Name:
Tsuga canadensis - (Betula alleghaniensis) - Picea rubens / Cornus canadensis Forest
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This mesic coniferous to mixed hemlock forest of northern and central New England and New York occurs on somewhat sheltered slopes at moderate elevations (30-610 m [100-2000 feet]). Hillslopes, stream valleys, ravines, and river or kame terraces are typical settings. The soils are mesic, well-drained sands or loams, often derived from till, acidic and typically shallow (<50 cm to obstruction). Canopy cover is typically dense, resulting in low light levels near the forest floor and correspondingly sparse lower layers. The canopy is dominated by <i>Tsuga canadensis</i>, and may be either almost entirely coniferous or a mixture of conifers and deciduous trees. Northern hardwoods are characteristic associates, including <i>Betula alleghaniensis, Betula papyrifera, Fagus grandifolia</i>, and <i>Acer saccharum</i>. <i>Picea rubens</i> is a common conifer associate, and may approach codominance with hemlock at some sites. Scattered subcanopy and shrub layers may feature <i>Acer pensylvanicum</i> and <i>Viburnum lantanoides</i>. Herb richness and cover are very low; typical species include <i>Aralia nudicaulis, Cornus canadensis, Dryopteris intermedia, Gaultheria procumbens, Maianthemum canadense, Medeola virginiana, Mitchella repens, Thelypteris noveboracensis</i>, and <i>Trientalis borealis</i>. In northern settings (e.g., where red spruce is common), the herb layer may contain more boreal species such as <i>Dryopteris campyloptera, Huperzia lucidula, Oxalis montana</i>, and <i>Trillium undulatum</i>. This association differs from other upland hemlock forest associations in the presence of red spruce and/or yellow birch and the more generally boreal species affinities, lacking plants such as <i>Kalmia latifolia, Rhododendron maximum, Betula lenta</i>, and <i>Quercus</i> spp.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:34777-{8A9615F8-5004-4FDB-8342-6238A9938AC4}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
3
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