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CEGL002401 Pinus echinata - Quercus velutina - Quercus stellata / Vaccinium spp. Forest

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Shortleaf Pine - Black Oak - Post Oak / Blueberry species Forest

Colloquial Name: Interior Highlands Shortleaf Pine - Black Oak Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This shortleaf pine - oak forest is found primarily in the Interior Highlands of the United States, ranging from eastern Oklahoma to the southwestern corner of Illinois. Stands occur on gentle to moderately steep, mid- and upper slopes of hills and plains, especially on southern and western aspects of steep-walled valleys and canyons. Soils are thin, somewhat rapidly to rapidly drained, dry, rocky, and sandy. Bedrock is primarily sandstone and chert, although this forest can also occur on igneous rock, their commonality being acidic pH. Bedrock and rock fragments are often exposed near the surface. The tree canopy is short, spreading, open, and limby. It is dominated by Pinus echinata, which often forms an emergent canopy over a shorter canopy of oaks composed of various combinations of Quercus stellata, Quercus velutina, Quercus marilandica, and Quercus alba. Carya texana is a common subcanopy component. Vaccinium arboreum and Sassafras albidum are common tall shrubs, while Vaccinium pallidum often dominates the short-shrub stratum. Other characteristic shrubs can include Castanea pumila var. ozarkensis and Hypericum hypericoides. Woody vines include Smilax glauca and Vitis rotundifolia. The ground cover is sparse and can be dominated by leaf litter with only scattered herbaceous species such as Antennaria plantaginifolia, Baptisia alba var. macrophylla, Baptisia bracteata var. leucophaea, Clitoria mariana, Cunila origanoides, Danthonia spicata, Desmodium nudiflorum, Dichanthelium commutatum, Dichanthelium linearifolium, Elymus hystrix, Helianthus divaricatus, Helianthus hirsutus, Liatris aspera, Pityopsis graminifolia, Schizachyrium scoparium, Solidago odora, Solidago ulmifolia, and Tephrosia virginiana. Numerous lichens and mosses can be found on rocks and stumps.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: The relation of this type to other dry shortleaf pine - oak forests in the Southeast needs further clarification, e.g., compare with ~Pinus echinata - Quercus alba - Quercus rubra / Vaccinium arboreum / Chasmanthium sessiliflorum Forest (CEGL007489)$$. More open, fire-maintained stands may be classified as ~Pinus echinata - Quercus stellata - Quercus marilandica / Schizachyrium scoparium Woodland (CEGL002393)$$. Logging of shortleaf pine may cause some classification difficulties when all or most of the mature specimens of this species have been removed. Compare to associations in other Pinus echinata - Quercus stellata woodland alliances.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Where shortleaf pine is dominant, herbaceous density will be lower due to the impermeable qualities of pine needle debris. Likewise, shortleaf pine is slightly taller than associated oaks and hickories. The major physiognomic difference is bedrock, which can be sandstone, chert, or igneous rock (usually granite). Tree canopy 5-15 m tall and tall shrub 0.5-2 m.

Floristics: The tree canopy is short, spreading, open, and limby. It is dominated by Pinus echinata, which often forms an emergent canopy over a shorter canopy of oaks composed of various combinations of Quercus stellata, Quercus velutina, Quercus marilandica, and Quercus alba. Carya texana is a common subcanopy component. Vaccinium arboreum and Sassafras albidum are common tall shrubs, while Vaccinium pallidum often dominates the short-shrub stratum. Other characteristic shrubs can include Castanea pumila var. ozarkensis (= Castanea ozarkensis) and Hypericum hypericoides. Woody vines include Smilax glauca and Vitis rotundifolia. The ground cover is sparse and can be dominated by leaf litter with only scattered herbaceous species such as Antennaria plantaginifolia, Baptisia alba var. macrophylla, Baptisia bracteata var. leucophaea, Clitoria mariana, Cunila origanoides, Danthonia spicata, Desmodium nudiflorum, Dichanthelium commutatum, Dichanthelium linearifolium, Elymus hystrix, Helianthus divaricatus, Helianthus hirsutus, Liatris aspera, Pityopsis graminifolia, Schizachyrium scoparium, Solidago odora, Solidago ulmifolia, and Tephrosia virginiana. Numerous lichens and mosses can be found on rocks and stumps (Nelson 1985, TNC 1995a).

