Name:
Quercus phellos - Quercus similis - Ulmus crassifolia Wet Forest
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This association comprises forests and woodlands of Pleistocene terraces dominated by <i>Quercus phellos, Quercus similis</i>, and <i>Ulmus crassifolia</i>, in the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain and Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain and possibly adjacent ecoregions. These forests/woodlands occur on flat Pleistocene terraces, topographically higher than adjacent floodplains which contain forests dominated by <i>Quercus lyrata</i> and <i>Carya aquatica</i>, among others. They are found on acidic to mildly alkaline soils, commonly on Portland, Tensas, and Hebert silt loams. Characteristic canopy species include the nominal species, plus <i>Quercus stellata</i> and <i>Quercus falcata</i>, with <i>Quercus alba</i> in mesic rather than wet areas. Vernal pools may be dominated solely by <i>Quercus phellos</i>, or even by wetter species such as <i>Quercus lyrata</i> and <i>Carya aquatica</i>. Understory species include <i>Crataegus</i> spp., <i>Ilex decidua</i>, and <i>Viburnum dentatum</i> and with <i>Sabal minor</i> in some sites. The terraces are typically above current floodplains and often have impermeable layers in the subsoil. This leads to seasonal extremes in moisture, from very wet in the wet season (November-April) and extremely dry in the dry season (July-October), a moisture regime termed hydroxeric or xerohydric. Because of the seasonal dryness, fire is an important process. Frequent fire leads to a woodland condition, and with open canopy, a diverse ground layer may develop, with grasses and forbs such as <i>Andropogon gerardii, Sorghastrum nutans, Panicum virgatum, Schizachyrium scoparium, Silphium laciniatum, Baptisia bracteata var. leucophaea</i>, and <i>Liatris pycnostachya</i> becoming common.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:36101-{1724E636-1CEE-4661-805E-300ADD84B8FE}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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