Name:
Quercus michauxii - Taxodium distichum - Carya illinoinensis Southern Floodplain Forest Macrogroup
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
These floodplain forests are found in the southern United States, in the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains from Delaware to Texas and in adjacent interior provinces, north to southeastern Missouri, southern Illinois, southern Indiana, and western Kentucky. There are three broad combinations of dominant species that collectively constitute the vegetation of this macrogroup: bald-cypress - tupelo forests (G033), oak - sweetgum forests (G034), and ash - elm - willow forests (G759). The dominant species in stands of floodplain forest primarily vary with hydroperiod, with species sorting on a rough gradient from wet to mesic. Bald-cypress - tupelo forests (G033) are primarily dominated by <i>Taxodium distichum</i> (occasionally <i>Taxodium ascendens</i>) with <i>Nyssa aquatica</i> (occasionally <i>Nyssa biflora</i>). Oak - sweetgum forests (G034) are dominated by <i>Liquidambar styraciflua, Quercus</i> spp., and <i>Ulmus</i> spp. There is also some floristic variation based on hydrology; shorter- hydroperiod examples will contain <i>Quercus michauxii, Quercus pagoda</i>, and <i>Quercus shumardii</i>, and longer-hydroperiod ones will have <i>Nyssa biflora, Quercus laurifolia, Quercus lyrata</i>, and <i>Quercus phellos</i>. Other dominant species include <i>Acer negundo, Celtis laevigata, Fraxinus pennsylvanica</i>, and <i>Platanus occidentalis</i>. Ash - elm - willow forests (G759) are typically dominated by <i>Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Populus deltoides, Salix caroliniana, Salix nigra</i>, and <i>Ulmus americana</i>. Except in the very wet examples, understory, shrub and herb layers are generally well-developed and woody vines are also prominent. Vines such as <i>Nekemias arborea, Berchemia scandens, Campsis radicans, Parthenocissus quinquefolia</i>, and <i>Vitis</i> spp., may be conspicuous. <i>Arundinaria gigantea</i> is a common understory component in these forests on natural levees and higher point bars, and may become dominant after thinning or removal of the overstory. These are communities of streams and rivers of all orders and sizes, including some tidal forests. Stands are typically flooded for periods of up to 3 months, but not during the growing season. Stands are known from low bottomlands, depressions, sloughs and abandoned channel segments, as well as from elevated features such as riverfronts, point bars, natural levees, high bottomlands, ridges, and upper terraces. This floristic and ecological variation is accounted for at the group and alliance levels. Some examples of these forests are known as "blackwater" and others as "brownwater."
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:40456-{D4100B0B-4E87-4D4D-9958-AAAEAB583424}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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