Print Report
G650 Quercus alba - Quercus montana - Carya glabra Forest & Woodland Group
Type Concept Sentence: This group encompasses eastern U.S. dry-mesic, largely deciduous forests of intermediate fertility characterized by Quercus alba, Quercus falcata, Quercus montana, Quercus rubra, Quercus velutina, Fagus grandifolia, Carya glabra, Carya ovata, Carya cordiformis, Carya tomentosa, Fraxinus americana, and in the southern part of the range, Liriodendron tulipifera.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: White Oak - Chestnut Oak - Pignut Hickory Forest & Woodland Group
Colloquial Name: Central Appalachian-Northeast Oak Forest & Woodland
Hierarchy Level: Group
Type Concept: This group is found throughout the northeastern United States, south to Georgia. It is distinguished from other forested groups within the region by a dry-mesic to dry edaphic condition that is transitional between dry barrens and mesic hardwood forests. Forest cover can range from a dense to moderately open canopy of deciduous broadleaf trees (conifers never exceed 25%), and there is commonly a dense shrub layer. In most examples, this vegetation is overwhelmingly deciduous, and characterized by Quercus alba, Quercus falcata, Quercus montana, Quercus rubra, Quercus velutina, Fagus grandifolia, Carya glabra, Carya ovata, Carya cordiformis, Carya tomentosa, Fraxinus americana, and in the southern part of the range, Liriodendron tulipifera. One alliance of this group encompasses coastal plain oak-hickory forests of ancient inland dune ridges that are the remnants of former river terraces; these forests are dry, oak-dominated, and characterized by Carya pallida. Pines such as Pinus rigida, Pinus echinata, Pinus virginiana can contribute significant canopy cover in these settings.
Diagnostic Characteristics: These forests contain a dominant canopy of broad-leaved deciduous trees, with conifers consistently less than 25% cover. Quercus alba and Quercus velutina, either singly or in combination, are at least 50% relative cover of the overstory, or these two species have at least 20% relative cover, and the following species, singly or in combination have at least 30% relative cover: the moderately diagnostic species Quercus montana, Quercus rubra, any of the weakly diagnostic species of Carya glabra, Carya ovata, Carya tomentosa, Cornus florida, Nyssa sylvatica, and Quercus coccinea.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: The distinctions between this group and ~Appalachian Oak / Chestnut Forest Group (G015)$$ can be challenging where the two overlap, especially since Castanea dentata, a key species for that group, is now absent or reduced over much of its range. ~Appalachian Oak / Chestnut Forest Group (G015)$$ encompasses somewhat drier forests, in general, than this group. An outstanding question is the best placement for high-elevation red oak-dominated associations in the Southern Appalachians (i.e., those attributed exclusively to ~Central and Southern Appalachian Montane Oak Forest (CES202.596)$$). The Southern Appalachian geography led to their placement in ~Appalachian Oak / Chestnut Forest Group (G015)$$, but they are more mesic than other associations herein and may be better placed here in ~Northeastern Oak - Hickory Forest & Woodland Group (G650)$$. This type is not in Maritime Canada (S. Basquill pers. comm. 2015).
A variant of this group is found on sandy glacial and outwash deposits of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Long Island, New York, south to the coastal plain portions of New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia south to about the James River. Quercus alba, Quercus montana, Quercus coccinea, and Quercus rubra are typical, and Ilex opaca is sometimes present. In the northern half of the range, conditions can grade to dry-mesic, reflected in the local abundance of Fagus grandifolia. These forests occur on acidic, sandy to gravelly soils with a thick duff layer, often with an ericaceous shrub layer. From New Jersey south to Virginia, this variant also includes oak-beech/heath forests on steep slopes. In New Jersey, some sandy paleodune deposits of the coastal plain support open woodlands with Quercus and Carya species as the typical canopy dominants, with Carex pensylvanica dominating the ground cover.
A variant of this group is found on sandy glacial and outwash deposits of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Long Island, New York, south to the coastal plain portions of New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia south to about the James River. Quercus alba, Quercus montana, Quercus coccinea, and Quercus rubra are typical, and Ilex opaca is sometimes present. In the northern half of the range, conditions can grade to dry-mesic, reflected in the local abundance of Fagus grandifolia. These forests occur on acidic, sandy to gravelly soils with a thick duff layer, often with an ericaceous shrub layer. From New Jersey south to Virginia, this variant also includes oak-beech/heath forests on steep slopes. In New Jersey, some sandy paleodune deposits of the coastal plain support open woodlands with Quercus and Carya species as the typical canopy dominants, with Carex pensylvanica dominating the ground cover.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Forest cover can range from a dense to moderately open canopy of deciduous broadleaf trees (conifers never exceed 25% cover), and there is commonly a dense shrub layer. Fire-resistant oak species, in particular Quercus alba, Quercus montana (= Quercus prinus), Quercus rubra, and/or Quercus velutina, dominate the overstory. Hickories such as Carya glabra, Carya ovata, Carya cordiformis, and Carya tomentosa (= Carya alba) are characteristic associates. Quercus coccinea may be present in the northeast part of the range, but are generally less important than the other oak species. Castanea dentata was a prominent tree before chestnut blight eradicated it as a canopy constituent. Other common associates include Prunus serotina, Sassafras albidum, Acer rubrum, Betula lenta, and Betula alleghaniensis. Fire suppression may account for the more closed oak forest examples with the more mesic understory. It likely has allowed for other associates, such as Acer saccharum, Acer rubrum, Celtis occidentalis, Liriodendron tulipifera, Ostrya virginiana, Fraxinus americana, and Juglans nigra, to become more prevalent, especially in upland areas along floodplains. With a long history of human habitation, many of the forests are early- to mid-successional, where Pinus strobus, Pinus virginiana, or Liriodendron tulipifera may be dominant or codominant.
