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CEGL003609 Pinus palustris - Pinus (echinata, taeda) / (Liquidambar styraciflua) / Schizachyrium scoparium Ruderal Woodland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Longleaf Pine - (Shortleaf Pine, Loblolly Pine) / (Sweetgum) / Little Bluestem Ruderal Woodland

Colloquial Name: West Gulf Coastal Plain Fire-Suppressed Longleaf - Mixed Pine Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This association includes various regenerated, silviculturally altered, and/or naturally fire-suppressed Pinus palustris woodlands in Louisiana and Texas, primarily the West Gulf Coastal Plain. It is broadly defined to represent the wide variation which can be present in semi-natural and/or fire-suppressed longleaf pine stands. This type is recognized by the presence of Pinus echinata and/or Pinus taeda in the overstory (abundant enough to constitute 25-75% of the canopy density) along with Pinus palustris. It includes silviculturally managed stands of Pinus palustris as well as fire-suppressed or otherwise ecologically disturbed longleaf pine forests with oaks or other hardwoods that may enter the canopy. This association tentatively applies to longleaf stands along the range periphery of the species in Texas, where stands are heavily mixed in the overstory.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: More information is needed on vegetation reported from the East Gulf Coastal Plain of Louisiana (232Ba), which is tentatively included here as well. This type was apparently first described from the Kisatchie Ranger District on dry to dry-mesic acidic sandy loams. Variability is primarily determined by burning and thinning frequencies; more open examples having denser shrub and herbaceous strata. The moisture regime and other site conditions also affect the floristic composition of the vegetation. It is primarily disturbed through silvicultural management techniques such as burning and thinning; prescribed burns generally occur at three-year intervals.

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

Floristics: Pinus taeda is generally a codominant on more mesic sites and flats, while Pinus taeda and/or Pinus echinata may codominate on drier sites. Pinus echinata tends to be the only codominant pine on xeric sites. The vegetation tends to have a patchy understory due to fire suppression. Depending on the moisture regime, understory species may include Liquidambar styraciflua, Quercus alba, Quercus stellata, Quercus falcata, and Quercus hemisphaerica. Part of the canopy (but typically not more than 25%) may be composed of these or other hardwood species. Shrubs that may be present, depending on fire history and moisture, include Cornus florida, Callicarpa americana, Ostrya virginiana, Ilex vomitoria, and Vaccinium arboreum. Herbaceous cover is sparse to fairly dense, and is typically dominated by Schizachyrium scoparium. The ground cover is greatly decreased in stands with a high canopy cover. The exotic Lonicera japonica may invade this community, especially where it is not frequently burned.

Dynamics:  This type can result from partial thinning or regeneration cutting of formerly pure longleaf stands and/or from infrequent burning of plantations and naturally regenerated stands.
Environmental Description:  As broadly defined, this type extends across a moisture gradient from mesic flats to xeric ridgetops. Soil textures can be extremely variable from fine-textured silty soils to sandy loam soils overlying clay, and coarse-textured sands. Some specific soils series from examples in Louisiana include Smithdale, Ruston, Betis, and Briley. Some examples may be naturally occurring, unmanaged types still suffering from fire suppression, in which the areas are naturally sheltered from frequent fire.
Geographic Range: This association is found in the West Gulf Coastal Plain of the United States.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  LA, TX


Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNA

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.1 Longleaf Pine / Pineland Three-awn Woodland Macrogroup M007 1.B.1.Na.1
Group 1.B.1.Na.1.d Longleaf Pine / Sand Post Oak / Three-awn species Woodland Group G009 1.B.1.Na.1.d
Alliance A3124 Longleaf Pine / Little Bluestem West Gulf Coastal Plain Woodland Alliance A3124 1.B.1.Na.1.d
Association CEGL003609 Longleaf Pine - (Shortleaf Pine, Loblolly Pine) / (Sweetgum) / Little Bluestem Ruderal Woodland CEGL003609 1.B.1.Na.1.d
Concept Lineage: This association includes vegetation formerly classed as forest (Pinus palustris - Pinus (echinata, taeda) / Schizachyrium scoparium Forest (CEGL007089). This association also includes vegetation formerly classified as the ~Pinus palustris - Pinus (echi

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < IF3b. Plantation (Hardwood or Conifer) (Allard 1990)
< Loblolly Pine - Hardwood: 82 (Eyre 1980)
? Loblolly Pine-Hardwood (13) (USFS 1988)
? Longleaf Pine (21) (USFS 1988)
< Longleaf Pine - Scrub Oak: 71 (Eyre 1980)
< Shortleaf Pine - Oak: 76 (Eyre 1980)
? Shortleaf Pine-Oak (11) (USFS 1988)
Concept Author(s): J.E. Mohan

Author of Description: J.E. Mohan

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 02-06-95
  • 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.
  • Allred, B. W., and H. C. Mitchell. 1955. Major plant types of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas and their relation to climate and soils. Texas Journal of Science 7:7-19.
  • Burns, R. M., and B. H. Honkala, technical coordinators. 1990a. Silvics of North America: Volume 1. Conifers. Agriculture Handbook 654. USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC. 675 pp.
  • Eyre, F. H., editor. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 148 pp.
  • Hatchell, G. E. 1964. Small mammal species and populations in the loblolly-shortleaf pine forest type of Louisiana. Research Paper SO-10. USDA Forest Service, Southern Forest Experiment Station, New Orleans, LA. 12 pp.
  • Martin, D. L., and L. M. Smith. 1991. A survey and description of the natural plant communities of the Kisatchie National Forest, Winn and Kisatchie districts. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, LA. 372 pp.
  • Martin, D. L., and L. M. Smith. 1993. A survey and description of the natural plant communities of the Kisatchie National Forest, Evangeline and Catahoula districts. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge. 274 pp.
  • Martin, W. H., S. G. Boyce, and A. C. Echternacht, editors. 1993a. Biodiversity of the southeastern United States: Lowland terrestrial communities. John Wiley and Sons, New York. 502 pp.
  • Reed, D. P. 1982. Understory vegetative yield in the loblolly pine-shortleaf pine-upland hardwood forest type, Louisiana. M.S. thesis, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. 256 pp.
  • Smith, Latimore M. Personal communication. Natural Heritage Program Ecologist. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Natural Heritage Program, Baton Rouge.
  • Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
  • Turner, L. M. 1935b. Catastrophes and pure stands of southern shortleaf pine. Ecology 16:213-215.
  • USFS [U.S. Forest Service]. 1988. Silvicultural examination and prescription field book. USDA Forest Service, Southern Region. Atlanta, GA. 35 pp.