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CEGL007026 Quercus virginiana - Quercus hemisphaerica - Pinus taeda - Quercus falcata / Persea palustris Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Live Oak - Darlington Oak - Loblolly Pine - Southern Red Oak / Swamp Bay Forest
Colloquial Name: Atlantic Coastal Fringe Evergreen Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: These generally closed forests of the mainland coastal fringe of the Atlantic Coast have diverse canopies and well-developed shrub strata. Examples of this association resemble maritime forests of the region, but can be distinguished by a lack of salt pruning due to their occurrence along low, often moist, coastal areas protected from the most constant maritime influences. In addition, examples of this forest are also somewhat more diverse than typical maritime forests of the region and may support species typically lacking from maritime forests, such as Quercus falcata and Carya glabra. Vines are often conspicuous and abundant, but the herbaceous stratum is typically sparse and low in diversity and shares much in common with maritime forests. Canopies are dominated by Quercus virginiana, Quercus hemisphaerica, and Pinus taeda. Possibly the most constant and characteristic understory species is Persea palustris, although others may also be present.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Further analysis is being done to evaluate the relationship of this type to maritime forests of the region (M. Schafale pers. comm.) and may reveal a better distinction between these types in North Carolina. There has been some uncertainty about Persea taxonomy in these communities. At the latitude of North Carolina, most of the Persea is Persea palustris. This ameliorates the problem that Radford, Ahles, and Bell lumped Persea borbonia and Persea palustris and that most of this North Carolina maritime sampling work was completed prior to the widespread recognition of Persea palustris. It is clear that Persea as a genus is more constant and abundant than Ilex vomitoria in this coastal fringe type than in the related maritime forest (M. Schafale pers. comm.).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: These closed forests have diverse canopies and well-developed shrub strata. Vines are often conspicuous and abundant. Herb strata are typically sparse and low in diversity. Canopies are dominated by Quercus virginiana, Quercus hemisphaerica, and Pinus taeda and may also contain other species such as Quercus falcata, Carya glabra, Quercus nigra, and Pinus palustris. The presence of Quercus falcata and Carya glabra (in low levels of abundance) may help distinguish this type from closely related maritime forests from which it is typically absent (M. Schafale pers. comm.). Understory species include Persea palustris (with both high constancy and relative abundance), Magnolia virginiana, Osmanthus americanus var. americanus, Ilex opaca, Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola, and Sassafras albidum. Typical shrubs include Ilex vomitoria, Morella cerifera (= Myrica cerifera), Hamamelis virginiana, and Sabal minor. Vines include Vitis rotundifolia, Smilax bona-nox, Gelsemium sempervirens, Campsis radicans. Common herbaceous species are Mitchella repens and Asplenium platyneuron var. platyneuron (Schafale and Weakley 1990). When this community occurs over sands with a high shell content, it may be quite diverse and contain species such as Tilia americana var. caroliniana, Magnolia grandiflora, Celtis laevigata, Quercus pagoda, and Quercus shumardii (Schafale and Weakley 1990).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This community occurs over moist, sandy soils, on low areas of the mainland Atlantic Coast (Schafale and Weakley 1990). These areas are protected from the most extreme maritime influences (i.e., salt spray), but are susceptible to high winds and flooding during hurricanes.
Geographic Range: This community occurs on coastal mainland areas and well-protected areas of large barrier islands in central to northern North Carolina, from Brunswick County north to Carteret County.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: GA, NC, SC
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.687020
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2
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.2 Live Oak - Texas Live Oak - Darlington Oak Forest Macrogroup | M885 | 1.B.1.Na.2 |
| Group | 1.B.1.Na.2.a Live Oak - Pignut Hickory - Cabbage Palmetto Coastal Forest Group | G798 | 1.B.1.Na.2.a |
| Alliance | A3192 Live Oak - Cabbage Palmetto Coastal Evergreen Forest Alliance | A3192 | 1.B.1.Na.2.a |
| Association | CEGL007026 Live Oak - Darlington Oak - Loblolly Pine - Southern Red Oak / Swamp Bay Forest | CEGL007026 | 1.B.1.Na.2.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < IA9c. Mid-Atlantic Inland Maritime Forest (Allard 1990)
= Type 2 (pine forest), Subtype 2 (Wentworth et al. 1993)
= Type 2 (pine forest), Subtype 2 (Wentworth et al. 1993)
- Allard, D. J. 1990. Southeastern United States ecological community classification. Interim report, Version 1.2. The Nature Conservancy, Southeast Regional Office, Chapel Hill, NC. 96 pp.
- GNHP [Georgia Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data. Georgia Natural Heritage Program, Wildlife Resources Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Social Circle.
- LeGrand, H. E., Jr., C. C. Frost, and J. O. Fussell, III. 1992. Regional inventory for critical natural areas, wetland ecosystems, and endangered species habitats of the Albemarle-Pamlico estuarine region: Phase 2. North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh. 506 pp.
- Nelson, J. B. 1986. The natural communities of South Carolina: Initial classification and description. South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department, Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, Columbia, SC. 55 pp.
- Schafale, M. P. 2012. Classification of the natural communities of North Carolina, 4th Approximation. North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh.
- Schafale, M. P., and A. S. Weakley. 1990. Classification of the natural communities of North Carolina. Third approximation. North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh. 325 pp.
- Schafale, Mike P. Personal communication. Ecologist, North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- Wentworth, T. R., M. P. Schafale, A. S. Weakley, R. K. Peet, P. S. White, and C. C. Frost. 1993. A preliminary classification of North Carolina barrier island forests. Pages 31-46 in: C. A. Cole and F. K. Turner, editors. Barrier island ecology of the mid-Atlantic coast: A symposium. Technical Report NPS/SERCAHA/NRTR-93/04. National Park Service, Atlanta, GA.