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CEGL007312 Betula nigra - Platanus occidentalis / Alnus serrulata / Boehmeria cylindrica Floodplain Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: River Birch - American Sycamore / Hazel Alder / Small-spike False Nettle Floodplain Forest
Colloquial Name: River Birch Levee Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This riverfront forest, dominated by Betula nigra and Platanus occidentalis, occurs primarily on levees along small rivers and streams. It also is found along flowages of larger rivers ("artificial oxbows"). It ranges from Virginia to southern Georgia in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain (and into the southern and lower-elevation parts of the Southern Blue Ridge, excluding the highest elevations of the Mountains) and west to eastern Texas, and the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee and possibly northern Alabama. No effort has been made to subdivide this type into northern and southern, or Coastal Plain and Interior variants, although there are undoubtedly some floristic differences between these extremes, at least in the lower strata. Betula nigra contributes at least 50%, and often more, of the tree density of stands of this community. Platanus occidentalis may be codominant, or at least prominent, with large individuals overtopping the Betula, which tends to have a greater number of stems, but Platanus occidentalis may be more conspicuous because of its larger size. Other canopy associates include Liriodendron tulipifera, Liquidambar styraciflua, Acer rubrum, Acer negundo, Ulmus americana, Ulmus rubra, Celtis spp., and Quercus spp.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Under the new classification hierarchy, this association may require subdivision into three components: one for the coastal plains and adjacent Piedmont from Virginia to Mississippi; one for the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain and West Gulf coastal plains from Arkansas and Louisiana west to Texas; and one from the Appalachian and interior regions. To do this well, some more detailed information may be needed about the floristic differences among these types. No effort has been made to subdivide this type into northern and southern, or Coastal Plain and Interior variants, although there are undoubtedly some floristic differences between these extremes, at least in the lower strata. This includes the ''Sycamore - River Birch - Silver Maple'' forests of the Pearl River in Louisiana mentioned by K. Ribbeck. Additional species from the shrub and herb strata need to be added to make more apparent the differences between this association and ~Betula nigra - Platanus occidentalis Floodplain Forest (CEGL002086)$$, which is a more northern forest. In Kentucky, this association (CEGL007312) would be found on the southern part of the Daniel Boone National Forest, in contrast to CEGL002086, which is more northern. In Virginia, related vegetation is treated as ~Betula nigra - Platanus occidentalis Floodplain Forest (CEGL002086)$$.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Betula nigra contributes at least 50%, and often more, of the tree density of stands of this community. Platanus occidentalis may be codominant, or at least prominent, with large individuals overtopping the Betula, which tends to have a greater number of stems, but Platanus occidentalis may be more conspicuous because of its larger size. Other canopy associates include Liriodendron tulipifera, Liquidambar styraciflua, Acer rubrum, Acer negundo, Ulmus americana, Ulmus rubra, Celtis spp., and Quercus spp. Pinus echinata, Pinus strobus, or Pinus virginiana may be found in some montane or submontane examples. The subcanopy or tall-shrub strata may include Cornus florida and Carpinus caroliniana, along with Acer rubrum, Ilex opaca, Ulmus alata, Prunus serotina, and Carya spp. Shrubs and woody vines may include Alnus serrulata, Euonymus americanus, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Smilax rotundifolia, Toxicodendron radicans, and Vitis rotundifolia. Herbs may include Boehmeria cylindrica, Polygonum virginianum, Rudbeckia laciniata, Sanicula sp., Symphyotrichum lateriflorum (= Aster lateriflorus), Thalictrum dioicum, Viola sororia, Polystichum acrostichoides, Woodwardia areolata, Botrychium dissectum, Botrychium virginianum, and Impatiens capensis. The exotics Ligustrum sinense, Lonicera japonica, Microstegium vimineum, and Rosa multiflora may spread into disturbed examples of this community. No effort has been made to subdivide this type into northern and southern, or Coastal Plain and Interior variants, although there are undoubtedly some floristic differences between these extremes, at least in the lower strata.
