Print Report

A1018 Vaccinium corymbosum Peat Shrubland Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance, found in the eastern midwestern and northeastern United States and probably many of the eastern Canadian provinces, contains tall-shrub peat swamps dominated by Vaccinium corymbosum with ericaceous shrubs and peatmosses, little or no groundwater influence, and usually nutrient-poor and acidic water.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Highbush Blueberry Peat Shrubland Alliance

Colloquial Name: Highbush Blueberry Peat Shrubland

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance, found in the eastern midwestern and northeastern United States and probably many of the eastern Canadian provinces, contains tall-shrub swamps dominated by Vaccinium corymbosum. This tall-shrub bog thicket occurs on oligotrophic to weakly minerotrophic peat soils, commonly as a border thicket around more open dwarf heath shrub peatlands or within small, isolated basins. Significant seasonal water level fluctuation can occur, especially in isolated basins without inlet or outlet streams. A tall-shrub layer is characterized by abundant Vaccinium corymbosum, with Chamaedaphne calyculata, Gaylussacia baccata, Kalmia angustifolia, Lyonia ligustrina, Ilex mucronata, and Rhododendron canadense in more northern or cooler microclimates, and Ilex verticillata and Rhododendron viscosum in the south. In locally wetter areas, Cephalanthus occidentalis or Decodon verticillatus can occur. Coastal occurrences may have additional shrub species such as Eubotrys racemosa, Clethra alnifolia, and Gaylussacia dumosa. Sparse, scattered trees may occur, including Acer rubrum, Betula populifolia, Larix laricina, Nyssa sylvatica, Picea mariana, Pinus rigida, or Pinus strobus, with species dependent on environmental setting. The herbaceous layer tends to be sparse, although can be locally abundant. Common herbs include Carex trisperma, Maianthemum trifolium, Osmunda cinnamomea, Sarracenia purpurea, Thelypteris palustris, Triadenum virginicum, and Woodwardia virginica. Sphagnum mosses blanket well-developed hummocks and hollows, including Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum centrale, Sphagnum fimbriatum, Sphagnum fuscum, Sphagnum magellanicum, and Sphagnum rubellum. These tall shrublands can occur at margins of kettles in glaciated regions, and in basins or at the heads of streams throughout the range. Soils are usually deep peats or mucks, and the water is often acidic.

Diagnostic Characteristics: A peatland that is dominated by tall (2 m) Vaccinium corymbosum shrubs (Edinger et al. 2002).

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This type''s full distribution could be the sub-boreal regions of the midwestern and northeastern United States as well as adjacent temperate regions of eastern Canada, within the range of Vaccinium corymbosum.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: The vegetation in this alliance is dominated by tall deciduous shrubs, 2-3 m tall. There is an understory of shorter often ericaceous shrubs, as well as a sphagnum layer.

Floristics: A tall-shrub layer is characterized by abundant Vaccinium corymbosum, with Chamaedaphne calyculata, Gaylussacia baccata, Kalmia angustifolia, Lyonia ligustrina, Ilex mucronata (= Nemopanthus mucronatus), and Rhododendron canadense in more northern or cooler microclimates, and Ilex verticillata and Rhododendron viscosum in the south. In locally wetter areas, Cephalanthus occidentalis or Decodon verticillatus can occur. Coastal occurrences may have additional shrub species such as Eubotrys racemosa (= Leucothoe racemosa), Clethra alnifolia, and Gaylussacia dumosa. Sparse, scattered trees may occur, including Acer rubrum, Betula populifolia, Larix laricina, Nyssa sylvatica, Picea mariana, Pinus rigida, or Pinus strobus, with species dependent on environmental setting. The herbaceous layer tends to be sparse, although can be locally abundant. Common herbs include Carex trisperma, Maianthemum trifolium, Osmunda cinnamomea, Sarracenia purpurea, Thelypteris palustris, Triadenum virginicum, and Woodwardia virginica. Sphagnum mosses blanket well-developed hummocks and hollows, including Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum centrale, Sphagnum fimbriatum, Sphagnum fuscum, Sphagnum magellanicum, and Sphagnum rubellum (Edinger et al. 2002).

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  These tall shrublands can occur at margins of kettles in glaciated regions, and in basins or at the heads of streams throughout the range. Soils are usually deep peats or mucks and the water is often acidic.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found from New Hampshire to West Virginia and west to Ohio, and Ontario, Canada, and probably other eastern provinces. This alliance may also be found in Michigan.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  CT, DE, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI?, NB?, NH, NJ, NS?, NY, OH, ON, PA, PE?, QC?, RI, VT, WV


Confidence Level: Moderate

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.C Shrub & Herb Wetland Subclass S44 2.C
Formation 2.C.2 Temperate to Polar Bog & Fen Formation F016 2.C.2
Division 2.C.2.Na North American Bog & Fen Division D029 2.C.2.Na
Macrogroup 2.C.2.Na.1 Leatherleaf - Small Cranberry - Few-seed Sedge Bog & Acidic Fen Macrogroup M876 2.C.2.Na.1
Group 2.C.2.Na.1.a Leatherleaf - Few-seed Sedge - Bog Laurel Boreal Bog & Acidic Fen Group G748 2.C.2.Na.1.a
Alliance A1018 Highbush Blueberry Peat Shrubland Alliance A1018 2.C.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL005083 Dogwood species - Willow species - Highbush Blueberry - Alderleaf Buckthorn - Poison-sumac Fen CEGL005083 2.C.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL005085 Highbush Blueberry - Black Huckleberry - Black Chokeberry / Water Arum Acidic Peatland CEGL005085 2.C.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL006190 Highbush Blueberry / Peatmoss species Acidic Peatland CEGL006190 2.C.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL006596 Velvetleaf Huckleberry / Western Brackenfern / Haircap Moss species Acidic Peatland CEGL006596 2.C.2.Na.1.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Highbush blueberry bog thicket (Edinger et al. 2002)
Concept Author(s): G.J. Edinger et al. (2002)

Author of Description: D. Faber-Langendoen

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-18-14
  • Edinger, G. J., D. J. Evans, S. Gebauer, T. G. Howard, D. M. Hunt, and A. M. Olivero, editors. 2002. Ecological communities of New York state. Second edition. A revised and expanded edition of Carol Reschke''s ecological communities of New York state. (Draft for review). New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, NY.
  • Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, M. Hall, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, M. Russo, K. Schulz, L. Sneddon, K. Snow, and J. Teague. 2013-2019b. Screening alliances for induction into the U.S. National Vegetation Classification: Part 1 - Alliance concept review. NatureServe, Arlington, VA.
  • Fike, J. 1999. Terrestrial and palustrine plant communities of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Recreation, Bureau of Forestry, Harrisburg, PA. 86 pp.