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G342 Eastern North America Inland Beach & Rocky Shore Group
Type Concept Sentence: This group comprises wave-washed bedrock and cobble shores of inland lakes of the upper midwestern United States and Canada, exclusive of the Great Lakes.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Eastern North America Inland Beach & Rocky Shore Group
Colloquial Name: Eastern North American Inland Beach & Rocky Shore
Hierarchy Level: Group
Type Concept: This heterogeneous group encompasses primarily upland vegetation along lakeshores or rivershores in the upper midwestern United States and Canada, exclusive of the Great Lakes. Some areas may be briefly inundated during high water periods. The substrate is gravelly, cobbly, or consolidated rock. Soils are shallow or confined to crevices. Substrate is igneous and metamorphic bedrock, cobble, or gravel. These shores may be narrow zones of shrubs and/or sparse vegetation on rocky or gravelly shores. Little rangewide information from this group is available. Zonation in vegetation may be evident as a result of differential degree of overwash by waves or ice-scour. Shrubs may include Alnus spp., Chamaedaphne calyculata, Myrica gale, and Spiraea alba. Forbs and graminoids include Agrostis spp., Campanula rotundifolia, Danthonia spicata, Iris versicolor, Lysimachia terrestris, and Sibbaldiopsis tridentata.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Patchy to sparse mixtures of shrubs and herbs on gravelly to rocky inland lakeshores (exclusive of the Great Lakes), above the zone of regular inundation.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Vegetation in these habitats has not been well-sampled. Description of this group is taken from Minnesota DNR (2003) description of Inland Lake Rocky Shore.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Shrub- or herb-dominated vegetation, often patchy and/or sparse. These shores may be narrow zones of vegetation on rocks, cobble, or gravel shores.
Floristics: Little rangewide information from this group is available; description of this group here is taken from Minnesota DNR (2003) description of Inland Lake Rocky Shore. Zonation may be evident where there are different degree of wave-wash or ice scour. Shrubs may include Alnus spp., Chamaedaphne calyculata, Myrica gale, and Spiraea alba. Forbs and graminoids include Agrostis spp., Campanula rotundifolia, Danthonia spicata, Iris versicolor, Lysimachia terrestris, and Sibbaldiopsis tridentata (= Potentilla tridentata). Scattered trees usually occur at the upland border, and include Betula papyrifera, Pinus banksiana, Pinus strobus, and Thuja occidentalis.
Dynamics: Wave action and ice-scour are important factors maintaining the open condition of vegetation, especially close to the water. These effects diminish with increasing distance from the shore. Water level fluctuation can change the width and placement of zones from year to year.
Environmental Description: Climate: Climate is north-temperate; the adjacent waterbodies freeze during the winter. Soil/substrate/hydrology: Some areas may be briefly inundated during high water periods. The substrate is gravelly, cobbly, or consolidated rock. Soils are shallow or confined to crevices. Substrate is igneous and metamorphic bedrock, cobble, or gravel.
Geographic Range: This group occurs across the upper midwestern United States to northern Minnesota, and adjacent Canada and occasionally southwards.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: MB, ME, MI, MN, NY, ON, RI, WI
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.858054
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class | C02 | 2 |
| Subclass | 2.B Temperate & Boreal Grassland & Shrubland Subclass | S18 | 2.B |
| Formation | 2.B.4 Temperate to Polar Scrub & Herb Coastal Vegetation Formation | F005 | 2.B.4 |
| Division | 2.B.4.Na Eastern North American Coastal Scrub & Herb Vegetation Division | D026 | 2.B.4.Na |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.4.Na.1 Eastern North American Coastal Beach & Rocky Shore Macrogroup | M060 | 2.B.4.Na.1 |
| Group | 2.B.4.Na.1.e Eastern North America Inland Beach & Rocky Shore Group | G342 | 2.B.4.Na.1.e |
| Alliance | A1862 Inland Lake Strand Beach Alliance | A1862 | 2.B.4.Na.1.e |
| Alliance | A4109 Inland Lake Non-alkaline Rocky Shore Alliance | A4109 | 2.B.4.Na.1.e |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Bedrock Shore (Inland Lake) Type [LKi43b] (Minnesota DNR 2003)
< Boulder Shore (Inland Lake) Type [LKi43a] (Minnesota DNR 2003)
> Inland Lake Rocky Shore Class [LKi43] (Minnesota DNR 2010a)
> Inland Lake Sand/Gravel/Cobble Shore Class [LKi32] (Minnesota DNR 2010a)
< Boulder Shore (Inland Lake) Type [LKi43a] (Minnesota DNR 2003)
> Inland Lake Rocky Shore Class [LKi43] (Minnesota DNR 2010a)
> Inland Lake Sand/Gravel/Cobble Shore Class [LKi32] (Minnesota DNR 2010a)
- 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]
- Gawler, S. C., and A. Cutko. 2010. Natural landscapes of Maine: A classification of vegetated natural communities and ecosystems. Maine Natural Areas Program, Department of Conservation, Augusta.
- 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]
- Minnesota DNR [Minnesota Department of Natural Resources]. 2003. Field guide to the native plant communities of Minnesota: The Laurentian Mixed Forest Province. Ecological Land Classification Program, Minnesota County Biological Survey, and Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul.
- Minnesota DNR [Minnesota Department of Natural Resources]. 2010a. Ecological system summaries and class factsheets - upland grasslands, shrublands, and sparse vegetation. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul. [http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/npc/uplandgrassland.html]