Print Report

CEGL006636 Acer saccharum - Fraxinus americana / Acer spicatum / Caulophyllum thalictroides Forest

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Sugar Maple - White Ash / Mountain Maple / Blue Cohosh Forest

Colloquial Name: Northern Sugar Maple - Ash Rich Mesic Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This rich sugar maple - white ash forest is found from the northern regions of the northeastern United States and maritime Canada west to Ontario and Michigan in the central Great Lakes region. Stands occur on nutrient-rich, mesic or wet-mesic settings on sloped to rolling terrain. Slope bottoms, where colluvium collects, are a common landscape position. The surface soils are deep sand, loamy sand, or loam and may be underlain by sandy clay loam to clay loam. The sites are somewhat poorly drained to well-drained and can have a water table 0.4-2 m below the surface. Small (<1 ha) seep areas that may occur within these forests have soils that are usually saturated. This forest community has a well-developed tree canopy composed of deciduous species. Shrubs are scattered, but the herbaceous stratum is generally extensive. Bryoids are only a minor component of the ground layer, which is predominantly nitrogen-rich sugar maple leaves. Acer saccharum and Fraxinus americana are the dominant trees; Tilia americana is frequent but not necessarily abundant. Ostrya virginiana is very common as a small tree. Acer rubrum, Betula alleghaniensis, Fagus grandifolia, and Prunus serotina are typical associates, in small amounts. Ulmus rubra and Juglans cinerea are occasional. Shrubs that may be found in this community include Cornus alternifolia, Viburnum lantanoides, Hamamelis virginiana, Dirca palustris, and Lonicera canadensis. The ground flora, including many spring ephemerals, is diverse and consists primarily of nutrient- and light-requiring species. Many of these flower and fruit early in the spring before the tree canopy has fully leafed out. Fern richness is often high. Various sedges are present (particularly the Laxiflorae). These forests are differentiated from less-rich northern hardwood forests, e.g., ~Acer saccharum - Betula alleghaniensis - Fagus grandifolia / Viburnum lantanoides Forest (CEGL006631)$$, primarily by their abundant and diverse herbaceous layer, as well as by the greater prominence of sugar maple and ash in the canopy and reduced importance of beech.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

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: No Data Available

Floristics: This forest community has a well-developed tree canopy composed of deciduous species. Shrubs are scattered, but the herbaceous stratum is well-represented. Acer saccharum and Fraxinus americana are the dominant trees; Tilia americana is frequent but not necessarily abundant. Ostrya virginiana is very common as a small tree. Quercus rubra, Acer rubrum, Betula alleghaniensis, Fagus grandifolia, and Prunus serotina are typical associates. Ulmus rubra and Juglans cinerea are occasional. Shrubs that may be found in this community include Cornus alternifolia, Viburnum lantanoides (= Viburnum alnifolium), Hamamelis virginiana, Dirca palustris, and Lonicera canadensis. The ground flora, much of which is spring ephemerals, is diverse and consists primarily of nutrient- and light-requiring species. Many of these flower and fruit early in the spring before the tree canopy has fully leafed out; Dicentra cucullaria, Dicentra canadensis, Hepatica spp., Asarum canadense, Caulophyllum thalictroides, Viola canadensis, Viola rotundifolia, Actaea pachypoda, Osmorhiza claytonii, Panax quinquefolius, Sanguinaria canadensis, and Erythronium americanum are typical. Fern richness is often high, with characteristic species including Adiantum pedatum, Cystopteris bulbifera, Deparia acrostichoides (= Athyrium thelypterioides), Dryopteris goldieana, Dryopteris filix-mas, Dryopteris marginalis, Botrychium virginianum, Athyrium filix-femina, Phegopteris hexagonoptera (= Thelypteris hexagonoptera), and, especially in seepy spots, Matteuccia struthiopteris. Various sedges are present (particularly the Laxiflorae group) such as Carex laxiflora, Carex platyphylla, Carex plantaginea, Carex leptonervia, Carex hitchcockiana, Carex aestivalis, Carex davisii, Carex bebbii, and others. The herbaceous flora in seeps often contains Calamagrostis canadensis, Carex scabrata, Ageratina altissima (= Eupatorium rugosum), Glyceria melicaria, Impatiens capensis (sometimes Impatiens pallida as well), and Solidago flexicaulis. One state-rare plant species, Cuscuta rostrata, is associated with this vegetation type.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  In the Northern Appalachian region, sites occur in enriched cove and concave slopes within northern hardwood forests. The elevation of known examples ranges from 115-830 m (380-2700 feet). Ground cover is deciduous litter, predominantly of nitrogen-rich sugar maple leaves.
Geographic Range: This forest association ranges generally from the Canadian Maritimes and northern New England west to Michigan and Ontario.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  MA, ME, MI, NB, NH, NY, ON, QC?, VT


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4?

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.7 Sugar Maple - Yellow Birch - Eastern Hemlock Forest Macrogroup M014 1.B.2.Na.7
Group 1.B.2.Na.7.I <i>Acer saccharum - Fagus grandifolia - Acer pensylvanicum</i> Forest Group G922 1.B.2.Na.7.I
Alliance A4449 Sugar Maple - American Basswood - White Ash Rich Acadian-Appalachian Forest Alliance A4449 1.B.2.Na.7.I
Association CEGL006636 Sugar Maple - White Ash / Mountain Maple / Blue Cohosh Forest CEGL006636 1.B.2.Na.7.I
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Mesic Northern Forest - Sugar Maple-Basswood (Chapman et al. 1989)
? Rich northern hardwood forest (NAP pers. comm. 1998)
? SNE rich mesic forest (circumneutral to basic) (Rawinski 1984a)
< Sugar Maple - Basswood: 26 (Eyre 1980)
? Sugar maple-white ash-basswood-bluebead cove forest (CAP pers. comm. 1998)
Concept Author(s): D. Faber-Langendoen

Author of Description: D. Faber-Langendoen, L. Sneddon, G. Fleming and S.C. Gawler

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-03-14
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