Dynamics: These forests occur on riverfronts in areas with repeated, frequent, natural disturbance in the form of flooding. Occurrences of this type may have a rather high percentage of standing dead trees, including remnant snags from earlier successional communities. A layer of sand is often deposited at the surface of the soil when streams overflow their banks during flash floods. Little or no clay is present in the upper strata of soils. Flooding is seasonal and/or occasional and shallow but never prolonged. Most of this short-duration flooding takes place in early spring.
This is a Zone IV community. Zone IV communities experience seasonal inundation or groundwater saturation for approximately 12.5-25% of the year, usually during spring and early summer with a frequency of 51-100%.
This community often succeeds riverfront forests dominated by Salix spp. and Populus spp. It probably succeeds to forests dominated by Celtis spp., Ulmus spp., Fraxinus pennsylvanica, and Liquidambar styraciflua.
This is a Zone IV community. Zone IV communities experience seasonal inundation or groundwater saturation for approximately 12.5-25% of the year, usually during spring and early summer with a frequency of 51-100%.
This community often succeeds riverfront forests dominated by Salix spp. and Populus spp. It probably succeeds to forests dominated by Celtis spp., Ulmus spp., Fraxinus pennsylvanica, and Liquidambar styraciflua.
Environmental Description: Betula nigra requires soils with moisture near field capacity throughout the year but is relatively intolerant of flooding; Platanus occidentalis also is intolerant of flooding during the growing season and will die if the entire tree is inundated for more than two weeks. The absence of this community in the lower Mississippi River Alluvial Plain is attributed to this intolerance, as is its most common location on levees of smaller rivers. The community usually is found on the natural levee of the watercourse and, therefore, is slightly elevated from the flats behind the levee. The community is more common along small streams and blackwater streams than along alluvial floodplains, mostly because of the higher sustained flow rates of these larger rivers. It also is found along flowages of larger rivers ("artificial oxbows") in southeast Kentucky. In the Upper East Gulf Coastal Plain (Shiloh National Military Park, Hardin County, Tennessee), this association occurs along small stream floodplains.
Geographic Range: This riverfront association ranges from Virginia to southern Georgia in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain (and into the southern and lower elevations of the Southern Blue Ridge, excluding the highest elevations of the mountains), west to eastern Texas and the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee and possibly northern Alabama.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AL, AR, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, TX
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685343
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4G5
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.Na Eastern North American-Great Plains Flooded & Swamp Forest Division | D011 | 1.B.3.Na |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.3.Na.1 Silver Maple - American Sycamore - Hackberry species Floodplain Forest Macrogroup | M029 | 1.B.3.Na.1 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Na.1.b <i>Acer saccharinum - Platanus occidentalis - Liquidambar styraciflua</i> Floodplain Forest Group | G673 | 1.B.3.Na.1.b |
| Alliance | A3699 River Birch - American Sycamore Appalachian-Piedmont Floodplain Forest Alliance | A3699 | 1.B.3.Na.1.b |
| Association | CEGL007312 River Birch - American Sycamore / Hazel Alder / Small-spike False Nettle Floodplain Forest | CEGL007312 | 1.B.3.Na.1.b |
Concept Lineage: consolidated
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Eutrophic Seasonally Flooded Forest (Rawinski 1992)
< IIA7b. River Birch - Sycamore Riverfront Forest (Allard 1990)
? River Birch - Sycamore (72) (USFS 1988)
< River Birch - Sycamore: 61 (Eyre 1980)
= River Birch Type (Schmalzer and DeSelm 1982)
< IIA7b. River Birch - Sycamore Riverfront Forest (Allard 1990)
? River Birch - Sycamore (72) (USFS 1988)
< River Birch - Sycamore: 61 (Eyre 1980)
= River Birch Type (Schmalzer and DeSelm 1982)
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