercus velutina, Quercus coccinea</i>, and <i>Quercus rubra</i> are major overstory associates, each attaining codominance in a subset of stands. <i>Quercus alba, Acer rubrum, Liriodendron tulipifera, Pinus strobus, Sassafras albidum</i>, and <i>Fagus grandifolia</i> are minor overstory associates. Small trees and shrubs can be absent or sparse due to dense shading by hemlock, with <i>Hamamelis virginiana</i> most consistently providing moderate cover. Less frequently, <i>Kalmia latifolia, Rhododendron maximum</i>, and <i>Viburnum acerifolium</i> are shrub components. At some New Jersey sites, a single dense stratum or multiple open strata of ericaceous species can develop, including <i>Rhododendron maximum, Kalmia latifolia, Gaylussacia baccata</i>, and <i>Vaccinium pallidum</i>. The herb layer of this community is typically very sparse or absent; typical scattered species include <i>Maianthemum canadense, Dennstaedtia punctilobula, Chimaphila maculata, Deschampsia flexuosa, Carex swanii</i>, and <i>Aralia nudicaulis</i>.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.30995.CEGL006923
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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