Print Report

CEGL006002 Juniperus virginiana - Fraxinus americana / Danthonia spicata Woodland

Type Concept Sentence: This traprock ridge open woodland is known from mountainous sites in New England, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and may occur in southeastern New York.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Juniperus virginiana - Fraxinus americana / Poverty Oatgrass Woodland

Colloquial Name: Northeast Red Cedar Circumneutral Rocky Summit

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This traprock ridge open woodland is known from mountainous sites in New England, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and may occur in southeastern New York. The vegetation occurs primarily on exposed outcrops of basaltic rock in the Connecticut Valley of New England and the Piedmont physiographic province in New Jersey. While most sites are on igneous rock, along the Kittatinny Ridge in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, it occurs on conglomerates of the Shawangunk Formation. Sites supporting this community are upper slopes of basalt, diorite, or conglomerate ridges from 365-1050 m elevation, characteristically south- or west-facing and range in slope from 5-30°. Most sites have minimal soil development. Tree cover is sparse, ranging from 5-30% cover (average 20%) with Juniperus virginiana being the most constant canopy tree. Other woody species sometimes present include Fraxinus americana, Quercus rubra, Quercus montana, Ostrya virginiana, and Carya glabra. The actual canopy composition reflects, to some extent, the surrounding forest. The scattered shrub layer often includes Rosa carolina, Juniperus communis var. depressa, Quercus montana, Quercus ilicifolia, Rhus typhina, Vaccinium pallidum, Vaccinium angustifolium, Viburnum rafinesqueanum, and Prunus virginiana. The herbaceous layer usually covers 12-50% of the ground and is dominated by Schizachyrium scoparium, Deschampsia flexuosa, and Danthonia spicata, with their relative abundance varying from site to site. Numerous other herbaceous species occur in this community type, including Carex pensylvanica, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Hypericum gentianoides, Antennaria plantaginifolia, Corydalis sempervirens, Solidago nemoralis, Poa compressa, Maianthemum racemosum, Uvularia perfoliata, Aquilegia canadensis, Asclepias verticillata, Polygonum scandens, Krigia virginica, and Houstonia longifolia. No species is restricted to this community, but the assemblage listed above is very characteristic.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: In general, this community is similar to a number of other sparse woodland ridgetop communities. New Jersey occurrences are floristically related to ridgetop sparse woodlands in Virginia (e.g., greenstone glades) but appear to share more species with the northern occurrences with which they have been grouped here. However, further research may indicate that the New Jersey occurrences represent a unique vegetation assemblage. In Massachusetts, this community typically occurs as herbaceous (and probably successional) patches within a hickory-hop hornbeam forest. New York contains some examples of this community which they classify under the name "red cedar rocky summit community." In New Hampshire, this type only occurs in the Pawtuckaway Mountains, where the stand clings to exposed south- to southeast-facing mafic outcrops in several locations in the ring dike complex.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This community occurs as exposed, mainly herbaceous openings on ridgetops of resistant mafic rock. Tree cover is sparse, ranging from 5-30% cover (average 20%) with Juniperus virginiana being the most constant canopy tree. The herbaceous layer usually covers 12-50% of the ground. Occurrences are generally less than 0.1 ha in size.

Floristics: Juniperus virginiana is the most constant canopy tree in the sparse tree layer. Other woody species sometimes present include Fraxinus americana, Quercus rubra, Quercus prinus, Ostrya virginiana, and Carya glabra. The actual canopy composition reflects, to some extent, the surrounding forest. The scattered shrub layer often includes Rosa carolina, Juniperus communis var. depressa, Quercus montana (= Quercus prinus), Quercus ilicifolia, Rhus typhina (= Rhus hirta), Vaccinium pallidum, Vaccinium angustifolium, Viburnum rafinesqueanum, and Prunus virginiana. The open herbaceous layer is dominated by Schizachyrium scoparium, Deschampsia flexuosa, and Danthonia spicata, with their relative abundance varying from site to site. Numerous other herbaceous species occur in this community type, including Carex pensylvanica, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Hypericum gentianoides, Antennaria plantaginifolia, Corydalis sempervirens, Solidago nemoralis, Poa compressa, Maianthemum racemosum, Uvularia perfoliata, Aquilegia canadensis, Asclepias verticillata, Polygonum scandens, Krigia virginica, and Houstonia longifolia. No species is restricted to this community, but the assemblage listed above is very characteristic. Several uncommon species are associated with this community, including Houstonia longifolia, Selaginella rupestris, Arabis missouriensis, Polygonum tenue, Scutellaria parvula var. missouriensis (= Scutellaria parvula var. leonardii), Muhlenbergia capillaris, Pycnanthemum torrei, and Pycnanthemum clinopodioides.

Dynamics:  The role of fire in maintaining these sites is unclear, but several authors suspect that the open structure reflects a history of burning in addition to an edaphic restriction.
Environmental Description:  This sparse woodland occurs primarily on exposed outcrops of basaltic rock in the Connecticut Valley of New England and the Piedmont physiographic province in New Jersey and adjacent Pennsylvania. While most sites are on igneous rock, along the Kittatinny Ridge in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, it occurs on conglomerates of the Shawangunk Formation. Sites supporting this community are upper slopes of basalt, diorite, or conglomerate ridges from 365-1050 m elevation. The ridges are characteristically south- or west-facing and range in slope from 5-30°. Most sites have minimal soil development. In New Hampshire, this type only occurs in the Pawtuckaway Mountains, where the stand clings to exposed south to southeast-facing mafic outcrops in several locations in the ring dike complex.
Geographic Range: This community has been described from mountainous sites in New England states: Pawtuckaway Mountains in New Hampshire; Bare Mountain, East Mountain, Mount Tom and Mount Norwottuck in Massachusetts; Onion Mountain, Sugarloaf, Sleeping Giant and West Mountain in Connecticut. It has also been documented at sites in the Watchung Mountains in New Jersey, Kittatinny Ridge in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and in southeastern New York.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, ON, PA, VT


Confidence Level: Moderate

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.2 Appalachian-Northeastern Oak - Hardwood - Pine Forest & Woodland Macrogroup M502 1.B.2.Na.2
Group 1.B.2.Na.2.b Chinquapin Oak - White Ash - Eastern Red-cedar Forest & Woodland Group G016 1.B.2.Na.2.b
Alliance A3107 Eastern Red-cedar - White Ash - Hickory species Woodland Alliance A3107 1.B.2.Na.2.b
Association CEGL006002 <i>Juniperus virginiana - Fraxinus americana</i> / Poverty Oatgrass Woodland CEGL006002 1.B.2.Na.2.b
Concept Lineage: merged

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Eastern Redcedar: 46 (Eyre 1980)
? SNE circumneutral rocky summit/rock outcrop community (Rawinski 1984a)
>< Traprock Glade / Savanna (Walz 1996)
> Traprock Outcrop Community (Walz 1996)
Concept Author(s): Eastern Ecology Group

Author of Description: M. Anderson, S.C. Gawler and D. Faber-Langendoen

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 10-26-18
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