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M060 Eastern North American Coastal Beach & Rocky Shore Macrogroup

Type Concept Sentence: This macrogroup encompasses sparse annual vegetation occurring on the irregularly flooded tidal zone of coastal beaches of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of North America.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Eastern North American Coastal Beach & Rocky Shore Macrogroup

Colloquial Name: Eastern North American Coastal Beach & Rocky Shore

Hierarchy Level:  Macrogroup

Type Concept: The coastal beach vegetation of this macrogroup is variable, depending on the amount of exposure to wave and wind action, but on average vegetation cover is sparse and no species can be considered dominant. Characteristic annual or biennial species more-or-less restricted to beach habitats include Cakile edentula ssp. edentula, Honckenya peploides, or Sesuvium portulacastrum. This macrogroup includes annual-dominated sandy, gravel, or cobble surfaces of upper ocean beaches fronting the ocean or on the sheltered beaches of barrier islands. The tidal regime is characterized by irregular tidal flooding, within the reach of storm tides and extreme lunar tides.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Usually sparsely vegetated with annual species, often succulents, occurring above mean high tide on ocean beaches and the baysides of barrier islands. Cakile edentula and Sesuvium portulacastrum are characteristic and diagnostic. But from the north, ~North American Arctic & Boreal Coast Vegetation Macrogroup (M402)$$ may also extend into this region, and the limits of these two macrogroups needs to be resolved.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: The northern limits of this macrogroup are uncertain. It is expected to occur into the Atlantic maritime region of eastern Canada, and may extend northward into the boreal regions of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Vegetation cover is variable, depending on the amount of exposure to wave and wind action, but on average is sparse. Succulent species are characteristic, and typically low-growing or mat-forming.

Floristics: No single species can be considered dominant. Characteristic annual or biennial species more-or-less restricted to beach habitats include Cakile edentula ssp. edentula, as well as Amaranthus retroflexus, Ammophila breviligulata, Atriplex cristata (= Atriplex arenaria), Cenchrus tribuloides, Chamaesyce polygonifolia (= Euphorbia polygonifolia), Chenopodium album, Erechtites hieraciifolius, Honckenya peploides ssp. diffusa (= Arenaria peploides), Salsola kali ssp. kali (= Salsola caroliniana), and Triplasis purpurea. Other associates in the southern portion of the range include various succulent species, including most characteristically Atriplex patula, Sesuvium maritimum, Sesuvium portulacastrum, and Suaeda linearis. Other species which may occur are Cyperus spp., Ipomoea imperati, Ipomoea sagittata, Panicum amarum, Spartina patens, Sporobolus virginicus, and Vigna luteola.

Dynamics:  This vegetation is maintained at the tension zone between the marine and terrestrial realms and flooded irregularly by storm and neap tides. It is extremely dynamic in nature, and forms at this tension zone as it moves with beach erosion or accretion. The wrack line has seed sources for (re)establishment of plants on the beach, and provides cover for invertebrates and vertebrates using the beach.
Environmental Description:  This vegetation occurs on the baysides and ocean-fronting upper ocean beaches, within the reach of storm tides and extreme lunar tides. The South Atlantic coast part of the range occupies the upper portion of ocean beaches of the microtidal region (barrier islands with coastal geomorphology dominated by hurricane overwash rather than tidal energy). The substrate is bare sand but is often covered with dried algae, driftwood, shells, and other materials deposited by waves.
Geographic Range: This vegetation ranges from the Canadian Maritime Provinces south to the Gulf coast of Florida and possibly Mississippi.

Nations: CA,MX,US

States/Provinces:  AL, CT, DE, FL, GA?, LA, LB?, MA, MD, ME, MS, MXTAM, NB?, NC, NF, NH, NJ, NS, NY, PE, QC, RI, SC, TX, VA


Confidence Level: High

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.a South Atlantic & Gulf Coastal Beach Group G661 2.B.4.Na.1.a
Group 2.B.4.Na.1.b North Atlantic Coastal Beach Group G660 2.B.4.Na.1.b
Group 2.B.4.Na.1.c Great Lakes Coastal Rocky Shore Group G793 2.B.4.Na.1.c
Group 2.B.4.Na.1.d Great Lakes Sand Beach Group G764 2.B.4.Na.1.d
Group 2.B.4.Na.1.e Eastern North America Inland Beach & Rocky Shore Group G342 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: ? Cakiletum edentula (Conard 1935)
? Beach community (Johnson 1985b)
? Beach community (Hill 1986)
? beach (Higgins et al. 1971)
? beach (Fender 1937)
? beach (McDonnell 1979)
? beach community (Baumann 1978b)
? beach vegetation (Moul 1973)
? dune-strand area (Clovis 1968)
? embryo dune (Klotz 1986)
? middle beach (Shreve et al. 1910)
? middle beach (Nichols 1920)
? pioneer beach community (Boule 1979)
? sea-strand vegetation, beach formation (Harshberger 1900)
Concept Author(s): J.W. Harshberger (1900); H.S. Conard (1935)

Author of Description: L. Sneddon

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 10-15-14
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