Comm #8384
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A.55
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accession code: VB.CC.2193.A55
NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTED
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EcoArt 2002 |
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Communities of barrier islands, maritime hammocks, and some more inland coastal hammocks and other fire-protected situations, dominated and characterized by ~Quercus virginiana$, and often containing ~Sabal palmetto$ and ~Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola$ within their ranges. Habitats for associations in this alliance range from xeric and subxeric to moist. Vegetation of this alliance lies just landward of maritime shrub zones; it ranges from temperate to subtropical and often has a component of deciduous broad-leaved trees as well, particularly in the north. Some examples are affected by varying intensities of salt spray; these situations display more-or-less wind- and salt spray-sculpted vegetation. Other upland examples are not affected by salt spray and correspondingly differ in composition and stature. Composition varies along a latitudinal gradient; the northernmost examples, in Virginia and extreme northeastern North Carolina, contain ~Morella pensylvanica (= Myrica pensylvanica)$ as a shrub. Farther south, stabilized dunes where salt spray is light to moderate display wind-sculpted vegetation dominated by ~Quercus virginiana$ and ~Quercus hemisphaerica$ with lesser amounts of ~Pinus taeda$ and ~Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola$; typical understory components here include ~Persea borbonia, Carpinus caroliniana ssp. caroliniana, Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola, Cornus florida, Osmanthus americanus var. americanus, Ilex opaca var. opaca$, and ~Zanthoxylum clava-herculis$. Shrub species include ~Ilex vomitoria, Morella cerifera (= Myrica cerifera), Sabal minor$, and ~Callicarpa americana$. Dominant vines are ~Toxicodendron radicans, Vitis rotundifolia, Smilax$ spp., ~Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Bignonia capreolata, Berchemia scandens, Ampelopsis arborea$, and ~Gelsemium sempervirens$. Typical herbs are ~Mitchella repens, Asplenium platyneuron var. platyneuron, Chasmanthium laxum, Piptochaetium avenaceum, Galium pilosum, Dichanthelium commutatum, Elephantopus nudatus$, and ~Passiflora lutea$. These examples occur on sand flats, lower slopes, and on stabilized dunes that are protected from saltwater flooding but which experience light to moderate salt spray. Some more protected examples have relatively closed and diverse canopies and well-developed shrub strata; vines are often conspicuous and abundant, but the herbaceous stratum is typically sparse and low in diversity. Canopies in these more protected examples are dominated by ~Quercus virginiana, Quercus hemisphaerica$, and ~Pinus taeda$ and may also contain ~Quercus falcata, Carya glabra, Quercus nigra$, and ~Pinus palustris$. Understory species include ~Persea palustris, Magnolia virginiana, Osmanthus americanus var. americanus, Ilex opaca var. opaca, Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola$, and ~Sassafras albidum$. Typical shrubs include ~Ilex vomitoria, Morella cerifera, Hamamelis virginiana$, and ~Sabal minor$. Vines include ~Vitis rotundifolia, Smilax bona-nox, Gelsemium sempervirens$, and ~Campsis radicans$. Common herbaceous species are ~Mitchella repens$ and ~Asplenium platyneuron var. platyneuron$. This community occurs over moist, sandy soils, on low areas of the mainland coast, and are protected from the most extreme maritime influences (i.e., salt spray) but are susceptible to high winds and flooding during hurricanes. Beginning in the vicinity of Cape Fear, North Carolina, the canopy is dominated by ~Quercus virginiana$ and ~Pinus taeda$ with some ~Sabal palmetto$. Farther south, ~Pinus elliottii var. elliottii$ replaces ~Pinus taeda$, and ~Sabal palmetto$ becomes more prominent. In mid-Florida, tropical species begin to dominate the understory while temperate species retain canopy dominance. South of Martin County, Florida, tropical species such as ~Bursera simaruba, Sideroxylon foetidissimum$, and ~Ficus aurea$ begin to dominate the forest canopy. The more tropically influenced examples may contain shrubs such as ~Eugenia axillaris, Myrsine floridana$, and ~Coccoloba uvifera$ on the west coast of Florida, and ~Myrcianthes fragrans, Ardisia escallonoides$, and ~Psychotria nervosa$ on the east coast. The alliance also includes tropical/temperate maritime hammocks of the east coast of Florida, in mid-peninsula, characteristically with oak canopy and tropical subcanopy; as well as temperate maritime hammocks of the northeast and Panhandle coasts of Florida. Vegetation of this alliance may be found on xeric to mesic sites, often occurring as linear strands behind frontal dunes. The seaward edge is generally found on the leeward side of dune complexes which provide shelter from excessive salt spray and overwash; this vegetation is also found on top of relict dune ridges and other areas with xeric to mesic hydrology. While relatively protected, the vegetation frequently exhibits effects of wind-pruning and salt spray. The alliance also includes some dry hammocks, found from Florida to North Carolina; in these examples, ~Quercus virginiana$ is dominant, and sometimes ~Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola$ is present in the canopy. Frequently small ~Cladina - Cladonia$-dominated openings are present. Other characteristic species include ~Scleria triglomerata, Paronychia baldwinii, Cladina evansii, Stipulicida setacea$, and ~Hypericum hypericoides$. On small hammocks in salt marshes, ~Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola, Baccharis halimifolia$, and ~Morella cerifera$ are characteristic. Another type of xeric hammock contains ~Serenoa repens$ under a ~Quercus virginiana$ canopy. On Amelia Island, Florida, ~Magnolia grandiflora$ is characteristically in the understory, increasing after cutting or with a greater shell content in the soil. Some Mississippi vegetation included here is found on coastal sand ridges along inlets of marsh channels. This alliance occurs on sandy soils which are generally poorly developed and low in natural fertility and organic matter content. It is typically found on old dunes which have been stable for long enough to permit forest growth. While fire cycles are generally long (26-100 years), ~Sabal palmetto$ is fire-resistant and produces flammable litter. Under dry conditions, fires will burn in from adjoining pinelands and kill fire-sensitive species such as ~Quercus hemisphaerica$ and some tropical species. In the northern portion of this community's range, siliceous sands dominate in preference to carbonate ones; the siliceous sands are generally nutrient-poor while carbonate ones are richer. Farther south, the carbonate fraction increases. Carbonate sands begin to dominate in the Deep South, especially along the coast of Florida. Barrier island soils are derived from material carried onto the island by water and wave action and not from weathering of rock. The major nutrient input to the terrestrial vegetation is from salt spray and precipitation. |
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