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A3838 Pinus banksiana - Picea mariana / Vaccinium spp. Subboreal Forest Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This subboreal jack pine - black spruce forest alliance is found in the northwestern Great Lakes region in Canada and the United States along flat to gently sloping areas, level sandy outwash plains, or moderately sloping moraines. The canopy is dominated by Pinus banksiana or Picea mariana. Other species that can co-occur include Abies balsamea, Betula papyrifera, Picea glauca, or Populus tremuloides.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Jack Pine - Black Spruce / Blueberry species Subboreal Forest Alliance

Colloquial Name: Subboreal Jack Pine - Black Spruce Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This subboreal jack pine - black spruce forest alliance is found in the northwestern Great Lakes region in Canada and the United States along flat to gently sloping areas, level sandy outwash plains, or moderately sloping moraines. Soils are typically moderately deep to deep coarse loams, sandy loams, fine sands or silt. Some stands may occur on clay soils. The canopy is dominated by Pinus banksiana or Picea mariana. Other species that can co-occur include Abies balsamea, Betula papyrifera, Picea glauca, or Populus tremuloides. Common shrubs include Corylus cornuta, Diervilla lonicera, Gaultheria procumbens, and Vaccinium spp. Feathermosses such as Pleurozium schreberi can be abundant and cover the majority of the forest floor in some stands.

Diagnostic Characteristics: This alliance is found primarily in the sub-boreal regions of the northwestern Great Lakes of the United States and Canada. It is a mesic, upland forest dominated by Pinus banksiana and Picea mariana, often with an abundant cover of Pleurozium schreberi on the forest floor.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: More information from Canadian ecologists will help continue to define this type, particularly the distinction between subboreal and boreal jack pine - black spruce types. Possibly ~Picea mariana - Populus tremuloides / Mixed Herbs Forest (CEGL002516)$$ should be treated as a strictly boreal type and moved to ~Ontario-Québec Boreal Mesic-Moist Black Spruce Forest Group (G637)$$. This alliance balances overstory dominance with understory floristics and moisture, such that both dry-mesic and mesic sites dominated by Pinus resinosa and Pinus strobus are brought together in one alliance, ~Pinus resinosa - Pinus strobus Subboreal Forest Alliance (A4130)$$, distinct from sites dominated by Pinus banksiana and Picea mariana (or rarely Picea glauca) in this alliance. This approach differs from the Minnesota decision to emphasize habitat and ground layer floristics over the overstory, such that FDn32 and FDn33 both contain pine types and spruce types (Minnesota DNR 2003).

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Stands are typically dominated by open to closed broadleaf evergreen trees (conifers).

Floristics: The canopy is dominated by Pinus banksiana or Picea mariana. Other species that can co-occur include Abies balsamea, Betula papyrifera, Picea glauca, or Populus tremuloides. Common shrubs include Corylus cornuta, Diervilla lonicera, Gaultheria procumbens, and Vaccinium spp. Feathermosses such as Pleurozium schreberi can be abundant and cover the majority of the forest floor in some stands (Sims et al. 1989, Zoladeski et al. 1995, Minnesota DNR 2003).

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  Stands occur on flat to gently sloping areas, level sandy outwash plains, or moderately sloping moraines. Soils are typically moderately deep to deep coarse loams, sandy loams, fine sands or silt. Some stands may occur on clay soils or somewhat moist bedrock sites along lakeshores.
Geographic Range: This sub-boreal jack pine - black spruce forest alliance is found in the northwestern Great Lakes region in Canada and the United States.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  MB, MI, MN, ON


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.2 Cool Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation F008 1.B.2
Division 1.B.2.Na Eastern North American Forest & Woodland Division D008 1.B.2.Na
Macrogroup 1.B.2.Na.6 Eastern White Pine - Jack Pine - Northern Pin Oak Forest & Woodland Macrogroup M159 1.B.2.Na.6
Group 1.B.2.Na.6.c Jack Pine - Red Pine - Black Spruce Subboreal Forest Group G047 1.B.2.Na.6.c
Alliance A3838 Jack Pine - Black Spruce / Blueberry species Subboreal Forest Alliance A3838 1.B.2.Na.6.c
Association CEGL002437 Jack Pine / Balsam Fir Forest CEGL002437 1.B.2.Na.6.c
Association CEGL002447 Black Spruce / Schreber''s Big Red-stem Moss Forest CEGL002447 1.B.2.Na.6.c
Association CEGL002448 Jack Pine - Black Spruce / Blueberry species / Schreber''s Big Red-stem Moss Forest CEGL002448 1.B.2.Na.6.c
Association CEGL002516 Black Spruce - Quaking Aspen / Mixed Herbs Forest CEGL002516 1.B.2.Na.6.c
Association CEGL002518 Jack Pine - Quaking Aspen / Northern Bush-honeysuckle Forest CEGL002518 1.B.2.Na.6.c
Association CEGL005214 White Spruce - Balsam Fir Basalt - Conglomerate Woodland CEGL005214 1.B.2.Na.6.c
Association CEGL006421 Black Spruce - Red Spruce / Rhodora / Cup Lichen species Swamp Woodland CEGL006421 1.B.2.Na.6.c
Concept Lineage: Mesic associations from A.149, A.116, A.414, and A.390.

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Jack Pine Mixedwood / Shrub Rich type (V15) (Zoladeski et al. 1995) [Manitoba]
>< Northern Dry-Mesic Mixed Woodland Class [FDn33] (Minnesota DNR 2003) [Primarily FDn33c]
>< Northern Poor Dry-Mesic Mixed Woodland Class [FDn32] (Minnesota DNR 2003) [Primarily FDn32c, d, e]
Concept Author(s): S. Menard, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: D. Faber-Langendoen

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-18-14
  • 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.
  • MNNHP [Minnesota Natural Heritage Program]. 1993. Minnesota''s native vegetation: A key to natural communities. Version 1.5. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program, St. Paul, MN. 110 pp.
  • 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.
  • Sims, R. A., W. D. Towill, K. A. Baldwin, and G. M. Wickware. 1989. Field guide to the forest ecosystem classification for northwestern Ontario. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Toronto. 191 pp.
  • Zoladeski, C. A., G. M. Wickware, R. J. Delorme, R. A. Sims, and I. G. W. Corns. 1995. Forest ecosystem classification for Manitoba: Field guide. Special Report 2. Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Northwest Region, Northern Forestry Center, Edmonton, Alberta.