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CEGL007013 Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Platanus occidentalis - Celtis laevigata / Chasmanthium latifolium Piedmont Floodplain Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Green Ash - American Sycamore - Sugarberry / Indian Woodoats Piedmont Floodplain Forest
Colloquial Name: Piedmont Levee Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This forest occurs on natural levees of large to medium floodplains in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, and the central and southern Piedmont of Virginia. A few stands also occur in the extreme Inner Coastal Plain of southeastern Virginia, along the Meherrin and Nottoway rivers, and in South Carolina and Georgia. Soils are sandy and generally very fertile. Flooding is fairly frequent but generally of short duration. Characteristic levee forest trees dominate or are at least abundant, particularly Platanus occidentalis, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Celtis laevigata, and Acer negundo. Other frequent or abundant species include Liquidambar styraciflua, Liriodendron tulipifera, Ulmus americana, and Carya cordiformis. Frequent understory trees include Carpinus caroliniana ssp. caroliniana, Asimina triloba, Cornus florida, and canopy species. The shrub layer is often moderate to dense, with Lindera benzoin, Arundinaria gigantea, Aesculus sylvatica, Asimina triloba, Ilex decidua, or the exotic shrub Ligustrum sinense abundant. Vines are often abundant. The herbaceous layer is usually dense. Elymus virginicus or Chasmanthium latifolium often dominate. Other frequent herbs include Boehmeria cylindrica, Carex spp. Galium aparine, Polygonum virginianum, Sanicula canadensis, Verbesina occidentalis, and Viola spp.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: There are extensive plot data for this association in the Carolina Vegetation Survey database and in Matthews (2011). This association corresponds to two associations defined by Matthews (2011) for the North Carolina Piedmont: IIIa. Ulmus americana - Celtis laevigata / Lindera benzoin / Osmorhiza longistylis Forest and IIIb. Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Platanus occidentalis / Acer negundo / Chasmanthium latifolium Forest. Those two types correspond to differences between upstream and downstream portions of large river floodplains. They may warrant recognition as separate associations, but appear to be too finely divided. The association is represented in the Virginia plots database by 13 plots, which have been analyzed in a statewide dataset of Piedmont and inner Coastal Plain floodplain forests.
~Platanus occidentalis - Liquidambar styraciflua / Carpinus caroliniana - Asimina triloba Floodplain Forest (CEGL007340)$$ has previously been used for most of the communities covered by this association (CEGL007013). It is very broadly defined geographically and appears to have been intended more for smaller floodplains. It is narrowed by the creation of this association.
~Platanus occidentalis - Liquidambar styraciflua / Carpinus caroliniana - Asimina triloba Floodplain Forest (CEGL007340)$$ has previously been used for most of the communities covered by this association (CEGL007013). It is very broadly defined geographically and appears to have been intended more for smaller floodplains. It is narrowed by the creation of this association.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The canopy is generally closed unless recently disturbed. It may be a diverse mix of trees, or may locally consist of only a few species. Characteristic levee forest trees dominate or are at least abundant, particularly Platanus occidentalis, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Celtis laevigata, and Acer negundo. In Virginia, Celtis occidentalis largely replaces Celtis laevigata in the Piedmont. Other frequent or abundant species include Liquidambar styraciflua, Liriodendron tulipifera, Ulmus americana, Betula nigra, and Carya cordiformis. Quercus michauxii, Acer rubrum, and Acer floridanum are less frequent but may be abundant. Frequent understory trees include Carpinus caroliniana ssp. caroliniana, Asimina triloba, Cornus florida, and canopy species. The shrub layer is often moderate to dense, with Lindera benzoin, Arundinaria gigantea, Aesculus sylvatica, Asimina triloba, Ilex decidua, or the exotic shrub Ligustrum sinense abundant. Vines are often abundant, particularly Toxicodendron radicans, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Vitis rotundifolia, Smilax spp., Bignonia capreolata, and Trachelospermum difforme. The herbaceous layer is usually dense. Elymus virginicus or Chasmanthium latifolium often dominate; in Virginia, Elymus macgregorii may also locally dominate. Other frequent herbs include Boehmeria cylindrica, Carex spp. (Carex amphibola, Carex grisea, Carex corrugata, Carex radiata, Carex rosea, Carex blanda, Carex intumescens, Carex tribuloides), Galium aparine, Polygonum virginianum (= Persicaria virginiana), Sanicula canadensis, Verbesina occidentalis, and Viola spp. Other herbs may include Commelina virginica, Festuca subverticillata, Glyceria striata, Juncus effusus, Amphicarpaea bracteata, Arisaema triphyllum, Arisaema dracontium, Geum canadense, Leersia virginica, Pilea pumila, Ranunculus abortivus, and Solidago spp. Exotic plants often come to dominate the herb layer, particularly Lonicera japonica, and Microstegium vimineum, but also Stellaria media, Glechoma hederacea, or other species.
