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A3429 Quercus phellos - Quercus lyrata - Quercus nigra Interior Pond Forest Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: These are seasonally flooded ponds of southern Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee which are dominated by Quercus lyrata and Quercus phellos.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Willow Oak - Overcup Oak - Water Oak Interior Pond Forest Alliance

Colloquial Name: Interior Oak Pond & Flatwoods

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance includes vegetation of seasonally flooded ponds of the south-central United States in southern Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee which are dominated by Quercus lyrata and Quercus phellos. These ponds are placed in a separate alliance because these two oak species are somewhat unusual as dominants at this latitude, and these environments are distinctive in these localities. Examples of this alliance are strongly dominated by Quercus lyrata, Quercus phellos, or a combination of these. Some examples actually lack other canopy dominants. Other examples have other trees present, including Acer rubrum, Betula nigra, Celtis laevigata, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Liquidambar styraciflua, Nyssa aquatica, Nyssa biflora, Quercus pagoda, Quercus texana, and Ulmus americana. In addition, Quercus similis may be present in one association. The understory and shrub layers are typically poorly developed or sparse (less than 50% cover) and may contain Acer rubrum, Cephalanthus occidentalis, Forestiera acuminata, Ilex decidua, Aronia arbutifolia, and Styrax americanus. Vines may include Campsis radicans, Smilax rotundifolia, and Toxicodendron radicans. Herbaceous density is generally low but fluctuates with canopy openness. There may be a zonation or patchiness to the herbaceous diversity, with plants of greater flooding tolerance in areas of longer hydroperiod, and a different suite of species on elevated rises or hummocks. The areas of wet and wet-mesic soils such as shallow ephemeral or seasonal ponds in depressions may have Carex spp., Cinna arundinacea, Eleocharis obtusa (which can be present in the center of the pond), and Leersia spp., along with hummocks of Sphagnum, while the drier areas, including hummocks and tree bases, exhibit plants common to dry and dry-mesic soils such as Asplenium platyneuron, Gillenia stipulata, Pycnanthemum tenuifolium, and/or Vaccinium pallidum. Mosses, lichens and epiphytic Pleopeltis polypodioides ssp. michauxiana can often be found on tree trunks. These forests are found in isolated upland depressions and sinkholes, poorly drained flats with a fragipan, or less frequently in first bottoms and terrace flats of floodplains. These have poorly drained, heavy silty clay soils that are flooded with shallow water each winter and spring.

Diagnostic Characteristics: These ponds are distinctive at their latitudes and in interior regions; the dominant taxa (Quercus lyrata and Quercus phellos) are more frequently encountered as dominants further south in the coastal plains.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: In 2000, Karen Patterson (pers. comm.) postulated that "Consideration should be given to creating one or two alliances for isolated, upland, Oak Pond features that each cover large geographic areas (i.e., southern versus northern), rather than having them split up artificially by dominance..." This alliance is an effort to implement this suggestion.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: These are generally closed-canopy forests dominated by broad-leaved deciduous trees and have open to sparse shrub and herbaceous strata. There may be a zonation or patchiness to the herbaceous diversity, with plants of greater flooding tolerance in areas of longer hydroperiod, and a different suite of species on elevated rises or hummocks.

Floristics: Examples of this alliance are strongly dominated by Quercus lyrata, Quercus phellos, or a combination of these. Some examples actually lack other canopy dominants. Other examples have other trees present, including Acer rubrum, Betula nigra, Celtis laevigata, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Liquidambar styraciflua, Nyssa aquatica, Nyssa biflora, Quercus pagoda, Quercus texana, and Ulmus americana. In addition, Quercus similis may be present in one association. The understory and shrub layers are typically poorly developed or sparse (less than 50% cover) and may contain Acer rubrum, Cephalanthus occidentalis, Forestiera acuminata, Ilex decidua, Aronia arbutifolia, and Styrax americanus. Vines may include Campsis radicans, Smilax rotundifolia, and Toxicodendron radicans. Herbaceous density is generally low but fluctuates with canopy openness. There may be a zonation or patchiness to the herbaceous diversity, with plants of greater flooding tolerance in areas of longer hydroperiod, and a different suite of species on elevated rises or hummocks. The areas of wet and wet-mesic soils, such as shallow ephemeral or seasonal ponds in depressions, may have Carex spp., Cinna arundinacea, Eleocharis obtusa (which can be present in the center of the pond), and Leersia spp., along with hummocks of Sphagnum, while the drier areas, including hummocks and tree bases, exhibit plants common to dry and dry-mesic soils, such as Asplenium platyneuron, Gillenia stipulata (= Porteranthus stipulatus), Pycnanthemum tenuifolium, and/or Vaccinium pallidum. Mosses, lichens and epiphytic Pleopeltis polypodioides ssp. michauxiana can often be found on tree trunks.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  These forests of the south-central United States are found in isolated upland depressions and sinkholes, seasonally flooded ponds, poorly drained flats with a fragipan, or less frequently in first bottoms and terrace flats of floodplains. These have poorly drained, heavy silty clay soils that are flooded with shallow water each winter and spring.
Geographic Range: This vegetation is found in the Ozarks, Ouachitas, and Interior Low Plateau from Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, and Oklahoma east and south to Kentucky, Tennessee, and possibly Alabama.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AL?, AR, IL, KY, MO, MS, OK?, TN


Confidence Level: Low

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.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation F026 1.B.3
Division 1.B.3.Na Eastern North American-Great Plains Flooded & Swamp Forest Division D011 1.B.3.Na
Macrogroup 1.B.3.Na.2 Pin Oak - Green Ash - Blackgum Swamp Forest Macrogroup M503 1.B.3.Na.2
Group 1.B.3.Na.2.b Overcup Oak - Post Oak - Blackgum Flatwoods & Pond Forest Group G654 1.B.3.Na.2.b
Alliance A3429 Willow Oak - Overcup Oak - Water Oak Interior Pond Forest Alliance A3429 1.B.3.Na.2.b
Association CEGL002102 Willow Oak - (Overcup Oak) / Sedge species - Cutgrass species Pond Forest CEGL002102 1.B.3.Na.2.b
Association CEGL004642 Overcup Oak Pond Forest CEGL004642 1.B.3.Na.2.b
Association CEGL004975 Overcup Oak / River Birch / Resurrection Fern Pond Forest CEGL004975 1.B.3.Na.2.b
Association CEGL007112 Willow Oak - Bottomland Post Oak Pond Forest CEGL007112 1.B.3.Na.2.b
Association CEGL007402 Willow Oak Ozark Pond Forest CEGL007402 1.B.3.Na.2.b
Concept Lineage: This alliance contains associations from two old alliances; A.328 (2/10) and A.330 (3/19).

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< P1B3cI. Quercus lyrata (Foti et al. 1994)
? P1B3cI4a. Quercus lyrata - Quercus nuttallii (= Q. texana) - Liquidambar styraciflua (Foti et al. 1994)
? P1B3cVII. Quercus phellos (Foti et al. 1994)
? P1B3cVII14b. Quercus phellos - Quercus palustris - Quercus lyrata (Foti et al. 1994)
Concept Author(s): M. Pyne, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: M. Pyne

Acknowledgements: We have incorporated significant descriptive information previously compiled by Karen Patterson.

Version Date: 01-08-14
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