Name:
Tsuga canadensis - Betula alleghaniensis - Acer saccharum / Dryopteris intermedia Forest
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This association comprises hemlock - northern hardwood forests of the northeastern United States and adjacent maritime Canada. This forest is associated with cool, dry-mesic to mesic sites and acidic soils, often on rocky, north-facing slopes. Soils can have a thick, poorly decomposed duff layer over sandy loams. <i>Tsuga canadensis</i> is characteristic and usually dominant in the coniferous to mixed canopy. While hemlock generally forms at least 50% of the canopy, in some cases it may be as low as 25% relative dominance. Hardwood codominants include <i>Betula alleghaniensis</i> or <i>Acer saccharum</i>, with <i>Fagus grandifolia</i> common but not usually abundant in all but the very southern portion of the range of this type. <i>Betula lenta</i> may replace <i>Betula alleghaniensis</i> in some areas. <i>Ostrya virginiana</i> may be present as a small tree. <i>Quercus</i> spp. and <i>Pinus strobus</i> tend to be absent or, if present, only occur with low abundance. The shrub layer may be dense to fairly open and often includes <i>Viburnum acerifolium</i> and <i>Acer pensylvanicum</i> in addition to <i>Tsuga canadensis</i> regeneration. Herbs may be sparse, particularly in dense shade, but include <i>Dryopteris intermedia, Medeola virginiana, Oxalis montana, Mitchella repens, Maianthemum canadense, Uvularia sessilifolia, Polystichum acrostichoides, Trientalis borealis, Huperzia lucidula, Oclemena acuminata, Dennstaedtia punctilobula</i>, and <i>Thelypteris noveboracensis</i>. Nonvascular plants may be well-developed, often characterized by the liverwort <i>Bazzania trilobata</i>. Diagnostic characteristics of this forest are the dominance of <i>Tsuga canadensis</i>, presence of <i>Betula alleghaniensis</i> and <i>Acer saccharum</i>, and a lack of abundant <i>Quercus</i> spp., <i>Pinus strobus</i>, other conifers, or <i>Betula lenta</i>.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:35254-{0A86BCAC-CAE8-46F5-900D-6DBCD3277647}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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