Name:
Quercus rubra - Acer saccharum - Liriodendron tulipifera Forest
Reference:
Eastern Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This red oak - sugar maple community is found primarily in the Allegheny Plateau and Appalachian Mountains of the United States, as well as on the northern Piedmont north to the Hudson Valley, with possible extensions east and west of those areas. It is typically found in coves, on moist north- and east-facing slopes and on well-drained flats. Soils are slightly acidic and of intermediate fertility. The closed-canopy tree layer is dominated by a mixture of oaks, primarily <i>Quercus alba</i> and <i>Quercus rubra</i>, with other hardwoods including <i>Acer saccharum, Acer rubrum</i>, and <i>Liriodendron tulipifera</i>. <i>Carya ovata, Carya alba (= Carya tomentosa), Nyssa sylvatica</i>, and <i>Quercus velutina</i> are possible associates. <i>Carya</i> spp. may share dominance in some stands. Dominance by <i>Acer rubrum</i> or <i>Liriodendron</i> may indicate a past disturbance history. A wide variety of more mesic associates, such as <i>Betula alleghaniensis, Betula lenta, Fagus grandifolia, Fraxinus americana</i>, and <i>Tilia americana</i> could occur but are negligible in dominance. In addition to <i>Acer saccharum</i> reproduction, some understory species may include <i>Carpinus caroliniana, Cercis canadensis, Cornus florida</i>, and <i>Ostrya virginiana</i>. Shrub and vine species include <i>Amelanchier laevis, Amelanchier arborea, Cornus</i> spp., <i>Hamamelis virginiana, Lindera benzoin, Viburnum acerifolium, Viburnum recognitum</i>, and <i>Vitis riparia</i>. Ericaceous shrubs, such as <i>Kalmia latifolia, Vaccinium angustifolium</i> and <i>Vaccinium pallidum</i>, may also be present but are not abundant. The ground layer species are highly variable but include <i>Caulophyllum thalictroides, Ageratina altissima, Dennstaedtia punctilobula, Podophyllum peltatum, Maianthemum racemosum (= Smilacina racemosa), Medeola virginiana, Thelypteris noveboracensis, Dryopteris marginalis, Dryopteris intermedia, Actaea</i> spp., and <i>Uvularia sessilifolia</i>. Exotic species, including <i>Rosa multiflora</i> and <i>Alliaria petiolata</i>, may be present in the shrub and herb layers of disturbed stands.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.31238.CEGL006125
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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