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CEGL004072 Fagus grandifolia - Quercus (alba, rubra) / Acer floridanum / Asimina triloba Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: American Beech - (White Oak, Northern Red Oak) / Southern Sugar Maple / Pawpaw Forest
Colloquial Name: Gulf Coastal Plain Loess Bluff Beech - Oak Forest (Northern Type)
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This forest, dominated by Fagus grandifolia and Quercus spp., occurs on deep loess soils in the Gulf Coastal Plain region of Arkansas, northern Mississippi, western Tennessee, and western Kentucky. Examples are diverse mesic hardwood forests found on southern Crowley''s Ridge (Arkansas) and related loess bluffs east of the Mississippi River. These forests have a rich species composition of mesic flora, including some species restricted, or nearly so, to this habitat in the region. Fagus grandifolia and Quercus alba and/or Quercus rubra may be the most important species in the canopy, although Fagus is often the single most dominant tree (other locally mesic stands dominated by oaks rather than Fagus would be accommodated by ~Quercus (rubra, alba, velutina) / Acer floridanum / Asimina triloba Forest (CEGL004069)$$). The presence of Quercus rubra is an important component of these stands and helps to distinguish this association from related types (generally found south of this type) that support only Quercus alba. Stands support a variety of other species indicative of rich mesic conditions, including Acer floridanum, Ostrya virginiana, Asimina triloba, Arundinaria gigantea, and Cynoglossum virginianum. Related forests of more southerly loess bluffs occur within the range of Magnolia grandiflora [see ~Quercus pagoda - Magnolia grandiflora - Fagus grandifolia / Hydrangea quercifolia / Thelypteris kunthii Forest (CEGL007461)$$].
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: In Arkansas, this type is best expressed in the southern part of Crowley''s Ridge (Cross County south through Phillips County), with isolated occurrences to the north, in undisturbed valleys and coves. Within this region this type is known from the St. Francis National Forest (Turkey Ridge RNA). This type is not known from the Missouri part of Crowley''s Ridge (M. Leahy pers. comm. 1999). Tennessee examples are known from the Chickasaw Bluffs in Tipton and Shelby counties, including Meeman-Shelby State Park and Forest, with other putative examples extending north into Kentucky, where this type would be rare.
In Arkansas, Crowley''s Ridge beech forests were originally considered as an outlier of Appalachian affinities, due to the prevalence of sugar maple (T. Foti pers. comm.). This notion has been supported by Miller and Neiswender (1989) statements that these forests (in Tennessee) are more similar to cove hardwoods of the Smokies and Cumberland Plateau than other forests of the Mississippi Embayment region. Clark (1974) posed a slight challenge to the Appalachian affinities of this type in Arkansas by describing the forests as beech-white oak and de-emphasizing the maple component. In addition, it is known that the maple of Crowley''s Ridge is actually southern sugar maple (i.e., Acer floridanum) (G. Tucker pers. comm.) further helping to clarify the classification of these stands. The presence of Quercus rubra and Acer floridanum in the Crowley''s Ridge stands makes their placement somewhat problematic, but the canopy oak "trumps" the subcanopy maple in ranking their diagnostic value.