A variant of this group is found on sandy glacial and outwash deposits of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Long Island, New York, south to the coastal plain portions of Maryland and Virginia south to about the James River. Quercus alba, Quercus montana, Quercus coccinea, and Quercus rubra are typical, and Ilex opaca is sometimes present. In the northern half of the range, conditions can grade to dry-mesic, reflected in the local abundance of Fagus grandifolia. These forests occur on acidic, sandy to gravelly soils with a thick duff layer, often with an ericaceous shrub layer. From New Jersey south to Virginia, this variant also includes oak-beech/heath forests on steep slopes.
A variant of this group is found on sandy glacial and outwash deposits of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Long Island, New York, south to the coastal plain portions of Maryland and Virginia south to about the James River. Quercus alba, Quercus montana, Quercus coccinea, and Quercus rubra are typical, and Ilex opaca is sometimes present. In the northern half of the range, conditions can grade to dry-mesic, reflected in the local abundance of Fagus grandifolia. These forests occur on acidic, sandy to gravelly soils with a thick duff layer, often with an ericaceous shrub layer. From New Jersey south to Virginia, this variant also includes oak-beech/heath forests on steep slopes.
Dynamics: Fire combined with drought was an important natural process in this group, often occurring as surface fires. Fire suppression may account for the more closed oak forest examples with the more mesic understory. It likely has allowed for other associates, such as Acer saccharum, Acer rubrum, Celtis occidentalis, Liriodendron tulipifera, Ostrya virginiana, Fraxinus americana, and Juglans nigra, to become more prevalent, especially in upland areas along floodplains. With a long history of human habitation, many of the forests are early- to mid-successional, where Pinus strobus, Pinus virginiana, or Liriodendron tulipifera may be dominant or codominant.
Environmental Description: This type is found on dry-mesic to dry edaphic condition that is transitional between dry barrens and mesic hardwood forests.
Geographic Range: This group is found throughout the glaciated regions of the Northeast to southern Ontario, central and southern New York and south through Pennsylvania to Virginia. It does not extend to southernmost part of Virginia, except in the Ridge and Valley. The coastal plain variant ranges from sandy glacial and outwash deposits of Massachusetts and Long Island, New York, south to the coastal plain portions of Maryland and Virginia, south to about the James River, with historic occurrences (and possibly some extant remnants) in eastern Pennsylvania.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: CT, DC, DE, GA, MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, ON, PA, QC, RI, SC, VA, VT, WV
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.877314
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
Concept Lineage: G158 split into G649 & G650 (DFL 7-12)
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: > Black Oak: 110 (Eyre 1980)
> Northern Red Oak: 55 (Eyre 1980)
>< Oak - Hardwoods Forest Cover Group (Windisch 2014a)
> White Oak - Black Oak - Northern Red Oak: 52 (Eyre 1980)
< White Oak: 53 (Eyre 1980)
> Northern Red Oak: 55 (Eyre 1980)
>< Oak - Hardwoods Forest Cover Group (Windisch 2014a)
> White Oak - Black Oak - Northern Red Oak: 52 (Eyre 1980)
< White Oak: 53 (Eyre 1980)
- Abrams, M. D. 1992. Fire and the development of oak forests. BioScience 42(5):346-353.
- Archambault, L., B. V. Barnes, and J. A. Witter. 1989. Ecological species groups of oak ecosystems of southeastern Michigan, USA. Forest Science 35:1058-1074.
- Archambault, L., B. V. Barnes, and J. A. Witter. 1990. Landscape ecosystems of disturbed oak forests of southeastern Michigan, USA. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 20:1570-1582.
- Comer, P., D. Faber-Langendoen, R. Evans, S. Gawler, C. Josse, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, M. Russo, K. Schulz, K. Snow, J. Teague, and R. White. 2003-present. Ecological systems of the United States: A working classification of U.S. terrestrial systems. NatureServe, Arlington, VA.
- 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, 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]
- Windisch, A .G. 2014a. Pinelands ecological communities and higher level groups with crosswalk / proposed 2008 revisions to NVC. November 16, 2014 draft. New Jersey Natural Heritage Program, Trenton.