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G039 Chamaecyparis thyoides - Pinus rigida Swamp Group
Type Concept Sentence: This group is made up of saturated, nutrient-poor swamp forests of the northern Atlantic Coastal Plain, characterized by Chamaecyparis thyoides or Pinus rigida.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Atlantic White-cedar - Pitch Pine Swamp Group
Colloquial Name: Northern Coastal Plain Swamp
Hierarchy Level: Group
Type Concept: This group encompasses coniferous to mixed swamp forests and wetland pine barrens on the northern Atlantic Coastal Plain, generally from Massachusetts south to Virginia. They occur on sandy, acidic, and nutrient-poor soils, mostly in settings that remain saturated throughout the growing season, but sometimes in settings that are only seasonally saturated. The characteristic overstory tree is either Chamaecyparis thyoides or Pinus rigida, generally not together. Acer rubrum can be an important associate, especially with Chamaecyparis, where cutting or other anthropogenic disturbance has altered the vegetation composition. Associated shrubs and herbs indicative of the coastal plain setting include Gaylussacia dumosa, Clethra alnifolia, Ilex glabra, Rhododendron viscosum, Eubotrys racemosa, and Carex striata, as well as the more widespread Vaccinium corymbosum, Gaylussacia baccata, and Chamaedaphne calyculata. Fire has been an important ecological process in the vegetation of this group.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Tree canopy with at least 20% relative dominance by Chamaecyparis thyoides or Pinus rigida with wetland indicator species in the lower layers, and lacking species more characteristic of the central and southern Atlantic Coastal Plain such as Quercus laurifolia, Quercus nigra, Quercus virginiana, Cliftonia monophylla, Fraxinus caroliniana, Gordonia lasianthus, Persea borbonia, Sabal palmetto, Pinus elliottii; Virginia northward.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: In the 2006 analyses of FIA eastern forest plots, vegetation in this group was included within the former Coastal Plain Mixed Evergreen Swamp Forest Group (in what is now ~Southern Coastal Plain Evergreen Hardwood - Conifer Swamp Macrogroup (M032)$$ in 1.B.3.Nb ~Southeastern North American Flooded & Swamp Forest Division (D062)$$). The vegetation in the present group was moved into former Northern & Central Swamp Forest Macrogroup (M030) and subsequently into ~Laurentian-Acadian Flooded & Swamp Forest Macrogroup (M504)$$ based on the absence of species more characteristic of the central and southern Atlantic Coastal Plain. The group concept needs to be expanded based on the component systems from CES203.520 and CES203.070.
In western Nova Scotia, in Atlantic Canada, swamps with the strongest expression of Atlantic Coastal Plain flora are deciduous,(usually Acer rubrum-dominated, but open conifer swamps of Picea mariana, Larix laricina, or Thuja occidentalis can support similar understory associates. The non-tree species in this description that are also found in these Atlantic Canada swamps include the shrubs Chamaedaphne calyculata, Clethra alnifolia, Gaylussacia baccata, Gaylussacia dumosa, Ilex glabra, Vaccinium corymbosum, and the herbs Bartonia paniculata, Carex atlantica, Carex folliculata, Drosera spp., Glyceria striata, Lycopus virginicus, Mitchella repens, Osmunda cinnamomea, Osmunda regalis, Pogonia ophioglossoides, Sarracenia purpurea, Thelypteris palustris, Thelypteris simulata, Woodwardia areolata, and Woodwardia virginica. Given the overstory species composition, these swamps may best be treated as an alliance within ~Laurentian-Acadian Acidic Swamp Group (G045)$$.
In western Nova Scotia, in Atlantic Canada, swamps with the strongest expression of Atlantic Coastal Plain flora are deciduous,(usually Acer rubrum-dominated, but open conifer swamps of Picea mariana, Larix laricina, or Thuja occidentalis can support similar understory associates. The non-tree species in this description that are also found in these Atlantic Canada swamps include the shrubs Chamaedaphne calyculata, Clethra alnifolia, Gaylussacia baccata, Gaylussacia dumosa, Ilex glabra, Vaccinium corymbosum, and the herbs Bartonia paniculata, Carex atlantica, Carex folliculata, Drosera spp., Glyceria striata, Lycopus virginicus, Mitchella repens, Osmunda cinnamomea, Osmunda regalis, Pogonia ophioglossoides, Sarracenia purpurea, Thelypteris palustris, Thelypteris simulata, Woodwardia areolata, and Woodwardia virginica. Given the overstory species composition, these swamps may best be treated as an alliance within ~Laurentian-Acadian Acidic Swamp Group (G045)$$.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Forested, with full to partial canopies. Understory may be very sparse beneath dense Chamaecyparis, or have a well-developed shrub-graminoid layer where overstory trees are more scattered.
