Print Report
CEGL007320 Fagus grandifolia - Pinus taeda - (Liquidambar styraciflua, Magnolia grandiflora, Quercus alba) Small Stream Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: American Beech - Loblolly Pine - (Sweetgum, Southern Magnolia, White Oak) Small Stream Forest
Colloquial Name: West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream Bottom Beech Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This West Gulf Coastal Plain, small stream, mesic forest is typically dominated by a combination of Fagus grandifolia, Pinus taeda, Liquidambar styraciflua, Quercus alba, and Quercus nigra. Midstory contains Nyssa sylvatica and a variety of other typical mesic species. The understory is typically dominated by Mitchella repens and Smilax pumila. The community is mesic overall but may include flora of more saturated sites in the region, such as Athyrium filix-femina, Woodwardia areolata, and Eleocharis tortilis, along the imbedded stream channel.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Both this association and ~Magnolia grandiflora - Fagus grandifolia - Quercus alba - Pinus taeda Forest (CEGL007903)$$ represent the first ("driest") small stream forests that arise along the upper reaches of drainages. They are closely related to downstream small stream forests in the area, ~Quercus michauxii - Quercus nigra - Pinus taeda / Carpinus caroliniana Floodplain Forest (CEGL007901)$$ and ~Quercus pagoda - Liquidambar styraciflua - Pinus taeda Floodplain Forest (CEGL007899)$$, but these upper-stream-reach forests have a shorter hydro-period and are not as wet as the downstream types. They are common on small streams of the Winn, Kisatchie and Catahoula districts of Kisatchie National Forest. On the Kisatchie National Forest, Magnolia grandiflora is much more common on the Evangeline, southern Kisatchie, southern Catahoula, and Vernon ranger districts.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Stands of this forest typically have canopies dominated by a combination of Fagus grandifolia, Pinus taeda, Liquidambar styraciflua, Quercus alba, and Quercus nigra. Other canopy species often present include Magnolia grandiflora, Quercus laurifolia, Quercus michauxii, Quercus pagoda, Nyssa sylvatica, Nyssa biflora, Magnolia virginiana, Fraxinus americana, Ulmus alata, Acer rubrum, Carya tomentosa (= Carya alba), Carya glabra, and Quercus falcata. Common midstory and understory species include Carpinus caroliniana, Ilex opaca, Vaccinium elliottii, Viburnum dentatum, Halesia diptera, Hamamelis virginiana, Ostrya virginiana, Rhododendron canescens, Symplocos tinctoria, Ditrysinia fruticosa (= Sebastiania fruticosa), Asimina triloba, Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis, Itea virginica, and others. Arundinaria gigantea is typically very common in patches. Vines are usually conspicuous and may include Vitis rotundifolia, Smilax spp., Berchemia scandens, Campsis radicans, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Toxicodendron radicans, and Bignonia capreolata. Herbaceous species often include Athyrium filix-femina, Polystichum acrostichoides, Chasmanthium latifolium, Chasmanthium sessiliflorum, Arisaema triphyllum, Lobelia cardinalis, Polygonum spp., and others. Rare species that may occur in this community include Triphora trianthophora, Cypripedium kentuckiense, Prenanthes barbata, Solidago auriculata, and Amsonia ludoviciana.
Dynamics: Most of this forest tends to be uneven-aged with the majority of regeneration occurring in canopy gaps. This is a disturbance-sensitive community, with the primary disturbance vectors being occasional to rare windthrows, diseases and pathogens. Due to the isolated topographic position, nearly permanently wet soils, lack of available fuels and fire-sensitivity of canopy species, fires are believed to play a very minor role in this community''s dynamics. Fire scars, however, are occasionally found on Fagus grandifolia implying that limited fires may occur in very dry years and may have a role in creating canopy gaps (Smith 1991). Unless perturbed by a major disturbance, this community will likely persist for an undetermined length of time.
Environmental Description: This forest occurs on knolls in and bordering small to intermediate streams in the Western Gulf Coastal Plain. The restriction to drier knolls is especially pronounced on intermediate-sized streams. Although this community experiences annual flooding generally 5 to 10 days a year, the flooding is never of long duration (usually not more than 2 days at a time). Soils are extremely variable in both texture and pH, but are often acidic sandy floodplain and natural levee soils mapped as Guyton (Martin and Smith 1991, L. Smith pers. comm. 1995).
This forest is found within the average annual floodplain of small streams in central and western Louisiana and eastern Texas. Examples have been documented on sandy soils, with low pH (4.7-5.3), and very low nutrients on the national forests in eastern Texas, one of which occurs on the Sparta Formation along the northern boundary of Angelina National Forest (Turner et al. unpubl. data). This type may also occur on acidic sandy loams and silt loams on other Pleistocene and Tertiary formations in the region. Hydrologically, it is characterized by short-duration flood events, on the order of 1-3 days per event, occurring a few times in an average year. This type has been documented on the Dallardsville soil series in east Texas.