Dynamics: Flooding is fairly frequent but generally of short duration. Scouring by flowing water causes fine-scale local disturbance but does not generally cause extensive disturbance. Trees regenerate mainly through gap formation caused by windthrow or other single-tree mortality. Windthrow patches may be somewhat larger and more frequent than in most forests because of the sandy soil and open edge along the river.
Environmental Description: This forest occurs on natural levees of large to medium floodplains in the Atlantic Piedmont region. Generally these are on large rivers where the floodplain is wide, but may also include well-developed levees in the broad floodplains of smaller creeks in Triassic basins. Soils are sandy and generally very fertile. Flooding is fairly frequent but generally of short duration. Soils are well-drained when not flooded. Scouring by flowing water causes fine-scale local disturbance. Light from the open river channel may also be an important environmental influence.
Geographic Range: This forest occurs in the Piedmont of North Carolina, and the central and southern Piedmont of Virginia. A few stands also occur in the extreme Inner Coastal Plain of southeastern Virginia, along the Meherrin and Nottoway rivers, and in South Carolina and Georgia.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: GA, NC, SC, VA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.866803
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3G4
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.4 Swamp Chestnut Oak - Bald-cypress - Pecan Southern Floodplain Forest Macrogroup | M031 | 1.B.3.Nb.4 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Nb.4.a Swamp Chestnut Oak - Laurel Oak - Sweetgum Floodplain Forest Group | G034 | 1.B.3.Nb.4.a |
| Alliance | A3633 Willow Oak Piedmont Floodplain Forest Alliance | A3633 | 1.B.3.Nb.4.a |
| Association | CEGL007013 Green Ash - American Sycamore - Sugarberry / Indian Woodoats Piedmont Floodplain Forest | CEGL007013 | 1.B.3.Nb.4.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: > IIIa. Ulmus americana - Celtis laevigata / Lindera benzoin / Osmorhiza longistylis Forest (Matthews 2011)
> IIIb. Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Platanus occidentalis / Acer negundo / Chasmanthium latifolium Forest (Matthews 2011)
> IIIb. Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Platanus occidentalis / Acer negundo / Chasmanthium latifolium Forest (Matthews 2011)
- Fleming, G. P., K. D. Patterson, and K. Taverna. 2017. The natural communities of Virginia: A classification of ecological community groups and community types. Third approximation. Version 3.0. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond, VA. [http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/natural-communities/]
- Matthews, E. R. 2011. Piedmont alluvial vegetation: Classification, geographic variation, and restoration. PhD. dissertation, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
- Matthews, E. R., R. K. Peet, and A. S. Weakley. 2011. Classification and description of alluvial plant communities of the Piedmont region, North Carolina, U.S.A. Applied Vegetation Science 14:485-505.
- Nelson, J. B. 1986. The natural communities of South Carolina: Initial classification and description. South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department, Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, Columbia, SC. 55 pp.
- Peet, R. K., T. R. Wentworth, M. P. Schafale, and A.S. Weakley. No date. Unpublished data of the North Carolina Vegetation Survey. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
- Schafale, M. P. 2012. Classification of the natural communities of North Carolina, 4th Approximation. North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh.
- Schafale, M. P., and A. S. Weakley. 1990. Classification of the natural communities of North Carolina. Third approximation. North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh. 325 pp.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.