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CEGL006976 Betula nigra - Acer rubrum - (Liquidambar styraciflua) / Microstegium vimineum Ruderal Floodplain Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: River Birch - Red Maple - (Sweetgum) / Nepalese Browntop Ruderal Floodplain Forest
Colloquial Name: Northern Coastal Plain Ruderal Floodplain Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This ruderal floodplain forest ranges from central Virginia to New Jersey on the Coastal Plain and, in some areas, the eastern edge of the Piedmont. The sites occupied by this community are typically recovering from disturbances such as logging or undergoing natural succession from open wetland to forest. Habitats are temporarily flooded to somewhat seasonally flooded alluvial floodplains of small to large streams. Soils are relatively nutrient-poor, have high silt or clay content, and vary from well-drained to somewhat poorly drained. The vegetation is mostly closed-canopy forest dominated by Acer rubrum, solely or in combination with Betula nigra. On some sites, Liquidambar styraciflua and/or Platanus occidentalis are important in the overstory mixtures. Potential successor trees, such as Ulmus americana, Liriodendron tulipifera, Quercus phellos, Quercus palustris, Quercus michauxii, Nyssa sylvatica, and Fraxinus pennsylvanica, occur as minor overstory or understory associates. The shrub and herb layers are variable. On very disturbed sites, near-monocultures of the exotic grass Microstegium vimineum may dominate the herb layer.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Classification of this type was originally based on a group of 15 Virginia and Maryland plots that emerged in the analysis of a 1300-plot regional (VA, MD, DC) dataset for the National Capital Region vegetation mapping project. It has been supplemented by additional observation point data in the NCR Parks, Mid-Atlantic Region Parks, and elsewhere.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This is a mostly closed-canopy forest dominated by Acer rubrum, solely or in combination with Betula nigra. On some sites, Liquidambar styraciflua and/or Platanus occidentalis are important in the overstory mixtures. Potential successor trees, such as Ulmus americana, Liriodendron tulipifera, Quercus phellos, Quercus palustris, Quercus michauxii, Nyssa sylvatica, and Fraxinus pennsylvanica, occur as minor overstory or understory associates. The shrub layer is usually open or patchy, with Lindera benzoin the most frequent species, and Carpinus caroliniana, Ilex opaca, and Viburnum dentatum important in some stands. Woody vines of Smilax rotundifolia, Toxicodendron radicans, Campsis radicans, and Lonicera japonica are abundant. The herb layer is variable, with Boehmeria cylindrica, Lycopus virginicus, Glyceria striata, Cinna arundinacea, Carex intumescens, Impatiens capensis, Arisaema triphyllum, Leersia virginica, Dichanthelium clandestinum, Chasmanthium laxum, and Thelypteris noveboracensis most frequent. On very disturbed sites, near-monocultures of the exotic grass Microstegium vimineum may dominate the herb layer.
Dynamics: This community is an early-successional type that becomes established on abandoned fields or clearcuts in floodplains. Some of the stands of better-drained floodplains probably succeed to ~Liquidambar styraciflua - Liriodendron tulipifera / Lindera benzoin / Arisaema triphyllum Floodplain Forest (CEGL004418)$$, a longer-lived mid-successional forest of overlapping range. On more poorly drained sites, stands probably succeed over time to one of the floodplain communities characterized by Acer rubrum and hydrophytic oaks, e.g., ~Quercus (phellos, palustris, michauxii) - Liquidambar styraciflua / Cinna arundinacea Floodplain Forest (CEGL006605)$$.
Environmental Description: Stands are found on temporarily flooded to somewhat seasonally flooded alluvial floodplains of small to large streams. Soils are relatively nutrient-poor, have high silt or clay content, and vary from well-drained to somewhat poorly drained. The sites occupied by this community are typically recovering from disturbances such as logging or undergoing natural succession from open wetland to forest.
Geographic Range: This vegetation ranges from east-central Virginia to New Jersey on the Coastal Plain. It also occurs on the eastern edge of the Piedmont in Virginia and possibly Maryland.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685866
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNA
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.90 Red Maple - Box-elder - American Sycamore Eastern North American Ruderal Flooded & Swamp Forest Macrogroup | M302 | 1.B.3.Na.90 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Na.90.a Red Maple - Green Ash - Box-elder Ruderal Flooded & Swamp Forest Group | G552 | 1.B.3.Na.90.a |
| Alliance | A4099 Box-elder - River Birch / Garlic Mustard Ruderal Floodplain Forest Alliance | A4099 | 1.B.3.Na.90.a |
| Association | CEGL006976 River Birch - Red Maple - (Sweetgum) / Nepalese Browntop Ruderal Floodplain Forest | CEGL006976 | 1.B.3.Na.90.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Acer rubrum - (Betula nigra) / Toxicodendron radicans Forest (Lea 2003)
= Acer rubrum - Betula nigra / Smilax rotundifolia Forest (Fleming 2002b)
= Acer rubrum - Betula nigra / Smilax rotundifolia Forest (Fleming 2002a)
= Acer rubrum - Betula nigra / Toxicodendron radicans Forest (Fleming and Patterson 2003)
= Betula nigra - Acer rubrum - (Liquidambar styraciflua, Platanus occidentalis) Successional Forest (Fleming et al. 2007b)
= Betula nigra / Ilex decidua / Boehmeria cylindrica - Lycopus rubellus Forest (Walton et al. 2001)
= Acer rubrum - Betula nigra / Smilax rotundifolia Forest (Fleming 2002b)
= Acer rubrum - Betula nigra / Smilax rotundifolia Forest (Fleming 2002a)
= Acer rubrum - Betula nigra / Toxicodendron radicans Forest (Fleming and Patterson 2003)
= Betula nigra - Acer rubrum - (Liquidambar styraciflua, Platanus occidentalis) Successional Forest (Fleming et al. 2007b)
= Betula nigra / Ilex decidua / Boehmeria cylindrica - Lycopus rubellus Forest (Walton et al. 2001)
- 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.
- Fleming, G. P. 2002a. Ecological communities of the Bull Run Mountains, Virginia: Baseline vegetation and floristic data for conservation planning and natural area stewardship. Natural Heritage Technical Report 02-12. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond. 274 pp. plus appendices.
- 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. 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.
- Lea, C. 2003. Vegetation types in the National Capital Region Parks. Draft for review by NatureServe, Virginia Natural Heritage, West Virginia Natural Heritage, Maryland Natural Heritage, and National Park Service. March 2003. 140 pp.
- Lea, C., L. A. Sneddon, and E. Eastman. 2012. Vegetation classification and mapping at Thomas Stone National Historic Site, Maryland. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2012/550. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- McCoy, K. M., and G. P. Fleming. 2000. Ecological communities of U.S. Army Garrison, Fort Belvoir, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Unpublished report submitted to the U.S. Army. Natural Heritage Technical Report 00-08. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond. 156 pp. plus appendices.
- Patterson, K. D. 2008e. Vegetation classification and mapping at Petersburg National Battlefield, Virginia. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2008/127. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 235 pp.
- Taverna, K. and K. D. Patterson. 2008. Vegetation classification and mapping at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, Virginia. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR-2008/126. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 277 pp.
- Walton, D. P., P. P. Coulling, J. Weber, A. Belden, Jr., and A. C. Chazal. 2001. A plant community classification and natural heritage inventory of the Pamunkey River floodplain. Unpublished report submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Natural Heritage Technical Report 01-19. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond. 200 pp. plus appendices.