Print Report
CEGL006137 Pinus taeda / Morella cerifera / Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis Swamp Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Loblolly Pine / Wax-myrtle / Royal Fern Swamp Forest
Colloquial Name: Coastal Loblolly Pine Swamp Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This maritime/coastal wetland forest occurs in backdune depressions with high water tables and fringing estuaries from Delaware to North Carolina. Examples are characterized by a closed to partially open canopy dominated by Pinus taeda. Other canopy associates may be absent, or may include Acer rubrum, Persea palustris, or Liquidambar styraciflua. The understory is made up of vines, strongly dominated by Smilax rotundifolia, with lesser amounts of Toxicodendron radicans and Parthenocissus quinquefolia. In addition to comprising the majority of the ground layer of these forests, these vines are relatively large-stemmed lianas that contribute significant cover to the canopy by covering the lower branches of trees. Morella cerifera is a typical shrub of this community. The herbaceous layer is usually relatively sparse, characterized most frequently by ferns such as Woodwardia areolata, Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis, or Osmunda cinnamomea, and farther south (in North Carolina) by Chasmanthium laxum. Polygonum pensylvanicum may also occur. On Assateague Island National Seashore, Pinus taeda dominates the canopy, with occasional Acer rubrum. Smilax rotundifolia is the strongly dominant vine of the understory, with lesser amounts of Toxicodendron radicans and Parthenocissus quinquefolia. Morella cerifera is also a minor component of this vegetation. Trees tend to occur on slightly elevated hummocks, with standing water evident in hollows. Phragmites australis, Rubus argutus, Panicum virgatum, and Polygonum pensylvanicum also occur within this community on Assateague Island National Seashore. Tree diameters range from 12-36 cm dbh. This community occurs primarily on the bayside of the island adjacent to salt marsh. Soils are characterized by moderately shallow muck (15 cm) overlying organic matter-stained sands. This vegetation occurs adjacent to salt marshes, sometimes even forming small ''islands'' within high salt marsh. In North Carolina, it may extend well inland fringing bays and sounds on wet saturated flats that are flooded by storm tides.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: No Data Available
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Examples are characterized by a closed to partially open canopy dominated by Pinus taeda. Other canopy associates may be absent or may include Acer rubrum, Persea palustris, or Liquidambar styraciflua. The understory is made up of vines, strongly dominated by Smilax rotundifolia, with lesser amounts of Toxicodendron radicans and Parthenocissus quinquefolia. In addition to comprising the majority of the ground layer of these forests, these vines are relatively large-stemmed lianas that contribute significant cover to the canopy by covering the lower branches of trees. Morella cerifera (= Myrica cerifera) is a typical shrub of this community. The herbaceous layer is usually relatively sparse, characterized most frequently by ferns such as Woodwardia areolata, Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis, or Osmunda cinnamomea, and farther south (in North Carolina) by Chasmanthium laxum. Polygonum pensylvanicum may also occur. On Assateague Island National Seashore, Pinus taeda dominates the canopy, with occasional Acer rubrum. Smilax rotundifolia is the strongly dominant vine of the understory, with lesser amounts of Toxicodendron radicans and Parthenocissus quinquefolia. Morella cerifera is also a minor component of this vegetation. Phragmites australis, Rubus argutus, Panicum virgatum, and Polygonum pensylvanicum also occur within this community on Assateague Island National Seashore.
Dynamics: Fire may once have been an important ecological force in this community.
Environmental Description: This maritime/coastal wetland forest occurs in backdune depressions with high water and as an estuarine fringe along bays and sounds. Tree diameters range from 12-36 cm dbh. This community occurs primarily on the bayside of islands, barrier spits and on mainlands adjacent to salt marsh. Soils are characterized by moderately shallow muck (15 cm) overlying organic matter-stained sands. This vegetation occurs adjacent to salt marshes, sometimes even forming small "islands" within high salt marsh. In North Carolina, it may extend well inland fringing bays and sounds on wet saturated flats that are flooded by storm tides. Trees tend to occur on slightly elevated hummocks, with standing water evident in hollows.
Geographic Range: This community ranges from the coast of Delaware and New Jersey to North Carolina.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: DE, MD, NC, NJ, VA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684829
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3
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.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation | F026 | 1.B.3 |
| Division | 1.B.3.Nb Southeastern North American Flooded & Swamp Forest Division | D062 | 1.B.3.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.3.Nb.3 Sweetbay - Swamp Bay - Pond Pine Swamp Forest Macrogroup | M032 | 1.B.3.Nb.3 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b Atlantic White-cedar - Pitch Pine Swamp Group | G039 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b |
| Alliance | A3637 Sweetgum - Red Maple / Wax-myrtle Mid-Atlantic Swamp Forest Alliance | A3637 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b |
| Association | CEGL006137 Loblolly Pine / Wax-myrtle / Royal Fern Swamp Forest | CEGL006137 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Pinus taeda / Myrica cerifera / Juncus coriaceus - Chasmanthium laxum Saturated Forest (Fleming and Moorhead 1998)
= Pinus taeda / Myrica cerifera / Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis Forest (Sneddon et al. 1997)
= Coniferous swamp (Shreve et al. 1910) [eastern Maryland]
< Loblolly Pine: 81 (Eyre 1980)
< Loblolly pine association (Brush et al. 1980)
< Mature loblolly pine stands of wet sites (Bratton and Davison 1987) [Cape Hatteras]
< Pine woodland (Higgins et al. 1971)
< Woodland community (Hill 1986)
= Pinus taeda / Myrica cerifera / Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis Forest (Sneddon et al. 1997)
= Coniferous swamp (Shreve et al. 1910) [eastern Maryland]
< Loblolly Pine: 81 (Eyre 1980)
< Loblolly pine association (Brush et al. 1980)
< Mature loblolly pine stands of wet sites (Bratton and Davison 1987) [Cape Hatteras]
< Pine woodland (Higgins et al. 1971)
< Woodland community (Hill 1986)
- Bratton, S. P., and K. Davison. 1987. Disturbance and succession in Buxton Woods, Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Castanea 52:166-179.
- 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.
- Brock, J. C., C. W. Wright, M. Patterson, A. Naeghandi, and L. J. Travers. 2007. EAARL bare earth topography - Assateague Island National Seashore. U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 2007-1176. [http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1176/start.html]
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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.
- Eyre, F. H., editor. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 148 pp.
- Fleming, G. P., K. D. Patterson, and K. Taverna. 2017. The natural communities of Virginia: A classification of ecological community groups and community types. Third approximation. Version 3.0. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond, VA. [http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/natural-communities/]
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- 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.
- 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.
- Shreve, F., M. A. Chrysler, F. H. Blodgett, and F. W. Besley. 1910. The plant life of Maryland. Maryland Weather Service. Special Publication, Volume III. The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, MD. 533 pp.
- Sneddon, L. A., A. Berdine, G. P. Fleming, and S. Brady. 1997. Vegetation classification of Assateague Island National Seashore and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Unpublished report to the USDI Fish and Wildlife Service. The Nature Conservancy, Eastern Regional Office, Boston, MA.
- 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.
- 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.