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CEGL006184 Betula nigra - Platanus occidentalis / Impatiens capensis Floodplain Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: River Birch - American Sycamore / Orange Jewelweed Floodplain Forest
Colloquial Name: River Birch Low Floodplain Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This Mid-Atlantic floodplain forest of large and moderately large rivers occurs on sandy, gravelly, well-drained soils of levees, gravel bars, braided channels and other areas of frequent flooding. The tree canopy is well-developed and dominated by Betula nigra and Platanus occidentalis, with associates including Acer negundo and occasionally Acer saccharinum and Fraxinus pennsylvanica. The shrub layer can include Cornus amomum, Cornus sericea, and Lindera benzoin. The vine and herb layers are lush and diverse and may include Boehmeria cylindrica, Elymus hystrix, Stellaria pubera, Impatiens capensis, Impatiens pallida, Laportea canadensis, Pilea pumila, Toxicodendron radicans, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Vitis rotundifolia or Vitis riparia, Chasmanthium latifolium, Podophyllum peltatum, Polygonum virginianum, Apocynum cannabinum, and Urtica sp. Exotic species are typical and may include Lysimachia sp., Microstegium vimineum, Lonicera japonica, Lonicera morrowii, Polygonum cuspidatum, Phalaris arundinacea, and Alliaria petiolata.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: No Data Available
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The tree canopy is well-developed and dominated by Betula nigra and Platanus occidentalis, with associates including Acer negundo and occasionally Acer saccharinum and Fraxinus pennsylvanica. The shrub layer can include Cornus amomum, Cornus sericea, and Lindera benzoin. The vine and herb layers are lush and diverse and may include Boehmeria cylindrica, Elymus hystrix, Stellaria pubera, Impatiens capensis, Impatiens pallida, Laportea canadensis, Pilea pumila, Toxicodendron radicans, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Vitis rotundifolia or Vitis riparia, Chasmanthium latifolium (= Uniola latifolia), Podophyllum peltatum, Polygonum virginianum, Apocynum cannabinum, and Urtica sp. Exotic species are typical and may include Lysimachia sp., Microstegium vimineum, Lonicera japonica, Lonicera morrowii, Polygonum cuspidatum, Phalaris arundinacea, and Alliaria petiolata.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This Mid-Atlantic floodplain forest of large and moderately large rivers occurs on sandy, gravelly, well-drained soils of levees, gravel bars, braided channels and other areas of frequent flooding.
Geographic Range: This community is common in the Mid-Atlantic states.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686338
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3Q
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 | CEGL006184 River Birch - American Sycamore / Orange Jewelweed Floodplain Forest | CEGL006184 | 1.B.3.Na.1.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Sycamore - Mixed Hardwood Floodplain Forest (Podniesinski and Wagner 2002)
? Sycamore-river birch-jewelweed floodplain forest (CAP pers. comm. 1998)
? Sycamore-river birch-jewelweed floodplain forest (CAP pers. comm. 1998)
- Bartgis, R. 1986. Natural community descriptions. Unpublished draft. Maryland Natural Heritage Program, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis.
- CAP [Central Appalachian Forest Working Group]. 1998. Central Appalachian Working group discussions. The Nature Conservancy, Boston, MA.
- 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.
- Edinger, G. J., D. J. Evans, S. Gebauer, T. G. Howard, D. M. Hunt, and A. M. Olivero, editors. 2014a. Ecological communities of New York state. Second edition. A revised and expanded edition of Carol Reschke''s ecological communities of New York state. New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, NY.
- Fike, J. 1999. Terrestrial and palustrine plant communities of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Recreation, Bureau of Forestry, Harrisburg, PA. 86 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/]
- Harrison, J. W. 2011. The natural communities of Maryland: 2011 working list of ecological community groups and community types. Unpublished report. Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife and Heritage Service, Natural Heritage Program, Annapolis. 33 pp.
- Harrison, J. W., compiler. 2004. Classification of vegetation communities of Maryland: First iteration. A subset of the International Classification of Ecological Communities: Terrestrial Vegetation of the United States, NatureServe. Maryland Natural Heritage Program, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis. 243 pp.
- Perles, S. J., G. S. Podniesinski, M. Furedi, B. A. Eichelberger, A. Feldmann, G. Edinger, E. Eastman, and L. A. Sneddon. 2008. Vegetation classification and mapping at Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2008/133. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 370 pp.
- Podniesinski, G., and G. Wagner. 2002. Classification, assessment, and protection of forested floodplain wetlands of the Susquehanna drainage. Report submitted to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Pittsburgh, PA, and The Nature Conservancy, Middletown, PA. 159 pp.
- Robichaud, B., and M. F. Buell. 1973. Vegetation of New Jersey. Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, NJ. 340 pp.
- Thomson, D., A. M. Gould, and M. A. Berdine. 1999. Identification and protection of reference wetland natural communities in Maryland: Potomac watershed floodplain forests. The Biodiversity Program, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife and Heritage Division. Annapolis. 119 pp.
- Zimmerman, E. A. 2011l. Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program. Sycamore - Mixed Hardwood Floodplain Forest Factsheet. [http://www.naturalheritage.state.pa.us/Community.aspx?=30019] (accessed January 31, 2012)
- Zimmerman, E. A., T. Davis, M. A. Furedi, B. Eichelberger, J. McPherson, S. Seymour, G. Podniesinski, N. Dewar, and J. Wagner, editors. 2012. Terrestrial and palustrine plant communities of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Harrisburg. [http://www.naturalheritage.state.pa.us/Communities.aspx]