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CEGL007124 Juniperus virginiana - (Quercus spp.) Ruderal Forest

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Eastern Red-cedar - (Oak species) Ruderal Forest

Colloquial Name: Ruderal Eastern Red-cedar Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This is a successional community dominated by a nearly monospecific Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana canopy. Species composition and cover are variable depending upon geographic location and disturbance history. Some examples are densely forested (75-100% total cover) with Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana and sparse subcanopy, shrub and herb strata. Other examples, especially those that are somewhat more open-canopied, are more species-rich, and other tree species may enter the canopy in low levels of abundance. Species that may occur in the canopy include Carya tomentosa, Carya carolinae-septentrionalis, Carya ovata, Cercis canadensis, and Pinus virginiana. Various oaks (including Quercus coccinea, Quercus falcata, Quercus stellata, and Quercus phellos) may also be present, seeding in from adjacent oak-hardwood forests. The midstory is typically sparse, with canopy species as well as Cornus florida, Ilex opaca, Liquidambar styraciflua, and Prunus serotina var. serotina. In addition, Frangula caroliniana occurs in various strata. Herbs are patchy and typically include Asplenium platyneuron, Chasmanthium laxum, Eupatorium spp., Polystichum acrostichoides, and Carex spp. This community is widely distributed in both coastal plain and interior regions of the southeastern United States, ranging in the interior to Oklahoma, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Originally described from Tellico Pilot Project (Ridge and Valley of Tennessee, northeastern Monroe County) based on 10 stands sampled by Andreu and Tukman (1995). This community is very closely related to Juniperus virginiana Woodland and to mixed juniper-oak forest types but is distinguished by the closed-canopy evergreen dominance of Juniperus virginiana. Juniperus virginiana woodlands may be equivalent to this type.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: Stands are dominated by Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana. A host of other woody species may also be present, some of which may occur in the canopy at low levels of abundance. These species include Carya tomentosa (= Carya alba), Carya ovata, Cercis canadensis, Pinus virginiana, Quercus coccinea, Quercus falcata, and Quercus phellos. The midstory is typically sparse, with canopy species as well as Cornus florida, Ilex opaca, Liquidambar styraciflua, and Prunus serotina var. serotina (NatureServe Ecology unpubl. data). In addition, Frangula caroliniana occurs in various strata. Herbs are patchy and typically include Asplenium platyneuron, Chasmanthium laxum, Eupatorium spp., Polystichum acrostichoides, and Carex spp. The ground layers of some stands may exhibit dominance by native warm-season grasses and other graminoids, including Schizachyrium scoparium, Andropogon spp., and Danthonia spp. The exotics Lonicera japonica and Microstegium vimineum may also be present.

Dynamics:  In most cases, this community only occurs in areas with a recent history of plowing or clearcutting. Examples, such as those at Arnold Air Force Base (Coffee County, Tennessee), may be invaded by pines (Pinus strobus, Pinus taeda, and Pinus virginiana) from adjacent plantations.
Environmental Description:  This community occurs in both coastal plain and interior regions of the southeastern United States in a variety of disturbed areas such as eroded soils on abandoned agricultural land (Andreu and Tukman 1995). In Kentucky, this vegetation occurs throughout the state (Bluegrass region, Highland Rim, East Gulf Coastal Plain) on calcareous substrates or on abandoned agricultural land; acreage of this type has increased since presettlement times. This type also includes the Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana woodland from Tellico Lake (Andreu and Tukman 1995) which occurs on drier sites with shallow, rocky soils.
Geographic Range: This community is widely distributed in both coastal plain and interior regions of the southeastern United States, ranging in the interior to Oklahoma, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AL, AR, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, VA


Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNA

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.90 Black Locust - Tuliptree - Norway Maple Ruderal Forest Macrogroup M013 1.B.2.Na.90
Group 1.B.2.Na.90.a Eastern Red-cedar - Tuliptree / Tatarian Honeysuckle Ruderal Forest Group G030 1.B.2.Na.90.a
Alliance A3227 Eastern Red-cedar - Virginia Pine - Shortleaf Pine Ruderal Forest Alliance A3227 1.B.2.Na.90.a
Association CEGL007124 Eastern Red-cedar - (Oak species) Ruderal Forest CEGL007124 1.B.2.Na.90.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< CT VI Juniperus virginiana, Pinus virginiana, Cornus florida, Carya glabra (Badger et al. 1997)
>< CT VII Juniperus virginiana, Liriodendron tulipifera, Quercus imbricaria, Quercus velutina (Badger et al. 1997)
< Eastern Redcedar: 46 (Eyre 1980)
? IB5a. Eastern Red Cedar Woodland (Allard 1990)
Concept Author(s): M.G. Andreu and M.L. Tukman (1995)

Author of Description: K.D. Patterson and M. Pyne

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 09-28-06
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