Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Blueberry species / Poverty Oatgrass - Downy Goldenrod Riverscour Sparse Vegetation

Colloquial Name: Northeastern Acidic Shoreline Outcrop

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This sparsely vegetated community is found on resistant outcrops of acidic bedrock along shores in the northern Appalachian Mountains and perhaps adjacent Canada. Substrates include schists, granite, quartzite, sandstone, and gneiss outcrops on rivershores, streamshores, and some lakeshores. Most are flooded annually at high water; this helps to maintain open conditions and also provides silt that accumulates in the rock crevices. The annual disturbance pattern of flooding and ice-scour restricts the vegetation to tough crevice-rooting herbs and low shrubs. Exotic species may be common in these habitats. The total vegetation cover is often less than 20%. Characteristic species include low heaths such as Vaccinium angustifolium, Vaccinium myrtilloides, Vaccinium pallidum, or Gaylussacia baccata, and herbs such as Sibbaldiopsis tridentata, Juncus tenuis, Hieracium spp., Deschampsia cespitosa, Trisetum spicatum, Symphyotrichum novi-belgii, Solidago simplex var. racemosa, Poa compressa, Danthonia spicata, Deschampsia flexuosa, and Andropogon gerardii. Bryoids are sparse, except for certain flood-resistant moss and lichen species. This community is distinguished from other shoreline outcrop associations by the lack of circumneutral or calcareous indicator herbs.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This type is not very well documented. It may occur in Maine as well as the other Northern Appalachian states, but has not been confirmed from there.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available

note: No Data Available