Print Report
CEGL005222 Liriodendron tulipifera - Tilia americana var. heterophylla - Aesculus flava - Acer saccharum / (Magnolia tripetala) Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Tuliptree - Appalachian Basswood - Yellow Buckeye - Sugar Maple / (Umbrella-tree) Forest
Colloquial Name: Northern Mixed Mesophytic Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This mixed mesophytic forest is found primarily in the Central Appalachians, Western Allegheny Plateau, and Cumberland Plateau ecoregions of the United States. Stands occur on cool, moist slopes and steep ravines or bottoms. The tree canopy is often tall, closed and contains a variety of tree species, including Acer saccharum, Fagus grandifolia, Fraxinus americana, Liriodendron tulipifera, Prunus serotina, Quercus alba, and Quercus rubra. Trees indicative of the type include Aesculus flava and Tilia americana var. heterophylla. Magnolia acuminata occurs locally. Acer rubrum and Betula lenta may be common in areas with a more recent harvest history. Frequent vines and shrubs include Aristolochia macrophylla, Asimina triloba, Carpinus caroliniana, Hamamelis virginiana, Lindera benzoin, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Staphylea trifolia, Toxicodendron radicans, Vitis aestivalis var. bicolor, and more locally Magnolia tripetala, Cercis canadensis, and Rhododendron maximum. The herbaceous layer is extremely rich, including Actaea racemosa, Adiantum pedatum, Arisaema triphyllum, Asarum canadense, Botrychium virginianum, Caulophyllum thalictroides, Claytonia virginica, Cryptotaenia canadensis, Dicentra canadensis, Dryopteris marginalis, Erythronium americanum, Galium triflorum, Geranium maculatum, Hepatica nobilis var. acuta, Hydrophyllum canadense, Hydrophyllum virginianum, Osmorhiza spp., Laportea canadensis, Polystichum acrostichoides, Prosartes lanuginosa, Sanguinaria canadensis, Sedum ternatum, Tiarella cordifolia, Trillium erectum, Trillium grandiflorum, Viola canadensis, and many others. Spring ephemeral herbs which bloom before tree leaf-out may be abundant.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Trees indicative of the type include Aesculus flava and Tilia americana var. heterophylla (although the latter intergrades with the nominal variety in some areas, reducing its diagnostic value). In Ohio, however, these are restricted to the more southern parts of Ohio, which, depending on the definition of the type, may restrict its concept. Stands strongly dominated by beech and maple go with the Unglaciated Beech - Maple Forest, ~Fagus grandifolia - Acer saccharum - Liriodendron tulipifera Unglaciated Forest (CEGL002411)$$; by beech and white oak with the Western Allegheny White Oak - Beech Forest, ~Quercus alba - Fagus grandifolia Western Allegheny Forest (CEGL006144)$$; and by at least 25% hemlock with the East-Central Hemlock - Hardwood Forest, ~Tsuga canadensis - Fagus grandifolia - Acer saccharum / (Hamamelis virginiana, Kalmia latifolia) Forest (CEGL005043)$$. In Indiana this type occurs in the southeastern part of the Bluegrass Region, where it is found on calcareous substrates, though further review is needed to determine whether these Indiana stands could be placed in CEGL002411. Mike Homoya of the Indiana Heritage Program has species lists, and stand information should be compiled for review. More information is needed to distinguish these more northern (Central Appalachian) mixed mesophytic forests from similar forests in the Southern Appalachians. Further division may be warranted.