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CEGL005254 Taxus canadensis - Viburnum edule - Cornus sericea - Alnus viridis - Oplopanax horridus Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Canada Yew - Squashberry - Red-osier Dogwood - Green Alder - Devil''s-club Shrubland
Colloquial Name: Canada Yew Mixed Shrubland
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This Canada yew shrubland type occurs on Isle Royale, Michigan, and perhaps more widely in the boreal regions of the upper midwestern United States and Canada. At Isle Royale National Park, stands occupy gentle to somewhat steep slopes facing southeast, at elevations ranging from 190-200 m (613-650 feet). Soils are usually sandy loams. The vegetation contains a mix of evergreen and deciduous shrubs that forms a dense, nearly impenetrable thicket. There may be a sparse cover (0-10% cover) of trees over 5 m tall including Thuja occidentalis, Abies balsamea, or Sorbus decora. Cover of tall shrubs varies from 5-50%, the most abundant tall shrubs are Abies balsamea, Sorbus decora, and Alnus viridis. Cover of short shrubs varies from 40-90% cover; the most abundant short shrubs are Taxus canadensis, Viburnum edule, Oplopanax horridus, Prunus pensylvanica, Cornus sericea, and Chamaedaphne calyculata. Cover of dwarf-shrubs varies from 0-70%, the most abundant dwarf-shrubs are Diervilla lonicera and Empetrum nigrum. Cover of herbs varies from 10-70% cover; the most abundant herbs are Lycopodium annotinum, Cornus canadensis, Dryopteris expansa, and Clintonia borealis. Cover of nonvascular plants is usually less than 10% cover; the most abundant nonvascular plants are foliose and crustose lichens, Pleurozium schreberi and Dicranum polysetum. There is an uncommon variant of this association, Abies balsamea / Taxus canadensis woodland, which forms an open-canopy, evergreen woodland. This variant is only known from ridges on Passage Island; it may also occur in other areas in the northeastern end of the island.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Type concept is taken from field studies on Isle Royale (TNC 1999b) and needs rangewide review.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: At Isle Royale National Park, this Taxus canadensis - Viburnum edule shrubland is a mixture of evergreen and deciduous shrubs that form a dense, nearly impenetrable thicket. There may be a sparse cover (0-10% cover) of trees over 5 m tall, including Thuja occidentalis, Abies balsamea, or Sorbus decora. Cover of tall shrubs varies from 5-50%, the most abundant tall shrubs are Abies balsamea, Sorbus decora, and Alnus viridis (each usually 1-5% cover). Cover of short shrubs varies from 40-90% cover; the most abundant short shrubs are Taxus canadensis (5-50%), Viburnum edule (5-25%), Oplopanax horridus (5-25%), Prunus pensylvanica (5-25%), Cornus sericea (1-5%), and Chamaedaphne calyculata (1-5%). Cover of dwarf-shrubs varies from 0-70%, the most abundant dwarf-shrubs are Diervilla lonicera and Empetrum nigrum (each 5-25%). Cover of herbs varies from 10-70% cover; the most abundant herbs are Lycopodium annotinum, Cornus canadensis, Dryopteris expansa, and Clintonia borealis (each 5-25%). Cover of nonvascular plants is usually less than 10% cover; the most abundant nonvascular plants are foliose and crustose lichens, Pleurozium schreberi and Dicranum polysetum.
At Isle Royale National Park, there is an uncommon variant of this association, the Abies balsamea / Taxus canadensis woodland. Canopy cover of trees over 5 m tall is about 50%; Abies balsamea is the single most abundant tree. The shrub layer is a dense thicket with about 70% cover; Taxus canadensis is the most abundant shrub (over 50-75%), other characteristic shrubs mixed with the Taxus include Oplopanax horridus, Alnus viridis, Sorbus decora, and Viburnum edule. Cover of herbs is about 20%; the most abundant herbs are Dryopteris expansa, Cornus canadensis, and Lycopodium annotinum. This variant is only known from ridges on Passage Island; it may also occur in other areas in the northeastern end of the park (C. Reschke pers. comm. 1999).
At Isle Royale National Park, there is an uncommon variant of this association, the Abies balsamea / Taxus canadensis woodland. Canopy cover of trees over 5 m tall is about 50%; Abies balsamea is the single most abundant tree. The shrub layer is a dense thicket with about 70% cover; Taxus canadensis is the most abundant shrub (over 50-75%), other characteristic shrubs mixed with the Taxus include Oplopanax horridus, Alnus viridis, Sorbus decora, and Viburnum edule. Cover of herbs is about 20%; the most abundant herbs are Dryopteris expansa, Cornus canadensis, and Lycopodium annotinum. This variant is only known from ridges on Passage Island; it may also occur in other areas in the northeastern end of the park (C. Reschke pers. comm. 1999).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: At Isle Royale National Park, this community occupies gentle to somewhat steep slopes facing southeast, at elevations ranging from 187 to 198 m (613-650 feet). Soils are usually sandy loams. The variant occupies gentle, south-facing slopes at elevations of about 192 m (630 feet) (C. Reschke pers. comm. 1999).
Geographic Range: This Canada yew shrubland type occurs on Isle Royale, Michigan and perhaps more widely in the boreal regions of the upper midwestern United States and Canada.
Nations: CA?,US
States/Provinces: MI, ON?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684245
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class | C02 | 2 |
| Subclass | 2.B Temperate & Boreal Grassland & Shrubland Subclass | S18 | 2.B |
| Formation | 2.B.2 Temperate Grassland & Shrubland Formation | F012 | 2.B.2 |
| Division | 2.B.2.Nc Eastern North American Grassland & Shrubland Division | D024 | 2.B.2.Nc |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.2.Nc.4 Laurentian -Acidic Rocky Scrub & Grassland Macrogroup | M505 | 2.B.2.Nc.4 |
| Group | 2.B.2.Nc.4.a Laurentian-Acadian Acidic Scrub & Grassland Group | G788 | 2.B.2.Nc.4.a |
| Alliance | A3361 Mountain Maple - White Spruce / Bluebead Scrub Alliance | A3361 | 2.B.2.Nc.4.a |
| Association | CEGL005254 Canada Yew - Squashberry - Red-osier Dogwood - Green Alder - Devil''s-club Shrubland | CEGL005254 | 2.B.2.Nc.4.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Taxus canadensis - Viburnum edule - Cornus sericea - Alnus viride - Oplopanax horridus Shrubland [Provisional] (TNC 1999b)
= Taxus canadensis - Viburnum edule - Cornus sericea - Alnus viridis - Oplopanax horridus Shrubland (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Taxus canadensis - Viburnum edule - Cornus sericea - Alnus viridis - Oplopanax horridus Shrubland (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
- 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.).
- Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
- Reschke, Carol. Personal communication. Ecologist, New York Natural Heritage Program. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Latham, NY.
- TNC [The Nature Conservancy]. 1999b. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: Classification of the vegetation of Isle Royale National Park. The Nature Conservancy, Midwest Regional Office, Minneapolis, MN, and International Headquarters, Arlington, VA. 143 pp.