Name:
Picea rubens - Abies balsamea - Betula papyrifera Forest
Reference:
Eastern Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
These red spruce - balsam fir forests are widespread on lower-elevation slopes across boreal regions of the northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. They occur in cool and generally moist upland settings, on well-drained tills, and occasionally on kame deposits or eskers. Some areas of poorly drained soils may be present. Most are at elevations of 245-610 m (800-2000 feet). Cold-air drainage allows them to occur in lowlands elevationally below northern hardwood forests. These low-diversity forests have a closed canopy and very sparse shrub and herbaceous layers, except in gaps where regeneration can be dense. The canopy is dominated by <i>Picea rubens</i>, with a minor to moderate amount of <i>Abies balsamea</i>. Associate canopy species may include <i>Picea glauca, Picea mariana, Betula alleghaniensis (= Betula lutea), Betula papyrifera</i>, and minor amounts of <i>Acer rubrum, Populus tremuloides</i>, or <i>Larix laricina</i>. <i>Tsuga canadensis</i> and <i>Pinus strobus</i> may be present, but are rarely abundant. The shrub layer is patchy and typically includes <i>Acer pensylvanicum</i> and <i>Viburnum lantanoides (= Viburnum alnifolium)</i>. Occasional shrubs include <i>Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides, Nemopanthus mucronatus</i>, and <i>Sorbus americana</i> or <i>Sorbus decora</i>. The herb layer includes <i>Oxalis montana (= Oxalis acetosella), Cornus canadensis, Gaultheria hispidula, Clintonia borealis, Huperzia lucidula (= Lycopodium lucidulum), Aralia nudicaulis, Tiarella cordifolia</i>, and <i>Trillium erectum</i>. The bryoid layer varies from sparse to locally well-developed, and is typified by <i>Dicranum</i> spp. and <i>Bazzania trilobata</i>. Feathermosses, including <i>Hylocomium splendens, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis</i>, and <i>Thuidium delicatulum</i>, are often present but less abundant than in other spruce-fir forest types. The influence of local cold-air drainage creates a micro-climate that favors this coniferous forest at elevations below the norm for montane spruce-fir. Certain high-elevation species such as <i>Dryopteris campyloptera</i> and <i>Sorbus decora</i> are less abundant here while other lower-elevation species such as <i>Aralia nudicaulis, Tiarella cordifolia</i>, and <i>Trillium erectum</i> may be more abundant. This association is distinguished from other spruce-fir forest types by the combination of upland soils, low- to mid-elevation setting, absence or low importance of black spruce, and not maritime-influenced.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.31297.CEGL006273
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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