Print Report

A3301 Acer saccharum - Fagus grandifolia - Tilia americana Forest Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This forested alliance is dominated by a variety of mesic - transitional northern hardwoods, including Acer rubrum, Acer saccharum, Betula alleghaniensis, Betula lenta, Fagus grandifolia, Fraxinus americana, Liriodendron tulipifera, Prunus serotina, Quercus rubra, and Tilia americana. It occurs in the northeastern U.S., ranging from central New England west to the Lake Erie-Lake Ontario ecoregion in southern Ontario and south to the higher elevations of Virginia and West Virginia.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Sugar Maple - American Beech - American Basswood Forest Alliance

Colloquial Name: Central Appalachian-Northeast Hardwood Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This forested alliance is dominated by hardwoods, such as Acer saccharum, Acer rubrum, Fagus grandifolia, Fraxinus americana, and Tilia americana, with common associates of Betula alleghaniensis, Betula lenta, Liriodendron tulipifera, Prunus serotina, and Quercus spp. (most commonly Quercus rubra). The shrub layer is characterized by Acer pensylvanicum, Amelanchier spp., Cornus florida (most common in the southern part of range), Hamamelis virginiana, Lindera benzoin, Sambucus racemosa, Staphylea trifolia, and Viburnum spp. This community is characterized by a fairly diverse herbaceous flora. Typical herbs include Allium tricoccum, Anemone quinquefolia, Asarum canadense, Caulophyllum thalictroides, Cystopteris bulbifera, Dicentra cucullaria, Sanguinaria canadensis, among others. Characteristic graminoids include Brachyelytrum erectum, Carex platyphylla, Carex sprengelii, Elymus hystrix, and Patis racemosa. This alliance occurs in the northeastern U.S., ranging from central New England west to the Lake Erie-Lake Ontario ecoregion in southern Ontario and south to the higher elevations of Virginia and West Virginia. Stands occur on both glaciated and unglaciated till, on deep, typically circumneutral to somewhat alkaline, mesic soils. This type is one of the matrix forest types in the region.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Northern hardwoods such as Acer saccharum, Betula alleghaniensis, and Fagus grandifolia are characteristic, with Betula lenta, Carya cordiformis, Carya ovata, Liriodendron tulipifera, and Quercus montana among the key diagnostics that separate this type from similar northern hardwood alliances in ~Laurentian & Acadian Hardwood Forest Group (G743)$$.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Northward, this alliance is replaced by alliances in ~Laurentian-Acadian Hardwood Forest Group (G743)$$, such as ~Acer saccharum - Fagus grandifolia - Betula alleghaniensis Forest Alliance (A3224)$$ and ~Acer saccharum - Tilia americana - Fraxinus americana Forest Alliance (A3240)$$. Stands on colder conditions of the Allegheny Plateau and in central New England may more strongly resemble the alliances in G743. The USFS ecological province lines provide a general delimiter, with areas in Provinces 211 and M211 (but excluding 211F and 211G (Allegheny Plateau)) mostly belonging to G743, and areas in Provinces 221 and M221, M211F and M211G belonging to alliances in this group (G742). In Ontario, this type is restricted to the Lake Erie-Lake Ontario ecoregion (Crins et al. 2009). The range of Betula lenta, Carya cordiformis, Carya ovata, Liriodendron tulipifera, and Quercus montana provide a suite of diagnostics for the northern limit of this range, but they can be relatively uncommon. See also ~Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest (CES202.593)$$.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Closed-canopy forests dominated by broad-leaved deciduous hardwoods.

Floristics: Stands are dominated by hardwoods, such as Acer saccharum, Acer rubrum, Fagus grandifolia, Fraxinus americana, and Tilia americana, and common associates of Betula alleghaniensis, Betula lenta, Liriodendron tulipifera, Prunus serotina, and Quercus spp. (most commonly Quercus rubra). On logged sites, Populus tremuloides may be common. The shrub layer is characterized by Acer pensylvanicum, Amelanchier spp. Hamamelis virginiana, Lindera benzoin, Sambucus racemosa (= Sambucus pubens), Staphylea trifolia, and Viburnum spp. This community is characterized by a fairly diverse herbaceous flora. Typical herbs include Allium tricoccum, Anemone quinquefolia, Asarum canadense, Caulophyllum thalictroides, Cystopteris bulbifera, Dicentra cucullaria, Sanguinaria canadensis, among others. Characteristic graminoids include Brachyelytrum erectum, Carex platyphylla, Carex sprengelii, Elymus hystrix (= Hystrix patula), and Patis racemosa (= Oryzopsis racemosa).

Dynamics:  Disturbances include windthrow, ice-storm damage, and insects. Fires are very rare.
Environmental Description:  Stands occur on both glaciated and unglaciated till, on deep, typically circumneutral to somewhat alkaline, mesic soils.
Geographic Range: This is found in the southern Lake Erie-Lake Ontario ecoregion, Allegheny Plateau, and Lower New England south to the Central Appalachians. It is of more limited extent and more ecologically constrained in the southern part of its range, in northern parts of Virginia and West Virginia.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  CT, MA, MD, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, ON, PA, QC?, RI, TN, VA, VT, 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.3 Appalachian-Interior-Northeastern Mesic Forest Macrogroup M883 1.B.2.Na.3
Group 1.B.2.Na.3.b Appalachian-Allegheny Northern Hardwood Forest G742 1.B.2.Na.3.b
Alliance A3301 Sugar Maple - American Beech - American Basswood Forest Alliance A3301 1.B.2.Na.3.b
Association CEGL006045 Sugar Maple - Yellow Birch - Black Cherry Forest CEGL006045 1.B.2.Na.3.b
Association CEGL006296 American Beech - Sweet Birch - Tuliptree - Sugar Maple Forest CEGL006296 1.B.2.Na.3.b
Association CEGL006632 Sugar Maple - American Beech - White Ash / Jack-in-the-Pulpit Forest CEGL006632 1.B.2.Na.3.b
Association CEGL006637 Sugar Maple - American Basswood / Striped Maple / Blue Cohosh Forest CEGL006637 1.B.2.Na.3.b
Association CEGL006956 Sugar Maple - Yellow Birch - Green Ash / Northern Spicebush Forest CEGL006956 1.B.2.Na.3.b
Association CEGL008502 Yellow Birch - Northern Red Oak / Mountain Maple / Intermediate Woodfern - Whorled Wood Aster Forest CEGL008502 1.B.2.Na.3.b
Association CEGL008504 Yellow Birch / American Mountain-ash - Mountain Maple / Appalachian Polypody Forest CEGL008504 1.B.2.Na.3.b
Concept Lineage: A.217, A.216. A.2009.

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
Concept Author(s): D. Faber-Langendoen, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: D. Faber-Langendoen

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-18-14
  • Crins, W. J., P. A. Gray, P. W. C. Uhlig, and M. C. Wester. 2009. The ecosystems of Ontario. Part I: Ecozones and ecoregions. SIB TER IMA TR-01. Inventory, Monitoring and Assessment, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Peterborough, ON. 71 pp.
  • 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.
  • Golden, M. S. 1974. Forest vegetation and site relationships in the central portion of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Tennessee, Knoxville. 275 pp.
  • Weakley, A. S. 2010. Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia, and surrounding areas. Unpublished working draft. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. [http://www.herbarium.unc.edu/flora.htm]