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CEGL008539 Pinus strobus - Quercus alba - Quercus montana / Vaccinium stamineum Forest

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Eastern White Pine - White Oak - Chestnut Oak / Deerberry Forest

Colloquial Name: Central Appalachian-Piedmont White Pine - Subxeric Oak Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: The known range of this community includes the Central Appalachian region of Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia, and the northern and central Piedmont of Virginia. The type is particularly abundant and widespread on low shale mountains and hills in west-central Virginia and adjacent West Virginia. Sites are underlain primarily by shale and similar sedimentary rocks (siltstone, metasiltstone, phyllite) or, less commonly, sandstone in the mountains and by a variety of acidic metamorphic and igneous rocks in the Piedmont. Stands occupy middle and upper slopes, ridge crests, dry ravines, and bluffs, mostly below 760 m (2500 feet) elevation in the mountains and above 75 m (240 feet) in the Piedmont. Aspect is variable, and site moisture is typically assessed as subxeric or submesic. Vegetation is a mixed forest, with canopies varying from closed to somewhat open, codominated by Pinus strobus (25-75% canopy cover) and various oaks, particularly Quercus alba, Quercus coccinea, Quercus velutina, Quercus rubra, and Quercus montana. Minor canopy associates include Acer rubrum, Carya tomentosa, Carya glabra, Fagus grandifolia (mostly Piedmont), Liriodendron tulipifera, Nyssa sylvatica, Pinus virginiana, Quercus falcata (mostly Piedmont), Quercus velutina, and Tsuga canadensis. Understory trees include Acer rubrum, Oxydendrum arboreum, and Nyssa sylvatica, which may be abundant, along with Cornus florida. The shrub layer is predominantly ericaceous and varies from sparse and patchy to occasionally dense, with Vaccinium stamineum, Vaccinium pallidum, Gaylussacia baccata, and Kalmia latifolia being characteristic. Other frequent but lower-cover shrub-layer species include Amelanchier arborea, Viburnum acerifolium, Smilax rotundifolia, Smilax glauca, Sassafras albidum, and Diospyros virginiana. The herb layer is characterized by species tolerant of dry, acidic soils; it is usually sparse but occasionally contains dense graminoid patches of Danthonia spicata, Deschampsia flexuosa, or Carex pensylvanica.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: In Virginia, many stands of oak/heath are succeeding to ~Pinus strobus - Quercus alba - Quercus montana / Vaccinium stamineum Forest (CEGL008539)$$ because of fire exclusion. The circumscription of this type is based on analysis of 16 plot samples from the Virginia Piedmont and Blue Ridge, and Maryland Ridge and Valley, with an additional 16 plots from the environs of the Bluestone River, West Virginia. Additional data, particularly from Central Appalachian regions where white pine is prevalent, would assist in making the classification more robust and identifying potential regional patterns of variation. Central Appalachian white pine - hardwood forests are distinguished from similar vegetation of the Southern Appalachians, e.g., ~Pinus strobus - Quercus alba - (Carya tomentosa) / Gaylussacia ursina Forest (CEGL007517)$$ and ~Pinus strobus - Quercus (coccinea, montana) / (Gaylussacia ursina, Vaccinium stamineum) Forest (CEGL007519)$$ by the absence of Southern Appalachian species such as Gaylussacia ursina, Eubotrys recurvus, Rhododendron minus, Arundinaria gigantea, and Hydrangea radiata. Six plots from the southern part of the Central Appalachians were classified as this association in the Appalachian Trail classification project (Fleming and Patterson 2009a).

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: Vegetation is a mixed forest, with canopies varying from closed to somewhat open, codominated by Pinus strobus (25-75% canopy cover) and various oaks, particularly Quercus alba, Quercus coccinea, Quercus velutina, Quercus rubra, and Quercus montana (= Quercus prinus). Minor canopy associates include Acer rubrum, Carya tomentosa (= Carya alba), Carya glabra, Fagus grandifolia (mostly Piedmont), Liriodendron tulipifera, Nyssa sylvatica, Pinus virginiana, Quercus falcata (mostly Piedmont), Quercus velutina, and Tsuga canadensis. In addition, Acer rubrum, Oxydendrum arboreum, and Nyssa sylvatica are abundant understory trees, along with Cornus florida. The shrub layer is predominantly ericaceous and varies from sparse and patchy to occasionally dense. Vaccinium stamineum, Vaccinium pallidum, Gaylussacia baccata, and Kalmia latifolia are characteristic ericads. Other frequent but lower-cover shrub-layer species include Amelanchier arborea, Viburnum acerifolium, Smilax rotundifolia, Smilax glauca, Sassafras albidum, and Diospyros virginiana. The herb layer is typically sparse and characterized by species tolerant of dry, acidic soils. It consists mostly of woody seedlings and scattered individuals of Chimaphila maculata, Polygonatum biflorum, Mitchella repens, Cypripedium acaule, Dioscorea quaternata, Conopholis americana, Houstonia longifolia, Antennaria plantaginifolia, Zizia trifoliata, Gaultheria procumbens, Cunila origanoides, Potentilla simplex, and Viola x palmata. Occasional stands, especially on shale substrates, contain dense graminoid patches of Danthonia spicata, Deschampsia flexuosa, or Carex pensylvanica. Species richness of plot-sampled stands ranged from 16 to 65 taxa per 400 m2 (mean = 36) in the VA and MD plots and from 20 to 53 (mean = 33.5) species per 200 m2 in the WV plots.

