Name:
Quercus phellos - Quercus lyrata - Quercus nigra Interior Pond Forest Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This alliance includes vegetation of seasonally flooded ponds of the south-central United States in southern Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee which are dominated by <i>Quercus lyrata</i> and <i>Quercus phellos</i>. These ponds are placed in a separate alliance because these two oak species are somewhat unusual as dominants at this latitude, and these environments are distinctive in these localities. Examples of this alliance are strongly dominated by <i>Quercus lyrata, Quercus phellos</i>, or a combination of these. Some examples actually lack other canopy dominants. Other examples have other trees present, including <i>Acer rubrum, Betula nigra, Celtis laevigata, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Liquidambar styraciflua, Nyssa aquatica, Nyssa biflora, Quercus pagoda, Quercus texana</i>, and <i>Ulmus americana</i>. In addition, <i>Quercus similis</i> may be present in one association. The understory and shrub layers are typically poorly developed or sparse (less than 50% cover) and may contain <i>Acer rubrum, Cephalanthus occidentalis, Forestiera acuminata, Ilex decidua, Aronia arbutifolia</i>, and <i>Styrax americanus</i>. Vines may include <i>Campsis radicans, Smilax rotundifolia</i>, and <i>Toxicodendron radicans</i>. Herbaceous density is generally low but fluctuates with canopy openness. There may be a zonation or patchiness to the herbaceous diversity, with plants of greater flooding tolerance in areas of longer hydroperiod, and a different suite of species on elevated rises or hummocks. The areas of wet and wet-mesic soils such as shallow ephemeral or seasonal ponds in depressions may have <i>Carex</i> spp., <i>Cinna arundinacea, Eleocharis obtusa</i> (which can be present in the center of the pond), and <i>Leersia</i> spp., along with hummocks of <i>Sphagnum</i>, while the drier areas, including hummocks and tree bases, exhibit plants common to dry and dry-mesic soils such as <i>Asplenium platyneuron, Gillenia stipulata, Pycnanthemum tenuifolium</i>, and/or <i>Vaccinium pallidum</i>. Mosses, lichens and epiphytic <i>Pleopeltis polypodioides ssp. michauxiana</i> can often be found on tree trunks. These forests are found in isolated upland depressions and sinkholes, poorly drained flats with a fragipan, or less frequently in first bottoms and terrace flats of floodplains. These have poorly drained, heavy silty clay soils that are flooded with shallow water each winter and spring.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38715-{A33E76EC-21F5-4B50-8F9E-DD0D8E5A48D8}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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