Print Report
CEGL007499 Pinus echinata - Pinus taeda - Quercus stellata - Carya texana / Vaccinium arboreum Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Shortleaf Pine - Loblolly Pine - Post Oak - Black Hickory / Farkleberry Woodland
Colloquial Name: West Gulf Coastal Plain Shortleaf Pine - Post Oak Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This West Gulf Coastal Plain association is dominated by Pinus echinata and Pinus taeda and is further characterized by a significant component of Quercus stellata in the overstory. It may be found on ridgetops and sideslopes with relatively shallow loamy soils over dense clay. Pinus echinata tends to be more important than Pinus taeda in the overstory, and Pinus palustris may be occasionally encountered within its natural range. Hardwood trees, such as Quercus stellata, Quercus falcata, Carya texana, Quercus marilandica, and others, may also reach the canopy. The shrub stratum is usually well-developed; species abundance varies somewhat with soil pH. Typical species include Vaccinium arboreum, Callicarpa americana, Sassafras albidum, Cornus florida, Rhus aromatica, Rhus copallinum, Malus angustifolia, Crataegus marshallii, Crataegus spathulata, Ilex vomitoria, Viburnum rufidulum, Sideroxylon lanuginosum ssp. lanuginosum, Ilex longipes, Prunus mexicana, Chionanthus virginicus, Morus rubra, and seedlings of canopy species. The herbaceous understory varies considerably within this association depending upon management history. Historically, this community may have been a woodland on non-topographically isolated, frequently burned sites [see ~Pinus echinata - Quercus stellata - Quercus falcata - Carya texana Woodland (CEGL007800)$$], but due to fire suppression, current examples have a forest structure.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This type is placed in a woodland alliance due to floristic relationships; however, structurally this type is manifested as a relatively closed canopy forest. Due to alliance placement the name includes "woodland." This is the driest mixed Pinus echinata forest in Arkansas (T. Foti pers. comm.).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The canopy includes mixtures of Pinus echinata, and less commonly Pinus palustris (within its range), and Pinus taeda in fire-suppressed examples. Quercus stellata, Quercus falcata, Carya texana, Quercus marilandica, and others may also reach the canopy. The shrub stratum is usually well-developed; species abundance varies somewhat with soil pH. Typical species include Vaccinium arboreum, Callicarpa americana, Sassafras albidum, Cornus florida, Rhus aromatica, Rhus copallinum, Malus angustifolia, Crataegus marshallii, Crataegus spathulata, Ilex vomitoria, Viburnum rufidulum, Sideroxylon lanuginosum ssp. lanuginosum, Ilex longipes, Prunus mexicana, Chionanthus virginicus, Morus rubra, and seedlings of canopy species. The herbaceous understory varies considerably within this association depending upon management history. Some frequently prescribe-burned examples in eastern Texas may support over 100 species amidst a dense ground cover of Chasmanthium sessiliflorum, while less frequently burned sites tend toward a less well-developed and more scattered herbaceous layer. Historically, this community may have been a woodland on non-topographically isolated, frequently burned sites [see ~Pinus echinata - Quercus stellata - Quercus falcata - Carya texana Woodland (CEGL007800)$$], but due to fire suppression, current examples have a forest structure. Examples in the southwestern part of the region seem to lack Quercus marilandica, and Vaccinium arboreum may be only infrequent. Other species found on these southwestern examples can include Quercus nigra, Quercus margarettae, and Ulmus alata. Liquidambar styraciflua is common also. Understory contains abundant Dichanthelium ravenelii, Gelsemium sempervirens, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Mitchella repens, Carex albicans var. australis (= Carex physorhyncha), Dichanthelium commutatum, Chasmanthium sessiliflorum, Vitis rotundifolia, Elephantopus tomentosus, Pteridium aquilinum, Dichanthelium laxiflorum, Galium uniflorum, Smilax glauca, Berchemia scandens, Morella cerifera (= Myrica cerifera), Rubus arvensis (= Rubus saepescandens), Smilax tamnoides (= Smilax hispida), Crataegus marshallii, and Viburnum dentatum. Dodecatheon meadia (state-rare) may occur in Louisiana examples of this community.
