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A3116 Quercus rubra - Quercus alba Montane Forest Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance includes Quercus rubra-dominated forest vegetation of high elevations (over 1070 m [3500 feet]), as well as more restricted vegetation of montane landscapes dominated by Quercus alba, in the Central and Southern Appalachians.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Northern Red Oak - White Oak Montane Forest Alliance

Colloquial Name: Appalachian Montane Oak Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance includes Quercus rubra-dominated forest vegetation of high elevations (over 1070 m [3500 feet]), as well as more restricted vegetation of montane landscapes dominated by Quercus alba, in the Central and Southern Appalachians. A closed to very open canopy has trees that are often gnarled and stunted, especially on ridge crests. Quercus rubra is often the only canopy tree, but other species may have minor importance, including Acer rubrum, Betula alleghaniensis, Betula lenta, Crataegus flabellata, and Crataegus punctata. Quercus alba is a significant component of forests at high elevations in Virginia''s Ridge and Valley and at the lower elevations of associations in the Southern Blue Ridge. Forests in this alliance have variable physiognomies, ranging from open herb-dominated understories to understories dominated by dense ericaceous shrubs. If a subcanopy is present, typical species include canopy species plus Acer pensylvanicum, Amelanchier arborea, Halesia tetraptera, Hamamelis virginiana, and Ilex montana. The shrub stratum is dominated by Kalmia latifolia, occurring as patches or with continuous cover (>25%). In some parts of this forest''s range, Gaylussacia ursina is dominant in the often dense low-shrub stratum. In forests with little or no shrub cover, herbaceous cover is dense and diverse, composed of sedges, ferns, and tall herbs, with dominance varying within and among occurrences. Where shrub cover is dense, the herbaceous stratum is not diverse and is typically very sparse with scattered forbs. Forests typically occur over well-drained, loamy soils underlain by Precambrian gneisses, schists, and granites. Soils supporting these forests tend to have relatively high base status. Forests occur on most of the major mountain ranges of the Southern Appalachians at elevations of 1070-1525 m (3500-5000 feet) on broad ridges, mid to upper slope positions, and on steep rocky slopes at the heads of coves. Forests are also known from the central (on granitic crests) and Northern Blue Ridge (on middle to upper convex slopes) and in the northern Ridge and Valley. Damage by ice storms is probably the most common form of natural disturbance in these montane forests.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Forests of montane landscapes in the Southern and Central Appalachians dominated by Quercus rubra or Quercus alba; trees gnarled and canopy often partially open.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: No Data Available

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Forests in this alliance have variable physiognomies, ranging from open herb-dominated understories to understories dominated by dense ericaceous shrubs. A closed to very open canopy has trees that are often gnarled and stunted, especially on ridge crests.

Floristics: Quercus rubra is often the only canopy tree, but other species may have minor importance, including Acer rubrum, Betula alleghaniensis, Betula lenta, Crataegus flabellata, and Crataegus punctata. Quercus alba is a significant component of forests at high elevations in Virginia''s Ridge and Valley and at the lower elevations of associations in the Southern Blue Ridge. Forests in this alliance have variable physiognomies, ranging from open herb-dominated understories to understories dominated by dense ericaceous shrubs. If a subcanopy is present, typical species include canopy species Acer pensylvanicum, Amelanchier arborea, Halesia tetraptera, Hamamelis virginiana, and Ilex montana. In forests with little or no shrub cover, herbaceous cover is dense and diverse, composed of sedges, ferns, and tall herbs, with dominance varying within and among occurrences. Typical herbaceous species include Ageratina altissima var. roanensis, Athyrium filix-femina ssp. asplenioides, Carex pensylvanica, Clintonia umbellulata, Collinsonia canadensis, Conopholis americana, Dennstaedtia punctilobula, Dioscorea villosa, Eurybia chlorolepis (= Aster chlorolepis), Eurybia divaricata (= Aster divaricatus), Laportea canadensis, Lysimachia quadrifolia, Medeola virginiana, Monarda fistulosa, Oclemena acuminata (= Aster acuminatus), Potentilla canadensis, Prenanthes roanensis, Silene stellata, Solidago curtisii (= Solidago caesia var. curtisii), and Thelypteris noveboracensis. Typical evergreen shrub dominants include Kalmia latifolia, Rhododendron catawbiense, and Rhododendron maximum. Deciduous shrubs include Corylus cornuta, Gaylussacia ursina, Ilex montana, Lyonia ligustrina, Rhododendron calendulaceum, Rubus canadensis, Vaccinium erythrocarpum, and Vaccinium simulatum. Where shrub cover is dense, the herbaceous stratum is not diverse and is typically very sparse with scattered forbs, including Clintonia umbellulata, Conopholis americana, Dennstaedtia punctilobula, Dioscorea villosa, Epigaea repens, Eurybia divaricata, Galax urceolata, Solidago curtisii, and Thelypteris noveboracensis.