Species composition within and among the range of this community is characterized by an increase of shortleaf pine in southern reaches of this forest. Conversely, an increase in oak-hickory hardwoods is apparent in northern occurrences. This forest is a natural community which is transitory to the southern pine forests and the central oak-hickory hardwood forests. Droughtiness and heat during summer months greatly influence vegetative composition. Occasional late spring frost can diminish or eliminate mast production.

Dynamics:  Natural disturbances include drought stress, wind and lightning damage, and periodic low-intensity fires. This community''s composition and structure are controlled by fire and edaphic effects related to summer droughts. Drought-induced summer leaf loss and oak die-back are common, leading to coppice regeneration (multiple stems). Occasional late spring frost can diminish or eliminate mast production. Fire suppression hampers the reproduction of Pinus echinata and leads to an increase in the oak component. Fire suppression also reduces the cover of graminoids and forbs due to a build-up of litter. Most of this forest has been subjected to logging or grazing. Shortleaf pine was probably the first tree to be harvested.
Environmental Description:  Stands occur on gentle to moderately steep, mid and upper slopes of hills and plains, especially on southern and western aspects of steep-walled valleys and canyons. Soils are thin, somewhat rapidly to rapidly drained, and dry, rocky, and sandy. Soils are mostly cherty, developed in loess mantle. Mineralogy is siliceous or mixed. Soils are generally old, shallow, stony, and acidic. Soils supporting this forest are Udalfs and Udults with a mesic temperature regime and Udic moisture regime. Bedrock is primarily sandstone and chert, although this forest can also occur on igneous rock, their commonality being acidic pH. Bedrock and rock fragments are often exposed near the surface (Nelson 1985, TNC 1995a). In the central Ouachita Mountains of eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas, this community usually occurs on bands of friable shale embedded within the novaculite uplift formation. Climatic conditions are transitional between those typical of the southern pine forests and the central and northern oak-hickory complex.

Bedrock is sedimentary (sandstone, chert), formed by the accumulation of sediments from weathering, erosion, and deposition of existing rocks during the Paleozoic Era. These rocks may consist of minerals, rock debris, or organic matter and have a layered appearance due to accumulation and compression processes. Sandstone is the most frequently encountered bedrock underlying this natural community. The color is variable, but most often gray, brown, yellowish, and/or reddish depending on the type, amount, and color of cementing agents. The degree of hardness is variable but is very hard when cemented by silica. Chert, which may be formed by precipitation of silica from sea water or the compaction and recrystallization of minute plant and animal skeletons, represents another type of siliceous bedrock which supports this community. Granite, a very hard igneous rock composed primarily of potash feldspars and quartz, can also support this forest community. The commonality of these bedrock types is their acidic pH and resistance to erosion.
Geographic Range: This shortleaf pine - oak forest is found primarily in the Interior Highlands of the United States, ranging from eastern Oklahoma to the southwestern corner of Illinois. This community reaches its westernmost extension in the central Ouachitas of Oklahoma, but may have been widespread prior to excessive harvest of shortleaf pine. This community is still known from Missouri, southern Illinois, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AR, IL, MO, OK


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.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.1 White Oak - Southern Red Oak - Shortleaf Pine Forest & Woodland Macrogroup M016 1.B.2.Na.1
Group 1.B.2.Na.1.b Shortleaf Pine - Southern Red Oak - Post Oak Forest & Woodland Group G012 1.B.2.Na.1.b
Alliance A3271 Shortleaf Pine - Post Oak - Black Oak Ozark-Ouachita Woodland Alliance A3271 1.B.2.Na.1.b
Association CEGL002401 Shortleaf Pine - Black Oak - Post Oak / Blueberry species Forest CEGL002401 1.B.2.Na.1.b
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Pinus echinata - Quercus velutina - Quercus stellata / Vaccinium spp. Forest (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
? Pinus echinata - Quercus velutina / Vaccinium arboreum / Danthonia spicata - Baptisia alba var. microphylla - Solidago odora Dry South-slope Woodland (Smith et al. 2000)
< Eastern Broadleaf and Needleleaf Forests: 111: Oak-Hickory-Pine Forest (Quercus-Carya-Pinus) (Küchler 1964)
< IA6a. Dry Shortleaf Pine - Oak - Hickory Forest (Allard 1990)
< Shortleaf Pine - Oak: 76 (Eyre 1980)
Concept Author(s): D. Faber-Langendoen (2001)

Author of Description: M. Guetersloh and K.D. Patterson

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 01-01-98
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