Dynamics: One estimate of the historical fire frequency for Pinus echinata-, Quercus-, and Carya-dominated communities of the Western Gulf Coastal Plain is 5 to 15 years (Martin and Smith 1991, 1993). The historical fire frequency must have been less than that of adjacent Pinus palustris-dominated woodlands, especially on sandy sites, in order for the Pinus echinata and hardwoods to persist and out-compete the Pinus palustris. Although younger Pinus echinata are often top-killed by fire, they frequently resprout. Windthrow, insect infestations, and disease also play a (more limited) role in this community''s dynamics; hurricanes and tornadoes are infrequent but important events in part of this community''s range.
The herbaceous understory varies considerably within this association depending upon management history. Some frequently prescribe-burned examples in eastern Texas may support over 100 species amidst a dense ground cover of Chasmanthium sessiliflorum, while less frequently burned sites tend toward a less well-developed and more scattered herbaceous layer (R. Evans and S. Carr pers. obs.). Historically, this community may have been a woodland on non-topographically isolated, frequently burned sites [see ~Pinus echinata - Quercus stellata - Quercus falcata - Carya texana Woodland (CEGL007800)$$], but due to fire suppression current examples have a forest structure.
The herbaceous understory varies considerably within this association depending upon management history. Some frequently prescribe-burned examples in eastern Texas may support over 100 species amidst a dense ground cover of Chasmanthium sessiliflorum, while less frequently burned sites tend toward a less well-developed and more scattered herbaceous layer (R. Evans and S. Carr pers. obs.). Historically, this community may have been a woodland on non-topographically isolated, frequently burned sites [see ~Pinus echinata - Quercus stellata - Quercus falcata - Carya texana Woodland (CEGL007800)$$], but due to fire suppression current examples have a forest structure.
Environmental Description: This dry-xeric forest occurs on ridgetops and upper slopes on thin usually acidic sandy, clayey, and sandy clay soils. It also occurs on clay loams which can be circumneutral to slightly basic. This type has been documented from vegetation plots on the Fleming, Manning, Caddell, and Yegua formations in eastern Texas (Turner et al. unpubl. data), and is also known from the Cook Mountain Formation (R. Evans pers. obs.). Mapped soils at these locations include the Moswell and Huntsburg series. Within much of the West Gulf Coastal Plain (within the natural range of Pinus palustris), this community occurs on somewhat fire-sheltered sites (creating lower fire frequencies typically associated with Pinus palustris communities). These areas include isolated ridgetops and upper slopes of finger rings, as well as uplands with Vertisols and/or Alfisols with vertic (shrink-swell) properties.
Geographic Range: This forest occurs in the West and Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain ecoregions in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AR, LA, OK, TX
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.688747
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.g Loblolly Pine - Shortleaf Pine - Oak species Forest & Woodland Group | G013 | 1.B.2.Na.1.g |
| Alliance | A3129 Shortleaf Pine - Loblolly Pine - Post Oak Forest Alliance | A3129 | 1.B.2.Na.1.g |
| Association | CEGL007499 Shortleaf Pine - Loblolly Pine - Post Oak - Black Hickory / Farkleberry Woodland | CEGL007499 | 1.B.2.Na.1.g |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < IA6a. Dry Shortleaf Pine - Oak - Hickory Forest (Allard 1990)
< Shortleaf Pine - (Longleaf Pine) - Post Oak - Callicarpa - Chasmanthium Loamy Dry-Mesic Uplands (Turner et al. 1999)
? Shortleaf Pine - Oak (USFS 1988)
< Shortleaf Pine - Oak: 76 (Eyre 1980)
< Shortleaf Pine / Oak-Hickory Forest (Martin and Smith 1993)
< T1B3aI1a. Pinus echinata - Quercus stellata - Carya texana (Foti et al. 1994)
? T1B3aI1c. Quercus stellata - Pinus echinata - Quercus marilandica (Foti et al. 1994)
< Shortleaf Pine - (Longleaf Pine) - Post Oak - Callicarpa - Chasmanthium Loamy Dry-Mesic Uplands (Turner et al. 1999)
? Shortleaf Pine - Oak (USFS 1988)
< Shortleaf Pine - Oak: 76 (Eyre 1980)
< Shortleaf Pine / Oak-Hickory Forest (Martin and Smith 1993)
< T1B3aI1a. Pinus echinata - Quercus stellata - Carya texana (Foti et al. 1994)
? T1B3aI1c. Quercus stellata - Pinus echinata - Quercus marilandica (Foti et al. 1994)
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