Print Report
CEGL005003 Tsuga canadensis - Betula alleghaniensis Swamp Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Eastern Hemlock - Yellow Birch Swamp Forest
Colloquial Name: Hemlock - Yellow Birch Wet-Mesic Swamp
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This community is found in the central Great Lakes region of the United States and adjacent Canada. Stands occur on wet-mesic areas with imperfectly drained sandy loam/loam or silty clay soils that are often saturated. These areas occur on gentle slopes, drainageways, and bordering lakes and wetlands. The nutrient status is generally poor to medium. The overstory of this community is composed of conifers with a moderate amount of deciduous trees. Tsuga canadensis is usually the most abundant species with Acer rubrum, Acer saccharum, Betula alleghaniensis, Pinus strobus, and Thuja occidentalis less common. Abies balsamea in northern Wisconsin and Michigan. The shrub layer is not well-developed in mature stands with dense canopies, but shrubs are often abundant in disturbed or young stands. Shrubs that may be present include Amelanchier spp., Corylus cornuta, Lonicera canadensis, Prunus pensylvanica, and Vaccinium spp. Common herbaceous species include Clintonia borealis, Coptis trifolia, Cornus canadensis, Dryopteris carthusiana, Maianthemum canadense, Trientalis borealis, Viola spp., and others.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Type probably varies from mixed evergreen-deciduous to evergreen, with at least 25% Tsuga canadensis present (cover or basal area), and the rest either hardwoods or some conifers. If Thuja occidentalis is prominent (>50% cover (or basal area?) of the conifer component?), place with Thuja occidentalis white-cedar types, such as ~Thuja occidentalis - (Picea mariana, Abies balsamea) / Alnus incana Swamp Forest (CEGL002456)$$. Mixed stands of Thuja and Tsuga have been identified on the Chequamegon National Forest in Wisconsin, and are currently placed with this Tsuga type until field verification can be conducted (M. Brzeskiewicz pers. comm. 1997). Type may equal ~Tsuga canadensis - Betula alleghaniensis / Ilex verticillata / Sphagnum spp. Swamp Forest (CEGL006226)$$ in the Northeast, but would make a broad type. Stands in northeastern Ohio are placed with CEGL006226, found in New York and the northeastern United States. Ohio stands have no Rhododendron spp. (at least, not currently), and appear to resemble CEGL006226 more than CEGL006279. In Michigan this type is found in Gogebic and Iron counties in the western Upper Peninsula.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The overstory of this community is composed of conifers with a moderate amount of deciduous trees. Tsuga canadensis is usually the most abundant species with Abies balsamea, Acer rubrum, Acer saccharum, Betula alleghaniensis, Picea glauca, Pinus strobus, and Thuja occidentalis less common. The shrub layer is not well-developed in mature stands with dense canopies, but shrubs are often abundant in disturbed or young stands. Shrubs that may be present include Amelanchier spp., Corylus cornuta, Lonicera canadensis, Prunus pensylvanica, and Vaccinium spp. Common herbaceous species include Clintonia borealis, Coptis trifolia, Cornus canadensis, Dryopteris carthusiana, Maianthemum canadense, Oxalis montana, Trientalis borealis, Viola spp., and others.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This community is typically found on wet-mesic areas with imperfectly drained loamy sand, sandy loam, and loam soils that are often saturated. These areas occur on gentle slopes, drainageways, and bordering lakes and wetlands. The nutrient status is generally poor to medium (Kotar et al. 1988).
Geographic Range: This community is found in the central Great Lakes region of the United States and adjacent Canada, ranging from northern Wisconsin to southern Ontario.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: MI, OH, ON, WI
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.690084
Confidence Level: Moderate
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.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation | F026 | 1.B.3 |
| Division | 1.B.3.Na Eastern North American-Great Plains Flooded & Swamp Forest Division | D011 | 1.B.3.Na |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.3.Na.3 <i>Tsuga canadensis - Fraxinus nigra - Larix laricina</i> Flooded & Swamp Forest Macrogroup | M504 | 1.B.3.Na.3 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Na.3.d Northern White-cedar - Black Ash - Red Maple Swamp Forest Group | G046 | 1.B.3.Na.3.d |
| Alliance | A4464 <i>Thuja occidentalis - Acer rubrum - Larix laricina</i> Laurentian Swamp Forest Alliance | A4464 | 1.B.3.Na.3.d |
| Association | CEGL005003 Eastern Hemlock - Yellow Birch Swamp Forest | CEGL005003 | 1.B.3.Na.3.d |
Concept Lineage: The type 5171 is just a dominance type variant of this type.
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Tsuga / Maianthemum - Coptis (Kotar et al. 1988)
= Tsuga canadensis - Betula alleghaniensis Saturated Forest (Faber-Langendoen 2001) [Northern Wet-Mesic Forest Hemlock Swamp Subtype]
= Tsuga canadensis - Betula alleghaniensis Saturated Forest (Faber-Langendoen 2001) [Northern Wet-Mesic Forest Hemlock Swamp Subtype]
- Epstein, Eric. Personal communication. Community Ecologist, Wisconsin Natural Heritage Program, Madison, WI.
- 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.
- Hop, K., S. Menard, J. Drake, S. Lubinski, and J. Dieck. 2010c. National Park Service Vegetation Inventory Program: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan. Natural Resource Report NPS/GLKN/NRR-2010/201. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. 358 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]
- Kotar, J., J. A. Kovach, and C. T. Locey. 1988. Field guide to forest habitat types of northern Wisconsin. Department of Forestry, University of Wisconsin and Department of Natural Resources.
- Lee, H., W. Bakowsky, J. Riley, J. Bowles, M. Puddister, P. Uhlig, and S. McMurray. 1998. Ecological land classification for southern Ontario: First approximation and its application. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Southcentral Science Section, Science Development and Transfer Branch. SCSS Field Guide FG-02.
- Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
- ONHD [Ohio Natural Heritage Database]. No date. Vegetation classification of Ohio and unpublished data. Ohio Natural Heritage Database, Division of Natural Areas and Preserves, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Columbus.
- ONHIC [Ontario Natural Heritage Information Centre]. 2018. Unpublished data. Ontario Natural Heritage Information Centre, Ministry of Natural Resources, Ontario, Canada.
- 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]