Name:
Vaccinium corymbosum / Sphagnum spp. Acidic Peatland
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
Highbush blueberry peat bog of glaciated regions in the eastern and northeastern United States. This tall-shrub bog thicket occurs on oligotrophic to weakly minerotrophic peat soils, commonly as a border thicket around more open dwarf heath shrub peatlands or within small, isolated basins. Significant seasonal water level fluctuation can occur, especially in isolated basins without inlet or outlet streams. A tall-shrub layer is characterized by abundant <i>Vaccinium corymbosum</i> plus <i>Gaylussacia baccata, Chamaedaphne calyculata, Kalmia angustifolia, Rhododendron canadense, Lyonia ligustrina</i>, and <i>Nemopanthus mucronatus</i> in more northern or cooler microclimates, and <i>Ilex verticillata</i> and <i>Rhododendron viscosum</i> in the south. In locally wetter areas, <i>Cephalanthus occidentalis</i> or <i>Decodon verticillatus</i> can occur. Coastal occurrences may have additional shrub species such as <i>Leucothoe racemosa, Clethra alnifolia</i>, and <i>Gaylussacia dumosa</i>. Sparse, scattered trees may occur, including <i>Acer rubrum, Picea mariana, Larix laricina, Pinus strobus, Pinus rigida, Betula populifolia</i>, or <i>Nyssa sylvatica</i>, with species dependent on environmental setting. The herbaceous layer tends to be sparse, although can be locally abundant. Common herbs include <i>Osmunda cinnamomea, Woodwardia virginica, Carex trisperma, Sarracenia purpurea, Thelypteris palustris, Triadenum virginicum</i>, and <i>Maianthemum trifolium</i>. <i>Sphagnum</i> mosses blanket well-developed hummocks and hollows, including <i>Sphagnum magellanicum, Sphagnum centrale, Sphagnum rubellum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fimbriatum</i>, and <i>Sphagnum fuscum</i>.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:34837-{6E2A20B8-A728-47FF-B388-6B1E217CABCF}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
26
|
