Print Report
CEGL003916 Alnus serrulata - Rhododendron viscosum - Rhododendron maximum / Juncus gymnocarpus - Chelone cuthbertii Seepage Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Hazel Alder - Swamp Azalea - Great Laurel / Pennsylvania Rush - Cuthbert''s Turtlehead Seepage Shrubland
Colloquial Name: Southern Appalachian Bog (Low-Elevation Type)
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This montane wetland occurs as a mosaic or zoned pattern of shrub thickets and herb-dominated areas, much of it underlain by Sphagnum mats. All or nearly all examples are flat and occur in the higher portions of the floodplains of creeks or small rivers, receive minimal seepage, and are rarely or never flooded. This community occurs at moderate elevations from about 750-950 m (2400-3200 feet), in the northern part of the Southern Blue Ridge, primarily in Allegheny and Ashe counties, North Carolina. It also occurs south of the Asheville Basin in southwestern North Carolina and probably in adjacent South Carolina and Georgia at elevations of 900-1200 m (3000-4000 feet). Trees such as Acer rubrum, Liriodendron tulipifera, Pinus strobus, Tsuga canadensis, and Pinus rigida may be scattered throughout or may dominate in patches or on the edges. Shrubs may include Alnus serrulata, Rosa palustris, Salix sericea, Aronia arbutifolia, Aronia melanocarpa, Rhododendron maximum, Rhododendron viscosum, Kalmia latifolia, Kalmia carolina, Hypericum densiflorum, Lyonia ligustrina, Ilex verticillata, Spiraea tomentosa, Spiraea alba, and Menziesia pilosa. The herb layer may include Carex leptalea, Carex folliculata, Carex gynandra, Carex atlantica, Rhynchospora capitellata, Scirpus expansus, Scirpus cyperinus, Scirpus atrovirens, Osmunda cinnamomea, Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis, Solidago patula var. patula, Packera aurea, Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens, Juncus effusus, Juncus subcaudatus, Lysimachia terrestris, Vaccinium macrocarpon, Eriophorum virginicum, Oxypolis rigidior, Sagittaria latifolia, and Orontium aquaticum. Sphagnum species include Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum affine, Sphagnum bartlettianum, and Sphagnum recurvum. Other important bryophytes include Polytrichum commune, Rhizomnium appalachianum, and Aulacomnium palustre.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: The nominals are used to distinguish this type from high-elevation bogs; Juncus gymnocarpus is not in all occurrences and perhaps another nominal should be found. Carex stricta-dominated wetlands may occur adjacent to this community. Similar wetland communities occur in the southern and central Appalachian Mountains. This community typically occurs at lower elevations, is associated with floodplains, and lacks species characteristic of higher elevations, such as Houstonia serpyllifolia, Picea rubens, Betula alleghaniensis, and Carex trisperma.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The vegetation generally consists of a mosaic or zoned pattern of shrub thickets and herb-dominated areas, much of it underlain by Sphagnum mats. Trees such as Acer rubrum, Liriodendron tulipifera, Pinus strobus, Tsuga canadensis, and Pinus rigida may be scattered throughout or may dominate in patches or on the edges. Shrubs may include Alnus serrulata, Rosa palustris, Salix sericea, Aronia arbutifolia, Aronia melanocarpa, Rhododendron maximum, Rhododendron viscosum, Kalmia latifolia, Kalmia carolina, Hypericum densiflorum, Lyonia ligustrina, Ilex verticillata, Spiraea tomentosa, Spiraea alba, and Menziesia pilosa. The herb layer may include Carex leptalea, Carex folliculata, Carex gynandra, Carex atlantica, Rhynchospora capitellata, Scirpus expansus, Scirpus cyperinus, Scirpus atrovirens, Osmunda cinnamomea, Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis, Solidago patula var. patula, Packera aurea (= Senecio aureus), Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens, Juncus effusus, Juncus subcaudatus, Lysimachia terrestris, Vaccinium macrocarpon, Eriophorum virginicum, Oxypolis rigidior, Sagittaria latifolia (= var. pubescens), and Orontium aquaticum. Sphagnum species include Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum affine, Sphagnum bartlettianum, and Sphagnum recurvum. Other important bryophytes include Polytrichum commune, Rhizomnium appalachianum, and Aulacomnium palustre. Eriophorum virginicum and Vaccinium macrocarpon, distributed primarily in the northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, are found at or near the southern limit of their distribution in this community. Helonias bullata occurs disjunct from the northern Coastal Plain. Lilium grayi is endemic to the Southern Blue Ridge.