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The tree canopy is often tall, closed and contains a variety of tree species, including Acer saccharum, Fagus grandifolia, Fraxinus americana, Liriodendron tulipifera, Prunus serotina, Quercus alba, and Quercus rubra. Trees indicative of the type include Aesculus flava and Tilia americana var. heterophylla. Magnolia acuminata occurs locally, and Tsuga canadensis and Carya cordiformis may also be present. Acer rubrum and Betula lenta may be common in areas with a more recent harvest history. Frequent vines include Aristolochia macrophylla, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Toxicodendron radicans, and Vitis aestivalis var. bicolor; shrubs include Asimina triloba, Carpinus caroliniana, Hamamelis virginiana, Lindera benzoin, Staphylea trifolia, and more locally Magnolia tripetala, Halesia tetraptera, Hydrangea arborescens, Cercis canadensis, and Rhododendron maximum. The herbaceous layer is extremely rich and dominated by shade-tolerant, nutrient-demanding species, including Actaea racemosa (= Cimicifuga racemosa), Adiantum pedatum, Arisaema triphyllum, Asarum canadense, Botrychium virginianum, Caulophyllum thalictroides, Claytonia virginica, Cryptotaenia canadensis, Dicentra canadensis, Dryopteris marginalis, Erythronium americanum, Galium triflorum, Geranium maculatum, Hepatica nobilis var. acuta, Hydrophyllum canadense, Hydrophyllum virginianum, Osmorhiza spp., Laportea canadensis, Polystichum acrostichoides, Prosartes lanuginosa, Sanguinaria canadensis, Sedum ternatum, Tiarella cordifolia, Trillium erectum, Trillium grandiflorum, Viola canadensis, and many others. Spring ephemeral herbs which bloom before tree leaf-out may be abundant. Vascular plant richness in West Virginia ranges from 13 to 68 species per 400-m2 plot. Bryophytes identified in West Virginia include Thuidium delicatulum, Brachythecium laetum, Brachythecium plumosum, Anomodon attenuatus, Anomodon rostratus, Loeskeobryum brevirostre, Dicranum fulvum, Dicranodontum denudatum, Aulacomnium heterostichum, Rhodobryum ontariense, Plagiomnium cuspidatum, Climacium americanum, Plagiomnium ciliare, Hedwigia ciliata, Leucobryum glaucum, and Hypnum imponens.
Dynamics: The predominant natural disturbance features in this community are canopy gaps caused by windfall and slope slippage.
Environmental Description: Stands occur on cool, moist slopes and steep ravines or bottoms, often on colluvium. They occur from lower to upper slopes on northerly aspects but are confined to lower slopes and concave positions on more southerly aspects or may be absent on the warmest aspects. They may also occur on alluvial terraces along streams and on abandoned river terraces. Soils are derived from sandstones or shales, sometimes calcareous. Soils in plots from Bluestone National Scenic River, West Virginia, are described as somewhat moist to moist, well-drained sandy loams, silt loams, and clay loams, and tested strongly to slightly acidic (mean pH = 5.5) with relatively high levels of organic matter, estimated N release, B, Ca, K, Mg, Mn, Na, and P, and relatively low levels of S, Al, Cu, and Zn compared to average values in the park.
Geographic Range: This type is found primarily in the Central Appalachian, Western Allegheny Plateau, and Cumberland Plateau regions of the United States, ranging from southern Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio south to West Virginia and Tennessee, with outliers in Indiana.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: IN, KY, OH, PA, TN, WV
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.683622
Confidence Level: Low
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.2 Cool Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation | F008 | 1.B.2 |
| Division | 1.B.2.Na Eastern North American Forest & Woodland Division | D008 | 1.B.2.Na |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.2.Na.3 Appalachian-Interior-Northeastern Mesic Forest Macrogroup | M883 | 1.B.2.Na.3 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Na.3.a American Beech - Tuliptree - Yellow Buckeye Forest Group | G020 | 1.B.2.Na.3.a |
| Alliance | A0235 Tuliptree - Appalachian Basswood - Yellow Buckeye Forest Alliance | A0235 | 1.B.2.Na.3.a |
| Association | CEGL005222 Tuliptree - Appalachian Basswood - Yellow Buckeye - Sugar Maple / (Umbrella-tree) Forest | CEGL005222 | 1.B.2.Na.3.a |
Concept Lineage: Merged (Note by KP--"Since all of the provisional (6309) is now covered in the concept of this new Cent Apps/ WPA / Cumberland Plateau type, why don''t we just mark both 5006 and 6309 historic and define a new (low confidence) type with the information from the former 6309 and 5006.)
