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CEGL004689 Quercus laevis / (Andropogon virginicus, Aristida spp., Schizachyrium scoparium) Ruderal Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: This ruderal association includes Quercus laevis-dominated vegetation on deep sandy soils of the southeastern Coastal Plain where Pinus palustris has been removed and/or failed to regenerate due to fire suppression or other environmental modifications, including turpentining and logging.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Turkey Oak / (Broomsedge Bluestem, Three-awn species, Little Bluestem) Ruderal Woodland
Colloquial Name: Turkey Oak Xeric Sandhill Ruderal Scrub
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This ruderal association includes Quercus laevis-dominated vegetation on deep sandy soils of the Southeastern Coastal Plain. These stands most often occur where Pinus palustris has been removed and/or failed to regenerate due to fire suppression or other environmental modifications, including turpentining and logging. Pinus palustris is typically absent, even in the regenerating layer. However, canopy closure of some examples may exceed 60%. The relative density and diversity of the shrub and herb layers will vary with degree of fire suppression; the local expression will vary with latitude and the distributions of various shrub and herbaceous components, as well as with soil texture. Typical herbs are indicative of very dry or xeric moisture conditions, such as Cnidoscolus stimulosus, Pityopsis graminifolia, and Callisia graminea. Cladonia and Cladina spp. may be prominent in many examples.
Diagnostic Characteristics: The overstory is strongly dominated by Quercus laevis. Grasses may include Aristida lanosa, Aristida stricta (within its range), Aristida beyrichiana (within its range), Andropogon virginicus, or Schizachyrium scoparium. Typical xeric longleaf pine ground layer diagnostics are absent.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This association was initially created to classify stands on parts of the Apalachicola National Forest years ago that, for "wildlife management" reasons, occur in linear strips. Since then, the type concept was considerably broadened to include Quercus laevis-dominated stands across the Southeastern Coastal Plain, north of the range of Quercus laevis stands of ~Quercus laevis Central Florida Ruderal Woodland (CEGL007254)$$ (which primarily occurs in the sand ridges of central Florida). There has been much debate about whether this type fits the ruderal concept, given that many stands largely result from fire suppression and logging, conditions that are true of many types considered natural. However, they are here treated as ruderal, at least for now, because Pinus palustris is typically lacking, the ground layer is strongly altered, and because the management strategy for these Quercus laevis stands is to restore them to Pinus palustris stands. In addition, in their revision to all alliances and associations in ~Xeric Longleaf Pine Woodland Group (G154)$$, Palmquist et al. (2016) avoided sampling these stands because they were not considered natural enough to be included in the concept. Thus, as a practical matter, this type is functionally considered a ruderal type.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Tree canopy is hardwood-dominated, and the structure is fairly open, from 40-80% cover.
Floristics: The overstory is strongly dominated by Quercus laevis. Pinus palustris is typically absent, even in the regenerating layer. Canopy closure of some examples may exceed 60%. The relative density and diversity of the shrub and herb layers will vary with degree of fire suppression; the local expression will vary with latitude and the distributions of various shrub and herbaceous components, as well as with soil texture. The ground layer may contain a range of species given the fairly wide geographic range of this type. Grasses may include Aristida lanosa, Aristida stricta (within its range), Aristida beyrichiana (within its range), Andropogon virginicus, or Schizachyrium scoparium. Some other typical herbs may include Cnidoscolus urens var. stimulosus (= Cnidoscolus stimulosus), Pityopsis graminifolia, and Callisia graminea. Cladonia spp. may be a prominent component in sandhill examples.
Dynamics: This vegetation type includes modified and/or fire-suppressed examples of Pinus palustris - Quercus spp.-dominated vegetation, where Pinus palustris has been removed and/or failed to regenerate due to fire suppression or other environmental modifications, including turpentining and logging.
Environmental Description: This vegetation type includes modified and/or fire-suppressed examples of Pinus palustris - Quercus spp.-dominated vegetation, where Pinus palustris has been removed and/or failed to regenerate due to fire suppression or other environmental modifications, including turpentining and logging.
Geographic Range: This type ranges from the Florida parishes of southeastern Louisiana eastward through Florida and northward to North Carolina.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.688157
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.90 Sweetgum - Loblolly Pine - Chinese Tallow Ruderal Forest Macrogroup | M305 | 1.B.1.Na.90 |
| Group | 1.B.1.Na.90.a Loblolly Pine - Sweetgum - Chinese Tallow Ruderal Forest Group | G031 | 1.B.1.Na.90.a |
| Alliance | A4114 Yellowleaf Hawthorn - Bluejack Oak Ruderal Sandhills Scrub Alliance | A4114 | 1.B.1.Na.90.a |
| Association | CEGL004689 Turkey Oak / (Broomsedge Bluestem, Three-awn species, Little Bluestem) Ruderal Woodland | CEGL004689 | 1.B.1.Na.90.a |
Concept Lineage: merged
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? IB7a. Southeastern Coastal Plain Turkey Oak Barrens (Allard 1990)
? Sandhills, Turkey Oak Phase (Monk 1968)
< Southern Scrub Oak: 72 (Eyre 1980)
? Sandhills, Turkey Oak Phase (Monk 1968)
< Southern Scrub Oak: 72 (Eyre 1980)
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- Palmquist, K. A., R. K. Peet, and S. C. Carr. 2016. Xeric longleaf pine vegetation of the Atlantic and East Gulf Coast Coastal Plain: An evaluation and revision of associations within the U.S. National Vegetation Classification. Proceedings of the U.S. National Vegetation Classification. [in press]
- Rebertus, A. J., G. B. Williamson, and E. B. Moser. 1989. Fire-induced changes in Quercus laevis spatial pattern in Florida sandhills. Journal of Ecology 77:638-650.
- Schafale, M. P., and A. S. Weakley. 1990. Classification of the natural communities of North Carolina. Third approximation. North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh. 325 pp.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- Weaver, T. W. 1969. Gradients in the Carolina fall-line sandhills: Environment, vegetation and comparative ecology of the oaks. Ph.D. dissertation, Duke University, Durham, NC. 104 pp.
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- Workman, S. W. 1982. Short term vegetation and nutrient responses to seasonal burns in Quercus laevis-Pinus palustris forest stands of South Carolina. M.S. thesis, Western Washington University, Bellingham. 97 pp.