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A0220 Acer saccharum - Tilia americana - Quercus rubra Forest Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance, found in the midwestern United States, forms the westernmost portion of the mesic deciduous forests that occupy much of the eastern United States. Stands of this alliance are found on well-drained, nutrient-rich loamy soils and have a moderately dense to dense tree canopy dominated by some combination of Acer saccharum, Quercus rubra, and Tilia americana.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Sugar Maple - American Basswood - Northern Red Oak Forest Alliance

Colloquial Name: Sugar Maple - American Basswood - Northern Red Oak Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance, found in the midwestern United States, forms the westernmost portion of the mesic deciduous forests that occupy much of the eastern United States. Stands of this alliance are found on well-drained, nutrient-rich loamy soils to dry-mesic fine sandy loams and loamy sands and have a moderately dense to dense tree canopy dominated by some combination of Acer saccharum, Quercus rubra, and Tilia americana. Other common canopy species include Acer rubrum, Carya spp., Celtis occidentalis, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Quercus alba, and Ulmus spp. Carpinus caroliniana (in the southern half of this alliance''s range) and Ostrya virginiana are characteristic subcanopy trees. The dense canopy tends to inhibit the formation of a significant shrub layer. Scattered shrubs of Acer spicatum (in the north), Corylus americana, Hamamelis virginiana, Ribes spp., Sambucus spp., Viburnum acerifolium (in the north), and Zanthoxylum americanum may be found in stands of this alliance. Spring ephemerals are a distinctive part of the herbaceous layer, especially in the southern part of this alliance''s range. Common herbaceous species include Anemone quinquefolia, Carex pensylvanica, Claytonia spp., Dicentra cucullaria, Erythronium spp., Eurybia macrophylla (in the north), Hepatica nobilis var. acuta, Laportea canadensis, Polygonatum pubescens, Sanicula odorata, Trillium grandiflorum, and Uvularia grandiflora. This alliance tends to be more intolerant of fire than forests on more droughty soils to the south and west. Along the western edge of its range, stands are found on sites protected from fire. The most common disturbance is a single-tree or small-group gap dynamic. Larger windthrow events or fire can occur but typically on a 500- to 1000-year cycle. Those stands with Quercus rubra as the predominant canopy species may result from a combination of natural disturbances, such as slightly more frequent fire, and human-caused disturbances. Conversion to agriculture, logging, and urban development have impacted this alliance across its range. Large white-tailed deer populations in portions of the range of this alliance can also impact regeneration of some tree and herbaceous species.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Stands in this alliance have a moderately dense to dense tree canopy dominated by some combination of Acer saccharum, Quercus rubra, and Tilia americana. Spring ephemerals are a distinctive part of the herbaceous layer.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This alliance is very similar to the original maple - basswood forest alliance, former Acer saccharum - Tilia americana - (Quercus rubra) Forest Alliance (A.220), with the exception of one additional association to describe those stands locally dominated by Quercus rubra.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Stands in this alliance have a moderately dense to dense tree canopy dominated by some combination of Acer saccharum, Quercus rubra, and Tilia americana.

Floristics: This alliance, found in the midwestern United States, forms the westernmost portion of the mesic deciduous forests that occupy much of the eastern United States. It is characterized by a dense tree canopy dominated by some combination of Acer saccharum, Quercus rubra, and Tilia americana. The latter two species become more prominent constituents of the forest along the drier western edge of the alliance''s range (Buell and Bormann 1955, Johnson-Groh 1985). Other common canopy species include Acer rubrum, Carya spp., Celtis occidentalis, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Quercus alba, and Ulmus spp. Carpinus caroliniana (in the southern half of this alliance''s range) and Ostrya virginiana are characteristic subcanopy trees. The dense canopy tends to inhibit the formation of a significant shrub layer. Scattered shrubs of Acer spicatum (in the north), Corylus americana, Hamamelis virginiana, Ribes spp., Sambucus spp., Viburnum acerifolium (in the north), and Zanthoxylum americanum may be found in stands of this alliance. Spring ephemerals are a distinctive part of the herbaceous layer, especially in the southern part of this alliance''s range. Common herbaceous species include Anemone quinquefolia, Carex pensylvanica, Claytonia spp., Dicentra cucullaria, Erythronium spp., Eurybia macrophylla (= Aster macrophyllus) (in the north), Hepatica nobilis var. acuta (= Hepatica triloba), Laportea canadensis, Polygonatum pubescens, Sanicula odorata (= Sanicula gregaria), Trillium grandiflorum, and Uvularia grandiflora.

