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A2033 Fagus grandifolia - Liriodendron tulipifera - Carya cordiformis Forest Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This basic mesic forest alliance is characterized by Liriodendron tulipifera, Fagus grandifolia, Carya cordiformis, and a number of Quercus spp., as well as the presence of calciphilic species such as Quercus muehlenbergii. It occurs over a wide range, in the Appalachians, the Cumberland Plateau, west to the Interior Low Plateau, and includes outliers in the Ozarks of Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas, as well as the adjacent Upper East Gulf Coastal Plain.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: American Beech - Tuliptree - Bitternut Hickory Forest Alliance

Colloquial Name: Interior Highlands Basic Mesic Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This basic mesic forest alliance occurs over a wide range, from southern Pennsylvania south along the Appalachians to Alabama and Georgia, as well as in the Cumberland Plateau of Kentucky and Tennessee, and west to the Interior Low Plateau from Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, and including outliers in the Ozarks of Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas, as well as the adjacent Upper East Gulf Coastal Plain. These are beech-oak, beech-tuliptree-maple, and tuliptree-oak forests, which are mesic but not as rich and diverse as true Appalachian cove forests. Its stands are characterized by a combination of Acer saccharum, Carya cordiformis, Fagus grandifolia, Liriodendron tulipifera, and a number of Quercus spp., as well as the presence of calciphilic species such as Quercus muehlenbergii. Acer floridanum or Acer leucoderme occur in portions of the range, as does Magnolia tripetala. Other canopy associates include Fraxinus americana, Nyssa sylvatica, Quercus alba, Quercus rubra, Tilia americana, and Ulmus rubra. The tree subcanopy is characterized by Asimina triloba, Carpinus caroliniana, Cercis canadensis, Cornus florida, and Ostrya virginiana. The herbaceous layer is characterized by calciphilic species, including Actaea racemosa, Adiantum pedatum, Asarum canadense, Hepatica nobilis, and Sanguinaria canadensis, as well as Polystichum acrostichoides and Podophyllum peltatum. These forests often occur on concave and sheltered landforms such as north- to east-facing slopes, low slopes, high terraces along streams, and possibly other situations, in generally dissected terrain south of the glacial boundary. The soils are fertile well-drained silt, silt loam, sandy loam, or loam.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: One association (CEGL007823) included here is somewhat of a geographic anomaly, in that it occurs west of the range of Liriodendron tulipifera. It is placed in this alliance with CEGL002411 as a geographic and floristic outlier. Alternately, it could either be placed in ~Acer saccharum - Carya cordiformis - Fraxinus americana Ozark-Ouachita Forest Alliance (A3260)$$ (where it has geographic affinities), or in ~Fagus grandifolia - Quercus rubra Piedmont-Ridge and Valley Forest Alliance (A3265)$$ as a more extreme geographic outlier (but where it could be thought to fit better floristically). Placing it here in A2033 seems to be the best option of the three. Some dynamics and floristic information is taken from CEGL002411, a typical association.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This alliance is dominated by broad-leaved deciduous trees forming a closed canopy. Understory trees are common, and the shrub layer is generally well-developed but of variable structure. The herbaceous layer is generally lush, comprised of leafy forbs.

Floristics: This vegetation is characterized by Acer saccharum, Carya cordiformis, Fagus grandifolia, Liriodendron tulipifera, a number of Quercus spp., as well as the presence of calciphilic species such as Quercus muehlenbergii. In addition, Acer floridanum (= Acer barbatum) or Acer leucoderme occur in portions of the range, as does Magnolia tripetala. Other canopy associates include Aesculus sylvatica, Fraxinus americana, Liquidambar styraciflua, Nyssa sylvatica, Quercus rubra, Quercus alba, Tilia americana var. heterophylla, and Ulmus rubra. The tree subcanopy is characterized by Asimina triloba, Carpinus caroliniana, Cercis canadensis, Cornus florida, and Ostrya virginiana. Typical shrubs include Asimina triloba, Corylus americana, Euonymus obovatus, Lindera benzoin, and Morus rubra. The herbaceous layer is well-developed, including Actaea racemosa, Adiantum pedatum, Arisaema triphyllum, Asarum canadense, Carex blanda, Claytonia virginica, Dicentra canadensis, Dryopteris intermedia, Galium circaezans, Hepatica nobilis var. acuta, Maianthemum racemosum, Osmorhiza claytonii, Phegopteris hexagonoptera, Polystichum acrostichoides, Podophyllum peltatum, Polygonatum biflorum, Sanguinaria canadensis, Tiarella cordifolia, Trillium grandiflorum, Viola spp., and many others.

Dynamics:  Canopy openings are created by windthrows, insect and disease damage, and tree senescence. Sugar maple regeneration is prominent where these openings occur. Forest openings are rapidly colonized by dense stands of herbaceous vegetation. Succession is rapid due to ideal nutrient availability and soil moisture. Seed dispersal is accomplished by wind and seed-eating birds and mammals.
Environmental Description:  These forests often occur on concave and sheltered landforms such as north- to east-facing slopes, low slopes, high terraces along streams, and possibly other situations, in generally dissected terrain south of the glacial boundary.
Geographic Range: This forest alliance occurs over a wide range, from Pennsylvania south along the Appalachians to Alabama and Georgia, as well as in the Cumberland Plateau of Kentucky and Tennessee, and west to the Interior Low Plateau from Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, as well as the adjacent Upper East Gulf Coastal Plain. It also includes outliers found in the Ozarks of Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AL, AR, IL, IN, KY, MO, MS, OH, OK, TN


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.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 CEGL002411 American Beech - Sugar Maple - Tuliptree Unglaciated Forest CEGL002411 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
Association CEGL004411 (Black Maple, Sugar Maple) - Bitternut Hickory Forest CEGL004411 1.B.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL004437 Black Walnut - Ohio Buckeye - Kentucky Coffeetree / Giant Cane - (Pawpaw) Forest CEGL004437 1.B.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL004741 Sugar Maple - Shagbark Hickory - Black Walnut / Coralberry / Licorice Bedstraw Forest CEGL004741 1.B.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL007201 American Beech - Tuliptree / American Strawberry-bush / Southern Ladyfern Forest CEGL007201 1.B.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL007823 American Beech - Northern Red Oak - Carolina Basswood / Umbrella-tree / Mayapple Forest CEGL007823 1.B.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL007881 American Beech - White Oak / Flowering Dogwood Forest CEGL007881 1.B.2.Na.3.a
Concept Lineage: This represents a split of A.236. This revised proto-alliance originally represented a split of A.236; it now (MP 12-12) includes members of A.227 (4), A.229 (3), and A.236. Five of the nine associations assigned here were in the original A2033 (protoalliance) of LAS.

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Fagus grandifolia - Acer saccharum - Podophyllum peltatum association (Pell and Mack 1977) [Ohio]
? Beech - Maple association (Braun 1950)
? T1B4aI1a. Fagus grandifolia - Magnolia tripetala (Foti et al. 1994)
? T1B4aI1b. Fagus grandifolia - Acer saccharum - Quercus spp. (alba, muehlenbergii, rubra) (Foti et al. 1994)
? T1B4aI1c. Fagus grandifolia - Acer spp. (rubrum, saccharum) - Liriodendron tulipifera (Foti et al. 1994)
>< Western Mesophytic Forest Region (Braun 1950)
Concept Author(s): L.A. Sneddon, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: L.A. Sneddon and M. Pyne

Acknowledgements: We have incorporated significant descriptive information previously compiled by Dorothy Allard, Alan Weakley, and Karen Patterson.

Version Date: 01-08-14
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