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CEGL006319 Prunus serotina / Morella cerifera / Smilax rotundifolia Scrub Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Black Cherry / Wax-myrtle / Roundleaf Greenbrier Scrub Forest
Colloquial Name: Chesapeake Bay Tall Maritime Scrub Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association comprises tall, temperate, deciduous maritime shrublands or scrub forests of the mid-Atlantic Coast. It generally occurs on the lee side of sand dunes along the coast and is subject to salt spray and winds. The substrate varies from pure sand directly adjacent to the ocean to loamy sands in more sheltered areas of the coast. Although placed within the shrubland class at one time, the physiognomy of this vegetation can be variable and ranges from open woodland to stunted forest to dense nearly impenetrable thicket (this association has been placed back in the forest class). Individual trees tend to be wind-pruned and multi-stemmed. The vegetation is dominated by Prunus serotina, Amelanchier canadensis, Pinus taeda, Sassafras albidum, Aronia arbutifolia, and Diospyros virginiana in varying proportions. Morella cerifera and Vaccinium corymbosum may form a subcanopy, but if the community is particularly stunted, this species may contribute substantially to the canopy. Lianas are abundant in the canopy or over the ground layer, and species include Smilax rotundifolia, Smilax glauca, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, and Toxicodendron radicans. Herbs are generally scarce to lacking entirely, and when present are generally made up of tree and vine seedlings.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This community is similar to ~Prunus serotina - Sassafras albidum - Amelanchier canadensis - Quercus velutina / Smilax rotundifolia Forest (CEGL006145)$$ of the same alliance (Sneddon et al. 1994), which ranges from southern New Hampshire to New Jersey but is differentiated from this community by the absence of Pinus taeda and Morella cerifera. The occurrence of this association in New Jersey has not been confirmed; if present, it would likely be confined to the Cape May region.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This is a tall, deciduous shrubland or scrub forest, although physiognomy can vary dramatically, ranging from open woodland to stunted forest to dense nearly impenetrable thicket. Individual trees tend to be wind-pruned and multi-stemmed. The vegetation is dominated by Prunus serotina, Amelanchier canadensis, Pinus taeda, Sassafras albidum, Aronia arbutifolia, and Diospyros virginiana in varying proportions. Morella cerifera (= Myrica cerifera) and Vaccinium corymbosum may form a subcanopy, but if the community is particularly stunted, this species may contribute substantially to the canopy. Lianas are abundant in the canopy or over the ground layer, and species include Smilax rotundifolia, Smilax glauca, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, and Toxicodendron radicans. Herbs are generally scarce to lacking entirely, and when present are generally made up of tree and vine seedlings. At the southern end of the range in Virginia, this community occurs as a woodland variably dominated by Prunus serotina, Sassafras albidum, Diospyros virginiana, and Malus angustifolia var. angustifolia. Vine tangles are patchy and interspersed with areas of open sand dominated by Schizachyrium littorale and also containing Opuntia humifusa, Conyza canadensis, Nuttallanthus canadensis, Cirsium horridulum var. horridulum, and other xerophytic herbs at lower cover.
Dynamics: This association occupies a transitional zone between maritime forest and low maritime shrubland or dune associations.
Environmental Description: This association occurs on naturally stabilized dunes, generally occurring leeward of secondary dunes. It is subject to wind and salt spray to varying degrees. The substrate varies from pure sand directly adjacent to the ocean to loamy sands in more sheltered areas of the coast.
Geographic Range: This association occurs along the mid-Atlantic Coast from Virginia north to Cape May, New Jersey.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: DE, MD, NJ?, VA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684064
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G1G2
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.9 Pitch Pine - oak spp. - American Holly North Atlantic Forest Macrogroup | M525 | 1.B.2.Na.9 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Na.9.c Pitch Pine - American Beech / Northern Bayberry Maritime Forest Group | G893 | 1.B.2.Na.9.c |
| Alliance | A0237 Black Cherry - Serviceberry species - Eastern Red-cedar Maritime Scrub Forest Alliance | A0237 | 1.B.2.Na.9.c |
| Association | CEGL006319 Black Cherry / Wax-myrtle / Roundleaf Greenbrier Scrub Forest | CEGL006319 | 1.B.2.Na.9.c |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Prunus serotina / Myrica cerifera / Smilax rotundifolia Forest (Bartgis 1986)
= Prunus serotina / Myrica cerifera / Smilax rotundifolia Forest (TNC 1997a)
< Mixed woodland (Higgins et al. 1971) [Assateague Island.]
