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CEGL006097 Pinus rigida - Quercus ilicifolia / Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Scrub
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Pitch Pine - Bear Oak / Bearberry Scrub
Colloquial Name: Northern Dwarf Pine Plains
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This dwarf pine plains community of Long Island, New York, is characterized by a canopy codominated by dwarfed pitch pine and scrub oak ranging in height from 1.2-2.4 m. The community occurs on coarse, xeric infertile sands of a nearly level outwash plain. The community is depauperate in vascular plants, with most of the biomass composed of Pinus rigida, Quercus ilicifolia, Gaylussacia baccata, Vaccinium pallidum, Hudsonia ericoides, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, and Gaultheria procumbens. Lichens make up a substantial portion of the ground layer and include Cetraria arenaria, Cladonia arbuscula ssp. mitis, Cladonia submitis, Cladonia stellaris, Cladonia cristatella, Punctelia rudecta, Parmelia saxatilis, and Peltigera canina. Sandy openings often support Hudsonia ericoides, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Gaultheria procumbens, as well as forbs such as Ionactis linariifolius, Polygonella articulata, and Hypericum gentianoides. This community is the favored nesting habitat for the prairie warbler and brown thrasher, and is prime habitat for the pine barrens buck moth.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This community grades into a more common coastal pitch pine-oak heath woodland but is less diverse in its vascular plant species. It is distinguished primarily by the height of the canopy pines which are usually only 1.2-2.4 m tall. In this community and other "dwarf pine" types it is the unique physiognomy of the community that is responsible for the high global rank rather than its floristic composition.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The canopy consists of dwarfed Pinus rigida and Quercus ilicifolia, generally from 1.2-2.4 m tall. In places it may form a dense thicket. The majority of the biomass in the community is made up of these two species plus five others: Gaylussacia baccata, Vaccinium pallidum, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Hudsonia ericoides, and Gaultheria procumbens. The ground cover under the pines and oaks includes many foliose and fruticose lichens such as Cetraria arenaria, Cladonia arbuscula ssp. mitis (= Cladina mitis), Cladonia cristatella, Punctelia rudecta (= Parmelia rudecta), Parmelia saxatilis, and Peltigera canina. The lichen flora is probably more diverse than the vascular flora. Sandy openings in the shrub thicket characteristically contain a few herbs such as Polygonella articulata, Ionactis linariifolius, and Hypericum gentianoides.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This community occurs on nearly level outwash sand and gravel plains. The soils are infertile, coarse-textured sands that are excessively well-drained.
Geographic Range: This dwarf pine plains community is found on eastern Long Island, New York.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: NY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686569
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G1Q
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.9 Pitch Pine - oak spp. - American Holly North Atlantic Forest Macrogroup | M525 | 1.B.2.Na.9 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Na.9.a Pitch Pine Barrens Group | G161 | 1.B.2.Na.9.a |
| Alliance | A0809 Pitch Pine Dwarf-scrub Alliance | A0809 | 1.B.2.Na.9.a |
| Association | CEGL006097 Pitch Pine - Bear Oak / Bearberry Scrub | CEGL006097 | 1.B.2.Na.9.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
- 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.
- Grossman, D. H., K. Lemon Goodin, and C. L. Reuss, editors. 1994. Rare plant communities of the conterminous United States: An initial survey. The Nature Conservancy. Arlington, VA. 620 pp.
- Olsvig, L. S. 1980. A comparative study of northeastern Pine Barrens vegetation. Ph.D. dissertation, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. 479 pp.
- Reschke, C. 1990. Ecological communities of New York State. New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Latham, NY. 96 pp.
- Windisch, A. G. 1994. Preliminary wildfire history for the Long Island central pine barrens. Report to Long Island Chapter of The Nature Conservancy.