In Arkansas, Crowley''s Ridge beech forests were originally considered as an outlier of Appalachian affinities, due to the prevalence of sugar maple (T. Foti pers. comm.). This notion has been supported by Miller and Neiswender (1989) statements that these forests (in Tennessee) are more similar to cove hardwoods of the Smokies and Cumberland Plateau than other forests of the Mississippi Embayment region. Clark (1974) posed a slight challenge to the Appalachian affinities of this type in Arkansas by describing the forests as beech-white oak and de-emphasizing the maple component. In addition, it is known that the maple of Crowley''s Ridge is actually southern sugar maple (i.e., Acer floridanum) (G. Tucker pers. comm.) further helping to clarify the classification of these stands. The presence of Quercus rubra and Acer floridanum in the Crowley''s Ridge stands makes their placement somewhat problematic, but the canopy oak "trumps" the subcanopy maple in ranking their diagnostic value.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Fagus grandifolia either strongly dominates or codominates the canopy of stands and plots attributable to this association. Other tree species include Quercus rubra, Liquidambar styraciflua, Liriodendron tulipifera, Acer floridanum (= Acer barbatum), and Ostrya virginiana. Stands of this and related vegetation of loess bluffs are often richer than surrounding areas due to the fertile topsoil and abundant moisture (Miller and Neiswender 1987). Sweetgum and tuliptree are persistent (long-lived), disturbance-generated species that are more common in lower quality stands (D. Zollner pers. comm.). This type appears to be compatible with vegetation described by Miller and Neiswender (1987, 1989) from northeast-facing slopes of the Chickasaw Loess Bluff of western Tennessee, although it is interesting to note that their plot data lack Quercus alba. The white oak - beech forest type described by Clark (1974, 1977d) appears to be a broader concept than the association outlined here. Among the species that help to distinguish this association from southwest-facing slopes in the bluffs of Tennessee are Arundinaria gigantea, Carpinus caroliniana, Cercis canadensis, and Hydrangea arborescens (Miller and Neiswender 1987). Herbaceous species that may be present in this type include Adiantum pedatum, Phegopteris hexagonoptera, Epifagus virginiana, and many others (Miller and Neiswender 1987, Evans 1991, NatureServe Ecology unpubl. data). Acer floridanum (= Acer saccharum var. floridanum) is a common species in this community type on southern Crowley''s Ridge (NatureServe Ecology unpubl. data) where it is apparently the only member of the sugar maple complex that is present (G. Tucker pers. comm.) as well as in western Tennessee (Miller and Neiswender 1987). In Arkansas Liriodendron tulipifera is geographically restricted to Crowley''s Ridge and may be common in this type. Schisandra glabra, while not constant, indicates the type''s Coastal Plain affinities, where it is apparently confined to loessal soils. Loessal vegetation often provides habitat for plant species that are rare or absent from other parts of the Coastal Plain (Chester et al. 1997) and formerly constituted a major refugium for mesophytic plant species, now generally more common to the north, during the last glaciation (Delcourt and Delcourt 1975).
Dynamics: The local landscape in which this community occurs (highly dissected / surrounded by ravines and bottomlands) suggests that naturally occurring fire events would have been uncommon, low-intensity/severity events (R. Evans pers. obs., D. Zollner pers. comm.). In the complete absence of fire, the oak portion of the canopy would eventually be replaced by maple. Canopy openings (10s to 100s of acres) created by windstorms are relatively frequent and allow for the maintenance of yellow poplar and sweetgum in this forest type, and some sites currently occupied by sweetgum-tuliptree were probably originally this type. Approximately decadal, widespread, ice storms also influence structure and composition of the canopy (D. Zollner pers. comm.).
Environmental Description: This association occurs in a highly dissected landscape surrounded by ravines and bottomlands. Soils are predominately deep loess that is rich in nutrients and has high moisture-holding capacity. Stands studied by Miller and Neiswender (1987, 1989) that appear to be consistent with this association occur primarily on northeast-facing slopes in the loess bluffs of Tennessee.
