Print Report
CEGL007984 Quercus nigra - Liquidambar styraciflua / Ilex opaca - Vaccinium fuscatum / Carex debilis Floodplain Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Water Oak - Sweetgum / American Holly - Black Highbush Blueberry / White-edge Sedge Floodplain Forest
Colloquial Name: West Gulf Coastal Plain Water Oak - Sweetgum Floodplain Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This floodplain forest community occurs on temporarily flooded terraces along small streams and small rivers in the West Gulf Coastal Plain. The temporarily high water table leads to frequent tree falls and gaps. This plant community floods occasionally, and water stands for relatively short duration. Quercus nigra is the dominant tree, with Liquidambar styraciflua being a common component. Constant tree-fall disturbance leads to a high component of Liquidambar styraciflua in the overstory. Other tree species include Carya ovata, Nyssa sylvatica, Pinus taeda (present only as stumps in some examples), Quercus shumardii, Quercus alba, and Ulmus americana. Ilex opaca is the dominant understory tree with Acer rubrum var. rubrum, Carpinus caroliniana, Crataegus marshallii, Diospyros virginiana, Ulmus alata, Celtis laevigata, and Fraxinus pennsylvanica. In addition, Juglans nigra will be present in some stands as a subcanopy or canopy component. The shrub layer is often sparse except in tree-fall gaps and includes Vaccinium fuscatum, and Vaccinium virgatum and Ditrysinia fruticosa in more southerly examples. Sabal minor may be present within its range. Woody vines are an important component of this community and may be present in high cover values. Vine species include Vitis rotundifolia, Nekemias arborea, Amphicarpaea bracteata, Berchemia scandens, Bignonia capreolata, Campsis radicans, Cocculus carolinus, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Smilax bona-nox, Smilax rotundifolia, Trachelospermum difforme, and Toxicodendron radicans. The herbaceous layer is moderately dense with Symphyotrichum lanceolatum, Carex complanata, Carex debilis, Carex glaucodea, Galium obtusum ssp. obtusum, Sanicula canadensis, Trachelospermum difforme, Tridens strictus, and occasional stands of Arundinaria gigantea. Little leaf litter is present.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Approximately 1200 to 1600 hectares of this community (actually the former CEGL007841 now merged here) occur on the Ouachita National Forest - Tiak District (R. Basterache pers. comm.). This type accommodates the former Quercus nigra - Liquidambar styraciflua / Sebastiania fruticosa - Toxicodendron radicans Forest (CEGL007369) which is no longer recognized as distinct. The type location is in Dallas County, Arkansas. Examples are known from Big Cypress Unique Area and Pond Creek National Wildlife Refuge.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Quercus nigra is the dominant tree in stands of this type, with Liquidambar styraciflua being a common to codominant component. The canopy is moderately tall (80+ feet) and generally closed, although constant tree-fall disturbance leads to a high component of Liquidambar styraciflua in the overstory. Other tree species include Carya tomentosa (= Carya alba), Carya ovata, Nyssa sylvatica, Pinus taeda (present only as stumps in some examples), Quercus shumardii, Quercus alba, and Ulmus americana. Ilex opaca is the dominant understory tree with Acer rubrum var. rubrum, Carpinus caroliniana, Celtis laevigata, Cercis canadensis, Cornus florida, Crataegus marshallii, Diospyros virginiana, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Morus rubra, Ostrya virginiana, Ulmus alata, and Ulmus rubra. In addition, Juglans nigra will be present in some stands as a subcanopy or canopy component. The shrub layer is often sparse except in tree-fall gaps and includes Asimina triloba, Callicarpa americana, Forestiera ligustrina, Frangula caroliniana, Vaccinium fuscatum, and Vaccinium virgatum and Ditrysinia fruticosa (= Sebastiania fruticosa) in more southerly examples. Sabal minor may be present within its range. Woody vines are an important component of this community and may be present in high cover values. Vine species include Vitis rotundifolia, Nekemias arborea (= Ampelopsis arborea), Amphicarpaea bracteata, Berchemia scandens, Bignonia capreolata, Campsis radicans, Cocculus carolinus, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Smilax bona-nox, Smilax glauca, Smilax rotundifolia, Trachelospermum difforme, and Toxicodendron radicans. The herbaceous layer is moderately dense with Symphyotrichum lanceolatum (= Aster lanceolatus), Carex complanata, Carex debilis, Carex glaucodea, Chasmanthium sessiliflorum, Galium obtusum ssp. obtusum, Sanicula canadensis, Trachelospermum difforme, Tridens strictus, and occasional stands of Arundinaria gigantea. Some additional herbs and herbaceous vines may include Ageratina altissima, Elephantopus carolinianus, Melothria pendula, Oplismenus hirtellus ssp. setarius (= Oplismenus setarius), Polygonum virginianum, and Verbesina virginica. Little leaf litter is present.
