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A3631 Quercus michauxii - Quercus pagoda Coastal Plain Floodplain Forest Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: Stands of this bottomland forest vegetation are typically dominated by some combination of Quercus michauxii, Quercus pagoda, and Quercus shumardii, with Liquidambar styraciflua typically as a significant component, and are found in the coastal plains of the southeastern United States.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Swamp Chestnut Oak - Cherrybark Oak Coastal Plain Floodplain Forest Alliance
Colloquial Name: West Gulf Coastal Plain Swamp Chestnut Oak Floodplain Forest
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: Stands of this alliance are typically dominated by some combination of Quercus michauxii, Quercus pagoda, and Quercus shumardii, with Liquidambar styraciflua typically as a significant component. All three of these primary oaks are possible in combination in the southern coastal plains, with Quercus pagoda being the most restricted in range, and Quercus michauxii the most widely distributed. Quercus shumardii is apparently absent from much of the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain. In addition, Quercus laurifolia, Quercus nigra, Quercus oglethorpensis, Quercus phellos, Quercus similis, and/or Quercus sinuata var. sinuata may also be present, but in combination with the other primary oaks. Other associated species include Carya tomentosa, Carya cordiformis, Carya glabra, Carya myristiciformis, Carya ovata, Fraxinus americana, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Liriodendron tulipifera, Nyssa biflora, Pinus glabra, and Pinus taeda. Associated subcanopy and shrub species include Aesculus sylvatica, Asimina triloba, Carpinus caroliniana, Cornus florida, Cornus foemina, Halesia diptera, Ilex decidua, Ilex opaca var. opaca, Itea virginica, Eubotrys racemosa, Lindera benzoin var. benzoin, Styrax americanus, and Vaccinium formosum. Vines are prevalent in the subcanopy and ground layer; the most commonly encountered are Campsis radicans, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, and Toxicodendron radicans. The herbaceous layer is dense and dominated by a diverse assemblage of grasses and forbs and may include Arisaema triphyllum, Boehmeria cylindrica, Chasmanthium laxum, Chasmanthium sessiliflorum, Phlox carolina, Tillandsia usneoides, and many others. Within the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain, high presence of Liquidambar and Quercus nigra indicate past farming at least on the associated upland. This alliance occurs primarily in brownwater situations, and often occurs on terraces in second bottoms. This alliance is distributed throughout the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains, and in the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain northwards to southern Illinois.
Diagnostic Characteristics: In contrast to the related ~Quercus michauxii - Liquidambar styraciflua Interior Floodplain Forest Alliance (A3630)$$, the associations of this alliance do not contain species whose ranges are more related to the interior ecoregions, including Tilia americana var. heterophylla and Carya laciniosa.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: There are certainly some floristic similarities between ~Quercus michauxii - Quercus pagoda Coastal Plain Floodplain Forest Alliance (A3631)$$ and ~Quercus michauxii - Carya laciniosa - Liquidambar styraciflua Interior Floodplain Forest Alliance (A3630)$$, but it is thought that the biogeography of the two alliances is sufficient to justify the two alliances. Type concept summary is largely based on old alliance Quercus (michauxii, pagoda, shumardii) - Liquidambar styraciflua Temporarily Flooded Forest Alliance (A.291) (the coastal plain part).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: These are closed-canopy forests; the trees may be large and tall in older stands. Canopy diversity can be high in this vegetation.
Floristics: In addition to Liquidambar styraciflua, Quercus michauxii, Quercus pagoda, and Quercus shumardii, stands may contain Quercus laurifolia, Quercus nigra, Quercus oglethorpensis, Quercus phellos, Quercus similis, and/or Quercus sinuata var. sinuata, but in combination with the other primary oaks. Other associated species include Carya tomentosa (= Carya alba), Carya cordiformis, Carya glabra, Carya myristiciformis, Carya ovata, Fraxinus americana, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Liriodendron tulipifera, Nyssa biflora, Pinus glabra, and Pinus taeda. Associated subcanopy and shrub species include Aesculus sylvatica, Asimina triloba, Carpinus caroliniana, Cornus florida, Cornus foemina, Halesia diptera, Ilex decidua, Ilex opaca var. opaca, Itea virginica, Eubotrys racemosa (= Leucothoe racemosa), Lindera benzoin var. benzoin, Styrax americanus, and Vaccinium formosum. Vines are prevalent in the subcanopy and ground layer; the most commonly encountered are Campsis radicans, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, and Toxicodendron radicans. The herbaceous layer is dense and dominated by a diverse assemblage of grasses and forbs and may include Arisaema triphyllum, Boehmeria cylindrica, Chasmanthium laxum, Chasmanthium sessiliflorum, Phlox carolina, Tillandsia usneoides, and many others. Within the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain, high presence of Liquidambar and Quercus nigra indicate past farming at least on the associated upland.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: Soils which support this alliance include nearly level to gently sloping soils that formed in alluvium on floodplains. These soils are deep, medium-textured, and have adequate or excessive moisture available for vegetation during the growing season. Soils can be sandy on terraces and first bottoms. This alliance is subject to infrequent, short-duration, shallow flooding (<1.5 m), and ponding is common where there are impermeable clay layers beneath the surface. Bedrock is deeply buried (>175 cm) and consists of Paleozoic deposits and stratified Cenozoic marine deposits. Shale or sandstone bedrock can occur at about 170 cm.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains from Virginia to Texas as well as peripherally in the adjacent southern Piedmont of Alabama and possibly other states.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AL, AR, FL?, GA, LA, MS, NC, OK?, SC, TN, TX, VA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.899689
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
Concept Lineage: Most of the members are from the old A.291 (10/16); this is the coastal plain part of this alliance, plus a few members from two others; A.353 (1/ ) and A.1912 (1/ ).
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< IIA6b. Sweetgum - Mixed Bottomland Oak Forest (Allard 1990)
>< IIA8a. Forested Canebrake (Allard 1990)
? IIA8b. Swamp Chestnut Oak - Cherrybark Oak Bottomland Forest (Allard 1990)
? P1B3cIII6a. Quercus falcata var. pagodifolia - Quercus phellos - Liquidambar styraciflua (Foti et al. 1994)
? P1B3cIII6c. Quercus falcata var. pagodifolia - Quercus michauxii - Quercus phellos (Foti et al. 1994)
>< Swamp Chestnut Oak - Cherrybark Oak: 91 (Eyre 1980)
? Swamp Chestnut Oak-Willow Oak Series (Diamond 1993)
>< IIA8a. Forested Canebrake (Allard 1990)
? IIA8b. Swamp Chestnut Oak - Cherrybark Oak Bottomland Forest (Allard 1990)
? P1B3cIII6a. Quercus falcata var. pagodifolia - Quercus phellos - Liquidambar styraciflua (Foti et al. 1994)
? P1B3cIII6c. Quercus falcata var. pagodifolia - Quercus michauxii - Quercus phellos (Foti et al. 1994)
>< Swamp Chestnut Oak - Cherrybark Oak: 91 (Eyre 1980)
? Swamp Chestnut Oak-Willow Oak Series (Diamond 1993)
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