Print Report

CEGL006036 Platanus occidentalis - Fraxinus pennsylvanica Floodplain Forest

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: American Sycamore - Green Ash Floodplain Forest

Colloquial Name: Riverine Floodplain Forest (Early-Successional Type)

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This floodplain forest of the northeastern United States, primarily in the northern Piedmont, is a broadly defined successional or young version of medium-gradient river floodplain forest occurring on coarse alluvial substrates. The canopy is closed to somewhat open and usually dominated by Platanus occidentalis. Populus deltoides, Acer saccharinum, and Ulmus americana are usually present but not common; occasional associates include Acer negundo, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Juglans cinerea, Carya cordiformis, Celtis occidentalis, Acer saccharum, and Acer rubrum. Shrubs or subcanopy are variable depending on geography and can include Betula nigra, Carpinus caroliniana, Salix nigra, Lindera benzoin, or Alnus serrulata, plus exotic invasives such as Rosa multiflora, Berberis thunbergii, and Lonicera morrowii. The herbaceous layer tends to be sparse to locally abundant and can include Matteuccia struthiopteris, Osmunda cinnamomea, Onoclea sensibilis, Geum canadense, Impatiens pallida, Boehmeria cylindrica, Urtica dioica, Solidago rugosa, Hydrophyllum virginianum, Carex bromoides, Ageratina altissima, plus vine species Toxicodendron radicans and Parthenocissus quinquefolia. There is typically a very high component of disturbance-tolerant exotic species such as Lysimachia nummularia, Glechoma hederacea, Microstegium vimineum, Hesperis matronalis, Aegopodium podagraria, Polygonum cuspidatum, and Alliaria petiolata.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This type is not tracked as a separate floodplain element in Vermont. Related vegetation in Virginia is treated as ~Liriodendron tulipifera - Acer negundo - (Platanus occidentalis) / Carpinus caroliniana / Polygonum virginianum Floodplain Forest (CEGL006492)$$.

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

Floristics: The canopy is closed to somewhat open and usually dominated by Platanus occidentalis. Populus deltoides, Acer saccharinum, and Ulmus americana are usually present but not common; occasional associates include Acer negundo, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Juglans cinerea, Carya cordiformis, Celtis occidentalis, Acer saccharum, and Acer rubrum. Shrubs or subcanopy are variable depending on geography and can include Betula nigra, Carpinus caroliniana, Salix nigra, Lindera benzoin, or Alnus serrulata, plus exotic invasives such as Rosa multiflora, Berberis thunbergii, and Lonicera morrowii. The herbaceous layer tends to be sparse to locally abundant and can include Matteuccia struthiopteris, Osmunda cinnamomea, Onoclea sensibilis, Geum canadense, Impatiens pallida, Boehmeria cylindrica, Urtica dioica, Solidago rugosa, Hydrophyllum virginianum, Carex bromoides, Ageratina altissima (= Eupatorium rugosum), plus vine species Toxicodendron radicans and Parthenocissus quinquefolia. There is typically a very high component of disturbance-tolerant exotic species such as Lysimachia nummularia, Glechoma hederacea, Microstegium vimineum, Hesperis matronalis, Aegopodium podagraria, Polygonum cuspidatum, and Alliaria petiolata.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  Early- to-mid successional forest occurs on cobble or sand substrates of floodplain islands or cobble shores of moderate- to high-energy rivers.
Geographic Range: This association ranges from New England south to Pennsylvania.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CT, DC, DE, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI


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.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 A3701 American Sycamore - Green Ash - Tuliptree Central Appalachian-Piedmont Floodplain Forest Alliance A3701 1.B.3.Na.1.b
Association CEGL006036 American Sycamore - Green Ash Floodplain Forest CEGL006036 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-Green Ash/Boxelder/Spicebush Forest (Clancy 1996)
Concept Author(s): Northern Appalachian Planning Team

Author of Description: S.L. Neid and S.C. Gawler

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 08-24-06
  • Clancy, K. 1996. Natural communities of Delaware. Unpublished review draft. Delaware Natural Heritage Program, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Delaware Division of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Smyrna, DE. 52 pp.
  • 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.
  • Enser, R. W., and J. A. Lundgren. 2006. Natural communities of Rhode Island. A joint project of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Natural Heritage Program and The Nature Conservancy of Rhode Island. Rhode Island Natural History Survey, Kingston. 40 pp. [www.rinhs.org]
  • 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.
  • Frye, R. J., II, and J. A. Quinn. 1979. Forest development in relation to topography and soils on a floodplain of the Raritan River, New Jersey. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 106:334-345.
  • Kearsley, J. 1999b. The natural communities of Massachusetts: Palustrine section. July 1999 Draft. 101 pp.
  • Metzler, K., and J. Barrett. 2006. The vegetation of Connecticut: A preliminary classification. State Geological and Natural History Survey, Report of Investigations No. 12. Connecticut Natural Diversity Database, Hartford, CT.
  • Newbold, A. 1994. Report of wetlands vegetation study, 1994, Valley Forge National Historical Park. Unpublished report. 6 pp.
  • Newbold, A., J. Evert, and J. Holt. 1988. Rare plant and general flora survey of the White Clay Creek Park, Newcastle County, Delaware. 40 pp.
  • Nichols, W. F., J. M. Hoy, and D. D. Sperduto. 2001. Open riparian communities and riparian complexes in New Hampshire. New Hampshire Natural Heritage Inventory, DRED Division of Forests and Lands, Concord, NH. 82 pp. plus appendices.
  • Overlease, W. R. 1978. A study of forest communities in southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. Proceedings of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science 52:37-44.
  • Overlease, W. R. 1987. 150 years of vegetation change in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Bartonia 53:1-12.
  • Perles, S. J., G. S. Podniesinski, E. Eastman, L. A. Sneddon, and S. C. Gawler. 2007. Classification and mapping of vegetation and fire fuel models at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2007/076. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 2 volumes.
  • 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. S., L. A. Sneddon, J. Lundgren, H. Devine, B. Slocumb, and F. Koch. 2005b. Vegetation classification and mapping of Valley Forge National Historical Park. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2005/028. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 129 pp.
  • Russell, E. W. B., and A. E. Schuyler. 1988. Vegetation and flora of Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, eastern Pennsylvania. Bartonia 54:124-143.
  • Sperduto, D. D., and W. F. Nichols. 2004. Natural communities of New Hampshire: A guide and classification. New Hampshire Natural Heritage Bureau, DRED Division of Forests and Lands, Concord. 242 pp.
  • Swain, P. C., and J. B. Kearsley. 2014. Classification of the natural communities of Massachusetts. Version 2.0. Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Westborough, MA. [http://www.mass.gov/nhesp/http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/natural-heritage/natural-communities/classification-of-natural-communities.html]
  • WPC and TNC [Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy]. 2002. Classification, assessment, and protection of forest floodplain wetlands of the Susquehanna drainage. Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, Harrisburg, PA. 160 pp.
  • Wistendahl, W. A. 1958. The flood plain of the Raritan River, New Jersey. Ecological Monographs 28:129-153.