Print Report
CEGL006375 Quercus coccinea - Quercus velutina / Sassafras albidum / Vaccinium pallidum Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Scarlet Oak - Black Oak / Sassafras / Blue Ridge Blueberry Forest
Colloquial Name: Northeastern Coastal Oak / Heath Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This dry coastal and coastal plain oak-heath forest of New England and the northeastern Coastal Plain occurs on rapidly drained, nutrient-poor, sandy or gravelly soils. North of the glacial border, these soils are typically found on till or outwash. The canopy is dominated by Quercus coccinea, Quercus velutina, and Quercus alba, the latter species particularly characteristic of gravel substrates. Other less abundant canopy associates include Quercus prinus, Betula lenta, and Ilex opaca (usually less than 15% cover). Pinus rigida is a common associate but occurs at low cover. Sassafras albidum may occur in low cover and may indicate influence by coastal (but not maritime) climate where this type occurs. Castanea dentata saplings can be common. A ''lawn-like'' dwarf-shrub heath layer dominated by Vaccinium pallidum, Vaccinium angustifolium, and Gaylussacia baccata is characteristic. Gaylussacia frondosa also occurs in some stands. The herbaceous layer is typically sparse, with Carex pensylvanica, Pteridium aquilinum, and Gaultheria procumbens being the most common. Herb diversity is greater in small canopy gaps, where Helianthemum canadense, Tephrosia virginiana, Aureolaria spp., Lespedeza spp., Lechea spp., and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi occur.
In New Jersey, this type ranges throughout the Coastal Plain and the central Pinelands. It includes oak-pine forests with a low heath stratum, found on sandy to loamy soils in the Pinelands. The forests often have a closed to partially-closed canopy characterized by dry-site oaks such as Quercus coccinea, Quercus velutina, Quercus alba, Quercus prinus, and Quercus stellata. Tree oak cover is typically 50-100%, and shrub oaks are rare or absent. Associate canopy species include Pinus rigida and/or Pinus echinata, with covers typically 5-10% (up to 25%). Sassafras albidum is often present in small amounts in the canopy and midstory. Fire-sensitive hardwoods and holly are absent. Low heath shrubs include Gaylussacia baccata, Gaylussacia frondosa, and Vaccinium pallidum, while some areas can have Kalmia latifolia joining the shrub layer. Herbs are sparse but often include Pteridium aquilinum, Gaultheria procumbens and Melampyrum lineare, with Tephrosia virginiana and Carex pensylvanica in openings.
In New Jersey, this type ranges throughout the Coastal Plain and the central Pinelands. It includes oak-pine forests with a low heath stratum, found on sandy to loamy soils in the Pinelands. The forests often have a closed to partially-closed canopy characterized by dry-site oaks such as Quercus coccinea, Quercus velutina, Quercus alba, Quercus prinus, and Quercus stellata. Tree oak cover is typically 50-100%, and shrub oaks are rare or absent. Associate canopy species include Pinus rigida and/or Pinus echinata, with covers typically 5-10% (up to 25%). Sassafras albidum is often present in small amounts in the canopy and midstory. Fire-sensitive hardwoods and holly are absent. Low heath shrubs include Gaylussacia baccata, Gaylussacia frondosa, and Vaccinium pallidum, while some areas can have Kalmia latifolia joining the shrub layer. Herbs are sparse but often include Pteridium aquilinum, Gaultheria procumbens and Melampyrum lineare, with Tephrosia virginiana and Carex pensylvanica in openings.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: No Data Available
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This dry coastal oak-heath forest is dominated by Quercus coccinea, Quercus velutina, and Quercus alba, the latter species particularly characteristic of gravel substrates. Other less abundant canopy associates include Quercus prinus, Betula lenta, and Ilex opaca (usually less than 15% cover). Pinus rigida is a common associate but occurs at low cover. Sassafras albidum may occur in low cover and may indicate influence by coastal (but not maritime) climate where this type occurs. Castanea dentata saplings can be common. A ''lawn-like'' dwarf-shrub heath layer dominated by Vaccinium pallidum, Vaccinium angustifolium, and Gaylussacia baccata is characteristic. Gaylussacia frondosa also occurs in some stands. The herbaceous layer is typically sparse, with Carex pensylvanica, Pteridium aquilinum, and Gaultheria procumbens being the most common. Herb diversity is greater in small canopy gaps, where Helianthemum canadense, Tephrosia virginiana, Aureolaria spp., Lespedeza spp., Lechea spp., and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi occur.
Dynamics: This is a coastal forest that occurs beyond direct influence of maritime processes.
Environmental Description: This association occurs on rapidly drained, nutrient-poor, sandy or gravelly soils. North of the glacial border, these soils are typically found on till or outwash.
