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CEGL007904 Magnolia virginiana - Nyssa sylvatica - Acer rubrum / Morella caroliniensis / Woodwardia areolata Swamp Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Sweetbay - Blackgum - Red Maple / Southern Bayberry / Netted Chainfern Swamp Forest
Colloquial Name: West Gulf Coastal Plain Forested Seep (Northern Type)
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This broad-leaved, evergreen forest represents one of two described phases of "baygalls" in the West Gulf Coastal Plain. Key diagnostic species of this association include the nominals, Magnolia virginiana, Nyssa sylvatica, Acer rubrum, Morella caroliniensis, and Woodwardia areolata. Endemic to Texas, Louisiana, and southern Arkansas, this "northern" type lacks indicator species of related environments in the southern portions of the region, such as Cyrilla racemiflora and Ilex coriacea. This forest occurs on saturated soils at the headwaters and margins of topographically flat creek bottoms associated with springs and seepage flow. These communities are invariably embedded within sandy slopes and uplands.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This type is reasonably well documented and understood in the West Gulf Coastal Plain of both Louisiana and eastern Texas, including the Prairie Creek site on the Angelina National Forest of Nixon et al. (1983a) and the wet creek bottom community in Nacogdoches County, TX, of Nixon et al. (1980b). However, the ground flora is less well documented since the important studies by Nixon covered woody species only. See also Bridges and Orzell 1989b, Groat 1990, Martin and Smith 1991, Turner et al. 1999. The nominals chosen reflect the quantitative dominants from the Brooks et al. (1993) study with the exception that Nyssa biflora was retained although data from Brooks et al. (1993), Marks and Harcombe (1981), and unpublished plot data from the national forests in Texas do not indicate any Nyssa biflora present at all, rather the presence of Nyssa sylvatica. We believe that Nyssa biflora is actually present in this habitat but has been misidentified (Burckhalter 1992). According to Burckhalter''s (1992) range map of Nyssa biflora, this species would only be present in the southern baygall type, ~Nyssa biflora - Magnolia virginiana - Quercus laurifolia / Cyrilla racemiflora - Rhododendron oblongifolium Swamp Forest (CEGL007474)$$, in east Texas only, but could be present in both the northern and the southern type in Louisiana.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This association primarily reflects the quantitative analysis of Brooks et al. (1993) in which the most important woody species were Magnolia virginiana, Nyssa sylvatica, Acer rubrum, Liquidambar styraciflua, and Morella caroliniensis (= Myrica heterophylla). Pinus taeda is present in most examples. Nyssa biflora apparently occurs in Louisiana examples (L. Smith pers. comm.). Ilex opaca may be present, but is more common in southern baygalls of the region (Brooks et al. 1993). Other important woody species in the shrub layer at a site in Nacogdoches County, Texas (Nixon et al. 1980b), included Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis, Alnus serrulata, Vaccinium fuscatum (= Vaccinium arkansanum), and Itea virginica. Woody species such as Fagus grandifolia may be present along the edges but are usually absent from the interior due to intolerance to flooding. According to Brooks et al. (1993), the canopy stratum is strongly dominated by Magnolia virginiana, followed by Nyssa sylvatica, Acer rubrum, and Liquidambar styraciflua. Data from two additional plots on the national forests in Texas document Nyssa sylvatica as the dominant overstory tree (Turner et al. unpubl. data). The shrub stratum is dense and supports a variety of evergreen shrubs, although Morella caroliniensis is usually dominant. Other typical woody species include Alnus serrulata and Itea virginica, as well as Vitis rotundifolia and Smilax laurifolia. Other woody species present may include Persea palustris, Toxicodendron vernix, Vaccinium fuscatum, Viburnum nudum var. nudum, Aronia arbutifolia, Lyonia spp., and Rhododendron oblongifolium. The herbaceous stratum is sparse to fairly dense, depending on the density of the overstory. This stratum is dominated by pteridophytes, such as Osmunda cinnamomea, Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis, Woodwardia areolata, Onoclea sensibilis, and Woodwardia virginica. Carex leptalea, Isotria verticillata, Solidago patula, and Eleocharis tortilis may be present in some examples. Scattered forbs and graminoids typical of open herbaceous seeps may occur in more open examples of this forest. Sphagnum spp. are generally an abundant ground cover in this community.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This forest occurs on saturated soils associated with springs and seepage flow at the headwaters and margins of topographically flat creek bottoms. The creek channels themselves tend to be highly meandering, often with multiple channels and extremely shallow banks. These communities are invariably embedded within adjacent sandy slopes and uplands. The deep, poorly drained, strongly acidic, loamy fine sand soils have a high organic matter content (Brooks et al. 1993). Van Kley (1999a) indicates that these habitats, mapped as the Betis series and Guyton complex on the Kisatchie Ranger District of Louisiana, are notably low in calcium and magnesium. Other examples of this type are mapped as Lovelady (Arenic Glossudalf), Rentzel (Arenic Plinthaquic Paleudult), and Osier (Typic Psammaquent). The sandy soils usually overtop an impermeable layer. These infertile soils have a high available water capacity with very slow ponded surface water runoff. This seepage community is known from sandy uplands throughout Louisiana and eastern Texas, including the Carrizo, Sparta, Willis (High Pleistocene Terraces), Bentley (Intermediate Terraces), Catahoula (Oligocene), Fleming (Miocene), Cockfield, Wilcox, and other formations. Surface soils are predominately sandy-textured and low in nutrients.
