Name:
Juniperus virginiana - Quercus (alba, stellata) - Carya texana Forest
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
These are mixed forests (often stunted) of <i>Juniperus virginiana</i>, dry to xeric oaks, and other hardwoods; some stands may be fire-suppressed oak savannas. Stands are dominated by <i>Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana</i> and dry to xeric oaks, including <i>Quercus alba</i> and <i>Quercus stellata</i>. This type is found in the Ozark region of Arkansas and may occur in adjacent Missouri and Oklahoma in the southeastern United States. Examples occur over a variety of geologies, including limestone, sandstone, and chert. Examples of this association are typically less calcareous than similar forests which are dominated by <i>Quercus muehlenbergii</i>. In Arkansas, associated species include <i>Ulmus alata, Carya texana, Fraxinus americana, Sideroxylon lycioides, Celtis tenuifolia, Cercis canadensis, Rhus aromatica, Symphoricarpos orbiculatus, Viburnum rufidulum, Antennaria plantaginifolia, Cheilanthes lanosa, Cheilanthes tomentosa, Euphorbia commutata</i>, and <i>Scutellaria ovata</i>. The precise structure and composition of vegetation in this type depend on management and disturbance history, as well as inherent site conditions. Depending on soil depth, climate, and fire interval, the canopy closure and the relative <i>Quercus / Juniperus</i> balance will vary considerably. At some sites, both forest and woodland stands may be present, grading into one another depending on aspect, surface geology, or fire history. With prolonged fire suppression, <i>Juniperus</i> will increase in importance and stature, eventually occupying part of the canopy with the oaks, and resulting in greater canopy closure. In intermediate stages, an oak canopy will overtop a subcanopy of <i>Juniperus</i>. Drier, rockier, or more frequently burned examples will tend to exhibit an oak woodland physiognomy.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:33580-{27894B5E-3977-4587-B836-6E8A52D61AA0}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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