Print Report

A0677 Pinus pungens - Pinus rigida - Quercus montana Woodland Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: These woodlands are dominated by some combination of Pinus pungens, Pinus rigida, and Pinus virginiana, often with Quercus montana, found from Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia south and west to Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina in the Central and Southern Appalachians, Ridge and Valley, and southern Piedmont.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Table Mountain Pine - Pitch Pine - Chestnut Oak Woodland Alliance

Colloquial Name: Appalachian Table Mountain Pine - Pitch Pine - Chestnut Oak Woodland

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance encompasses woodlands dominated by some combination of Pinus pungens, Pinus rigida, and Pinus virginiana, often with Quercus montana. Common canopy and subcanopy associates include Acer rubrum, Castanea dentata, Nyssa sylvatica, Oxydendrum arboreum, and Quercus coccinea. Typical shrubs include Fothergilla major, Gaylussacia baccata, Gaylussacia ursina, Kalmia latifolia, Leiophyllum buxifolium, Eubotrys recurva, Quercus ilicifolia, Rhododendron catawbiense, Rhododendron carolinianum, Rhododendron maximum, Vaccinium angustifolium, Vaccinium corymbosum, Vaccinium pallidum, Vaccinium simulatum, and Vaccinium stamineum. Understory species composition will vary within the range of this alliance, but commonly found forb and subshrub species in this usually sparse stratum include Carex pensylvanica, Comptonia peregrina, Epigaea repens, Galax urceolata, Gaultheria procumbens, Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum, and Xerophyllum asphodeloides. These woodlands may be found from Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia south and west to Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina in the Central and Southern Appalachians, Ridge and Valley, and southern Piedmont. This vegetation tends to occur under extreme conditions, including rock outcrops, summits, and exposed slopes, including steep, shaley slopes that maintain the open structure of the vegetation. Fire plays a role in the maintenance of the structure and composition of this vegetation, and without periodic fire, these woodlands may gradually transition into forests dominated by Quercus montana and Quercus coccinea, except on the most extreme sites, where this vegetation is more self-perpetuating.

Diagnostic Characteristics: There are several alliances with Pinus rigida as a characteristic tree. This is the most general one, and Quercus montana is somewhat diagnostic. It occurs on "ordinary" felsic substrates; stands on serpentinite-derived soils and shaley substrates are accommodated elsewhere.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Associations in this alliance generally have a woodland structure (open canopy), although locally vegetation may vary to a denser canopy, particularly in the absence of fire.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: Examples are dominated by some combination of Pinus pungens, Pinus rigida, and Pinus virginiana, often with Quercus montana (= Quercus prinus) and/or Quercus rubra. Common canopy and subcanopy associates include Acer rubrum, Amelanchier arborea, Castanea dentata, Nyssa sylvatica, Oxydendrum arboreum, Quercus coccinea, Quercus marilandica, and Sassafras albidum. Typical shrubs include Fothergilla major, Gaylussacia baccata, Gaylussacia ursina, Kalmia latifolia, Leiophyllum buxifolium, Eubotrys recurva (= Leucothoe recurva), Pieris floribunda, Quercus ilicifolia, Rhododendron catawbiense, Rhododendron carolinianum, Rhododendron maximum, Vaccinium angustifolium, Vaccinium corymbosum, Vaccinium pallidum, Vaccinium simulatum, and Vaccinium stamineum. Smilax rotundifolia and Smilax glauca may be prominent climbers among the shrubs. Understory species composition will vary within the range of this alliance, but commonly found forb and subshrub species in this usually sparse stratum include Carex pensylvanica, Comptonia peregrina, Epigaea repens, Galax urceolata, Gaultheria procumbens, Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum, and Xerophyllum asphodeloides. In the absence of fire, the canopies of examples may become dominated at first by Quercus coccinea, Quercus montana, and/or Quercus rubra, and ultimately by Acer rubrum, Nyssa sylvatica, and Pinus strobus.