Geographic Range: This type occurs only west of the Mississippi River in the Gulf Coastal Plain ecoregions in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AR, LA, TX
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.687297
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3?
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.Nb Southeastern North American Flooded & Swamp Forest Division | D062 | 1.B.3.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.3.Nb.3 Sweetbay - Swamp Bay - Pond Pine Swamp Forest Macrogroup | M032 | 1.B.3.Nb.3 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Nb.3.a Sweetbay - Loblolly-bay - Pond Pine Swamp Forest Group | G037 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.a |
| Alliance | A4685 <i>Magnolia virginiana - Nyssa biflora - Quercus laurifolia</i> West Gulf Swamp Forest Alliance | A4685 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.a |
| Association | CEGL007904 Sweetbay - Blackgum - Red Maple / Southern Bayberry / Netted Chainfern Swamp Forest | CEGL007904 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Semi-Evergreen Broadleaf Acid Seep Forest (Bridges and Orzell 1989a)
< Sweetbay - Swamp Tupelo / Osmunda Loamy Wet Forested Seeps (Turner et al. 1999)
= Wetland Baygall Shrub Thicket (Marks and Harcombe 1981)
= Wooded Seep (Martin and Smith 1991)
< Sweetbay - Swamp Tupelo / Osmunda Loamy Wet Forested Seeps (Turner et al. 1999)
= Wetland Baygall Shrub Thicket (Marks and Harcombe 1981)
= Wooded Seep (Martin and Smith 1991)
- Bridges, E. L., and S. L. Orzell. 1989a. Longleaf pine communities of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. Natural Areas Journal 9:246-263.
- Bridges, E. L., and S. L. Orzell. 1989b. Additions and noteworthy vascular plant collections from Texas and Louisiana, with historical, ecological and geographical notes. Phytologia 66:12-69.
- Brooks, A. R., E. S. Nixon, and J. A. Neal. 1993. Woody vegetation of wet creek bottom communities in eastern Texas. Castanea 58:185-196.
- Burckhalter, R. E. 1992. The genus Nyssa (Cornaceae) in North America: A revision. Sida 15:323-342.
- Diamond, D. D. 1993. Classification of the plant communities of Texas (series level). Unpublished document. Texas Natural Heritage Program, Austin. 25 pp.
- Groat, C. G. 1990. Generalized geologic map of Louisiana. Louisiana Geologic Survey. 1 p.
- LNHP [Louisiana Natural Heritage Program]. 2009. Natural communities of Louisiana. Louisiana Natural Heritage Program, Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, Baton Rouge. 46 pp. [http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/page_wildlife/6776-Rare%20Natural%20Communities/LA_NAT_COM.pdf]
- Marks, P. L., and P. A. Harcombe. 1981. Forest vegetation of the Big Thicket, southeast Texas. Ecological Monographs 51:287-305.
- 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.
- Nixon, E. S., B. L. Ehrhart, J. S. Neck, and R. L. Ward. 1983a. Woody, streamside vegetation of Prairie Creek in East Texas. Texas Journal of Science 305:205-213.
- Nixon, E. S., J. W. Higgins, P. L. Blanchette, and F. A. Roth. 1980b. Woody vegetation of a wet creek branch in east Texas. Texas Journal of Science 32:337-341.
- Nixon, E. S., K. L. Marietta, R. O. Littlejohn, and H. B. Weyland. 1980a. Woody vegetation of an American beech (Fagus grandifolia) community in eastern Texas. Castanea 45:171-180.
- 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, R. L., J. E. Van Kley, L. S. Smith, and R. E. Evans. 1999. Ecological classification system for the national forests and adjacent areas of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. The Nature Conservancy, Nacogdoches, TX. 95 pp. plus appendices.
- Turner, R. L., J. E. Van Kley, L. S. Smith, and R. E. Evans. No date. Unpublished data from the national forests and adjacent areas of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. The Nature Conservancy, Nacogdoches, TX.
- Van Kley, J. E. 1999a. The vegetation of the Kisatchie Sandstone Hills, Louisiana. Castanea 64:64-80.