Dynamics:  On exposed sites these forests commonly contain, as inclusions, acidic rock outcrop communities and montane shrublands, and may grade into forests dominated by Pinus pungens, Pinus rigida, Quercus montana, and Tsuga caroliniana. At higher elevations these forests often occur adjacent to or grade into forests dominated by Abies fraseri, Picea rubens, or northern hardwood species (Aesculus flava, Betula alleghaniensis, Fagus grandifolia). In some areas, forests are found adjacent to montane shrublands and grasslands. At low elevations on dry sites, these forests may grade into forests dominated by mixed Quercus species. Many Quercus rubra-dominated stands of today were, prior to the chestnut blight in the 1930s, dominated or codominated by Castanea dentata with scattered Quercus rubra and Acer rubrum in the canopy. Chestnut blight fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica) eliminated Castanea dentata in the upper canopy, subsequently releasing the subcanopy Quercus rubra, which eventually resulted in a nearly pure upper canopy of large Quercus rubra. Major compositional variation within these forests is related to a moisture gradient, which in turn is a function of topographic position and relative amount of solar radiation received (DeLapp 1978).
Environmental Description:  Forests occur on most of the major mountain ranges of the Southern Appalachians at elevations of 1070-1525 m (3500-5000 feet) on broad ridges, mid to upper slope positions, and on steep rocky slopes at the heads of coves. Forests are also known from the central (on granitic crests) and Northern Blue Ridge (on middle to upper convex slopes) and in the northern Ridge and Valley. Soils are loamy and underlain by Precambrian gneisses, schists and granites. These soils are classified as Typic, Umbric, or Lithic Dystrochrepts, and Typic Haplumbrepts (Golden 1974). Soils supporting these forests tend to have relatively high base status. Quercus alba forests of this alliance occur on dry sandstone ridges and south-facing slopes in the highest portions of the Ouachita Mountains; forests on exposed, rocky ridges and convex upper slopes at middle to high elevations in the Southern Appalachians; and unique Quercus alba forests found in association with serpentine geology in the Southern Blue Ridge of western North Carolina.
Geographic Range: This alliance occurs from Georgia to West Virginia along the higher peaks of the Central and Southern Appalachians.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  GA, KY?, NC, 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.a Chestnut Oak - Hickory species / American Chestnut Forest Group G015 1.B.2.Na.2.a
Alliance A3116 Northern Red Oak - White Oak Montane Forest Alliance A3116 1.B.2.Na.2.a
Association CEGL004256 Northern Red Oak - White Ash - Sugar Maple / Black Baneberry - Blue Cohosh Forest CEGL004256 1.B.2.Na.2.a
Association CEGL004503 Northern Red Oak / Catawba Rosebay - Smooth Azalea Woodland CEGL004503 1.B.2.Na.2.a
Association CEGL007295 White Oak / Mountain Laurel Forest CEGL007295 1.B.2.Na.2.a
Association CEGL007298 Northern Red Oak / Pennsylvania Sedge - Appalachian White Snakeroot Forest CEGL007298 1.B.2.Na.2.a
Association CEGL007299 Northern Red Oak / (Mountain Laurel, Catawba Rosebay, Great Laurel) / Beetleweed Forest CEGL007299 1.B.2.Na.2.a
Association CEGL007300 Northern Red Oak / (Upland Highbush Blueberry, Flame Azalea) / (Eastern Hay-scented Fern, New York Fern) Forest CEGL007300 1.B.2.Na.2.a
Association CEGL008506 Northern Red Oak - (White Oak) / Mountain Holly / Eastern Hay-scented Fern - Whorled Yellow Loosestrife Forest CEGL008506 1.B.2.Na.2.a
Concept Lineage: equivalent to A.272.

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Quercus rubra - Betula alleghaniensis / Rhododendron catawbiense / Angelica triquinata - Aster acuminatus Association (Rawinski et al. 1996)
? Quercus rubra / Ilex montana / Dennstaedtia punctilobula - Melanthium parviflorum Association (Rawinski et al. 1996)
? High Elevation Red Oak Forest (Schafale and Weakley 1990)
? IA4g. High Elevation Northern Red Oak Forest (Allard 1990)
? IA4h. High Elevation White Oak Forest (Allard 1990)
? IB4a. Dwarf White Oak Woodland (Allard 1990)
>< Montane White Oak Forest (Schafale and Weakley 1990)
Concept Author(s): D.J. Allard (1990); M.P. Schafale and A.S. Weakley (1990)

Author of Description: D.J. Allard and L. Sneddon

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 01-08-14
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