Print Report
CEGL007710 Liriodendron tulipifera - Fraxinus americana - (Aesculus flava) / Actaea racemosa - Laportea canadensis Forest
Type Concept Sentence: This association represents species-rich mixed mesophytic forests in the moist coves of the Blue Ridge and adjacent Ridge and Valley regions of the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, northeastern Georgia, and Virginia. The canopy is dominated by Fraxinus americana, Tilia americana var. heterophylla, Aesculus flava, and Magnolia acuminata, occurring with more widely tolerant tree species such as Liriodendron tulipifera, Acer rubrum, Tsuga canadensis, and Betula lenta.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Tuliptree - White Ash - (Yellow Buckeye) / Black Baneberry - Canadian Woodnettle Forest
Colloquial Name: Southern Appalachian Rich Cove Forest (Typic Type)
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association represents deciduous forests of concave lower slopes and flats at middle elevations (610-1370 m [2000-4500 feet]) in the Southern Blue Ridge and at low to middle elevations (200-915 m [650-3000 feet]) in the Northern Blue Ridge and adjacent Ridge and Valley. The canopy is dominated by some mixture of rich-site mesophytic species such as Fraxinus americana, Tilia americana var. heterophylla, Aesculus flava, and Magnolia acuminata, occurring with more widely tolerant tree species such as Liriodendron tulipifera, Acer rubrum, Tsuga canadensis, and Betula lenta. In stands that have been impacted by the last cycle of industrial logging (70-80 years BP), Liriodendron tulipifera may dominate. The herbaceous stratum is diverse and often very lush. Typical herbaceous species include Actaea racemosa, Caulophyllum thalictroides, Prosartes lanuginosa, Aruncus dioicus, Adiantum pedatum, Collinsonia canadensis, Osmorhiza claytonii, and Laportea canadensis. This association is distinguished by the absence or scarcity of calciphilic species, such as Diplazium pycnocarpon, Asplenium rhizophyllum, Dryopteris goldieana, Aquilegia canadensis, Solidago flexicaulis, Deparia acrostichoides, and Cystopteris protrusa, by generally occurring at elevations above 610 m (2000 feet) (200 m at the northern end of the range), and by lacking species typical of lower elevation forests.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Deciduous cove forests are perhaps the most complex group of communities to classify in the Southern Blue Ridge, due to a combination of wide environmental range, high species richness, and high biogeographic variability. The recognition of associations based on fertility and elevation is provisional and will likely need further refinement. This association is distinguished by the absence or scarcity of calciphilic species, such as Diplazium pycnocarpon, Asplenium rhizophyllum, Dryopteris goldieana, Aquilegia canadensis, Solidago flexicaulis, Deparia acrostichoides, and Cystopteris protrusa, by generally occurring at elevations above 610 m (2000 feet), and by lacking species typical of lower elevation forests.
In a regional Southern Appalachian analysis (1134 plots from Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia) for the Appalachian Trail project, 48 plots were classified as this association (Fleming and Patterson 2009a). Compared to the related ~Aesculus flava - Acer saccharum - (Tilia americana var. heterophylla) / Hydrophyllum canadense - Solidago flexicaulis Forest (CEGL007695)$$, this group has a significantly lower mean elevation (736 m [2415 feet] vs. 994 m [3261 feet] for CEGL007695), and is associated with soils of somewhat lower base status. The most constant (>70%) species with mean cover >1% in the 48 analyzed plots are Liriodendron tulipifera, Fraxinus americana, Polystichum acrostichoides, Quercus rubra, Acer rubrum, Actaea racemosa, Tilia americana (both var. heterophylla and var. americana), and Amphicarpaea bracteata. The most diagnostic species (relative to similar types) are Lindera benzoin, Amphicarpaea bracteata, Liriodendron tulipifera, Actaea racemosa, Polystichum acrostichoides, and Galearis spectabilis.
Although lacking Aesculus flava north of the James River, this community type is well-represented and seems to have a remarkably consistent composition over nearly the entire length of the Blue Ridge in Virginia. These stands have all recovered from logging in the past, but remain threatened by future timber harvests because of excellent site productivity. Shade-tolerant, invasive exotics, especially Alliaria petiolata, pose a serious threat to the integrity of this community''s herbaceous flora.
In a regional Southern Appalachian analysis (1134 plots from Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia) for the Appalachian Trail project, 48 plots were classified as this association (Fleming and Patterson 2009a). Compared to the related ~Aesculus flava - Acer saccharum - (Tilia americana var. heterophylla) / Hydrophyllum canadense - Solidago flexicaulis Forest (CEGL007695)$$, this group has a significantly lower mean elevation (736 m [2415 feet] vs. 994 m [3261 feet] for CEGL007695), and is associated with soils of somewhat lower base status. The most constant (>70%) species with mean cover >1% in the 48 analyzed plots are Liriodendron tulipifera, Fraxinus americana, Polystichum acrostichoides, Quercus rubra, Acer rubrum, Actaea racemosa, Tilia americana (both var. heterophylla and var. americana), and Amphicarpaea bracteata. The most diagnostic species (relative to similar types) are Lindera benzoin, Amphicarpaea bracteata, Liriodendron tulipifera, Actaea racemosa, Polystichum acrostichoides, and Galearis spectabilis.
