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CEGL005196 Picea glauca - (Betula papyrifera) / Danthonia spicata Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: White Spruce - (Paper Birch) / Poverty Oatgrass Woodland
Colloquial Name: White Spruce Rocky Woodland
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This white spruce rocky woodland occurs in localized areas of the Great Lakes region of the United States, and possibly Canada. On Isle Royale, Michigan, stands occur in high rocky ridgelines, with flat areas to steep slopes at elevations usually ranging from 200-300 m (610-900 feet). Stands sometimes occur on old beach flats or beach ridges. Soils are thin sandy, sandy loam, or organic, and well-drained to rapidly drained. The vegetation is an open-canopy evergreen woodland with variable physiognomy; canopy cover ranges from 10-60% cover. Picea glauca is the most abundant tree over 5 m tall; Betula papyrifera and Populus tremuloides are common associates. Shrub cover varies from about 5-50% cover of tall shrubs, from 5-60% cover of short shrubs, and from 0-60% cover of dwarf-shrubs. The most abundant tall shrubs are saplings (or browsed scrub) of Picea glauca, Abies balsamea, and Sorbus decora, as well as Alnus incana shrubs. The most abundant short shrubs are Diervilla lonicera, Rubus parviflorus, Sambucus racemosa, Ribes glandulosum, and Rosa acicularis. Arctostaphylos uva-ursi is the most abundant dwarf-shrub. Herb cover is variable, ranging from about 30-80% cover. The most abundant herbs are Eurybia macrophylla, Aralia nudicaulis, Pteridium aquilinum, Cornus canadensis, Poa spp., Calamagrostis canadensis, and Deschampsia flexuosa. Nonvascular cover is variable, ranging from 0-60% cover; the most abundant lichens are Cladonia spp. and foliose lichens; the most abundant moss is Pleurozium schreberi.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Type varies from evergreen to mixed evergreen-deciduous. The deciduous type is ~Populus tremuloides - (Populus grandidentata) Rocky Woodland (CEGL002487)$$. Rangewide review is still needed for this type. The type overlaps in concept with ~Picea glauca - Abies balsamea Basalt - Conglomerate Woodland (CEGL005214)$$, described best from the Lake Superior Shores of Minnesota and Michigan, but that type is found at low elevations more directly along shorelines. It may also overlap with the ~Pinus banksiana - (Picea mariana, Pinus strobus) / Vaccinium spp. Rocky Woodland (CEGL002483)$$, which can have a spruce-fir phase, such as occurs at Voyageurs National Park.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: At Isle Royale National Park, Michigan, white spruce woodland is an open-canopy evergreen woodland with variable physiognomy; canopy cover ranges from 10-60% cover. Picea glauca is the most abundant tree over 5 m tall, with 10-50% cover. Betula papyrifera and Populus tremuloides are the next most abundant trees, each with 1-5% cover. Shrub cover varies from about 5-50% cover of tall shrubs, from 5-60% cover of short shrubs, and from 0-60% cover of dwarf-shrubs. The most abundant tall shrubs are saplings (or browsed scrub) of Picea glauca, Abies balsamea, and Sorbus decora, as well as Alnus incana shrubs. The most abundant short shrubs are Diervilla lonicera, Rubus parviflorus, Sambucus racemosa, Ribes glandulosum, and Rosa acicularis. Arctostaphylos uva-ursi is the most abundant dwarf-shrub. Herb cover is variable, ranging from about 30-80% cover. The most abundant herbs are Eurybia macrophylla (= Aster macrophyllus), Aralia nudicaulis, Pteridium aquilinum, Cornus canadensis, Poa spp., Calamagrostis canadensis, and Deschampsia flexuosa. Nonvascular cover is variable, ranging from 0-60% cover; the most abundant lichens are Cladonia spp. (= Cladina spp.) and foliose lichens; the most abundant moss is Pleurozium schreberi (C. Reschke pers. comm. 1999).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: At Isle Royale National Park, this community occupies high rocky ridgelines, with flat areas to steep slopes at elevations usually ranging from 200-300 m (610-900 feet) (in one case at almost 400 m or 1250 feet). Stands sometimes occur on old beach flats or beach ridges. Soils are thin sandy, sandy loam, or organic, and well-drained to rapidly drained (C. Reschke pers. comm. 1999).
Geographic Range: This white spruce rocky woodland occurs in localized areas of the Great Lakes region of the United States, and possibly Canada. It is best described from rocky ridges of Isle Royale, Michigan, but may occur in Ontario.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: MI, MN, ON?, QC?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684756
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
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.6 Eastern White Pine - Jack Pine - Northern Pin Oak Forest & Woodland Macrogroup | M159 | 1.B.2.Na.6 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Na.6.c Jack Pine - Red Pine - Black Spruce Subboreal Forest Group | G047 | 1.B.2.Na.6.c |
| Alliance | A3837 Quaking Aspen - White Spruce Subboreal Rocky Woodland Alliance | A3837 | 1.B.2.Na.6.c |
| Association | CEGL005196 White Spruce - (Paper Birch) / Poverty Oatgrass Woodland | CEGL005196 | 1.B.2.Na.6.c |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Picea glauca - (Betula papyrifera) / Danthonia spicata Woodland (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
- CDPNQ [Centre de données sur le patrimoine naturel du Québec]. No date. Unpublished data. Centre de données sur le patrimoine naturel du Québec, Québec.
- 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.).
- Kost, M. A., D. A. Albert, J. G. Cohen, B. S. Slaughter, R. K. Schillo, C. R. Weber, and K. A. Chapman. 2007. Natural communities of Michigan: Classification and description. Report No. 2007-21, Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Lansing. 314 pp. [http://web4.msue.msu.edu/mnfi/reports/2007-21_Natural_Communites_of_Michigan_Classification_and_Description.pdf]
- MNNHP [Minnesota Natural Heritage Program]. 1993. Minnesota''s native vegetation: A key to natural communities. Version 1.5. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program, St. Paul, MN. 110 pp.
- Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
- Minnesota DNR [Minnesota Department of Natural Resources]. 2003-2005a. Field guide to the native plant communities of Minnesota. Three volumes: The Laurentian Mixed Forest Province (2003), The Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province (2005c), The Prairie Parkland and Tallgrass Aspen Parklands provinces (2005b). Ecological Land Classification Program, Minnesota County Biological Survey, and Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul.
- Minnesota DNR [Minnesota Department of Natural Resources]. 2003. Field guide to the native plant communities of Minnesota: The Laurentian Mixed Forest Province. Ecological Land Classification Program, Minnesota County Biological Survey, and Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul.
- 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.