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CEGL005022 Quercus montana / Smilax spp. Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Chestnut Oak / Greenbrier species Forest
Colloquial Name: Interior Low Plateau Chestnut Oak Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This chestnut oak / greenbrier forest type is found in the Interior Low Plateau region of the United States. Stands occur on dry sandy, rocky, and gravelly, noncalcareous, thin to deep upland soils of steep mid and upper slopes of hills, bluffs and ridges. Aspect is generally southern and western. Bedrock is predominantly sandstone (sometimes chert), with boulders and rock fragments at or near the surface. The dominant tree species is Quercus montana. A variety of other tree species may also be present such as Quercus velutina, Carya ovalis, Quercus alba, Quercus coccinea, and Quercus stellata. The understory of this type is poorly developed (less than 50% cover) and consists of scattered, open-grown trees and shrubs and vines, including Vaccinium arboreum and Smilax rotundifolia. Ground cover consists of mixed herbaceous species and is generally sparse (less than 20%). Typical herbaceous species include Antennaria plantaginifolia and Danthonia spicata. There may be an abundance of lichens (Cladina subtenuis, Xanthoparmelia conspersa) and mosses (Leucobryum glaucum) occurring on exposed rock and dead wood.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: In Illinois stands of this type, Smilax spp. are not as common as in Indiana. Some stands may have more of a mixed oak component. Type is also found in the Shawnee Hill region of Kentucky. Distribution of this type in the Southeast needs to be assessed. A subtype occurs in the Ozark Hills of southern Illinois where Quercus montana and Quercus velutina codominate stands. Cornus florida, Amelanchier arborea, Sassafras albidum, and Ostrya virginiana are typical shrub and small tree components. This subtype may in fact belong to the Quercus velutina - Quercus montana - Carya spp. Ozark Forest found in Missouri and Arkansas (TNC 1995a).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Trees growing near ravine bottoms where moisture becomes more available are large, tall, and very straight. On drier upper slopes and ridgetops, trees may become short with crooked trunks and display crowns which are spreading open and limby. Black oak dominates drier sites, while chestnut oak and tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera) become more prominent where moisture is favorable. Tall-shrub layer is 0.5-2 m tall.
Floristics: Trees in this forest make their best growth on steep lower slopes of small spur ridges. Individual trees are medium in size (8-20 m), with open, spreading, and often irregularly shaped crowns. Canopy closure is around 80-90%. The dominant tree species is Quercus montana (= Quercus prinus), but a variety of other tree species may also be present (Fralish et al. 1999). These other species include Quercus alba, Quercus velutina, Quercus coccinea, and Carya ovalis. The understory is poorly developed (less than 50% cover), possibly due to the droughty, nutrient-poor status of the soils. It may consist of scattered, open-grown trees and shrubs and vines, including Vaccinium arboreum, Smilax rotundifolia, Sassafras albidum, Cornus florida, Fagus grandifolia, Ostrya virginiana, and Cercis canadensis. Ground cover consists of mixed herbaceous species and is generally sparse (less than 20%), with an abundance of lichens and mosses occurring on exposed rock and dead wood. Typical herbaceous species include Antennaria plantaginifolia and Danthonia spicata (TNC 1995a). Carex picta can be important in examples of this type in the Brown County Hills Subsection of Indiana (Van Kley et al. 1995). There may be an abundance of lichens (Cladina subtenuis, Xanthoparmelia conspersa (= Parmelia conspersa)) and mosses (Leucobryum glaucum) occurring on exposed rock and dead wood. This community is characterized by the presence of the Quercus montana which is an endemic of Appalachian oak-hickory forest communities. It occurs in isolated patches in Illinois as a relict of this eastern forest community type.
Species composition and physiognomy vary within and among occurrences of this element as a direct result of moisture availability. Drier conditions favor black oak and a short spreading growth habit, while ideal moisture conditions favor chestnut oak, hickory, and tuliptree and promote taller trees with large trunks and more compact crowns. Quercus velutina and Quercus montana often codominate the stand in Illinois (TNC 1995a). Excessive logging can lead to replacement of oaks and hickories by Acer saccharum. Lonicera japonica can also become invasive subsequent to logging activity (TNC 1995a).
A subtype occurs in the Ozark Hills of southern Illinois where Quercus montana and Quercus velutina codominate stands. Cornus florida, Amelanchier arborea, Sassafras albidum, and Ostrya virginiana are typical shrub and small tree components.
Species composition and physiognomy vary within and among occurrences of this element as a direct result of moisture availability. Drier conditions favor black oak and a short spreading growth habit, while ideal moisture conditions favor chestnut oak, hickory, and tuliptree and promote taller trees with large trunks and more compact crowns. Quercus velutina and Quercus montana often codominate the stand in Illinois (TNC 1995a). Excessive logging can lead to replacement of oaks and hickories by Acer saccharum. Lonicera japonica can also become invasive subsequent to logging activity (TNC 1995a).
A subtype occurs in the Ozark Hills of southern Illinois where Quercus montana and Quercus velutina codominate stands. Cornus florida, Amelanchier arborea, Sassafras albidum, and Ostrya virginiana are typical shrub and small tree components.
Dynamics: This community is heavily influenced by the droughty, nutrient-poor soils. In portions of its natural range, this community may have resulted from fire suppression in barrens and savannas (Fralish et al. 1999). Natural disturbance includes seasonal (summer) drought (which can be severe), wind damage, cyclic fire, and occasionally lightning strikes. Periodic fire encourages regeneration of oaks and hickories, and may contribute to poor development of the understory in this type. Where fire is suppressed, sugar maple and American beech can become invasive (TNC 1995a).