Although lacking Aesculus flava north of the James River, this community type is well-represented and seems to have a remarkably consistent composition over nearly the entire length of the Blue Ridge in Virginia. These stands have all recovered from logging in the past, but remain threatened by future timber harvests because of excellent site productivity. Shade-tolerant, invasive exotics, especially Alliaria petiolata, pose a serious threat to the integrity of this community''s herbaceous flora.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: In the heart of its Southern Blue Ridge range, canopies of this community are dominated by variable mixtures of nutrient-demanding mesophytic species such as Fraxinus americana, Tilia americana var. heterophylla, and Aesculus flava, in association with more wide-ranging tree species such as Liriodendron tulipifera, Acer rubrum, Tsuga canadensis, and Betula lenta. Herb layers are diverse and often very lush. Typical herbaceous species include Actaea racemosa (= Cimicifuga racemosa), Caulophyllum thalictroides, Aruncus dioicus, Adiantum pedatum, Collinsonia canadensis, Laportea canadensis, Osmorhiza claytonii, and Prosartes lanuginosa (= Disporum lanuginosum). In the Southern Blue Ridge, this association is distinguished by the scarcity of calciphilic species such as Diplazium pycnocarpon, Asplenium rhizophyllum, Dryopteris goldieana, Aquilegia canadensis, Solidago flexicaulis, Deparia acrostichoides, and Cystopteris protrusa; by generally occurring at elevations above 610 m (2000 feet); and by lacking species typical of lower elevation forests. Virginia examples are similar but lack Aesculus flava in areas north of the James River. Liriodendron tulipifera, Fraxinus americana, Tilia americana (both var. heterophylla and var. americana), and Quercus rubra are the most important canopy species. Acer saccharum, Betula lenta, Carya glabra, and Carya cordiformis are minor canopy associates. Ulmus rubra is a constant understory tree that occasionally reaches the overstory. Most occurrences have a patchy to moderately dense shrub layer dominated by Lindera benzoin (10-25% mean cover in 51 plots). The herbaceous flora is lush and forb-rich, at least early in the growing season. The most characteristic herbs in Virginia plot samples are Actaea racemosa, Arisaema triphyllum, Circaea lutetiana ssp. canadensis, Sanguinaria canadensis, Stellaria pubera, Osmorhiza claytonii, Amphicarpaea bracteata, Adiantum pedatum, Asarum canadense, Galearis spectabilis, Ageratina altissima var. altissima, Laportea canadensis, and Trillium grandiflorum. Species richness of 51 Virginia plots ranges from 29 to 98 taxa per 400 m2 (mean = 60).
Dynamics: The contemporary abundance of Liriodendron tulipifera in this association no doubt reflects the influence of past logging. However, it is likely that Liriodendron has always been a component of this vegetation, capable of maintaining a position in these mixed forests because of its rapid growth and superior ability to colonize light gaps caused by downfalls (Fowells 1965, Busing 1995). An abundance of Acer saccharum in the understory of some stands of this type also suggests that their composition is a temporary (though long-lasting) seral phase following extensive disturbances which favored Liriodendron tulipifera.
Environmental Description: This association is characteristic of concave lower slopes and flats at middle elevations (610-1370 m [2000-4500 feet]) in the Southern Blue Ridge and at low to middle elevations (200-915 m [650-3000 feet]) in the Northern Blue Ridge and adjacent Ridge and Valley. At the northern end of the range in Virginia, maximum elevation decreases from about 760 m (2500 feet) in the Southern Blue Ridge to as low as 200 m (650 feet) at the extreme north end of the Blue Ridge in Clarke and Loudoun counties. In Virginia, stands occupy mesic sites underlain by base-rich substrates, including metabasalt (greenstone), pyroxene-bearing granites, amphibolite, calcareous sandstone, siltstone, shale, limestone, and dolomite. These sites are mostly situated on moderately steep (mean slope = 17°), straight or concave slopes with east to northeast aspects. Soils are deep, dark and fertile, with moderately high mean calcium and magnesium levels.