Dynamics:  This alliance is very intolerant of fire (Daubenmire 1936, Grimm 1984). Thus, along the western edge of its range, stands are found on sites protected from fire, such as the lee side of waterbodies or where topographic features inhibit the spread of fire. Wind is the primarily disturbance leading to low intensity, often forming single or small, multiple-tree gaps. Current Quercus rubra-dominated stands in parts of this alliance''s range may result from a combination of natural disturbances, such as slightly more frequent fires, and human-caused disturbances (Nowacki et al. 1990). Conversion to agriculture, logging, and urban development have impacted this alliance across its range. Large white-tailed deer populations in portions of the range of this alliance can also impact regeneration of some tree and herbaceous species.
Environmental Description:  Stands of this alliance are found on well-drained, nutrient-rich, loamy soils, often on northern and eastern midslopes and coves. In the southern part of the alliance''s range, stands are often found on ravine slopes where the microclimate is more mesic than the surrounding uplands (Eyre 1980). Some stands occur on dry-mesic fine sandy loams and loamy sands (Nowacki et al. 1990). This alliance is typically very intolerant of fire (Daubenmire 1936, Grimm 1984). Thus, along the western edge of its range, stands are found mostly on sites protected from fire, such as the lee side of waterbodies or where topographic features inhibit the spread of fire.
Geographic Range: This maple - basswood forest is found in the northern and central midwestern United States and southern Canada.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, ON, SD, WI


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.5 Central Midwest Mesic Forest Macrogroup M882 1.B.2.Na.5
Group 1.B.2.Na.5.b American Beech - Sugar Maple - Oak species Forest Group G021 1.B.2.Na.5.b
Alliance A0220 Sugar Maple - American Basswood - Northern Red Oak Forest Alliance A0220 1.B.2.Na.5.b
Association CEGL002012 American Basswood - (Bur Oak) / Hophornbeam Forest CEGL002012 1.B.2.Na.5.b
Association CEGL002013 Paper Birch - (American Basswood, Bur Oak) Canyon Forest CEGL002013 1.B.2.Na.5.b
Association CEGL002061 Sugar Maple - Black Maple - American Basswood - Northern Red Oak / Hophornbeam Forest CEGL002061 1.B.2.Na.5.b
Association CEGL002062 Sugar Maple - American Basswood / Hophornbeam - American Hornbeam Forest CEGL002062 1.B.2.Na.5.b
Association CEGL005017 Northern Red Oak - (Sugar Maple, White Oak) Forest CEGL005017 1.B.2.Na.5.b
Concept Lineage: This alliance is very similar to the original maple - basswood forest alliance (A.220) with the exception of one additional association from A.251 that describes stands locally dominated by Quercus rubra.

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Big Woods (Daubenmire 1936) [Minnesota]
? Big Woods (Grimm 1984) [Minnesota]
? Maple - Basswood Forest Region (Braun 1950)
? Northern Red Oak: 55 (Eyre 1980)
? Southern Mesic Forest (Curtis 1959) [Wisconsin]
? Sugar Maple - Basswood: 26 (Eyre 1980)
Concept Author(s): R.F. Daubenmire (1936)

Author of Description: S. Menard

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 09-26-14
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  • Buell, M. F., and F. H. Bormann. 1955. Deciduous forests of Ponemah Point, Red Lake Indian Reservation, Minnesota. Ecology 36(4):646-658.
  • Crow, T. R. 1988. Reproductive mode and mechanisms for self-replacement of northern red oak (Quercus rubra)--a review. Forest Science 34:19-40.
  • Curtis, J. T. 1959. The vegetation of Wisconsin: An ordination of plant communities. Reprinted in 1987. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. 657 pp.
  • Daubenmire, R. F. 1936. The "Big Woods" of Minnesota: Its structure and relation to climate, fire, and soils. Ecological Monographs 6(2):233-268.
  • Drake, J., and D. Faber-Langendoen. 1997. An alliance level classification of the vegetation of the midwestern United States. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Midwest Conservation Science Department, Minneapolis, MN.
  • Eyre, F. H., editor. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 148 pp.
  • Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, M. Hall, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, M. Russo, K. Schulz, L. Sneddon, K. Snow, and J. Teague. 2013-2019b. Screening alliances for induction into the U.S. National Vegetation Classification: Part 1 - Alliance concept review. NatureServe, Arlington, VA.
  • Grimm, E. C. 1984. Fire and other factors controlling the Big Woods vegetation of Minnesota in the mid-nineteenth century. Ecological Monographs 54(3):291-311.
  • Johnson-Groh, C. L. 1985. Vegetation communities of Ledges State Park, Boone County, Iowa. Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science 92:125-128 and map.
  • Nelson, P. 2010. The terrestrial natural communities of Missouri. Revised edition. Missouri Natural Areas Committee, Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Conservation, Jefferson City.
  • Nowacki, G. J., M. D. Abrams, and C. G. Lorimer. 1990. Composition, structure, and historical development of northern red oak stands along an edaphic gradient in north-central Wisconsin. Forest Science 36(2):276-292.
  • Rogers, R. S. 1981. Mature mesophytic hardwood forest: Community transitions, by layer, from east-central Minnesota to southeastern Michigan. Ecology 62(6):1634-1647.