Dynamics:  Periodic fire is an important ecological process that provides opportunities for the regeneration of both canopy pines and less competitive herbaceous species, while setting back successional encroachment of xeric oaks. On many sites (e.g., steep, shaley slopes, clifftops, quartzite ledges), the vegetation is self-perpetuating due to extreme edaphic conditions. Under circumstances of fire exclusion, canopy closure can approach forest physiognomy in some situations, with stands first becoming dominated by Quercus coccinea, Quercus montana, and/or Quercus rubra, and ultimately by Acer rubrum, Nyssa sylvatica, and Pinus strobus. Much of this vegetation has been devastated in the 1990s by infestations of southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis). These outbreaks have resulted in extensive mortality of the dominant pines and an at least temporary change to a shrubland condition.
Environmental Description:  These woodlands typically occur at elevations from 488 to 1555 m (1600-5100 feet), on summits, exposed slopes, xeric ridges and exposed, steep sideslopes over thin, excessively drained, nutrient-poor soils and are often associated with rock outcroppings. Fire plays an important role in maintaining the structure and composition of these woodland communities, but on the most extreme sites, such as steep, shaley slopes, clifftops, and quartzite ledges, these communities are maintained by topo-edaphic conditions.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found from Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia south and west to Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina in the Central and Southern Appalachians, Ridge and Valley, and southern Piedmont.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  GA, KY, MD, NC, PA, SC, TN, VA, WV


Confidence Level: Moderate

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.2 Appalachian-Northeastern Oak - Hardwood - Pine Forest & Woodland Macrogroup M502 1.B.2.Na.2
Group 1.B.2.Na.2.g Table Mountain Pine - Virginia Pine - Pitch Pine Woodland & Barrens Group G905 1.B.2.Na.2.g
Alliance A0677 Table Mountain Pine - Pitch Pine - Chestnut Oak Woodland Alliance A0677 1.B.2.Na.2.g
Association CEGL003617 Pitch Pine / Little Bluestem - Indiangrass - Horseflyweed Woodland CEGL003617 1.B.2.Na.2.g
Association CEGL003624 Virginia Pine / Blue Ridge Blueberry / Little Bluestem - Pennsylvania Sedge Woodland CEGL003624 1.B.2.Na.2.g
Association CEGL004821 Pitch Pine - Chestnut Oak / Black Huckleberry / Pennsylvania Sedge Woodland CEGL004821 1.B.2.Na.2.g
Association CEGL004985 Pitch Pine - (Table Mountain Pine) / Catawba Rosebay - Mountain Laurel / Beetleweed Woodland CEGL004985 1.B.2.Na.2.g
Association CEGL004996 (Table Mountain Pine, Pitch Pine) - Chestnut Oak / (Bear Oak) / Black Huckleberry Woodland CEGL004996 1.B.2.Na.2.g
Association CEGL006108 Red Pine / Minniebush / Appalachian Polypody Forest CEGL006108 1.B.2.Na.2.g
Association CEGL006557 Pitch Pine - Scarlet Oak / Lowbush Blueberry Woodland CEGL006557 1.B.2.Na.2.g
Association CEGL007070 Chestnut Oak - Pignut Hickory / Hairy Lipfern - Pennsylvania Sedge - Atlantic Camas Woodland CEGL007070 1.B.2.Na.2.g
Association CEGL007097 Table Mountain Pine - Pitch Pine - (Chestnut Oak) / Mountain Laurel - Blue Ridge Blueberry Woodland CEGL007097 1.B.2.Na.2.g
Association CEGL007119 Virginia Pine - (Pitch Pine, Shortleaf Pine) - (Chestnut Oak) / Blue Ridge Blueberry Forest CEGL007119 1.B.2.Na.2.g
Association CEGL008500 Virginia Pine - (Pitch Pine, Table Mountain Pine) / Little Bluestem Forest CEGL008500 1.B.2.Na.2.g
Concept Lineage: Two members (of seven) from the old A.677, two (of 19) from A.524, and two (of two) from A.521. Major changes to concept and membership of proto-alliance (A0677).

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< Appalachian Sand Barrens (Smith 1991)
>< IA7b. Xeric Pitch Pine/Table Mountain Pine Ridge Forest (Allard 1990)
>< Pitch Pine: 45 (Eyre 1980)
Concept Author(s): D.J. Allard and J. Teague, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: M. Pyne

Acknowledgements: We have incorporated significant descriptive information previously compiled by Dorothy Allard, Judy Teague, and Alan Weakley.

Version Date: 01-08-14
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