Print Report
CEGL005245 Betula alleghaniensis - (Acer saccharum, Picea glauca) Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Yellow Birch - (Sugar Maple, White Spruce) Forest
Colloquial Name: Yellow Birch - White Spruce Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This yellow birch forest type is provisionally reported from Isle Royale, Michigan, but its rangewide status is still unclear. It may extend to the east, until Picea rubens enters into the range. At Isle Royale National Park, this community occupies gentle to steep slopes at elevations from 190-240 m (630-780 feet). Soils are moderately well-drained to rapidly drained sandy loams. The vegetation forms a closed-canopy, deciduous forest. Canopy cover is usually about 70-80% cover (sometimes less); the most abundant trees are Betula alleghaniensis, Picea glauca and Betula papyrifera. There is often a subcanopy with 5-30% cover (same species as in the canopy). Cover of tall shrubs is about 5-10% cover; the most abundant tall shrubs are saplings of Picea glauca and Abies balsamea, and Sambucus racemosa. Cover of short shrubs varies from 10-70% cover; the most abundant short shrubs are Rubus parviflorus, Sorbus decora, Diervilla lonicera, Lonicera canadensis, and Rubus idaeus. There is a sparse cover of dwarf-shrubs, mainly Rubus pubescens. Cover of herbs varies from 40-80% cover; the most abundant herbs are Aralia nudicaulis, Cornus canadensis, Clintonia borealis, Lycopodium annotinum, Streptopus lanceolatus var. roseus, Athyrium filix-femina, and Oxalis montana. Cover of nonvascular plants is sparse (0-10% cover); Pleurozium schreberi is characteristic.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Type needs rangewide review. This community is distinguished from sugar maple - yellow birch - northern hardwood forest, ~Acer saccharum - Betula alleghaniensis - Tilia americana Forest (CEGL002457)$$, by the absence or very low cover of Acer saccharum in either the canopy or as seedlings and saplings in the ground layer, but it may just be a variant of that type.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: At Isle Royale National Park, the vegetation forms a closed-canopy deciduous forest. Canopy cover is usually about 70-80% cover (sometimes less); the most abundant trees are Betula alleghaniensis (20-60% cover), Picea glauca (5-50% cover), and Betula papyrifera (5-25% cover). There is often a subcanopy with 5-30% cover (same species as in the canopy). Cover of tall shrubs is about 5-10% cover; the most abundant tall shrubs are saplings of Picea glauca and Abies balsamea, and Sambucus racemosa. Cover of short shrubs varies from 10-70% cover; the most abundant short shrubs are Rubus parviflorus, Sorbus decora, Diervilla lonicera (each with 5-25% cover), Lonicera canadensis and Rubus idaeus (each with 1-5% cover). There is a sparse cover of dwarf-shrubs, mainly Rubus pubescens. Cover of herbs varies from 40-80% cover; the most abundant herbs are Aralia nudicaulis (5-25% cover), Cornus canadensis (5-25% cover), Clintonia borealis, Lycopodium annotinum, Streptopus lanceolatus var. roseus, Athyrium filix-femina, and Oxalis montana (each with 1-5% cover). Cover of nonvascular plants is sparse (0-10% cover); Pleurozium schreberi is characteristic (less than 1% cover) (C. Reschke pers. comm. 1999).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: At Isle Royale National Park, this community occupies gentle to steep slopes at elevations from 190-240 m (630-780 feet). Soils are moderately well-drained to rapidly drained sandy loams (C. Reschke pers. comm. 1999).
Geographic Range: This type is reported from Isle Royale, Michigan; its rangewide distribution is unclear, but it may extend to the east, until Picea rubens enters into the range.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: MI, ON, QC?, WI
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689924
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
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.7 Sugar Maple - Yellow Birch - Eastern Hemlock Forest Macrogroup | M014 | 1.B.2.Na.7 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Na.7.h <i>Acer saccharum - Tilia americana - Fagus grandifolia</i> Forest Group | G921 | 1.B.2.Na.7.h |
| Alliance | A4446 Sugar Maple - American Basswood Laurentian Forest Alliance | A4446 | 1.B.2.Na.7.h |
| Association | CEGL005245 Yellow Birch - (Sugar Maple, White Spruce) Forest | CEGL005245 | 1.B.2.Na.7.h |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Betula alleghaniensis - (Acer saccharum, Picea glauca) Forest (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
- CDPNQ [Centre de données sur le patrimoine naturel du Québec]. No date. Unpublished data. Centre de données sur le patrimoine naturel du Québec, Québec.
- Faber-Langendoen, D., editor. 2001. Plant communities of the Midwest: Classification in an ecological context. Association for Biodiversity Information, Arlington, VA. 61 pp. plus appendix (705 pp.).
- Hop, K., S. Menard, J. Drake, S. Lubinski, and J. Dieck. 2010a. National Park Service Vegetation Inventory Program: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Wisconsin. Natural Resource Report NPS/GLKN/NRR-2010/199. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 310 pp.
- Kost, M. A., D. A. Albert, J. G. Cohen, B. S. Slaughter, R. K. Schillo, C. R. Weber, and K. A. Chapman. 2007. Natural communities of Michigan: Classification and description. Report No. 2007-21, Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Lansing. 314 pp. [http://web4.msue.msu.edu/mnfi/reports/2007-21_Natural_Communites_of_Michigan_Classification_and_Description.pdf]
- Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
- Reschke, Carol. Personal communication. Ecologist, New York Natural Heritage Program. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Latham, NY.
- TNC [The Nature Conservancy]. 1999b. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: Classification of the vegetation of Isle Royale National Park. The Nature Conservancy, Midwest Regional Office, Minneapolis, MN, and International Headquarters, Arlington, VA. 143 pp.
- WDNR [Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources]. 2015. The ecological landscapes of Wisconsin: An assessment of ecological resources and a guide to planning sustainable management. PUB-SS-1131 2015. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison. [http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/landscapes/Book.html]