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A3697 Acer saccharinum - Acer negundo Appalachian-Piedmont Floodplain Forest Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: This alliance contains floodplain forests where Acer saccharinum is prevalent along major rivers in the Piedmont, Central Appalachians, and Chesapeake Bay regions from Maryland and Virginia north to Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Silver Maple - Box-elder Appalachian-Piedmont Floodplain Forest Alliance
Colloquial Name: Appalachian-Piedmont Silver Maple Floodplain Forest
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: This alliance contains floodplain forests where Acer saccharinum is prevalent. Other tree associates include Acer negundo, Betula nigra, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Platanus occidentalis, Populus deltoides, Quercus palustris, Salix nigra, Ulmus americana, and Ulmus rubra. Common shrub species include Alnus serrulata, Asimina triloba, Cephalanthus occidentalis, Ilex decidua, and Lindera benzoin. Characteristic herbs include Boehmeria cylindrica, Impatiens capensis, Laportea canadensis, Leersia lenticularis, Matteuccia struthiopteris, Onoclea sensibilis, Pilea pumila, and others. This alliance occurs along major rivers in the Piedmont, Central Appalachians, and Chesapeake Bay regions from Maryland and Virginia north to Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Diagnostic Characteristics: This alliance contains floodplain forests where Acer saccharinum is prevalent along major rivers in the Piedmont, Central Appalachians, and Chesapeake Bay regions from Maryland and Virginia north to Pennsylvania and New Jersey. This combination of floristics and biogeography should be diagnostic.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: No Data Available
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: These are broad-leaved deciduous forests, with canopy trees typically averaging 20 m in height. The shrub and herbaceous layers range from sparse to relatively lush, and in some cases the shrubs can be nearly impenetrable. There is often an abundance of woody vines.
Floristics: Acer saccharinum is generally dominant in these floodplain forests of major rivers. Other tree associates include Acer negundo, Betula nigra, Carya illinoinensis, Celtis laevigata, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Platanus occidentalis, Populus deltoides, Salix nigra, Ulmus americana, and Ulmus rubra. Common shrub species include Alnus serrulata, Asimina triloba, Cephalanthus occidentalis, Ilex decidua, Lindera benzoin. Characteristic herbs include Boehmeria cylindrica, Impatiens capensis, Laportea canadensis, Leersia lenticularis, Matteuccia struthiopteris, Onoclea sensibilis, Pilea pumila, and others.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This alliance occurs on well-drained, sandy soils, on infrequently flooded bottomlands, on levees, and on deep silts on stabilized sites along larger rivers. It also may occur along smaller rivers, but is most common along bigger rivers where there is more scour and more silt deposition.
Geographic Range: The associations reliably assigned to this alliance are found in the Piedmont, Central Appalachians, and Chesapeake Bay regions from Maryland and Virginia north to Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: DC, MA, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA, WV
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.899749
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.1 Silver Maple - American Sycamore - Hackberry species Floodplain Forest Macrogroup | M029 | 1.B.3.Na.1 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Na.1.b <i>Acer saccharinum - Platanus occidentalis - Liquidambar styraciflua</i> Floodplain Forest Group | G673 | 1.B.3.Na.1.b |
| Alliance | A3697 Silver Maple - Box-elder Appalachian-Piedmont Floodplain Forest Alliance | A3697 | 1.B.3.Na.1.b |
| Association | CEGL006042 Silver Maple - American Elm / Common Ninebark Floodplain Forest | CEGL006042 | 1.B.3.Na.1.b |
| Association | CEGL006217 Silver Maple - Box-elder / White Snakeroot - Canadian Woodnettle - (Virginia Wildrye) Floodplain Forest | CEGL006217 | 1.B.3.Na.1.b |
Concept Lineage: Descriptive information is primarily derived from former Acer saccharinum Temporarily Flooded Forest Alliance (A.279).Most associations placed here are from A.279 (4/10), also from A.299 (2/9) and A.278 (1/4).
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< Cottonwood: 63 (Eyre 1980)
>< Silver Maple - American Elm: 62 (Eyre 1980)
>< Silver Maple - American Elm: 62 (Eyre 1980)
- Eyre, F. H., editor. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 148 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.
- Fike, J. 1999. Terrestrial and palustrine plant communities of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Recreation, Bureau of Forestry, Harrisburg, PA. 86 pp.
- Smith, T. L. 1991. Natural ecological communities of Pennsylvania. First revision. Unpublished report. Pennsylvania Science Office of The Nature Conservancy, Middletown, PA. 111 pp.