Dynamics: Some occurrences of this community may have formed as the result of logging or catastrophic fire, followed by beaver activity. Reduction of Sphagnum cover, due to siltation, trampling, or nutrient input, promotes succession by woody species. Little is known about the successional dynamics of mountain wetlands. It is thought that beaver may have been responsible for maintaining a shifting mosaic of boggy habitats which included this community (Weakley and Schafale 1994). With the extirpation of beaver in the North Carolina mountains, vegetative succession proceeds in these habitats and will eventually result in a forested community.
Environmental Description: This community occurs at moderate elevations from about 750-950 m (2400-3200 feet), in the northern part of the Southern Blue Ridge, primarily in Allegheny and Ashe counties, North Carolina. This community also occurs south of the Asheville Basin in southwestern North Carolina and probably adjacent South Carolina and Georgia at elevations of about 900-1200 m (3000-4000 feet). All or nearly all examples are nearly flat and occur in the higher (rarely or never flooded) portions of the floodplains of creeks or small rivers, and receive minimal seepage.
Geographic Range: This community is known from the northern part of the Southern Blue Ridge, primarily in Allegheny and Ashe counties, North Carolina, and in Monroe County, Tennessee. It also occurs south of the Asheville Basin in southwestern North Carolina and probably in adjacent South Carolina and Georgia.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: GA, NC, SC, TN
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.683831
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G1G2
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class | C02 | 2 |
| Subclass | 2.C Shrub & Herb Wetland Subclass | S44 | 2.C |
| Formation | 2.C.4 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Formation | F013 | 2.C.4 |
| Division | 2.C.4.Nd Eastern North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division | D323 | 2.C.4.Nd |
| Macrogroup | 2.C.4.Nd.1 Shrubby-cinquefoil - Canadian Burnet / Inland Sedge Seep Macrogroup | M061 | 2.C.4.Nd.1 |
| Group | 2.C.4.Nd.1.a Catawba Rosebay / Tawny Cottongrass / Peatmoss species Shrub & Herb Seep Group | G184 | 2.C.4.Nd.1.a |
| Alliance | A3381 Prickly Bog Sedge - Roundleaf Goldenrod - Kidneyleaf Grass-of-Parnassus Seep Alliance | A3381 | 2.C.4.Nd.1.a |
| Association | CEGL003916 Hazel Alder - Swamp Azalea - Great Laurel / Pennsylvania Rush - Cuthbert''s Turtlehead Seepage Shrubland | CEGL003916 | 2.C.4.Nd.1.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Acidic Bog (Wichmann 2009)
< IIE1b. Southern Appalachian Bog Complex (Allard 1990)
>< Low Elevation Bog (Wichmann 2009)
? Southern Appalachian Bog, Low Elevation Variant (Weakley and Schafale 1994)
? Southern Appalachian Bog, Southern Floodplain Variant (Weakley and Schafale 1994)
< IIE1b. Southern Appalachian Bog Complex (Allard 1990)
>< Low Elevation Bog (Wichmann 2009)
? Southern Appalachian Bog, Low Elevation Variant (Weakley and Schafale 1994)
? Southern Appalachian Bog, Southern Floodplain Variant (Weakley and Schafale 1994)
- 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.
- Chafin, L. 2011. Georgia''s natural communities and associated rare plant and animal species: Thumbnail accounts. Based on "Guide to the Natural Communities of Georgia," by Edwards et al. 2013. University of Georgia Press. Georgia Nongame Conservation Section, Wildlife Resources Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources. 125 pp.
- NatureServe Ecology - Southeastern United States. No date. Unpublished data. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- Nelson, J. B. 1986. The natural communities of South Carolina: Initial classification and description. South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department, Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, Columbia, SC. 55 pp.
- Peet, R. K., T. R. Wentworth, M. P. Schafale, and A.S. Weakley. No date. Unpublished data of the North Carolina Vegetation Survey. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
- Schafale, M. P. 2012. Classification of the natural communities of North Carolina, 4th Approximation. North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh.
- Schafale, M. P., and A. S. Weakley. 1990. Classification of the natural communities of North Carolina. Third approximation. North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh. 325 pp.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- Weakley, A. S., and M. P. Schafale. 1994. Non-alluvial wetlands of the Southern Blue Ridge: Diversity in a threatened ecosystem. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 77:359-383.
- Weakley, A. S., compiler. 1993. Natural Heritage Program list of the rare plant species of North Carolina. North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program. Raleigh. 79 pp.
- Wichmann, B. 2009. Vegetation of geographically isolated montane non-alluvial wetlands of the Southern Blue Ridge of North Carolina. Masters thesis, North Carolina State, Raleigh. [http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/theses/available/etd-05152009-120239/unrestricted/etd.pdf]