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A3699 Betula nigra - Platanus occidentalis Appalachian-Piedmont Floodplain Forest Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: These riverfront floodplain forests of the Alleghany Plateau, Appalachian, and Piedmont regions are dominated by Betula nigra and Platanus occidentalis with a variety of other canopy species, including Acer negundo, Acer saccharinum, Celtis laevigata, Liquidambar styraciflua, Liriodendron tulipifera, Populus deltoides, and Salix nigra.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: River Birch - American Sycamore Appalachian-Piedmont Floodplain Forest Alliance

Colloquial Name: Appalachian-Piedmont River Birch - Sycamore Floodplain Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: These forests are dominated by Betula nigra and Platanus occidentalis with a variety of other canopy species, including Acer negundo, Acer saccharinum, Celtis laevigata, Liquidambar styraciflua, Liriodendron tulipifera, Populus deltoides, and Salix nigra. The subcanopy or tall-shrub strata may include Cornus florida and Carpinus caroliniana, along with Acer rubrum, Carya spp., Ilex opaca, Prunus serotina, and Ulmus alata. The shrub layer is often sparse with such species as Asimina triloba, Crataegus marshallii, Crataegus viridis, and Lindera benzoin present. Vines include Berchemia scandens, Bignonia capreolata, Campsis radicans, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Toxicodendron radicans, and Vitis rotundifolia. Herbaceous species include Arundinaria gigantea, Boehmeria cylindrica, Chasmanthium latifolium, Elymus hystrix, Impatiens capensis, Pilea pumila, Podophyllum peltatum, and Stellaria pubera. These forests are found in riverfronts areas from the Alleghany Plateau of Pennsylvania east through the Appalachians of West Virginia and Virginia, south to the Piedmont of the Carolinas and Georgia and north to New York and New Jersey. These riverfronts experience frequent, repeated, natural disturbance in the form of flooding. They occur more frequently on sandy soils than on heavier soils, and their most characteristic location is on levees. The soils are deep and well-drained with low organic matter content and are most commonly of the Orders Inceptisol and Entisol.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Forests in this alliance occur on Alleghany Plateau, Appalachian, and Piedmont riverfronts in areas with frequent, repeated, natural disturbance in the form of flooding. Betula nigra and Platanus occidentalis are characteristic and frequently dominant.

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 generally open canopy forests to woodlands; their openness is due to mechanical disturbance from flooding. Litter and large woody debris often accumulate in huge conglomerations. Occurrences may have a rather high percentage of standing dead trees, including remnant snags from earlier successional communities.

Floristics: In addition to Betula nigra and Platanus occidentalis, a variety of canopy species occur in these forests, including Acer negundo, Acer saccharinum, Celtis laevigata, Liriodendron tulipifera, Liquidambar styraciflua, Populus deltoides, and Salix nigra. The subcanopy or tall-shrub strata may include Cornus florida and Carpinus caroliniana, along with Acer rubrum, Carya spp., Ilex opaca, Prunus serotina, and Ulmus alata. The shrub layer is often sparse with such species as Asimina triloba, Crataegus marshallii, Crataegus viridis, and Lindera benzoin present. The herbaceous and vine components may be lush and diverse. Vines include Berchemia scandens, Bignonia capreolata, Campsis radicans, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Toxicodendron radicans, and Vitis rotundifolia. Herbaceous species include Arundinaria gigantea, Boehmeria cylindrica, Chasmanthium latifolium (= Uniola latifolia), Elymus hystrix, Impatiens capensis, Pilea pumila, Podophyllum peltatum, and Stellaria pubera.

Dynamics:  These forests occur in areas with frequent, repeated, natural disturbance in the form of flooding. Occurrences may have a rather high percentage of standing dead trees, including remnant snags from earlier successional communities. A layer of sand is often deposited at the surface when streams overflow their banks during flash floods. Little or no clay is present in soils which support stands of this alliance. Flooding is seasonal and/or occasional and shallow, but never prolonged. Most of the short-duration flooding takes place in early spring.
Environmental Description:  The riverfront forests in this alliance are usually found on the natural levees of watercourses and are slightly elevated above the flats behind the levee. They are more common along small streams and blackwater streams than along alluvial floodplains, mostly because of the higher sustained flow rates of these larger rivers. The soils are deep, nearly level, well-drained and moderately well-drained on bottomlands along streams. They have low organic matter content, moderate permeability, and moderate to high available water capacity. A layer of sand is often deposited at the surface when streams overflow their banks during flash floods. Little or no clay is present in soils which support stands of this alliance. Flooding is seasonal and/or occasional and shallow, but never prolonged. Most of the short-duration flooding takes place in early spring. The soils are deep and well-drained with low organic matter content and are most commonly of the Orders Inceptisol and Entisol.
Geographic Range: This alliance occurs from the Alleghany Plateau of Pennsylvania east through the Appalachians of West Virginia and Virginia, south to the Piedmont of the Carolinas and Georgia and north to New York and New Jersey.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  AL, AR, DC, DE, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, NJ, NY, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, 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.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 A3699 River Birch - American Sycamore Appalachian-Piedmont Floodplain Forest Alliance A3699 1.B.3.Na.1.b
Association CEGL003725 American Sycamore - River Birch / Silky Dogwood / (Big Bluestem, Indian Woodoats) Floodplain Forest CEGL003725 1.B.3.Na.1.b
Association CEGL003896 American Sycamore - River Birch - (Coastal Plain Willow, Black Willow) Floodplain Forest CEGL003896 1.B.3.Na.1.b
Association CEGL006184 River Birch - American Sycamore / Orange Jewelweed Floodplain Forest CEGL006184 1.B.3.Na.1.b
Association CEGL007312 River Birch - American Sycamore / Hazel Alder / Small-spike False Nettle Floodplain Forest CEGL007312 1.B.3.Na.1.b
Concept Lineage: Descriptive information is taken from old alliances A.280 and A.633. This alliance includes three members of the old A.280 (3/10), and two of the old alliance A.633 (2/5; woodland). This is related to the proto-alliance A0280, to which it should be compared.

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< Black Willow: 95 (Eyre 1980)
>< IIA7a. Black Willow Riverfront Forest (Allard 1990)
>< IIA7b. River Birch - Sycamore Riverfront Forest (Allard 1990)
>< IIE3a. Riverside Shoal and Stream Bar Complex (Allard 1990)
>< River Birch - Sycamore: 61 (Eyre 1980)
Concept Author(s): M. Pyne, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: M. Pyne

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 09-26-14
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