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CEGL004638 Quercus nigra Ruderal Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Water Oak Ruderal Forest
Colloquial Name: Ruderal Water Oak Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This community is a result of soil disturbance and/or fire suppression of upland pinelands of the Southeastern Coastal Plain and of pinelands and subsequent old fields in the adjacent Piedmont areas. South of the range of southern yellow pines, this community is found on spoil banks, artificial levees, and other anthropogenic landforms in a marsh and swamp landscape context. This association occurs on mesic or dry-mesic sites, especially on loamy or other fine-textured soils (in contrast to ~Quercus hemisphaerica - Quercus nigra Forest Alliance (A0053)$$, which occurs primarily on coarse-textured sands in drier situations). Quercus nigra dominates the tree canopy. Other oaks (e.g., Quercus falcata, Quercus phellos, Quercus hemisphaerica) may be intermixed, as well as Liquidambar styraciflua, remnant Pinus palustris, weedy Pinus elliottii var. elliottii, Carya spp., or Pinus taeda. In the Upper Gulf Coastal Plain of Georgia, some examples may contain Fagus grandifolia, Liriodendron tulipifera, Carya tomentosa, and Cornus florida in the subcanopy.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: The "successional" and "ruderal" aspects of this association may need to be teased apart.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The canopy of this association is dominated by Quercus nigra. Other oaks may be intermixed, especially Quercus phellos, as well as Quercus falcata, Quercus hemisphaerica, Liquidambar styraciflua, remnant Pinus palustris, weedy Pinus elliottii var. elliottii, Carya spp., or Pinus taeda. In the Upper Gulf Coastal Plain of Georgia, some examples may contain Fagus grandifolia, Liriodendron tulipifera, Carya tomentosa (= Carya alba), and Cornus florida in the subcanopy.
Dynamics: This community occurs as a successional community following either degradation of pinelands or recovery from agricultural disturbance of old fields in fairly sandy soils, as well as other forms of soil disturbance in the southern coastal plains and adjacent Piedmont. In the Piedmont area of South Carolina, this is reported to occur on areas formerly codominated by Quercus oglethorpensis. In these areas, the Quercus oglethorpensis still survives, making this modified community of more conservation value in those areas. This manifestation may be an altered version of a natural association, and not strictly "ruderal."
Environmental Description: This community is a result of disturbance and/or fire suppression of upland pinelands of the southeastern Coastal Plain and adjacent Piedmont. South of the range of southern yellow pines, this community is found on highly disturbed upland sites, spoil banks, artificial levees, and other anthropogenic landforms in a marsh and swamp landscape context. It occurs on mesic or dry-mesic sites, especially on loamy or other fine-textured soils. In the Piedmont transition of South Carolina, it may have grown out of areas that were heavily farmed or cut over in the past but which did not grow up into Pinus taeda forests.
Geographic Range: This community is distributed throughout the southeastern United States, including within the traditional range of longleaf pine communities, mainly in the Coastal Plain from Texas up through at least South Carolina. In some parts of its range in South Carolina and Georgia, the community may be found in the Piedmont within 50 to 70 miles of the fall-line and may share dominance with other successional pine-dominated communities more common in the Piedmont. It is also found south of where pines dominate the landscape, as in southern Louisiana.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AL, FL?, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, TX?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685887
Confidence Level: Low
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.1 Warm Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation | F018 | 1.B.1 |
| Division | 1.B.1.Na Southeastern North American Forest & Woodland Division | D006 | 1.B.1.Na |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.1.Na.90 Sweetgum - Loblolly Pine - Chinese Tallow Ruderal Forest Macrogroup | M305 | 1.B.1.Na.90 |
| Group | 1.B.1.Na.90.a Loblolly Pine - Sweetgum - Chinese Tallow Ruderal Forest Group | G031 | 1.B.1.Na.90.a |
| Alliance | A3232 Sweetgum - Sugarberry - Water Oak Ruderal Forest Alliance | A3232 | 1.B.1.Na.90.a |
| Association | CEGL004638 Water Oak Ruderal Forest | CEGL004638 | 1.B.1.Na.90.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
- GNHP [Georgia Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data. Georgia Natural Heritage Program, Wildlife Resources Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Social Circle.
- McCrain, G. R., and B. H. Church. 1985. An analysis of past and present plant community patterns in Moores Creek National Battlefield along with associated impacts affecting distribution and restoration. Prepared by Resource Management Co., Raleigh, NC, under Purchase Order Number PX-5550-3-0062 for the USDI, National Park Service, Southeast Regional Office, Atlanta, GA.
- McManamay, R. H., A. Curtis, and M. W. Byrne. 2012a. Vegetation mapping at Moores Creek National Battlefield. Natural Resource Data Series NPS/SECN/NRDS--2012/319. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 173 pp.
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- White, R. D., Jr., and T. Govus. 2003. Vascular plant inventory and plant community classification for Ninety Six National Historic Site. Prepared for the National Park Service. NatureServe, Durham, NC. 146 pp.