Geographic Range: This forest is found in the Gulf Coastal Plain both east and west of the Mississippi River. In the west it is confined to southern Crowley''s Ridge, Arkansas. East of the Mississippi River it presumably extends along the loess bluffs from central Mississippi through Tennessee and Kentucky.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AR, KY, MS, TN
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.721881
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2G3
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.3 Appalachian-Interior-Northeastern Mesic Forest Macrogroup | M883 | 1.B.2.Na.3 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Na.3.a American Beech - Tuliptree - Yellow Buckeye Forest Group | G020 | 1.B.2.Na.3.a |
| Alliance | A2033 American Beech - Tuliptree - Bitternut Hickory Forest Alliance | A2033 | 1.B.2.Na.3.a |
| Association | CEGL004072 American Beech - (White Oak, Northern Red Oak) / Southern Sugar Maple / Pawpaw Forest | CEGL004072 | 1.B.2.Na.3.a |
Concept Lineage: Merged
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Fagus grandifolia - Acer spp. (rubrum, saccharum) - Liriodendron tulipifera (Foti et al. 1994)
< IA8d. Southern Mixed Hardwood Forest (Allard 1990)
? Moist Slopes (Miller and Neiswender 1989)
? North-east Facing Slopes (Miller and Neiswender 1987)
? T1B4aII2a. Liriodendron tulipifera - Quercus alba (Foti et al. 1994)
< White Oak-Beech Forest Type (Clark 1974)
< IA8d. Southern Mixed Hardwood Forest (Allard 1990)
? Moist Slopes (Miller and Neiswender 1989)
? North-east Facing Slopes (Miller and Neiswender 1987)
? T1B4aII2a. Liriodendron tulipifera - Quercus alba (Foti et al. 1994)
< White Oak-Beech Forest Type (Clark 1974)
- 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.
- Chester, E. W., B. E. Wofford, and R. Kral. 1997. Atlas of Tennessee vascular plants. Volume 2: Angiosperms: Dicots. Miscellaneous Publication No. 13. Center for Field Biology, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN.
- Clark, G. T. 1974. A preliminary ecological study of Crowley''s Ridge. Pages 213-241 in: Arkansas Department of Planning. Arkansas natural area plan. Arkansas Department of Planning. Little Rock. 248 pp.
- Clark, G. T. 1977d. Forest communities of Crowley''s Ridge. Proceedings of the Arkansas Academy of Science 31:34-37.
- Delcourt, H. R., and P. A. Delcourt. 1975. The blufflands: Pleistocene pathway into the Tunica Hills. The American Midland Naturalist 94:385-400.
- EPA [Environmental Protection Agency]. 2004. Level III and IV Ecoregions of EPA Region 4. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Western Ecology Division, Corvallis, OR. Scale 1:2,000,000.
- Evans, M. 1991. Kentucky ecological communities. Draft report to the Kentucky Nature Preserves Commission. 19 pp.
- Evans, M., B. Yahn, and M. Hines. 2009. Natural communities of Kentucky 2009. Kentucky Nature Preserves Commission, Frankfort, KY. 22 pp.
- Evans, Rob. Personal communication. Regional Ecologist, Plant Conservation Program, North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Raleigh, NC.
- Foti, T., M. Blaney, X. Li, and K. G. Smith. 1994. A classification system for the natural vegetation of Arkansas. Proceedings of the Arkansas Academy of Science 48:50-53.
- Foti, T., compiler. 1994b. Natural vegetation classification system of Arkansas, draft five. Unpublished document. Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Little Rock. 8 pp.
- Leahy, Mike. Personal communication. Missouri Natural Heritage Database, Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City.
- MSNHP [Mississippi Natural Heritage Program]. 2006. Ecological communities of Mississippi. Museum of Natural Science, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, Jackson, MS. 9 pp.
- Miller, N. A., and J. B. Neiswender. 1987. Plant communities of the Third Chickasaw Loess Bluff and Mississippi River Alluvial Plain, Shelby County, Tennessee. Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Sciences 62:1-6.
- Miller, N. A., and J. Neiswender. 1989. A plant community study of the Third Chickasaw Bluff, Shelby County, Tennessee. Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science 64:149-154.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- Tucker, Gary E., Personal communication. Senior Ecologist, FTN Associates, Ltd., Little Rock, AR.
- Wieland, R. G. 1994a. Marine and estuarine habitat types and associated ecological communities of the Mississippi Coast. Museum Technical Report 25. Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, Museum of Natural Science, Jackson, MS. 270 pp.
- Zollner, Douglas. Personal communication. Ecologist, The Nature Conservancy, Arkansas Field Office, Little Rock.