Print Report
CEGL007268 Quercus montana - Carya ovata - Quercus rubra / Acer saccharum Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Chestnut Oak - Shagbark Hickory - Northern Red Oak / Sugar Maple Forest
Colloquial Name: Chestnut Oak - Shagbark Hickory / Sugar Maple Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: These dry-mesic forests of the Ridge and Valley and adjacent sedimentary ecoregions (Cumberlands, Interior Low Plateau) occur on ridges, gorge slopes, spurs, and knobs. Elevations range from 250 to 1000 m (800-3250 feet). Soils are very well-drained, acidic to circumneutral, and derived from sandstone and shales. The canopy is dominated by Quercus montana with other oaks and hickories, typically with Acer saccharum as a canopy associate and/or subcanopy dominant. Some examples are strongly dominated by Quercus montana. Other examples with more diverse canopies include Quercus rubra, Carya ovata, Carya glabra, Acer saccharum, Fraxinus americana, and Quercus velutina. The canopy is generally closed (greater than 75% cover). The subcanopy may be dominated by Acer saccharum in some examples. Other subcanopy species may include Carya ovata, Carya glabra, Quercus rubra, Quercus muehlenbergii, Aesculus flava, and Juniperus virginiana. The subcanopy is relatively sparse with cover less than 25%. The shrub and herbaceous layers are sparse with small stems of canopy and subcanopy species along with herbaceous species such as Actaea racemosa, Ageratina altissima, Arisaema triphyllum, Asplenium platyneuron, Bromus pubescens, Carex albursina, Carex cumberlandensis, Carex laxiflora, Campanulastrum americanum, Chimaphila maculata, Dichanthelium boscii, Dioscorea quaternata, Eurybia divaricata, Galium circaezans, Galium triflorum, Geranium maculatum, Houstonia longifolia, Polystichum acrostichoides, Prosartes lanuginosa, Sanicula canadensis, Sedum ternatum, Solidago caesia, Vicia caroliniana, Viola spp., and Zizia trifoliata.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Two variants of this association (14 stands sampled; 19 stands sampled) were described from Tellico Pilot Project (Ridge and Valley of Tennessee, northeast Monroe County) (Andreu and Tukman 1995). It has also been sampled at New River Gorge, Bluestone River, and Gauley River in West Virginia. Related vegetation in Virginia is treated as ~Quercus rubra - Acer saccharum / Ostrya virginiana / Cardamine concatenata Forest (CEGL008517)$$; it may represent the same association and should be quantitatively compared.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This association is a closed-canopy (or occasionally somewhat open-canopy) deciduous forest dominated by species of Quercus, often with Carya spp., and characteristically with an abundance of Acer saccharum in the canopy and/or shrub layers. Quercus montana (= Quercus prinus) is the most typical canopy dominant; other dominants can include Quercus rubra, Acer saccharum, Quercus alba, Quercus velutina, Fraxinus americana, Carya glabra, Carya tomentosa (= Carya alba), and Carya ovata. Liriodendron tulipifera may be a canopy associate. Subcanopy species include Carya ovata, Carya glabra, Quercus rubra, Quercus muehlenbergii, Acer saccharum, Aesculus flava, Tilia americana, Acer rubrum, and Juniperus virginiana. The subcanopy may be dominated by Acer saccharum in some examples. Vines, which may occur in the understory or reach into the canopy, include Aristolochia macrophylla, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Toxicodendron radicans, and Vitis aestivalis var. bicolor. Common tall shrubs or short trees include Amelanchier arborea var. arborea, Cercis canadensis, Cornus florida, Halesia tetraptera, Hamamelis virginiana, Ostrya virginiana, and Viburnum rafinesqueanum. The shrub and herbaceous layers include small stems of canopy and subcanopy species along with herbaceous species. The most common shrubs are Viburnum acerifolium and Smilax rotundifolia; Smilax glauca, Sassafras albidum, and/or Hydrangea arborescens may also be present. Common herbs include Actaea racemosa, Ageratina altissima, Arisaema triphyllum, Asplenium platyneuron, Brachyelytrum erectum, Bromus pubescens, Carex albursina, Carex cumberlandensis, Carex digitalis, Carex laxiflora, Campanulastrum americanum, Chimaphila maculata, Desmodium nudiflorum, Dichanthelium boscii, Dioscorea quaternata, Eurybia divaricata, Galium circaezans, Galium triflorum, Geranium maculatum, Houstonia longifolia, Maianthemum racemosum ssp. racemosum, Polystichum acrostichoides, Prosartes lanuginosa, Sanicula canadensis, Sedum ternatum, Solidago caesia, Vicia caroliniana, Viola spp., and Zizia trifoliata. Vascular plant species richness in 38 400-m2 sampled plots at New and Gauley rivers, West Virginia, range from 27 to 61 taxa (mean = 43.7).
Dynamics: This is a late-successional forest type with minimal anthropogenic disturbance because of steepness and general inaccessibility. Most occurrences of this type have evidence of logging. There is abundant evidence of past fires in this community, but information on its natural fire regime is lacking; fire suppression or lack of ignition sources may be responsible for the abundance of Acer saccharum in this type and for the current predominance of this association on the landscape.