< Oligotrophic woodland (Rawinski 1992)
>< Upland forest (Klotz 1986)
= Woodland (Boule 1979) [Virginia.]
< Woodland community (Hill 1986) [Assateague Island.]
= Prunus serotina / Myrica cerifera / Smilax rotundifolia Forest (TNC 1997a)
< Mixed woodland (Higgins et al. 1971) [Assateague Island.]
< Oligotrophic woodland (Rawinski 1992)
>< Upland forest (Klotz 1986)
= Woodland (Boule 1979) [Virginia.]
< Woodland community (Hill 1986) [Assateague Island.]
- Bartgis, R. 1986. Natural community descriptions. Unpublished draft. Maryland Natural Heritage Program, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis.
- Bellis, V. J. 1992. Floristic continuity among the maritime forests of the Atlantic Coast of the United States. Pages 21-29 in: C. A. Cole and F. K. Turner, editors. Barrier island ecology of the mid-Atlantic Coast: A symposium. Technical Report NPS/SERCAHA/NRTR-93/04.
- Berdine, M. A. 1998. Maryland vegetation classification. Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis, MD.
- Boule, M. E. 1979. The vegetation of Fisherman Island, Virginia. Castanea 44:98-108.
- Breden, T. F. 1989. A preliminary natural community classification for New Jersey. Pages 157-191 in: E. F. Karlin, editor. New Jersey''s rare and endangered plants and animals. Institute for Environmental Studies, Ramapo College, Mahwah, NJ. 280 pp.
- Breden, T. F., Y. R. Alger, K. S. Walz, and A. G. Windisch. 2001. Classification of vegetation communities of New Jersey: Second iteration. Association for Biodiversity Information and New Jersey Natural Heritage Program, Office of Natural Lands Management, Division of Parks and Forestry, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Trenton.
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- Coxe, R. 2009. Guide to Delaware vegetation communities. Spring 2009 edition. State of Delaware, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Delaware Natural Heritage Program, Smyrna.
- Eastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boston, MA.
- Harrison, J. W. 2011. The natural communities of Maryland: 2011 working list of ecological community groups and community types. Unpublished report. Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife and Heritage Service, Natural Heritage Program, Annapolis. 33 pp.
- Harrison, J. W., compiler. 2004. Classification of vegetation communities of Maryland: First iteration. A subset of the International Classification of Ecological Communities: Terrestrial Vegetation of the United States, NatureServe. Maryland Natural Heritage Program, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis. 243 pp.
- Higgins, E. A. T., R. D. Rappleye, and R. G. Brown. 1971. The flora and ecology of Assateague Island. University of Maryland Experiment Station Bulletin A-172. 70 pp.
- Hill, S. R. 1986. An annotated checklist of the vascular flora of Assateague Island (Maryland and Virginia). Castanea 5:265-305.
- Klotz, L. H. 1986. The vascular flora of Wallops Island and Wallops Mainland, Virginia. Castanea 51:306-326.
- Rawinski, T. J. 1992. A classification of Virginia''s indigenous biotic communities: Vegetated terrestrial, palustrine, and estuarine community classes. Unpublished document. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage. Natural Heritage Technical Report No. 92-21. Richmond, VA. 25 pp.
- Sneddon, L., J. Menke, A. Berdine, E. Largay, and S. Gawler. 2017. Vegetation classification and mapping of Assateague Island National Seashore. Natural Resource Report NPS/ASIS/NRR--2017/1422. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 512 pp.
- Sneddon, L., M. Anderson, and K. Metzler. 1994. A classification and description of terrestrial community alliances in The Nature Conservancy''s Eastern Region: First approximation. Unpublished report to USDI Fish & Wildlife Service, Gap Analysis Program. The Nature Conservancy, Eastern Heritage Task Force, Boston, MA. 116 pp.
- TNC [The Nature Conservancy]. 1995c. NBS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: Vegetation classification of Assateague Island National Seashore. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Eastern Regional Office, Boston, MA.
- TNC [The Nature Conservancy]. 1997a. Vegetation classification of Assateague Island National Seashore and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Report to the NBS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Program. The Nature Conservancy. Eastern Regional Office, Boston, MA.