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A3715 Acer saccharinum - Acer rubrum - Ulmus americana Floodplain Forest Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance is dominated by Acer rubrum, Acer saccharinum, Ulmus americana, and occasionally Fraxinus pennsylvanica and occurs in the northeastern U.S. and temperate regions of eastern Canada, west to the upper Great Lakes region of Minnesota and Ontario, where it occurs along small and large rivers, on higher terraces, and beside lake and larger streams.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Silver Maple - Red Maple - American Elm Floodplain Forest Alliance

Colloquial Name: Silver Maple - Red Maple - American Elm Floodplain Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: Characteristic dominant species include Acer rubrum, Acer saccharinum, Ulmus americana, and occasionally Fraxinus pennsylvanica. In the northern Great Lakes region of the Midwest and Canada, Fraxinus nigra can be dominant. Shrub layer ranges from high in patches to generally sparse. Onoclea sensibilis and Boehmeria cylindrica are characteristic in the herb layer. This alliance occurs in the northeastern U.S. and temperate regions of eastern Canada, west to the upper Great Lakes region of Minnesota and Ontario. It includes communities along small and large rivers, on higher terraces of river bottoms and floodplains and beside lakes and larger streams. The terrain is relatively flat, and hummock-and-hollow microtopography is absent or poorly developed. The soils are alluvial loams to silt loams typically temporarily inundated during spring floods. The soils are well-drained to imperfectly drained mineral soils but a limited organic horizon may occur in some examples.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Forests dominated by Acer rubrum, Acer saccharinum, Ulmus americana, and occasionally Fraxinus nigra primarily in the Laurentian-Acadian regions of the northeastern and northern midwestern U.S. and southern Canada. Diagnostics that distinguish this type from central floodplains in the northeast and north-central United States are needed.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Further review is needed to separate alliances in this group versus those in ~Silver Maple - Green Ash - Sycamore Floodplain Forest Group (G652)$$. As defined, this type is primarily found in the Laurentian-Acadian region from northern Minnesota and northwestern Ontario east to Atlantic Canada, and southward into Lower New England, the Allegheny Plateau and lower Great Lakes. But it may be that the southward part is a better fit with ~Silver Maple - Sugarberry - Sweetgum Floodplain Forest Group (G673)$$, because of the presence of Platanus occidentalis, Salix nigra, and other central hardwood floodplain species.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Floodplain deciduous forests that can range from closed-canopy to woodland structure.

Floristics: Characteristic canopy species include Acer rubrum, Acer saccharinum, and Ulmus americana. In the northern Great Lakes region of the Midwest and Canada, Fraxinus nigra can be dominant. Other associated species vary according to elevation within the floodplain and can include Fraxinus americana, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Populus deltoides, Prunus serotina, Quercus bicolor, Quercus macrocarpa, Picea glauca, and Prunus serotina. Quercus rubra and Pinus strobus can occur along higher elevations of the floodplain, grading into upland forests. The shrub layer is generally sparse to locally dense, containing canopy species and occasional wetland shrubs such as Carpinus caroliniana, Cephalanthus occidentalis, Cornus spp., Ilex verticillata, Lindera benzoin, Vaccinium corymbosum, Viburnum spp., and Vitis spp. Onoclea sensibilis and Boehmeria cylindrica are characteristic in the herb layer. Other herbs that may be present include Arisaema triphyllum, Asclepias incarnata, Athyrium filix-femina, Carex spp., Cinna spp., Eupatorium spp., Galium spp., Impatiens capensis, Laportea canadensis, Lycopus uniflorus, Matteuccia struthiopteris, Osmunda spp., Phalaris arundinacea, and Pilea pumila.

Dynamics:  This community is adapted to the periodic flooding of the associated river or stream system. The soil is saturated for at least part of the growing season and may stay inundated for extended periods of time.
Environmental Description:  This alliance is found on higher terraces along the lower reaches of larger rivers, and along smaller rivers and large streams, often as a linear band within lower alluvial terraces, backwaters, bars, and islands of minor rivers and smaller tributaries, creeks and drainages. The terrain is relatively flat, and hummock-and-hollow microtopography is absent or poorly developed. The soils are alluvial loams to silt loams, temporarily inundated during spring floods, and ranges from well-drained to imperfectly drained. They can range from acidic to being associated with calcareous or sedimentary bedrock and with fine-grained surficial deposits. Soils may be organic, especially in the northern Great Lakes region, or mineral, especially in the Northeast and ranging into the Great Lakes.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found across the northern Great Lakes states in the Midwest ranging to northeastern U.S. and adjacent Canadian provinces.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  CT, DE, MA, MB, ME, MI, MN, NB, ND, NH, NJ, NY, ON, PA, QC, RI, SD, VT, WI


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.3 <i>Tsuga canadensis - Fraxinus nigra - Larix laricina</i> Flooded & Swamp Forest Macrogroup M504 1.B.3.Na.3
Group 1.B.3.Na.3.a Silver Maple - Green Ash - Black Ash Floodplain Forest Group G653 1.B.3.Na.3.a
Alliance A3715 Silver Maple - Red Maple - American Elm Floodplain Forest Alliance A3715 1.B.3.Na.3.a
Association CEGL005488 Black Ash - Silver Maple Upper Great Lakes Floodplain Forest CEGL005488 1.B.3.Na.3.a
Association CEGL005489 Silver Maple Upper Great Lakes Low Floodplain Forest CEGL005489 1.B.3.Na.3.a
Association CEGL006001 Silver Maple - American Elm / Sensitive Fern Floodplain Forest CEGL006001 1.B.3.Na.3.a
Association CEGL006176 Silver Maple / Sensitive Fern - Small-spike False Nettle Floodplain Forest CEGL006176 1.B.3.Na.3.a
Association CEGL006501 Red Maple - Balsam Fir / Withe-rod Floodplain Forest CEGL006501 1.B.3.Na.3.a
Association CEGL006503 Red Maple - Black Cherry / Silky Dogwood Floodplain Forest CEGL006503 1.B.3.Na.3.a
Concept Lineage: This includes the northern associations in A.299 and A. 279.

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)
? Southern Wet Forest (Curtis 1959) [Wisconsin]
Concept Author(s): K.J. Metzler and A.W.H. Damman (1985); Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (2003)

Author of Description: S. Menard

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-18-14
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  • 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.
  • Faber-Langendoen, D., and Midwest State Natural Heritage Program Ecologists. 1996. Terrestrial vegetation of the midwest United States. International classification of ecological communities: Terrestrial vegetation of the United States. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA.
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  • Metzler, K. J., and A. W. H. Damman. 1985. Vegetation patterns in the Connecticut River flood plain in relation to frequency and duration of flooding. Naturaliste Can. (Rev. Ecol. Syst.) 112:535-547.
  • Minnesota DNR [Minnesota Department of Natural Resources]. 2003. Field guide to the native plant communities of Minnesota: The Laurentian Mixed Forest Province. Ecological Land Classification Program, Minnesota County Biological Survey, and Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul.
  • Smith, T. L. 1991. Natural ecological communities of Pennsylvania. First revision. Unpublished report. Pennsylvania Science Office of The Nature Conservancy, Middletown, PA. 111 pp.
  • Swain, P. C., and J. B. Kearsley. 2001. Classification of natural communities of Massachusetts. September 2001 draft. Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Westborough, MA.