Name:
Quercus laurifolia - Quercus phellos - Pinus taeda Wet Flatwoods Group
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
These are nonriverine wetland hardwood or pine-hardwood forests and woodlands of the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains and the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain, ranging from southeastern Virginia to Texas. Stands occur in a variety of flat, wet habitats and are most frequently dominated by <i>Quercus</i> spp. (including <i>Quercus laurifolia, Quercus phellos, Quercus pagoda, Quercus similis</i>, and <i>Quercus stellata</i>). In the Atlantic Coastal Plain, <i>Quercus michauxii, Quercus nigra</i>, and <i>Quercus virginiana</i> are important components, In addition, particularly in the Gulf Coastal Plain, <i>Pinus taeda</i> is dominant or codominant. <i>Pinus glabra</i> may be present within its range. Other hardwoods, including <i>Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Nyssa biflora</i>, and <i>Ulmus americana</i>, may be present as well. <i>Acer rubrum</i> and <i>Liquidambar styraciflua</i>, which are often increased by timber removal or other soil disturbance, may be prominent in some examples. <i>Sabal minor</i> is abundant in the lower strata of some stands within its range. In the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain, which is outside of the typical range of pine, hardwoods are the sole dominants. These communities are generally known as "flatwoods," and are found on a variety of sites which are generally flat to very gently sloping, primarily Pleistocene terraces. These sites typically have poor internal drainage, often from strata in the soil that limit permeability (claypans, hardpans, etc.). This limited permeability of the soil contributes to shallowly perched water tables during portions of the year when precipitation is greatest and evapotranspiration is lowest. Conversely, during the dry season, there is very little available water, leading to seasonal droughtiness. The hydrologic regime is primarily influenced by rainwater (and groundwater in included depressions), rather than overbank flooding. In some cases the flatwoods are within the current floodplain, but the hydrology, soils and vegetation are dominated by flatwoods, rather than floodplain, characteristics. Soil moisture fluctuates widely throughout the growing season, partly as a result of included impermeable layers. Hydrologic conditions vary from saturated to very dry, a condition sometimes referred to as xerohydric or hydroxeric. Soils are primarily mineral but may have some organic matter or muck. In some areas (e.g., in the youngest Pleistocene terraces in the Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain of Arkansas), the local topography is a complex of ridges and swales, often in close proximity to one another. Ridges are typically drier than swales, which may hold water for varying periods of time. Within both ridges and swales, there is vegetation variability relating to soil texture and moisture and disturbance history. As a result of dry (xeric) conditions during the dry season (summer-fall), most sites with these communities burned frequently, and the characteristic physiognomy was woodland. In today's landscapes, with reduced fire, most occurrences are forested.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:39962-{1FB5CD08-E745-418E-B9F3-7E6070D1BC25}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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