Print Report
CEGL006269 Quercus alba - Quercus falcata - (Carya pallida) / Gaylussacia frondosa Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: White Oak - Southern Red Oak - (Sand Hickory) / Blue Huckleberry Forest
Colloquial Name: Northeastern Coastal Plain Mixed Oak / Heath Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This oak forest of the unglaciated northeastern Coastal Plain generally occurs on well-drained acidic soils, primarily loamy sands, sandy loams and silty/clay loams. Occasional stands occur on imperfectly drained, alternately wet and dry upland flats with hardpan subsoils. The canopy is dominated by a mixture of oaks, especially Quercus alba, Quercus falcata, and Quercus velutina. Associates include Sassafras albidum, Quercus coccinea, Quercus stellata, Liquidambar styraciflua, and Nyssa sylvatica, with Acer rubrum, Ilex opaca, and Cornus florida often forming a subcanopy. Liriodendron tulipifera may be a canopy component in mature, fire-suppressed stands. Pines such as Pinus taeda, Pinus rigida (in the Inner Coastal Plain of Maryland and the Outer Coastal Plain of the Cape May peninsula in New Jersey), or Pinus virginiana may be present in successional stands. Carya pallida may also be present in the canopy, especially in stands occurring on sandy soils. Other hickories such as Carya tomentosa and Carya glabra are also present in some stands. The shrub layer is well-developed and dominated by the deciduous ericads Gaylussacia frondosa, Gaylussacia baccata, Vaccinium pallidum, Vaccinium stamineum, and occasionally Lyonia mariana. The vines Smilax rotundifolia and Vitis rotundifolia may be important in some stands. The herbaceous layer is generally sparse and characterized by dry-site species such as Pteridium aquilinum, Cypripedium acaule, Chimaphila maculata, and Gaultheria procumbens.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Classification is supported by analysis of a 1250-plot regional dataset assembled for the NCR and Mid-Atlantic national parks vegetation mapping projects. In that classification, this association was represented by 18 plots. (Pinus taeda) - Quercus falcata / Gaylussacia frondosa Forest (CEGL006169) has been archived and incorporated into this type by Gary Fleming.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Physiognomy is generally a closed to somewhat open forest. The overstory of mid- to late-successional stands is dominated by a mixture of oaks, especially Quercus alba, Quercus falcata, and Quercus velutina. Early-successional stands recovering from recent logging or agricultural conversion usually have a strong admixture of Pinus taeda, Pinus rigida, or Pinus virginiana. Other canopy associates include Sassafras albidum, Quercus coccinea (occasionally codominant), Quercus stellata, Liquidambar styraciflua, Nyssa sylvatica, Carya tomentosa (= Carya alba), Carya glabra, and Carya pallida (occasionally codominant). Acer rubrum, Ilex opaca, and Cornus florida are the principal subcanopy trees. In the southern part of the range, Oxydendrum arboreum and scrambling vines of Vitis rotundifolia can be important in the understory. The shrub layer is well-developed and dominated by the deciduous ericads Gaylussacia frondosa, Gaylussacia baccata, Vaccinium pallidum, Vaccinium stamineum, and occasionally Lyonia mariana. The herbaceous layer is generally sparse and characterized by dry-site species such as Pteridium aquilinum, Cypripedium acaule, Chimaphila maculata, and Gaultheria procumbens.
Dynamics: Periodic fire is presumably an important natural disturbance in this type that encourages oak regeneration. Many Virginia stands of this type now have poor oak recruitment and understories dominated by young Acer rubrum and/or Fagus grandifolia, presumably because of fire exclusion. The relative cover of Pinus taeda is likely related to disturbance history, with higher pine cover suggesting more recent disturbance.
Environmental Description: This community generally occurs on well-drained acidic soils, primarily loamy sands, sandy loams and silty/clay loams. Occasional stands occur on imperfectly drained, alternately wet and dry, upland flats with hardpan subsoils. Even on the latter, moisture potential of most sites supporting this vegetation can be characterized as subxeric to xeric. Soil samples collected from plots of this vegetation type in Virginia are extremely acidic, with very low base cation levels and total base saturation.
Geographic Range: This association occurs on the Coastal Plain from New Jersey to Virginia and possibly northeastern North Carolina. In central and southeastern Virginia, it extends slightly into the eastern portion of the Piedmont.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: DE, MD, NJ, VA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689304
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4G5
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 | CEGL006269 White Oak - Southern Red Oak - (Sand Hickory) / Blue Huckleberry Forest | CEGL006269 | 1.B.2.Na.9.b |
Concept Lineage: merged CEGL006169 into this type and record edited to reflect the merger. Name changed to better reflect the near-exclusion of this type to the Coastal Plain. CEGL006033 merged into CEGL006169 which was subsequently merged into CEGL006269.
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Quercus alba - Quercus falcata - (Carya pallida) / Gaylussacia frondosa Forest (Fleming et al. 2007b)
= Quercus alba - Quercus falcata - Pinus taeda / Gaylussacia frondosa Forest (Fleming 2002a)
= Quercus alba - Quercus falcata / Gaylussacia frondosa Forest (Fleming and Patterson 2003)
>< Oak - Loblolly Pine Forest (OP2) (Windisch 2014a)
< Pine - oak association (Shreve et al. 1910)
= Quercus alba - Quercus falcata - Pinus taeda / Gaylussacia frondosa Forest (Fleming 2002a)
= Quercus alba - Quercus falcata / Gaylussacia frondosa Forest (Fleming and Patterson 2003)
>< Oak - Loblolly Pine Forest (OP2) (Windisch 2014a)
< Pine - oak association (Shreve et al. 1910)
- 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.
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- Fleming, G. P., and K. D. Patterson. 2003. Preliminary vegetation classification for the National Capitol Region parks. Regional (VA-WVA-MD-DC) analysis prepared for NatureServe and USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, March 2003. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond.
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- 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.
- Patterson, K. D. 2008e. Vegetation classification and mapping at Petersburg National Battlefield, Virginia. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2008/127. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 235 pp.
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- Sneddon, L., M. Anderson, and K. Metzler. 1996. Community alliances and elements of the Eastern Region. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Eastern Heritage Task Force, Boston, MA. 235 pp.
- Taverna, K. and K. D. Patterson. 2008. Vegetation classification and mapping at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, Virginia. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR-2008/126. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 277 pp.
- 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.