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Acer saccharum - Aesculus flava / Laportea canadensis forest (Vanderhorst 2001b)
= Liriodendron tulipifera - Tilia americana var. heterophylla - Aesculus flava - Acer saccharum / Magnolia tripetala Forest (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
? IA5d. Typic Mesophytic Forest (Allard 1990)
< Mixed Mesophytic Forest (Braun 1950)
? White Ash - Basswood - Northern Red Oak (Rentch et al. 2005)
= Liriodendron tulipifera - Tilia americana var. heterophylla - Aesculus flava - Acer saccharum / Magnolia tripetala Forest (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
? IA5d. Typic Mesophytic Forest (Allard 1990)
< Mixed Mesophytic Forest (Braun 1950)
? White Ash - Basswood - Northern Red Oak (Rentch et al. 2005)
- 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.
- Anderson, D. M. 1982. Plant communities of Ohio: A preliminary classification and description. Division of Natural Areas and Preserves, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Columbus, OH. 182 pp.
- Braun, E. L. 1950. Deciduous forests of eastern North America. Hafner Press, New York. 596 pp.
- Evans, M., B. Yahn, and M. Hines. 2009. Natural communities of Kentucky 2009. Kentucky Nature Preserves Commission, Frankfort, KY. 22 pp.
- Faber-Langendoen, D., editor. 2001. Plant communities of the Midwest: Classification in an ecological context. Association for Biodiversity Information, Arlington, VA. 61 pp. plus appendix (705 pp.).
- Fike, J. 1999. Terrestrial and palustrine plant communities of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Recreation, Bureau of Forestry, Harrisburg, PA. 86 pp.
- INHDC [Indiana Natural Heritage Data Center]. No date. Indiana Natural Heritage Data Center, Division of Nature Preserves, Department of Natural Resources, Indianapolis.
- Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
- ONHD [Ohio Natural Heritage Database]. No date. Vegetation classification of Ohio and unpublished data. Ohio Natural Heritage Database, Division of Natural Areas and Preserves, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Columbus.
- Rentch, J. S., R. H. Forney, S. L. Stephenson, H. S. Adams, W. N. Grafton, R. B. Coxe, and H. H. Mills. 2005. Vegetation patterns within the lower Bluestone River gorge in southern West Virginia. Castanea 70:170-183.
- TDNH [Tennessee Division of Natural Heritage]. 2018. Unpublished data. Tennessee Division of Natural Heritage, Nashville, TN.
- Vanderhorst, J. 2001a. Plant community classification and mapping of the Camp Dawson Collective Training Area, Preston County, West Virginia. West Virginia Natural Heritage Program, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Elkins. 101 pp.
- Vanderhorst, J. 2001b. Plant communities of the New River Gorge National River, West Virginia: Northern and southern thirds. Non-game Wildlife and Natural Heritage Program, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Elkins. 146 pp.
- Vanderhorst, J. P., B. P. Streets, J. Jeuck, and S. C. Gawler. 2008. Vegetation classification and mapping of Bluestone National Scenic River, West Virginia. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2008/106. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA.
- Vanderhorst, J. P., B. P. Streets, Z. Arcaro, and S. C. Gawler. 2010. Vegetation classification and mapping at Gauley River National Recreation Area. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2010/148. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA.
- Vanderhorst, J. P., J. Jeuck, and S. C. Gawler. 2007. Vegetation classification and mapping of New River Gorge National River, West Virginia. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR-2007/092. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 396 pp.
- WVNHP [West Virginia Natural Heritage Program]. No date. Unpublished data. West Virginia Natural Heritage Program, Elkins.
- White, R. D., Jr. 2006. Vascular plant inventory and ecological community classification for Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. NatureServe, Durham, NC. 246 pp.