Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Northern White-cedar / Balsam Fir - Mountain Maple Forest

Colloquial Name: Northern White-cedar Mesic Upland Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This subboreal upland white-cedar forest occurs in the United States in northeastern Minnesota and in the eastern boreal regions of Canada. Stands are found on gentle moist slopes to very steep well-drained slopes. Soils are fine to moderately coarse-textured, usually calcareous, moderately deep to deep (50-100 cm), and often contain boulders at the surface. The overstory is dominated by coniferous trees, with or without a substantial deciduous component. Thuja occidentalis is the most abundant tree and may occur in pure stands. Other canopy species include Abies balsamea, Acer rubrum, Betula papyrifera, Picea glauca, Picea mariana, Populus tremuloides, and Pinus strobus. There is usually an abundant shrub/sapling layer with saplings of Thuja occidentalis and Abies balsamea along with Acer pensylvanicum and the shrubs Acer spicatum, Corylus cornuta, Linnaea borealis, Lonicera canadensis, Rubus pubescens, and Sorbus decora. Vaccinium angustifolium and Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides may be present on more acidic sites. The ground layer is typically diverse on mesic to wet-mesic stands and less so on drier stands. Typical species include Aralia nudicaulis, Eurybia macrophylla, Clintonia borealis, Coptis trifolia, Cornus canadensis, Dryopteris carthusiana, Galium triflorum, Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Maianthemum canadense, Mitella nuda, Streptopus lanceolatus, Trillium undulatum, and Trientalis borealis. Mosses include Sanionia uncinata, Hylocomium splendens, Plagiomnium cuspidatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, and Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This type (CEGL002449) occasionally has a wet-mesic phase that can be difficult to distinguish from cedar swamps, such as ~Thuja occidentalis - Fraxinus nigra Swamp Forest (CEGL005165)$$ or ~Thuja occidentalis - (Picea mariana, Abies balsamea) / Alnus incana Swamp Forest (CEGL002456)$$. The concept, as originally proposed, intends this to be an upland type, but application of the concept has tended to stretch it too far into the wetland, partly because the sources for the concept did so as well. Sims et al. (1989, 1997) describe V21, a white-cedar / mountain maple type, as a diverse type that spans wet, organic lowlands to rich, fresh uplands. Faber-Langendoen et al. (2007) took a similar approach, causing some confusion as to whether this was a wetland or upland type. Harris et al. (1996) consider their W32, a rich white-cedar swamp, to be equivalent to V21, but they also show W32 to be the driest wetland type [see their Figures 8 and 9]. We suggest that the wet organic sites should be placed in white-cedar wet forest (e.g., CEGL005165) or swamp (CEGL2456), rather than this type. Thus, as described here, our type is only partly equivalent in concept to V21 of Sims et al. (1989), but appears equivalent to V21 of Chambers et al. (1997). In Wisconsin, stands of this type could occur near the Great Lakes shore, but preferably go with either ~Thuja occidentalis - Betula alleghaniensis Forest (CEGL002450)$$ or ~Thuja occidentalis - (Betula alleghaniensis, Tsuga canadensis) Forest (CEGL002595)$$. Stands in the eastern U.S. should be removed from this type, as this type includes only subboreal conifer and hardwood species. This type is differentiated from ~Thuja occidentalis - Betula alleghaniensis Forest (CEGL002450)$$, a northern hardwood type, based on the presence of northern hardwood species, especially Betula alleghaniensis.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available

note: No Data Available