Print Report
CEGL006108 Pinus resinosa / Menziesia pilosa / Polypodium appalachianum Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Red Pine / Minniebush / Appalachian Polypody Forest
Colloquial Name: Red Pine / Minniebush Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This red pine forest association is known from high elevations in Pendleton and Hardy counties, West Virginia, on steep, north- to northwest-facing slopes near the summit, on sandy acidic soils over sandstone. This association is a mostly evergreen forest or woodland strongly dominated by Pinus resinosa. Canopies are stunted, rarely reaching 20 m tall, and range from even-aged and closed in younger stands to open and multi-aged in older stands. Canopy associates include Acer rubrum, Betula lenta, Pinus rigida, Quercus rubra, Pinus strobus, Pinus pungens, and Pinus virginiana. Additional species in the subcanopy include Amelanchier arborea, Acer pensylvanicum, Betula papyrifera, Hamamelis virginiana, Sorbus americana, and Tsuga canadensis. Shrubs include Kalmia latifolia, Menziesia pilosa, Vaccinium angustifolium, Rhododendron prinophyllum, Rhododendron calendulaceum, and Gaylussacia baccata. Regeneration of Pinus resinosa in the shrub layers varies from absent in even-aged closed-canopy stands to abundant in more open stands. The sparse herbaceous layers are characterized by Polypodium appalachianum, Gaultheria procumbens, Solidago curtisii, Dryopteris marginalis, Calamagrostis porteri, Epigaea repens, Deschampsia flexuosa, Dryopteris intermedia, Carex pensylvanica, Maianthemum canadense, Oclemena acuminata, and Polygala paucifolia. Mosses include species of Leucobryum and Polytrichum. Common lichens on rock include Lasallia papulosa and Lasallia pensylvanica. This association is not likely to be fire-dependent but is probably fire-adapted. Abundant regeneration of Pinus resinosa in this association has been documented in stands without recent fire. Regeneration occurs in gaps caused by insect pest outbreaks and by ice and wind storms. Cohorts have also established following human-ignited fires and abandonment of pastures. There is evidence of post-settlement fires in many stands of this association, but natural ignitions are rare in its range.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Classification and description of this association are based on six plots sampled by West Virginia Natural Heritage Program staff and compositional and structural data collected by Stephenson et al. (1986). Data were collected from all known occurrences, with multiple plots in each occurrence.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This association is a mostly evergreen forest or woodland strongly dominated by Pinus resinosa. Canopies are stunted, rarely reaching 20 m tall, and range from even-aged and closed in younger stands to open and multi-aged in older stands. Canopy associates include Acer rubrum, Betula lenta, Pinus rigida, Quercus rubra, Pinus strobus, Pinus pungens, and Pinus virginiana. Additional tree species in the subcanopy include Amelanchier arborea, Acer pensylvanicum, Betula papyrifera, Hamamelis virginiana, Sorbus americana, and Tsuga canadensis. Shrubs include Kalmia latifolia, Menziesia pilosa, Vaccinium angustifolium, Rhododendron prinophyllum (= Rhododendron roseum), Rhododendron calendulaceum, and Gaylussacia baccata. Regeneration of Pinus resinosa in the shrub layers varies from absent in even-aged closed-canopy stands to abundant in more open stands. The sparse herbaceous layers are characterized by Polypodium appalachianum, Gaultheria procumbens, Solidago curtisii, Dryopteris marginalis, Calamagrostis porteri, Epigaea repens, Deschampsia flexuosa, Dryopteris intermedia, Carex pensylvanica, Maianthemum canadense, Oclemena acuminata, and Polygala paucifolia. Mosses include species of Leucobryum and Polytrichum. Common lichens on rock include Lasallia papulosa and Lasallia pensylvanica.
Dynamics: This association is not likely to be fire-dependent but is probably fire-adapted. Abundant regeneration of Pinus resinosa in this association has been documented in stands without recent fire. Regeneration occurs in gaps caused by insect pest outbreaks and by ice and wind storms. Cohorts have also established following human-ignited fires and abandonment of pastures. There is evidence of post-settlement fires in many stands of this association, but natural ignitions are rare in its range.
Environmental Description: This red pine forest association is known from high elevations on steep, north- to northwest-facing slopes near the summit, on sandy acidic soils over sandstone.
Geographic Range: This red pine forest association is known from high elevations in Pendleton and Hardy counties, West Virginia. These occurrences are the southernmost native populations of red pine in the species'' range, and are widely disjunct from the nearest populations to the north.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: WV
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.687798
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G1
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.2 Appalachian-Northeastern Oak - Hardwood - Pine Forest & Woodland Macrogroup | M502 | 1.B.2.Na.2 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Na.2.g Table Mountain Pine - Virginia Pine - Pitch Pine Woodland & Barrens Group | G905 | 1.B.2.Na.2.g |
| Alliance | A0677 Table Mountain Pine - Pitch Pine - Chestnut Oak Woodland Alliance | A0677 | 1.B.2.Na.2.g |
| Association | CEGL006108 Red Pine / Minniebush / Appalachian Polypody Forest | CEGL006108 | 1.B.2.Na.2.g |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Pinus resinosa Forest (Walton et al. 1997)
= Native red pine stand (Stephenson et al. 1986)
= Native red pine stand (Stephenson et al. 1986)
- Buell, J. H. 1940. Red pine in West Virginia. Castanea 5:1-6.
- Eastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boston, MA.
- Hessl, A. E., T. Saladyga, T. Schuler, P. Clark, and J. Wixom. 2011. Fire history from three species on a Central Appalachian ridgetop. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 41:2031-2039.
- Stephenson, S. L., H. S. Adams, and M. L. Lipford. 1986. Ecological composition of indigenous stands of red pine (Pinus resinosa) in West Virginia. Castanea 51:31-41.
- Strausbaugh, P. D., and E. L. Core. 1977. Flora of West Virginia. Second edition. Seneca Books, Inc. Grantsville, WV. 1079 pp.
- WVNHP [West Virginia Natural Heritage Program]. No date. Unpublished data. West Virginia Natural Heritage Program, Elkins.
- Walton, D., N. Putnam, and P. Trianosky. 1997. A classification of the terrestrial plant communities of West Virginia. Second draft. West Virginia Natural Heritage Program, Elkins, WV.