Geographic Range: This association occurs in the southern and central Appalachian Mountains of eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, South Carolina, northeastern Georgia, and Virginia. It appears to be most frequent on the Blue Ridge proper, with the northernmost occurrence at Harpers Ferry in Loudoun County, Virginia and Washington County, Maryland, but ranges into the adjacent Ridge and Valley and extreme northern part of the Cumberland Mountains in Virginia.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: GA, MD, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685727
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4
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.3 Appalachian-Interior-Northeastern Mesic Forest Macrogroup | M883 | 1.B.2.Na.3 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Na.3.a American Beech - Tuliptree - Yellow Buckeye Forest Group | G020 | 1.B.2.Na.3.a |
| Alliance | A0235 Tuliptree - Appalachian Basswood - Yellow Buckeye Forest Alliance | A0235 | 1.B.2.Na.3.a |
| Association | CEGL007710 Tuliptree - White Ash - (Yellow Buckeye) / Black Baneberry - Canadian Woodnettle Forest | CEGL007710 | 1.B.2.Na.3.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Liriodendron tulipifera - Fraxinus americana - Tilia americana / Lindera benzoin / Cimicifuga racemosa - Laportea canadensis Forest (Fleming et al. 2007b)
> Liriodendron tulipifera - Quercus rubra - Magnolia acuminata / Cornus florida Forest (Fleming and Coulling 2001)
= Liriodendron tulipifera - Tilia americana - Fraxinus americana / Lindera benzoin / Trillium grandiflorum - Impatiens pallida Forest (Fleming and Coulling 2001)
= Rich Cove Forest (Montane Intermediate Subtype) (Schafale 2012)
< Yellow-Poplar - White Oak - Northern Red Oak: 59 (Eyre 1980)
> Liriodendron tulipifera - Quercus rubra - Magnolia acuminata / Cornus florida Forest (Fleming and Coulling 2001)
= Liriodendron tulipifera - Tilia americana - Fraxinus americana / Lindera benzoin / Trillium grandiflorum - Impatiens pallida Forest (Fleming and Coulling 2001)
= Rich Cove Forest (Montane Intermediate Subtype) (Schafale 2012)
< Yellow-Poplar - White Oak - Northern Red Oak: 59 (Eyre 1980)
- Busing, R. F. 1995. Disturbance and population dynamics of Liriodendron tulipifera: Simulations with a spatial model of forest succession. Journal of Ecology 83:4.
- 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. 2002b. Preliminary classification of Piedmont & Inner Coastal Plain vegetation types in Virginia. Natural Heritage Technical Report 02-14. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond. 29 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/]
- Fleming, G. P., K. Taverna, and P. P. Coulling. 2007b. Vegetation classification for the National Capitol Region parks, eastern region. Regional (VA-MD-DC) analysis prepared for NatureServe and USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, March 2007. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond.
- Fleming, G. P., and K. D. Patterson. 2003. Preliminary vegetation classification for the National Capitol Region parks. Regional (VA-WVA-MD-DC) analysis prepared for NatureServe and USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, March 2003. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond.
- Fleming, G. P., and K. D. Patterson. 2009a. A vegetation classification for the Appalachian Trail: Virginia south to Georgia. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage. In-house analysis, March 2009.
- Fleming, G. P., and K. D. Patterson. 2009b. Classification of selected Virginia montane wetland groups. In-house analysis, December 2009. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond.
- Fleming, G. P., and K. Taverna. 2006. Vegetation classification for the National Capitol Region parks, western region. Regional (VA-WVA-MD-DC) analysis prepared for NatureServe and USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, March 2006. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond.
- Fleming, G. P., and P. P. Coulling. 2001. Ecological communities of the George Washington and Jefferson national forests, Virginia. Preliminary classification and description of vegetation types. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond, VA. 317 pp.
- Fleming, G. P., and W. H. Moorhead, III. 2000. Plant communities and ecological land units of the Peter''s Mountain area, James River Ranger District, George Washington and Jefferson national forests, Virginia. Natural Heritage Technical Report 00-07. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond. Unpublished report submitted to the USDA Forest Service. 195 pp. plus appendices.
- Fleming, Gary P. Personal communication. Ecologist, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond, VA.
- Fowells, H. A, compiler. 1965. Silvics of the forest trees of the United States. Agriculture Handbook No. 271. USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC. 762 pp.
- Major, C. S., C. Bailey, J. Donaldson, R. McCoy, C. Nordman, M. Williams, and D. Withers. 1999. An ecological inventory of selected sites in the Cherokee National Forest. Cost Share Agreement #99-CCS-0804-001. Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Tennessee Division of Natural Heritage, Nashville, TN.
- NatureServe Ecology - Southeastern United States. No date. Unpublished data. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- Peet, R. K., T. R. Wentworth, M. P. Schafale, and A.S. Weakley. No date. Unpublished data of the North Carolina Vegetation Survey. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
- 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.
- Schafale, Mike P. Personal communication. Ecologist, North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- TDNH [Tennessee Division of Natural Heritage]. 2018. Unpublished data. Tennessee Division of Natural Heritage, Nashville, TN.
- WVNHP [West Virginia Natural Heritage Program]. No date. Unpublished data. West Virginia Natural Heritage Program, Elkins.
- Young, J., G. Fleming, P. Townsend, and J. Foster. 2006. Vegetation of Shenandoah National Park in relation to environmental gradients. Final Report (v.1.1). Research technical report prepared for USDI, National Park Service. USGS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Program. 92 pp. plus appendices.
- Young, J., G. Fleming, W. Cass, and C. Lea. 2009. Vegetation of Shenandoah National Park in relation to environmental gradients, Version 2.0. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2009/142. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 389 pp.