Dynamics: The high water table leads to frequent tree falls and gaps. This plant community floods occasionally, and water stands for relatively short duration.
Environmental Description: These forests occur on slightly elevated, relatively well-drained, acidic (?), sandy soils in floodplains and terraces. Some stands attributed here contain taxa regarded as not strongly acid-loving components. The inclusion of these plots may have somewhat broadened the overall concept.
Geographic Range: This association is found in the West Gulf Coastal Plain of southern Arkansas, eastern Texas, western Louisiana, and southeastern Oklahoma.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AR, LA, OK, TX
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.683278
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4?
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1 Forest & Woodland Class | C01 | 1 |
| Subclass | 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass | S15 | 1.B |
| Formation | 1.B.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation | F026 | 1.B.3 |
| Division | 1.B.3.Nb Southeastern North American Flooded & Swamp Forest Division | D062 | 1.B.3.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.3.Nb.4 Swamp Chestnut Oak - Bald-cypress - Pecan Southern Floodplain Forest Macrogroup | M031 | 1.B.3.Nb.4 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Nb.4.a Swamp Chestnut Oak - Laurel Oak - Sweetgum Floodplain Forest Group | G034 | 1.B.3.Nb.4.a |
| Alliance | A4684 <i>Quercus phellos - Quercus nigra</i> West Gulf Floodplain Forest Alliance | A4684 | 1.B.3.Nb.4.a |
| Association | CEGL007984 Water Oak - Sweetgum / American Holly - Black Highbush Blueberry / White-edge Sedge Floodplain Forest | CEGL007984 | 1.B.3.Nb.4.a |
Concept Lineage: merged
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < IIA6b. Sweetgum - Mixed Bottomland Oak Forest (Allard 1990)
< Sweetgum - Willow Oak: 92 (Eyre 1980)
< Willow Oak - Laurel Oak / Bignonia Loamy Wet-Mesic Stream Bottoms (Turner et al. 1999)
< Sweetgum - Willow Oak: 92 (Eyre 1980)
< Willow Oak - Laurel Oak / Bignonia Loamy Wet-Mesic Stream Bottoms (Turner et al. 1999)
- Allard, D. J. 1990. Southeastern United States ecological community classification. Interim report, Version 1.2. The Nature Conservancy, Southeast Regional Office, Chapel Hill, NC. 96 pp.
- Allen, C. M. 1993b. Ecological assessment of the Cunningham Brake Research Natural Area in the Kisatchie National Forest, Louisiana. Unpublished report. Northeast Louisiana University, Department of Biology. 50 pp.
- Basterache, Robert. Personal communication. Ouachita National Forest, Tiak District, Idabell, OK.
- Blair, W. F., and T. H. Hubbell. 1938. The biotic districts of Oklahoma. The American Midland Naturalist 20:425-454.
- Bruner, W. E. 1931. The vegetation of Oklahoma. Ecological Monographs 1:99-188.
- Diamond, D. D. 1993. Classification of the plant communities of Texas (series level). Unpublished document. Texas Natural Heritage Program, Austin. 25 pp.
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- LNHP [Louisiana Natural Heritage Program]. 2009. Natural communities of Louisiana. Louisiana Natural Heritage Program, Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, Baton Rouge. 46 pp. [http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/page_wildlife/6776-Rare%20Natural%20Communities/LA_NAT_COM.pdf]
- NatureServe Ecology - Southeastern United States. No date. Unpublished data. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- Nixon, E. S., and J. A. Raines. 1976. Woody vegetation of Nacogdoches County, Texas. Texas Journal of Science 27:443-452.
- Osborn, B. 1941. Biotic type mapping of Oklahoma watersheds. Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Science 22:31-33.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- TNHS [Texas Natural History Survey]. No date. Unpublished data. Texas Natural History Survey, The Nature Conservancy, San Antonio.
- Turner, R. L., J. E. Van Kley, L. S. Smith, and R. E. Evans. 1999. Ecological classification system for the national forests and adjacent areas of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. The Nature Conservancy, Nacogdoches, TX. 95 pp. plus appendices.
- Zollner, Douglas. Personal communication. Ecologist, The Nature Conservancy, Arkansas Field Office, Little Rock.