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CEGL006769 Pinus rigida / Calamovilfa brevipilis Wet Scrub
Type Concept Sentence: This hydric pine plain association is characterized by a grass stratum strongly dominated by Calamovilfa brevipilis instead of a tall dense heath stratum, with smaller amounts of Panicum virgatum, Panicum spp., and Andropogon glomeratus.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Pitch Pine / Pine Barren Sandreed Wet Scrub
Colloquial Name: Dwarf Pitch Pine / Reedgrass Hydric Pine Plains
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This shrubland is a globally rare type of pitch pine lowland ranked G1S1 (Breden et al. 2001, p. 86), which is restricted to the central New Jersey Pinelands, including the Fort Dix Impact Area, lowlands near the Pine Plains, and a few seasonally flooded margins of palustrine grasslands in Wharton State Forest. This association typically has an open to very open canopy of Pinus rigida and a well-developed stratum of Calamovilfa brevipilis. An open or sparse shrub stratum often mixes with the grass and is dominated by Gaylussacia dumosa, with smaller amounts of Vaccinium corymbosum, Ilex glabra, Gaylussacia baccata, and Kalmia angustifolia, or rarely Chamaedaphne calyculata. In sites seasonally flooded with a few inches of water, Calamovilfa brevipilis can dominate with only very sparse shrub cover. In sites frequently burned every 1-3 years such as at Fort Dix, the shrub cover becomes low, sparse and overtopped by the grass stratum. In sites with annual burning or longer/deeper periods of seasonal flooding, this savanna gives way to sandreed palustrine grassland. Associated herbs, many of which are rare species, can include Sphagnum spp., Gentiana autumnalis, Andropogon glomeratus, Panicum virgatum, Muhlenbergia torreyana, Carex barrattii, Platanthera cristata, Rhynchospora cephalantha, Rhynchospora pallida, Prenanthes autumnalis, Solidago stricta, Polygala lutea, Polygala cruciata, Bartonia paniculata, and Scleria minor.
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: No Data Available
Dynamics: This community becomes established by multiple severe growing season turf fires in a pitch pine lowland which greatly reduce heath and pitch pine cover and stimulate sandreed flowering and expansion. Calamovilfa brevipilis only flowers abundantly after severe fires, especially growing season fires. Most stands became established in saturated or shallowly flooded pitch pine lowland sites, but if frequently burned can also expand into less ideal adjacent sites which are partially saturated in the subsoil. Once established, a savanna may persist for 20-30 years without fire, perhaps longer in slightly flooded sites where woody recovery is slower. As pitch pine and heath cover increases in the absence of fire, Calamovilfa brevipilis is gradually push out. Fire intervals of 2-15 years appear to best maintain these communities by keeping woody cover in check and stimulating sandreed reproduction, especially if some growing season fires are included (Windisch et al. 2000, Windisch 2001).
Environmental Description: No Data Available
Geographic Range: This association is restricted to the New Jersey Pine Barrens.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: NJ
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.950091
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G1
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.Nb Southeastern North American Flooded & Swamp Forest Division | D062 | 1.B.3.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.3.Nb.3 Sweetbay - Swamp Bay - Pond Pine Swamp Forest Macrogroup | M032 | 1.B.3.Nb.3 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b Atlantic White-cedar - Pitch Pine Swamp Group | G039 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b |
| Alliance | A4211 Pitch Pine Scrub Swamp Alliance | A4211 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b |
| Association | CEGL006769 Pitch Pine / Pine Barren Sandreed Wet Scrub | CEGL006769 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Dwarf Pitch Pine-Reedgrass Hydric Pine Plains (HPP4) (Windisch 2014a)
- Breden, T. F., Y. R. Alger, K. S. Walz, and A. G. Windisch. 2001. Classification of vegetation communities of New Jersey: Second iteration. Association for Biodiversity Information and New Jersey Natural Heritage Program, Office of Natural Lands Management, Division of Parks and Forestry, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Trenton.
- Eastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boston, MA.
- Schweitzer, D. 1996. Invertebrate survey of Fort Dix Military Reservation, Burlington and Ocean counties, New Jersey. Unpublished report prepared by The Nature Conservancy, Eastern Heritage Task Force, submitted to Fort Dix, Natural Resources Section.
- Windisch, A .G. 2014a. Pinelands ecological communities and higher level groups with crosswalk / proposed 2008 revisions to NVC. November 16, 2014 draft. New Jersey Natural Heritage Program, Trenton.
- Windisch, A. G. 2001. Protection of pitch pine lowland biodiversity and fireshed processes in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Final report submitted to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 67 pp.
- Windisch, A. G., D. Snyder, and D. Schweitzer. 2000. Potential habitat and fire ecology of rare plants and Lepidoptera at Fort Dix, New Jersey, with emphasis on pitch pine-reedgrass savanna habitats. Unpublished report dated May 17, 2000, submitted to Fort Dix, Natural Resources Section. Office of Natural Lands Management, Parks and Forestry, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Tenton.