Floristics: The most common overstory trees are Chamaecyparis thyoides, Pinus rigida, and Acer rubrum. Nyssa sylvatica, Liquidambar styraciflua, Magnolia virginiana, and Ilex opaca are less constant/important associates. Shrub and herb species include those indicative of the coastal plain setting, including Gaylussacia dumosa, Clethra alnifolia, Ilex glabra, Rhododendron viscosum, Eubotrys racemosa (= Leucothoe racemosa), Woodwardia areolata, and Carex striata, as well as the more widespread Vaccinium corymbosum, Gaylussacia baccata, Gaylussacia frondosa (less commonly), and Chamaedaphne calyculata. Other herbs include Osmunda cinnamomea, Thelypteris palustris, Woodwardia virginica, Thelypteris simulata, Drosera spp., Sarracenia purpurea, Pogonia ophioglossoides, Mitchella repens, Carex striata, Carex collinsii, Carex atlantica, Chasmanthium laxum, Carex folliculata, Bartonia paniculata, Carex seorsa, Glyceria striata, Lycopus virginicus, and Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis. Sphagnum spp., other nonvascular plants, and lichens may be common on exposed peat and rotting wood.
Dynamics: Coastal plain swamps undergo a number of natural disturbances, including wind storms and periodic fire. These processes remove part or all of the tree canopy; an open canopy is necessary for the establishment of the coniferous trees Chamaecyparis thyoides and Pinus rigida. When periodic disturbance is lacking, the vegetation succeeds to hardwood swamps characterized by Acer rubrum and Nyssa sylvatica. In pitch pine lowlands, hydrologic regime has the greatest effect on vegetation structure and composition (Zampella et al. 2001).
Environmental Description: Soils are sands or mucky peat over sand. Most remain saturated throughout the season, but some may be seasonally saturated. The coarse soils are acidic and nutrient-poor.
Geographic Range: Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain, from Massachusetts to southern Virginia (in the vicinity of the James River); occasional outliers northward near the coast or disjunct occurrences inland.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NJ, NY, QC, RI, VA, VT
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.836760
Confidence Level: Moderate
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.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation | F026 | 1.B.3 |
| Division | 1.B.3.Nb Southeastern North American Flooded & Swamp Forest Division | D062 | 1.B.3.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.3.Nb.3 Sweetbay - Swamp Bay - Pond Pine Swamp Forest Macrogroup | M032 | 1.B.3.Nb.3 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b Atlantic White-cedar - Pitch Pine Swamp Group | G039 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b |
| Alliance | A0580 Pitch Pine Swamp Woodland Alliance | A0580 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b |
| Alliance | A2058 Red Maple - Blackgum Swamp Forest Alliance | A2058 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b |
| Alliance | A3400 Atlantic White-cedar Northern Peat Swamp Forest Alliance | A3400 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b |
| Alliance | A3415 Atlantic White-cedar Mid-Atlantic Streamside Swamp Forest Alliance | A3415 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b |
| Alliance | A3637 Sweetgum - Red Maple / Wax-myrtle Mid-Atlantic Swamp Forest Alliance | A3637 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b |
| Alliance | A4211 Pitch Pine Scrub Swamp Alliance | A4211 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: > Broadleaf Swamp Forests (McCormick 1979)
> Coastal Plain Atlantic White Cedar Swamp (NYNHP 2013w)
> Pine Transition Forests (McCormick 1979)
> Pitch Pine Lowland Forests (McCormick 1979)
> Pitch pine lowland (Zampella et al. 1992)
> Southern White Cedar Swamp Forests (McCormick 1979)
> Coastal Plain Atlantic White Cedar Swamp (NYNHP 2013w)
> Pine Transition Forests (McCormick 1979)
> Pitch Pine Lowland Forests (McCormick 1979)
> Pitch pine lowland (Zampella et al. 1992)
> Southern White Cedar Swamp Forests (McCormick 1979)
- Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, S. Gawler, M. Hall, C. Josse, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, L. Sneddon, K. Schulz, J. Teague, M. Russo, K. Snow, and P. Comer, editors. 2010-2019a. Divisions, Macrogroups and Groups for the Revised U.S. National Vegetation Classification. NatureServe, Arlington, VA. plus appendices. [in preparation]
- McCormick, J. 1979. The vegetation of the New Jersey Pine Barrens. In: R. T. T. Formann, editor. Pine Barrens: Ecosystem and landscape. Academic Press, New York.
- NYNHP [New York Natural Heritage Program]. 2013w. Online conservation guide for Coastal Plain Atlantic White Cedar Swamp. New York Natural Heritage Program, Albany, NY. [http://www.acris.nynhp.org/guide.php?id=9907]
- Whittaker, R. H. 1979b. Vegetational relationships of the Pine Barrens. Pages 315-331 in: R. T. T. Forman. Pine Barrens: Ecosystems and landscape. Academy Press, New York.
- Zampella, R. A., C. L. Dow, and J. F. Bunnell. 2001. Using reference sites and simple linear regression to estimate long-term water levels in coastal plain forests. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 37:1189-1201.
- Zampella, R. A., G. Moore, and R. E. Good. 1992. Gradient analysis of pitch pine (Pinus rigida Mill.) lowland communities in the New Jersey Pinelands. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 119(3):253-261.