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CEGL006385 Pinus rigida / Carex pensylvanica Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Pitch Pine / Pennsylvania Sedge Woodland
Colloquial Name: Pitch Pine / Pennsylvania Sedge Woodland
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This pitch pine woodland of xeric sandy soils occurs in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, possibly ranging north to New England. Pinus rigida is the dominant tree, with Sassafras albidum a common associate. The sparse shrub layer is made up of Vaccinium pallidum, Gaylussacia baccata, Quercus ilicifolia. Vines may be common, including Smilax glauca, Smilax rotundifolia. Carex pensylvanica forms a well-developed herbaceous layer, with Hudsonia ericoides and bryophytes Leucobryum glaucum, Cladina subtenuis, Cladonia squamosa also contributing cover. This community is anthropogenic in origin, but is also known to occur on paleodunes in the New Jersey Pine Barrens.
In New Jersey, pitch pine-sedge uplands (PU7) are small-patch, mid-successional forests and woodlands found in much of the Pinelands, especially in sandy areas near wetlands and anthropogenic disturbance sites. The forests often have a closed to partially-open canopy strongly dominated by Pinus rigida, sometimes with minor amounts of Pinus echinata or Pinus virginiana in peripheral areas of the Pinelands. Tree-oaks are typically absent, but can be present in the midstory with 1-5% cover, including Quercus velutina, Quercus stellata, and Quercus marilandica. Sassafras albidum is also a common midstory associate. A shrub oak stratum is typically absent, but minor amounts of shrub-form Quercus marilandica and Quercus ilicifolia are sometimes present with covers of less than 5%. Fire-sensitive hardwoods and holly are rare or absent. Low heath shrubs are usually absent, but can include small amounts of Gaylussacia baccata, Gaylussacia frondosa, Vaccinium pallidum, and Kalmia angustifolia. The ground cover is typically dominated by Carex pensylvanica, which is diagnostic. Other herbs can also include Panicum virgatum, Schizachyrium scoparium, Pteridium aquilinum, Gaultheria procumbens, Hudsonia ericoides, and Cladonia or Cladina spp., especially under canopy openings.
In New Jersey, pitch pine-sedge uplands (PU7) are small-patch, mid-successional forests and woodlands found in much of the Pinelands, especially in sandy areas near wetlands and anthropogenic disturbance sites. The forests often have a closed to partially-open canopy strongly dominated by Pinus rigida, sometimes with minor amounts of Pinus echinata or Pinus virginiana in peripheral areas of the Pinelands. Tree-oaks are typically absent, but can be present in the midstory with 1-5% cover, including Quercus velutina, Quercus stellata, and Quercus marilandica. Sassafras albidum is also a common midstory associate. A shrub oak stratum is typically absent, but minor amounts of shrub-form Quercus marilandica and Quercus ilicifolia are sometimes present with covers of less than 5%. Fire-sensitive hardwoods and holly are rare or absent. Low heath shrubs are usually absent, but can include small amounts of Gaylussacia baccata, Gaylussacia frondosa, Vaccinium pallidum, and Kalmia angustifolia. The ground cover is typically dominated by Carex pensylvanica, which is diagnostic. Other herbs can also include Panicum virgatum, Schizachyrium scoparium, Pteridium aquilinum, Gaultheria procumbens, Hudsonia ericoides, and Cladonia or Cladina spp., especially under canopy openings.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This concept of this association has been expanded to include successional pine barrens vegetation that is recovering from a history of disturbance.
Pitch pine-shortleaf pine-sedge upland (PU8) is related to or a variant of PU7 with over 5% cover of Pinus echinata in the canopy as an associate or codominant with Pinus rigida, or less commonly as the sole dominant. PU8 is most common in anthropogenic, mid-successional stands within an OP/PO matrix, especially in peripheral and southern parts of the Pinelands, and is nearly absent in the fire-prone central Pinelands where pine-shrub-oak types (Pb/POw) dominate, except for a few small PU8 stands near swamps.
Pitch pine-shortleaf pine-sedge upland (PU8) is related to or a variant of PU7 with over 5% cover of Pinus echinata in the canopy as an associate or codominant with Pinus rigida, or less commonly as the sole dominant. PU8 is most common in anthropogenic, mid-successional stands within an OP/PO matrix, especially in peripheral and southern parts of the Pinelands, and is nearly absent in the fire-prone central Pinelands where pine-shrub-oak types (Pb/POw) dominate, except for a few small PU8 stands near swamps.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: No Data Available
Dynamics: Pitch pine-sedge uplands (PU7) are found on dry sandy terraces and mounds next to pitch pine lowlands, in small but stable patches embedded within pitch pine-heath uplands (PU1) or pitch pine lowland ecotones (PLE). These sandy features may not meet the geological criteria for paleodunes, but many support open sandy habitats similar to paleodunes that persist for decades after a severe fire or disturbance event. These naturally persistent, mid-successional stands are in part edaphically maintained by the dry sandy substrates. PU7 is also found in anthropogenic, mid-successional stands embedded within various upland forests types, after a severe disturbance or clearing event destroyed all vegetation including most tree-oak and shrub-oak roots, followed by enhanced pine and sedge regeneration on bare sand. Some anthropogenic PU7 stands have geometric shapes or coincide with old clearings visible on historical aerial photos, but many have no obvious signs of the anthropogenic activity remaining besides the PU7 patch itself embedded in a different forest matrix.
Environmental Description: No Data Available
Geographic Range: This pitch pine woodland of xeric sandy soils occurs in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, possibly ranging north to New England.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: MA?, NJ
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689988
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.a Pitch Pine Barrens Group | G161 | 1.B.2.Na.9.a |
| Alliance | A4469 Pitch Pine Coastal Barrens Woodland Alliance | A4469 | 1.B.2.Na.9.a |
| Association | CEGL006385 Pitch Pine / Pennsylvania Sedge Woodland | CEGL006385 | 1.B.2.Na.9.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: > Mixed Pine - Sedge Upland (PU8) (Windisch 2014a)
> Pitch Pine - Heath Upland (PU1) (Windisch 2014a)
> Pitch Pine - Sedge Upland (PU7) (Windisch 2014a)
> Successional Pine - Sedge Upland (SPU7) (Windisch 2014a)
> Pitch Pine - Heath Upland (PU1) (Windisch 2014a)
> Pitch Pine - Sedge Upland (PU7) (Windisch 2014a)
> Successional Pine - Sedge Upland (SPU7) (Windisch 2014a)
- 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.
- Eastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boston, MA.
- 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.
- 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.
- Windisch, A. G. 1995a. Natural community inventory of Willow Grove Lake Site, Salem, Cumberland and Gloucester counties, New Jersey. The Nature Conservancy draft report. New Jersey Natural Heritage Program, Trenton, NJ.
- Windisch, A. G. 1995b. Natural community inventory of Fort Dix, New Jersey. The Nature Conservancy report. New Jersey Natural Heritage Program, Office of Natural Lands Management. Trenton, NJ. 81 pp.