Geographic Range: This type occurs in coastal areas from New Hampshire to New Jersey.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, RI
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.688944
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
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.9 Pitch Pine - oak spp. - American Holly North Atlantic Forest Macrogroup | M525 | 1.B.2.Na.9 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Na.9.b Black Oak - American Beech - Pitch Pine Coastal Plain Forest Group | G894 | 1.B.2.Na.9.b |
| Alliance | A4209 Black Oak - Southern Red Oak - Pitch Pine Coastal Plain Forest Alliance | A4209 | 1.B.2.Na.9.b |
| Association | CEGL006375 Scarlet Oak - Black Oak / Sassafras / Blue Ridge Blueberry Forest | CEGL006375 | 1.B.2.Na.9.b |
Concept Lineage: included
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< Quercus velutina / Vaccinium pallidum community (Metzler and Barrett 2006)
? Black oak savanna (Rawinski 1984a)
? CNE Mesic hardwood Forest on acidic bedrock / till (Rawinski 1984a)
> Central Pinelands Oak - Pine Forest (OP1) (Windisch 2014a)
? Maritime Oak Forest Community (on Uplands) (Lundgren 2000)
? Maritime forest (Rawinski 1984a)
> Oak - Heath Forest (OE1) (Windisch 2014a)
> Oak - Heath Successional Woodland (SOE) (Windisch 2014a)
> Oak - Pine Successional Woodland (SOP) (Windisch 2014a)
? Oak-Mixed Heath Forest (Greller 1977)
? Southern New England oak / pine forest on sandy / gravelly soils (Rawinski 1984a)
? Black oak savanna (Rawinski 1984a)
? CNE Mesic hardwood Forest on acidic bedrock / till (Rawinski 1984a)
> Central Pinelands Oak - Pine Forest (OP1) (Windisch 2014a)
? Maritime Oak Forest Community (on Uplands) (Lundgren 2000)
? Maritime forest (Rawinski 1984a)
> Oak - Heath Forest (OE1) (Windisch 2014a)
> Oak - Heath Successional Woodland (SOE) (Windisch 2014a)
> Oak - Pine Successional Woodland (SOP) (Windisch 2014a)
? Oak-Mixed Heath Forest (Greller 1977)
? Southern New England oak / pine forest on sandy / gravelly soils (Rawinski 1984a)
- Breden, T. F. 1989. A preliminary natural community classification for New Jersey. Pages 157-191 in: E. F. Karlin, editor. New Jersey''s rare and endangered plants and animals. Institute for Environmental Studies, Ramapo College, Mahwah, NJ. 280 pp.
- Breden, T. F., Y. R. Alger, K. S. Walz, and A. G. Windisch. 2001. Classification of vegetation communities of New Jersey: Second iteration. Association for Biodiversity Information and New Jersey Natural Heritage Program, Office of Natural Lands Management, Division of Parks and Forestry, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Trenton.
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- Eastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boston, MA.
- Edinger, G. J., D. J. Evans, S. Gebauer, T. G. Howard, D. M. Hunt, and A. M. Olivero, editors. 2014a. Ecological communities of New York state. Second edition. A revised and expanded edition of Carol Reschke''s ecological communities of New York state. New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, NY.
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- Greller, A. M. 1977. A classification of mature forests on Long Island, New York. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 104:376-382.
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- Lundgren, J. 2000. Lower New England - Northern Piedmont Ecoregion Forest Classification. The Nature Conservancy, Conservation Science, Boston, MA. 72 pp.
- Metzler, K., and J. Barrett. 2006. The vegetation of Connecticut: A preliminary classification. State Geological and Natural History Survey, Report of Investigations No. 12. Connecticut Natural Diversity Database, Hartford, CT.
- Motzkin, G., and D. R. Foster. 2002. Grasslands, heathlands and shrublands in coastal New England: Historical interpretations and approaches to conservation. Journal of Biogeography 29:1569-1590. [http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/sites/harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/files/publications/pdfs/Motzkin_JBiogeography_2002_Grasslands.pdf]
- NatureServe. 2009. Vegetation of the E.B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. International Ecological Classification Standard: Terrestrial Ecological Classifications. NatureServe Central Databases. Arlington, VA. U.S.A. Data current as of 1 December 2009.
- Rawinski, T. 1984a. Natural community description abstract - southern New England calcareous seepage swamp. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Boston, MA. 6 pp.
- Reschke, C. 1990. Ecological communities of New York State. New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Latham, NY. 96 pp.
- Sneddon, L. A., Zaremba, R. E., and M. Adams. 2010. Vegetation classification and mapping at Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts. Natural Resources Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2010/147. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 481 pp. [http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/caco/cacorpt.pdf]
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- Windisch, A .G. 2014a. Pinelands ecological communities and higher level groups with crosswalk / proposed 2008 revisions to NVC. November 16, 2014 draft. New Jersey Natural Heritage Program, Trenton.