Environmental Description: In the Ridge and Valley of Tennessee, these forests occur near the tops of calcareous ridges and knobs with northerly aspects that range from 250 to 1000 m (800-3250 feet) elevation, on very well-drained, gravelly, sandy soils and exposed topographical positions (Andreu and Tukman 1995). On the Tellico Pilot Project study site, many stands were found on the Dandridge, Tellico, and Steekee soil series. The Tellico series is an Ultisol, while the others are Inceptisols; all can be described as well- to excessively well-drained soils. The Tellico and Steekee soils are strongly or very strongly acidic. The Dandridge soils are slightly acidic neutral or mildly alkaline. At New River Gorge and the nearby Bluestone River, as well as parts of the Gauley River in West Virginia, this association is the predominant upland forest type on lower to upper colluvial gorge slopes of intermediate soil moisture and fertility with relatively warm, dry aspects. It also occurs in smaller patches on plateaus, ridge spurs and convex upper slopes, often north-facing. Stands occur both on sandstones of the Pottsville Group and on shales of the Mauch Chunk Group. Elevations of mapped stands range from 209 to 985 m. Slopes range from flat to very steep (0-51°, mean = 24°). Soils are mostly well-drained, dry to somewhat moist, sandy to clay loams mapped in the Calvin, Dekalb, and Gilpin series. Soil chemistry analyzed from 10 plots indicates extremely acidic to slightly acidic soils (mean pH = 4.92) with intermediate levels of most nutrients and somewhat higher levels of some nutrients (Al, K, Mg, Mn, P) compared to other nearby community types.
Geographic Range: These dry-mesic forests are found in the Ridge and Valley and adjacent sedimentary ecoregions (Cumberlands, Interior Low Plateau) of the southeastern United States, ranging from Kentucky and Tennessee to West Virginia.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AL, KY?, TN, WV
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.687868
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4?
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.a Chestnut Oak - Hickory species / American Chestnut Forest Group | G015 | 1.B.2.Na.2.a |
| Alliance | A0250 Chestnut Oak - Northern Red Oak Forest Alliance | A0250 | 1.B.2.Na.2.a |
| Association | CEGL007268 Chestnut Oak - Shagbark Hickory - Northern Red Oak / Sugar Maple Forest | CEGL007268 | 1.B.2.Na.2.a |
Concept Lineage: This association now contains the former Quercus prinus / Acer saccharum Forest (CEGL007258).
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Quercus prinus - Quercus rubra - (Quercus alba) - Liriodendron tulipifera - Acer rubrum / Parthenocissus quinquefolia forest (Vanderhorst 2001b)
< Chestnut Oak: 44 (Eyre 1980)
? IA6d. Chestnut Oak Slope and Ridge Forest (Allard 1990)
? White Oak - Northern Red Oak - Black Oak (Rentch et al. 2005)
< Chestnut Oak: 44 (Eyre 1980)
? IA6d. Chestnut Oak Slope and Ridge Forest (Allard 1990)
? White Oak - Northern Red Oak - Black Oak (Rentch et al. 2005)
- ALNHP [Alabama Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data on file. Alabama Natural Heritage Program, Auburn University.
- 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.
- Andreu, M. G., and M. L. Tukman. 1995. Forest communities of the Tellico Lake Area, East Tennessee. M.F. project report, Duke University, School of the Environment. Durham, NC. 66 pp. plus appendices.
- Evans, M., B. Yahn, and M. Hines. 2009. Natural communities of Kentucky 2009. Kentucky Nature Preserves Commission, Frankfort, KY. 22 pp.
- Eyre, F. H., editor. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 148 pp.
- Rentch, J. S., R. H. Forney, S. L. Stephenson, H. S. Adams, W. N. Grafton, R. B. Coxe, and H. H. Mills. 2005. Vegetation patterns within the lower Bluestone River gorge in southern West Virginia. Castanea 70:170-183.
- Schotz, A., M. Hall, and R. D. White, Jr. 2006. Vascular plant inventory and ecological community classification for Russell Cave National Monument. NatureServe, Durham, NC. 108 pp.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- Sponaugle, K. N., D. E. McKinney, L. Wright, Jr., C. E. Nelson, R. E. Pyle, and C. L. Marra. 1984. Soil survey of Mercer and Summers counties, West Virginia. USDA Conservation Service, Washington, DC.
- TDNH [Tennessee Division of Natural Heritage]. 2018. Unpublished data. Tennessee Division of Natural Heritage, Nashville, TN.
- Vanderhorst, J. 2001b. Plant communities of the New River Gorge National River, West Virginia: Northern and southern thirds. Non-game Wildlife and Natural Heritage Program, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Elkins. 146 pp.
- Vanderhorst, J. P., B. P. Streets, J. Jeuck, and S. C. Gawler. 2008. Vegetation classification and mapping of Bluestone National Scenic River, West Virginia. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2008/106. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA.
- Vanderhorst, J. P., B. P. Streets, Z. Arcaro, and S. C. Gawler. 2010. Vegetation classification and mapping at Gauley River National Recreation Area. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2010/148. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA.
- Vanderhorst, J. P., J. Jeuck, and S. C. Gawler. 2007. Vegetation classification and mapping of New River Gorge National River, West Virginia. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR-2007/092. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 396 pp.
- WVNHP [West Virginia Natural Heritage Program]. No date. Unpublished data. West Virginia Natural Heritage Program, Elkins.