Print Report

CEGL006190 Vaccinium corymbosum / Sphagnum spp. Acidic Peatland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Highbush Blueberry / Peatmoss species Acidic Peatland

Colloquial Name: Highbush Blueberry Wooded Fen

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: Highbush blueberry peat bog of glaciated regions in the eastern and northeastern United States. This tall-shrub bog thicket occurs on oligotrophic to weakly minerotrophic peat soils, commonly as a border thicket around more open dwarf heath shrub peatlands or within small, isolated basins. Significant seasonal water level fluctuation can occur, especially in isolated basins without inlet or outlet streams. A tall-shrub layer is characterized by abundant Vaccinium corymbosum plus Gaylussacia baccata, Chamaedaphne calyculata, Kalmia angustifolia, Rhododendron canadense, Lyonia ligustrina, and Nemopanthus mucronatus in more northern or cooler microclimates, and Ilex verticillata and Rhododendron viscosum in the south. In locally wetter areas, Cephalanthus occidentalis or Decodon verticillatus can occur. Coastal occurrences may have additional shrub species such as Leucothoe racemosa, Clethra alnifolia, and Gaylussacia dumosa. Sparse, scattered trees may occur, including Acer rubrum, Picea mariana, Larix laricina, Pinus strobus, Pinus rigida, Betula populifolia, or Nyssa sylvatica, with species dependent on environmental setting. The herbaceous layer tends to be sparse, although can be locally abundant. Common herbs include Osmunda cinnamomea, Woodwardia virginica, Carex trisperma, Sarracenia purpurea, Thelypteris palustris, Triadenum virginicum, and Maianthemum trifolium. Sphagnum mosses blanket well-developed hummocks and hollows, including Sphagnum magellanicum, Sphagnum centrale, Sphagnum rubellum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fimbriatum, and Sphagnum fuscum.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: These tall heath shrub bog thickets tend to occur in wetter, more minerotrophic settings relative to dwarf heath shrub bogs.

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

Floristics: A tall-shrub layer is characterized by abundant Vaccinium corymbosum plus Gaylussacia baccata, Chamaedaphne calyculata, Kalmia angustifolia, Rhododendron canadense, Lyonia ligustrina, and Nemopanthus mucronatus in more northern or cooler microclimates, and Ilex verticillata and Rhododendron viscosum in the south. In locally wetter areas, Cephalanthus occidentalis or Decodon verticillatus can occur. Sparse, scattered trees may occur, including Acer rubrum, Picea mariana, Larix laricina, Pinus strobus, Pinus rigida, Betula populifolia, or Nyssa sylvatica, with species dependent on environmental setting. The herbaceous layer tends to be sparse, although can be locally abundant. Common herbs include Osmunda cinnamomea, Woodwardia virginica, Carex trisperma, Sarracenia purpurea, Thelypteris palustris, Triadenum virginicum, and Maianthemum trifolium. Sphagnum mosses blanket well-developed hummocks and hollows, including Sphagnum magellanicum, Sphagnum centrale, Sphagnum rubellum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fimbriatum, and Sphagnum fuscum.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  This tall-shrub bog thicket occurs on oligotrophic to weakly minerotrophic peat soils, commonly as a border thicket around more open dwarf heath shrub peatlands or within small, isolated basins. Significant seasonal water level fluctuation can occur, especially in isolated basins without inlet or outlet streams.
Geographic Range: This association occurs from Pennsylvania and New Jersey north to New Hampshire, Maine and possibly Vermont.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT


Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4

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.2 Temperate to Polar Bog & Fen Formation F016 2.C.2
Division 2.C.2.Na North American Bog & Fen Division D029 2.C.2.Na
Macrogroup 2.C.2.Na.1 Leatherleaf - Small Cranberry - Few-seed Sedge Bog & Acidic Fen Macrogroup M876 2.C.2.Na.1
Group 2.C.2.Na.1.a Leatherleaf - Few-seed Sedge - Bog Laurel Boreal Bog & Acidic Fen Group G748 2.C.2.Na.1.a
Alliance A1018 Highbush Blueberry Peat Shrubland Alliance A1018 2.C.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL006190 Highbush Blueberry / Peatmoss species Acidic Peatland CEGL006190 2.C.2.Na.1.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< Vaccinietum corymbosi (Conard 1935)
< Vaccinium corymbosum - Rhododendron viscosum community (Metzler and Barrett 2006)
? Vaccinium corymbosum-Rhododendron viscosum tall shrub bog and bog border association [Type A] (Kearsley 1999a)
? Highbush blueberry shrub swamp (CAP pers. comm. 1998)
< Low-shrub Bog (Lynn and Karlin 1985)
? New England coastal plain pondshore (Rawinski 1984a)
? Shrub Swamp (Lundgren et al. 2000)
Concept Author(s): Eastern Ecology Group

Author of Description: S.L. Neid and S.C. Gawler

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 06-21-06
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