This forest is found within the average annual floodplain of small streams in central and western Louisiana and eastern Texas. Examples have been documented on sandy soils, with low pH (4.7-5.3), and very low nutrients on the national forests in eastern Texas, one of which occurs on the Sparta Formation along the northern boundary of Angelina National Forest (Turner et al. unpubl. data). This type may also occur on acidic sandy loams and silt loams on other Pleistocene and Tertiary formations in the region. Hydrologically, it is characterized by short-duration flood events, on the order of 1-3 days per event, occurring a few times in an average year. This type has been documented on the Dallardsville soil series in east Texas.
Geographic Range: This association is found in the West Gulf Coastal Plain within the range of Fagus grandifolia. Geographically within the West Gulf Coastal Plain of Louisiana, the type is much more common along small streams north of the range of Magnolia grandiflora.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: LA, TX
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689036
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.1 Warm Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation | F018 | 1.B.1 |
| Division | 1.B.1.Na Southeastern North American Forest & Woodland Division | D006 | 1.B.1.Na |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.1.Na.3 American Beech - Southern Magnolia - White Oak Forest Macrogroup | M008 | 1.B.1.Na.3 |
| Group | 1.B.1.Na.3.a American Beech - Southern Magnolia - Oak species Forest Group | G007 | 1.B.1.Na.3.a |
| Alliance | A0369 American Beech - Southern Magnolia Forest Alliance | A0369 | 1.B.1.Na.3.a |
| Association | CEGL007320 American Beech - Loblolly Pine - (Sweetgum, Southern Magnolia, White Oak) Small Stream Forest | CEGL007320 | 1.B.1.Na.3.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < American Beech - Southern Magnolia - Mitchella Loamy Moist-Mesic Stream Bottoms (Turner et al. 1999)
? Beech - Magnolia (69) (USFS 1988)
< IA8e. Beech - Magnolia Forest (Allard 1990)
< IB5b. Coastal Plain Small Stream Swamp Forest (Allard 1990)
= Mixed Hardwood - Loblolly Forest (Mesic Phase) (Martin and Smith 1991)
? Beech - Magnolia (69) (USFS 1988)
< IA8e. Beech - Magnolia Forest (Allard 1990)
< IB5b. Coastal Plain Small Stream Swamp Forest (Allard 1990)
= Mixed Hardwood - Loblolly Forest (Mesic Phase) (Martin and Smith 1991)
- Allard, D. J. 1990. Southeastern United States ecological community classification. Interim report, Version 1.2. The Nature Conservancy, Southeast Regional Office, Chapel Hill, NC. 96 pp.
- Diamond, D. D. 1993. Classification of the plant communities of Texas (series level). Unpublished document. Texas Natural Heritage Program, Austin. 25 pp.
- Grace, S. L., and L. M. Smith. 1995. A survey and description of the natural plant communities of the Kisatchie National Forest, Vernon District. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge. 192 pp.
- Kutner, L. S., and L. E. Morse. 1996. Reintroduction in a changing climate. In: D. A. Falk, C. I. Millar, and M. Olwell, editors. Restoring diversity: Strategies for reintroduction of endangered plants. Island Press, Washington, DC.
- LNHP [Louisiana Natural Heritage Program]. 2009. Natural communities of Louisiana. Louisiana Natural Heritage Program, Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, Baton Rouge. 46 pp. [http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/page_wildlife/6776-Rare%20Natural%20Communities/LA_NAT_COM.pdf]
- MacRoberts, B. R., and M. H. MacRoberts. 1997c. Floristics of beech-hardwood forest in east Texas. Phytologia 82(1):20-29.
- Martin, D. L., and L. M. Smith. 1991. A survey and description of the natural plant communities of the Kisatchie National Forest, Winn and Kisatchie districts. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, LA. 372 pp.
- Martin, D. L., and L. M. Smith. 1993. A survey and description of the natural plant communities of the Kisatchie National Forest, Evangeline and Catahoula districts. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge. 274 pp.
- McLeod, C. A. 1975. Southwestern limit of Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. Texas Journal of Science 26:179-184.
- Nixon, E. S., K. L. Marietta, R. O. Littlejohn, and H. B. Weyland. 1980a. Woody vegetation of an American beech (Fagus grandifolia) community in eastern Texas. Castanea 45:171-180.
- Smith, Latimore M. Personal communication. Natural Heritage Program Ecologist. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Natural Heritage Program, Baton Rouge.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- TNHS [Texas Natural History Survey]. No date. Unpublished data. Texas Natural History Survey, The Nature Conservancy, San Antonio.
- Turner, R. L., J. E. Van Kley, L. S. Smith, and R. E. Evans. 1999. Ecological classification system for the national forests and adjacent areas of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. The Nature Conservancy, Nacogdoches, TX. 95 pp. plus appendices.
- Turner, R. L., J. E. Van Kley, L. S. Smith, and R. E. Evans. No date. Unpublished data from the national forests and adjacent areas of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. The Nature Conservancy, Nacogdoches, TX.
- USFS [U.S. Forest Service]. 1988. Silvicultural examination and prescription field book. USDA Forest Service, Southern Region. Atlanta, GA. 35 pp.