Environmental Description: Stands occur on dry sandy, rocky, and gravelly, non-calcareous, thin to deep upland soils of steep mid and upper slopes of hills, bluffs and ridges. Aspect is generally southern and western. Bedrock is predominantly sandstone (sometimes chert), with boulders and rock fragments at or near the surface (TNC 1995a). This type occurs on Saffell soils in Stewart County, Tennessee, which are deep and well-drained silt loams formed in coastal plain gravelly materials. Because of the high content of gravel in these soils (up to 65% by volume), these sites have very low moisture-holding capacity and occur on the most xeric end of the moisture gradient at Land Between the Lakes (Fralish et al. 1999, Close et al. 2002). This type may occur on steep slopes (up to 60%) which are unstable due to movement of pebbles and rocks; the surface of some sites is heavily covered by white pebbles (Fralish et al. 1999).
Soils are predominantly thin and steep, although they can be deep where slopes are moderate to flat. The surface is a brown silt loam which can be up to 12.7 cm (5 inches) thick and often strewn with sand, rocks, boulders, and cobbles. The subsurface layer is a yellowish-brown silt loam and also up to 12.7 cm (5 inches) thick. The subsoil is a brown, firm to heavy silty clay loam up to 100 cm (40 inches) thick. These soils are formed entirely from loess and materials weathered from sandstone and shale (TNC 1995a). Soils are primarily Ultisols and Inceptisols with a mesic temperature regime and udic moisture regime. Alfisols with mesic to thermic temperatures and udic moisture conditions can also support this forest, although these soils are less commonly encountered. Soil pH is neutral to acidic, although pockets of alkaline soils do occur. In Illinois, Alford Silt Loam is most often associated with this forest type (TNC 1995a). Soils which are neutral to acidic, thin, rocky, droughty, and often infertile are factors that favor Quercus montana and Quercus velutina communities. Quercus muehlenbergii replaces Quercus montana where limestone bedrock shifts soil pH to alkaline.
Bedrock is sedimentary, 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 in this forest. The color is variable, but most often gray, brown, yellowish, reddish, and is determined by the type, amount, and color of cementing agents. The degree of hardness is variable but is very hard if cemented by silica. This erosion-resistant sandstone bedrock forms ridges in the landscape between pockets of softer rocks. Soil pH is often acidic when underlain or mixed with sandstone. Limestone and dolomite outcrops occasionally occur within this forest (TNC 1995a).
Soils are predominantly thin and steep, although they can be deep where slopes are moderate to flat. The surface is a brown silt loam which can be up to 12.7 cm (5 inches) thick and often strewn with sand, rocks, boulders, and cobbles. The subsurface layer is a yellowish-brown silt loam and also up to 12.7 cm (5 inches) thick. The subsoil is a brown, firm to heavy silty clay loam up to 100 cm (40 inches) thick. These soils are formed entirely from loess and materials weathered from sandstone and shale (TNC 1995a). Soils are primarily Ultisols and Inceptisols with a mesic temperature regime and udic moisture regime. Alfisols with mesic to thermic temperatures and udic moisture conditions can also support this forest, although these soils are less commonly encountered. Soil pH is neutral to acidic, although pockets of alkaline soils do occur. In Illinois, Alford Silt Loam is most often associated with this forest type (TNC 1995a). Soils which are neutral to acidic, thin, rocky, droughty, and often infertile are factors that favor Quercus montana and Quercus velutina communities. Quercus muehlenbergii replaces Quercus montana where limestone bedrock shifts soil pH to alkaline.
Bedrock is sedimentary, 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 in this forest. The color is variable, but most often gray, brown, yellowish, reddish, and is determined by the type, amount, and color of cementing agents. The degree of hardness is variable but is very hard if cemented by silica. This erosion-resistant sandstone bedrock forms ridges in the landscape between pockets of softer rocks. Soil pH is often acidic when underlain or mixed with sandstone. Limestone and dolomite outcrops occasionally occur within this forest (TNC 1995a).
Geographic Range: This chestnut oak / greenbrier forest type is found in the Interior Low Plateau region of the United States, ranging from southern Illinois east to southern Ohio and south to Kentucky and possibly Tennessee.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: IL, IN, KY, OH, TN
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.688482
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
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.1 White Oak - Southern Red Oak - Shortleaf Pine Forest & Woodland Macrogroup | M016 | 1.B.2.Na.1 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Na.1.c White Oak - Southern Red Oak - Northern Red Oak Forest & Woodland Group | G159 | 1.B.2.Na.1.c |
| Alliance | A3291 Post Oak - Southern Red Oak - White Oak Interior Low Plateau Woodland Alliance | A3291 | 1.B.2.Na.1.c |
| Association | CEGL005022 Chestnut Oak / Greenbrier species Forest | CEGL005022 | 1.B.2.Na.1.c |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Quercus prinus - (Quercus coccinea) - Q. velutina/Smilax spp. Forest (F86) (TNC 1995a)
= Quercus prinus / Smilax spp. Forest (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
< Black Oak: 110 (Eyre 1980)
< CT IV Quercus prinus, Quercus alba, Acer rubrum, Oxydendron (sic) arboreum (Badger et al. 1997)
< Eastern Broadleaf Forests: 100: Oak-Hickory Forest (Quercus-Carya) (Küchler 1964)
? Gravel barrens community (Fralish et al. 1999)
= Quercus prinus / Smilax spp. Forest (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
< Black Oak: 110 (Eyre 1980)
< CT IV Quercus prinus, Quercus alba, Acer rubrum, Oxydendron (sic) arboreum (Badger et al. 1997)
< Eastern Broadleaf Forests: 100: Oak-Hickory Forest (Quercus-Carya) (Küchler 1964)
? Gravel barrens community (Fralish et al. 1999)
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