Name:
Betula alleghaniensis - (Tsuga canadensis) / Rhododendron maximum / (Leucothoe fontanesiana) Forest
Reference:
Southeastern Ecology Working Gro...
Description:
This association occurs in the Great Smoky Mountains and high mountain areas of southwestern Virginia, and at lower elevations in protected mountain settings in West Virginia. This community is found on steep, mostly north-facing slopes, and on slopes and flats along and above streams. These forests occur on midslope or toeslope positions, protected by higher landforms, where solar exposure is very low. The elevations of samples range from as low as 320 m in West Virginia (1040 feet) to around 1350 m (4400 feet), but the community can probably occur as high as 1524 m (5000 feet) or until <i>Picea rubens</i> begins to dominate. Sites are rocky, often with many large boulders and talus. Soils are stony with heavy litter layers and pockets of colluvium. This forest is affected by occasional disturbance by ice, wind and landslides. This mixed forest type has an open to closed canopy dominated by <i>Betula alleghaniensis</i> and/or <i>Tsuga canadensis</i>, although either of these species may be locally dominant at a small scale. In some stands, <i>Acer rubrum, Betula lenta, Liriodendron tulipifera</i> (at lower elevations), <i>Tilia americana var. heterophylla, Picea rubens</i>, or <i>Quercus rubra</i> can be important in the canopy or occur as minor associates. Other minor canopy and subcanopy species may include <i>Fagus grandifolia, Prunus serotina</i>, and <i>Magnolia acuminata</i>. The tall-shrub stratum is over 2 m in height, very dense (50-100% coverage) and dominated by <i>Rhododendron maximum</i>. Other minor shrubs commonly include <i>Acer pensylvanicum, Amelanchier laevis, Amelanchier arborea, Clethra acuminata, Hamamelis virginiana</i> (West Virginia), <i>Ilex montana</i>, and <i>Vaccinium erythrocarpum</i>. The ground layer is dominated by leaf litter, fallen trees and rocks. Herbaceous cover is sparse to moderate and is composed of scattered plants typical of mid- to high-elevation acidic forests. Composition can be quite variable among stands, but some of the more characteristic species include <i>Dryopteris intermedia, Oclemena acuminata, Polystichum acrostichoides</i> (West Virginia), <i>Viola blanda</i>, and <i>Viola rotundifolia</i>. The bryophyte layer can be well-developed and diverse. This association grades into forests dominated by <i>Picea rubens</i> or <i>Tsuga canadensis</i> at higher elevations.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.34895.CEGL007861
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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