Dynamics:  The successional status of this community is somewhat unclear. At some sites, it appears that Pinus strobus has increased greatly following logging disturbances or fire exclusion, and that the white pine-hardwood forest is characteristic of secondary succession in disturbed oak forests. However, Rhoades (1995) describes a mature mixed oak forest (primarily Quercus montana and Quercus coccinea) that underwent rapid change toward an oak-maple-white pine composition over a 20-year period. In 1971, Pinus strobus was present only as small seedlings, but by 1994 it had assumed dominance of the sapling class. This suggests that in some situations, particularly in the absence of fire, this forest may be a late-successional or climax community type. In a study along the Bluestone River in West Virginia, some stands of this association have some shade-tolerant, mesophytic trees such as Acer saccharum var. saccharum, Tsuga canadensis, and Fagus grandifolia in the understory, which may indicate successional trends; in other stands, however, there is evidence of abundant oak regeneration.
Environmental Description:  Sites are underlain primarily by shale and similar sedimentary rocks (siltstone, metasiltstone, phyllite) or, less commonly, sandstone in the mountains and by a variety of acidic metamorphic and igneous rocks in the Piedmont. Stands occupy middle and upper slopes, ridge crests, dry ravines, and bluffs, mostly below 760 m (2500 feet) elevation in the mountains and above 75 m (240 feet) in the Piedmont. At least in West Virginia, it occurs in large patches in all slope positions on southwesterly aspects and becomes restricted to smaller patches on ridge spurs and convex upper slopes on cooler aspects. Aspect is variable, and site moisture is typically assessed as subxeric or submesic. Soils are extremely acidic (mean pH = 4.2) with very low base cation levels. Chemical analysis of soils from 16 sites near the Bluestone River in West Virginia showed soils with relatively high levels of organic matter, estimated N release, S, Al, and Fe, and relatively low levels of B, Ca, Cu, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, and Zn compared to average values in the area.
Geographic Range: The known range of this community includes the Central Appalachian region of Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia, and the northern and central Piedmont of Virginia. The type is particularly abundant and widespread on low shale mountains and hills in the west-central Virginia (Alleghany, Bath, and Craig counties) and adjacent West Virginia (Pendleton and Pocahontas counties).

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  MD, VA, WV


Confidence Level: High

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.2 Appalachian-Northeastern Oak - Hardwood - Pine Forest & Woodland Macrogroup M502 1.B.2.Na.2
Group 1.B.2.Na.2.c White Oak - Chestnut Oak - Pignut Hickory Forest & Woodland Group G650 1.B.2.Na.2.c
Alliance A4435 Chestnut Oak / Mountain Laurel - Blue Ridge Blueberry Forest Alliance A4435 1.B.2.Na.2.c
Association CEGL008539 Eastern White Pine - White Oak - Chestnut Oak / Deerberry Forest CEGL008539 1.B.2.Na.2.c
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Pinus strobus - Quercus alba - Quercus (coccinea, prinus) / Gaylussacia baccata - Vaccinium stamineum Forest (Fleming and Patterson 2003)
= Pinus strobus - Quercus alba - Quercus coccinea / Vaccinium stamineum Forest (Fleming and Coulling 2001)
= Pinus strobus - Quercus montana / Kalmia latifolia Forest (Fleming and Weber 2003)
> Quercus montana - Pinus strobus / Ostrya virginiana Forest (Fleming and Moorhead 2000)
< White Pine - Chestnut Oak: 51 (Eyre 1980)
= White Pine - Mixed Oak (Rentch et al. 2005)
Concept Author(s): G.P. Fleming and P.P. Coulling (2001)

Author of Description: G.P. Fleming, P.P. Coulling, S.C. Gawler

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 01-29-08
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  • 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.
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  • 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.
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  • Rentch, J. S., R. H. Forney, S. L. Stephenson, H. S. Adams, W. N. Grafton, R. B. Coxe, and H. H. Mills. 2005. Vegetation patterns within the lower Bluestone River gorge in southern West Virginia. Castanea 70:170-183.
  • Rhoades, R. W. 1995. Succession in a mature oak forest in southwest Virginia. Castanea 60:98-106.
  • 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.
  • Vanderhorst, J. P., B. P. Streets, J. Jeuck, and S. C. Gawler. 2008. Vegetation classification and mapping of Bluestone National Scenic River, West Virginia. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2008/106. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Vanderhorst, J. P., J. Jeuck, and S. C. Gawler. 2007. Vegetation classification and mapping of New River Gorge National River, West Virginia. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR-2007/092. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 396 pp.
  • WVNHP [West Virginia Natural Heritage Program]. No date. Unpublished data. West Virginia Natural Heritage Program, Elkins.