Print Report

A3361 Acer spicatum - Picea glauca / Clintonia borealis Scrub Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance, currently documented from Isle Royale, Michigan, and perhaps occurring more widely in the boreal regions of the upper midwestern United States and Canada, comprises shrublands with scattered boreal tree species such as Abies balsamea, Betula papyrifera, Picea glauca, and Thuja occidentalis, and shrubs such as Acer spicatum, Diervilla lonicera, Oplopanax horridus, Sorbus decora, Taxus canadensis, and Viburnum edule.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Mountain Maple - White Spruce / Bluebead Scrub Alliance

Colloquial Name: Great Lakes Subboreal Scrub

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance, currently documented from Isle Royale, Michigan, and perhaps occurring more widely in the subboreal regions of the upper midwestern United States and Canada, comprises shrublands with scattered boreal tree species such as Abies balsamea, Betula papyrifera, Picea glauca, and Thuja occidentalis, and shrubs such as Acer spicatum, Diervilla lonicera, Oplopanax horridus, Rubus parviflorus, Sorbus decora, Taxus canadensis, and Viburnum edule. This alliance also houses earlier successional shrublands characterized by Rubus parviflorus that become established following clearing, burning, or other disturbance.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Subboreal deciduous shrubland of the Great Lakes region.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Additional survey is needed to fully document the range and variation of this alliance.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: The vegetation contains a mix of evergreen and deciduous shrubs, as well as shrub-form boreal tree species that forms a dense, nearly impenetrable thicket. There may be a sparse cover (0-10% cover) of trees over 5 m tall. Herbaceous cover varies.

Floristics: This shrubland alliance is characterized by shrub-form boreal and subboreal trees such as Abies balsamea, Betula papyrifera, Picea glauca, Populus tremuloides, and Thuja occidentalis, as well as true shrubs such as Alnus viridis, Cornus sericea, Oplopanax horridus, Prunus pensylvanica, Taxus canadensis, and Viburnum edule. Other common shrubs include Rubus idaeus, Sambucus racemosa, and Taxus canadensis. Dwarf-shrubs may form a distinct layer comprising Diervilla lonicera, Empetrum nigrum, Rubus parviflorus, and Rubus idaeus. Herbaceous associates may include Aralia nudicaulis, Clintonia borealis, Dryopteris carthusiana, Eurybia macrophylla (= Aster macrophyllus), Equisetum arvense, Galium triflorum, Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Linnaea borealis, Lycopodium annotinum, Maianthemum canadense, and Streptopus lanceolatus var. longipes (= Streptopus roseus). Cover of nonvascular plants is about 5-25%; the most abundant nonvascular plant is the epiphytic lichens of the genus Usnea.

Dynamics:  The dynamics of this alliance have not been studied.
Environmental Description:  Stands occupy sites on gentle to moderate slopes at elevations ranging from under 200-230 m (650-750 feet). Soils are loams to sandy loam, and moderately well-drained to well-drained.
Geographic Range: This alliance occurs in north-central U.S. and south-central Canada in the Great Lakes region.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  MI, MN, ON, WI


Confidence Level: Low

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.B Temperate & Boreal Grassland & Shrubland Subclass S18 2.B
Formation 2.B.2 Temperate Grassland & Shrubland Formation F012 2.B.2
Division 2.B.2.Nc Eastern North American Grassland & Shrubland Division D024 2.B.2.Nc
Macrogroup 2.B.2.Nc.4 Laurentian -Acidic Rocky Scrub & Grassland Macrogroup M505 2.B.2.Nc.4
Group 2.B.2.Nc.4.a Laurentian-Acadian Acidic Scrub & Grassland Group G788 2.B.2.Nc.4.a
Alliance A3361 Mountain Maple - White Spruce / Bluebead Scrub Alliance A3361 2.B.2.Nc.4.a
Association CEGL005248 Thimbleberry Shrubland CEGL005248 2.B.2.Nc.4.a
Association CEGL005251 Mountain Maple - Northern White-cedar - Paper Birch / Canada Yew Alkaline Cliff Scrub CEGL005251 2.B.2.Nc.4.a
Association CEGL005253 Northern Mountain-ash - Mountain Maple / Spinulose Woodfern Shrubland CEGL005253 2.B.2.Nc.4.a
Association CEGL005254 Canada Yew - Squashberry - Red-osier Dogwood - Green Alder - Devil''s-club Shrubland CEGL005254 2.B.2.Nc.4.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Rubus parviflorus Shrubland (TNC 1999b)
< Sorbus decora - Acer spicatum / Dryopteris carthusiana Forested Scrub [Provisional]. (TNC 1999b)
< Taxus canadensis - Viburnum edule - Cornus sericea - Alnus viridis - Oplopanax horridus Shrubland [Provisional] (TNC 1999b)
Concept Author(s): The Nature Conservancy (1999b)

Author of Description: L. Sneddon

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 10-24-17
  • 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.
  • Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
  • TNC [The Nature Conservancy]. 1999b. USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: Classification of the vegetation of Isle Royale National Park. The Nature Conservancy, Midwest Regional Office, Minneapolis, MN, and International Headquarters, Arlington, VA. 143 pp.