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CEGL005013 Fagus grandifolia - Acer saccharum Glaciated Midwest Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: American Beech - Sugar Maple Glaciated Midwest Forest
Colloquial Name: Glaciated Midwest Beech - Sugar Maple Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This upland forest is found in the southern Great Lakes area of the United States and possibly Canada. Stands occur on flat to rolling topography. In the southern parts of its range, it is more likely to be found on steeper slopes than in the northern portion. The soils are predominantly silt loam, loam, or sandy loam and develop over glacial till of Wisconsin age. The community is characterized by a dense to moderately dense canopy of deciduous trees, an absent to sparse shrub layer, and a moderately to well-developed herbaceous layer. The canopy is composed primarily of Acer saccharum and Fagus grandifolia. Liriodendron tulipifera is sometimes codominant, and Carpinus caroliniana, Fraxinus americana, Ostrya virginiana, Quercus rubra, Tilia americana, and Ulmus americana are often present in the canopy or subcanopy. Diervilla lonicera, Euonymus obovatus, Lonicera canadensis, Sambucus racemosa var. racemosa, and Viburnum spp. are typical shrubs. The herbaceous layer is often diverse, typically including spring ephemerals. Common species include Arisaema triphyllum, Dryopteris intermedia, Maianthemum canadense (in northern stands), Maianthemum racemosum, Osmorhiza claytonii, Podophyllum peltatum, Polygonatum biflorum, Trillium grandiflorum, and Viola spp.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Wisconsin glaciation history is used to define the southern limits of this type, and further work is needed to determine how floristically distinct these glaciated stands are from southern unglaciated stands, which are placed in ~Fagus grandifolia - Acer saccharum - Liriodendron tulipifera Unglaciated Forest (CEGL002411)$$. Liriodendron tulipifera and other southern hardwoods, such as Liquidambar styraciflua, are much less constant in this type compared to the unglaciated stands, as is, perhaps, Asimina triloba. Northward Betula alleghaniensis and Betula papyrifera are very infrequent compared to ~Acer saccharum - Fagus grandifolia - Betula spp. / Maianthemum canadense Forest (CEGL005004)$$. This type only extends as far east as north-central Ohio and possibly in the glaciated lake tillplain and glaciated Allegheny Plateau (ecosection 221F and ecosubsection 222Ia) in Ohio and in southern Ontario. Distribution in New York and Pennsylvania is at this time excluded, as those stands may contain Betula lenta, Betula alleghaniensis, and Tsuga canadensis, which are more typical of mesic hardwood stands in the Appalachian-Allegheny ~Acer saccharum - Fagus grandifolia - Tilia americana Forest Alliance (A3301)$$, such as ~Acer saccharum - Betula alleghaniensis - Prunus serotina Forest (CEGL006045)$$ or ~Acer saccharum - Fagus grandifolia - Fraxinus americana / Arisaema triphyllum Forest (CEGL006632)$$. Furthermore, the study by Seischab (1990) identified no distinctive tree species between maple-beech forests on the Allegheny Plateau and the lakeplain of western New York. This type may be in east-central Illinois (Vermillion County, near Danville), but is largely extirpated (B. McClain pers. comm. 1999). Stands still occur across the stateline in Indiana.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This community is characterized by a dense to moderately dense canopy of deciduous trees, an absent to sparse shrub layer, and a moderately to well-developed herbaceous layer. The canopy formed by the overstory trees and smaller saplings greatly reduces the amount of light that reaches lower vegetation strata.
Floristics: The tree canopy is composed primarily of Acer saccharum and Fagus grandifolia. Liriodendron tulipifera is sometimes codominant and Carpinus caroliniana, Fraxinus americana, Ostrya virginiana, Quercus rubra, Tilia americana, and Ulmus americana are often present in the canopy or subcanopy. Diervilla lonicera, Euonymus obovatus, Lonicera canadensis, Sambucus racemosa var. racemosa (= Sambucus pubens), and Viburnum spp. are typical shrubs. The herbaceous layer is often diverse, typically including spring ephemerals. Common species include Arisaema triphyllum (= Arisaema atrorubens), Dryopteris intermedia, Maianthemum canadense (in northern stands), Maianthemum racemosum, Osmorhiza claytonii, Podophyllum peltatum, Polygonatum biflorum, Trillium grandiflorum, and Viola spp.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This community is found on flat to rolling topography (Braun 1950, Pell and Mack 1977). In the southern parts of its range, it is more likely to be found on steeper slopes than in the northern portion (Braun 1950). The soils are predominantly silt loam, loam, or sandy loam and develop over glacial till of Wisconsin age (Braun 1950, Dodge and Harman 1985). This community was found to develop on sites with till 0.4-4.0 m thick in southern Michigan (Dodge and Harman 1985).
Geographic Range: This upland forest is found in the southern Great Lakes area of the United States and possibly Canada, ranging from Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan, east to north-central Ohio’s glaciated lakeplain and Allegheny Plateau and possibly Ontario. Range extent is minimally estimated at 70,000 square km and may extend over 200,000 square km.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: IL, IN, MI, OH, ON, WI
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685222
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2G3
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.5 Central Midwest Mesic Forest Macrogroup | M882 | 1.B.2.Na.5 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Na.5.b American Beech - Sugar Maple - Oak species Forest Group | G021 | 1.B.2.Na.5.b |
| Alliance | A3226 Sugar Maple - American Beech Forest Alliance | A3226 | 1.B.2.Na.5.b |
| Association | CEGL005013 American Beech - Sugar Maple Glaciated Midwest Forest | CEGL005013 | 1.B.2.Na.5.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Fagus grandifolia - Acer saccharum - Podophyllum peltatum association (Pell and Mack 1977)
= Fagus grandifolia - Acer saccharum Glaciated Midwest Forest (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
>< Beech - Maple Forest Region (Braun 1950)
= Warren''s Woods (Cain 1935)
= Fagus grandifolia - Acer saccharum Glaciated Midwest Forest (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
>< Beech - Maple Forest Region (Braun 1950)
= Warren''s Woods (Cain 1935)
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