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A3123 Pinus palustris / Quercus marilandica / Schizachyrium scoparium West Gulf Coastal Plain Woodland Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: These are dry to dry-mesic upland woodlands which are dominated by Pinus palustris, Quercus marilandica, Schizachyrium scoparium, and other grasses. These are naturally open woodlands, and are prone to frequent fire. They occur on the West Gulf Coastal Plain west of the Mississippi River.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Longleaf Pine / Blackjack Oak / Little Bluestem West Gulf Coastal Plain Woodland Alliance
Colloquial Name: West Gulf Coastal Plain Longleaf Pine / Blackjack Oak / Bluestem Woodland
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: These are dry to dry-mesic upland woodlands which are dominated by Pinus palustris, Quercus marilandica, Schizachyrium scoparium, and other grasses. These are not on the driest sites, but are naturally open woodlands, which frequently burn. They occur on the West Gulf Coastal Plain west of the Mississippi River.
Diagnostic Characteristics: These are dry to dry-mesic upland woodlands found west of the Mississippi River which are dominated by Pinus palustris, Quercus marilandica, Schizachyrium scoparium, and other grasses. These are not on the driest sites, but are naturally open woodlands with shrubs, which frequently burn.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: There are many Pinus palustris-associated species whose ranges do not cross the Mississippi River (Sorrie and Weakley 2001).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: The structure of these communities is highly variable, depending on past fire frequency and the site history of logging. Generally, examples of these communities managed with frequent prescribed fire have an open canopy of Pinus palustris, with scattered tree-sized and shrub-sized Quercus marilandica, with many individuals reduced by fire to sprouts. With less frequent fire, these communities often develop a dense subcanopy, shrub layer, or even canopy of scrub Quercus marilandica.
Floristics: These woodlands are dominated by Pinus palustris, Quercus marilandica, Schizachyrium scoparium, and other grasses.
Dynamics: In these shrubby woodlands of Pinus palustris and Quercus marilandica, a higher canopy closure (greater than 60%) may be the result of past logging, fire suppression or lack of fire in woodlands typically having an open canopy of Pinus palustris. Quercus marilandica will frequently be present in the understory or also scattered in the overstory, depending on the moisture regime and past fire. The natural open woodland structure may be maintained by silvicultural techniques and prescribed fire implemented to promote Pinus palustris. At many sites, both forest and open woodland communities may be present, grading into one another depending on aspect, soils, past logging or fire history.
Environmental Description: In the West Gulf Coastal Plain, this woodland vegetation has been documented on the Messer soil series (Haplic Glossudalf) and Kisatchie silt clay (Montmorillonitic Hapludalf).
Geographic Range: This alliance occurs on the West Gulf Coastal Plain west of the Mississippi River in eastern Texas and Louisiana.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: LA, TX
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.899249
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
Concept Lineage: The associations in this alliance represent a set from the old alliance A.499 which occur in LA and TX, excluding the driest associations which are in G154.
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? IB6a. Western Xeric Sandhill (Allard 1990)
>< Longleaf Pine - Bluejack Oak / Tragia Grossarenic Dry Uplands (Turner et al. 1999)
>< Longleaf Pine: 70 (Eyre 1980)
>< Post Oak - Blackjack Oak: 40 (Eyre 1980)
>< Longleaf Pine - Bluejack Oak / Tragia Grossarenic Dry Uplands (Turner et al. 1999)
>< Longleaf Pine: 70 (Eyre 1980)
>< Post Oak - Blackjack Oak: 40 (Eyre 1980)
- Allard, D. J. 1990. Southeastern United States ecological community classification. Interim report, Version 1.2. The Nature Conservancy, Southeast Regional Office, Chapel Hill, NC. 96 pp.
- Bridges, E. L., and S. L. Orzell. 1989a. Longleaf pine communities of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. Natural Areas Journal 9:246-263.
- Burns, R. M., and B. H. Honkala, technical coordinators. 1990b. Silvics of North America. Volume 2: Hardwoods. Agriculture Handbook 654. USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC. 877 pp.
- Diamond, D. D. 1993. Classification of the plant communities of Texas (series level). Unpublished document. Texas Natural Heritage Program, Austin. 25 pp.
- Eyre, F. H., editor. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 148 pp.
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- LNHP [Louisiana Natural Heritage Program]. 2009. Natural communities of Louisiana. Louisiana Natural Heritage Program, Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, Baton Rouge. 46 pp. [http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/page_wildlife/6776-Rare%20Natural%20Communities/LA_NAT_COM.pdf]
- MacRoberts, M. H., and B. R. MacRoberts. 1992a. Floristics of a sandstone glade in western Louisiana. Phytologia 72:130-138.
- Martin, D. L., and L. M. Smith. 1991. A survey and description of the natural plant communities of the Kisatchie National Forest, Winn and Kisatchie districts. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, LA. 372 pp.
- Martin, D. L., and L. M. Smith. 1993. A survey and description of the natural plant communities of the Kisatchie National Forest, Evangeline and Catahoula districts. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge. 274 pp.
- Pessin, L. J. 1933. Forest associations in the uplands of the lower Gulf Coastal Plain (longleaf pine belt). Ecology 14:1-14.
- Soil Conservation Service. 1990. Soil survey of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. Prepared by Martin, P. G., Jr., C. L. Butler, E. Scott, J. E. Lyles, M. Mariano, J. Ragus, P. Mason, and L. Schoelerman. USDA Soil Conservation Service, in cooperation with USDA Forest Service, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, and Louisiana Soil and Water Conservation Commission. 193 pp. plus maps.
- Sorrie, B. A., and A. S. Weakley. 2001. Coastal Plain vascular plant endemics: Phytogeography patterns. Castanea 66(1-2):50-82.
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