Classification of Vegetation Communities of Maryland: First Iteration

I. FOREST
I.B.2.N.a.36. QUERCUS PRINUS - (QUERCUS COCCINEA, QUERCUS VELUTINA) FOREST ALLIANCE
Rock Chestnut Oak - (Scarlet Oak, Black Oak) Forest Alliance

Concept: This alliance includes xeric oak forests strongly dominated by Quercus prinus or Quercus prinus with admixtures of Quercus coccinea and/or Quercus velutina, occurring in the southern and central Appalachians, Ridge and Valley, Cumberland Plateau, Piedmont, Interior Low Plateau, and possibly in the northern Appalachians. In the Piedmont and Ridge and Valley, and in areas transitional to these provinces, Quercus stellata and Quercus marilandica may be canopy associates. Other canopy/subcanopy associates include Acer rubrum, Amelanchier arborea, Carya alba, Carya glabra, Cornus florida, Hamamelis virginiana, Magnolia fraseri, Nyssa sylvatica, Oxydendrum arboreum, Pinus rigida, Pinus strobus, Quercus alba, Quercus rubra, Robinia pseudoacacia, and Sassafras albidum. In the Appalachians, a dense ericaceous shrub layer is characteristic, with species such as Gaylussacia baccata, Gaylussacia ursina, Kalmia latifolia, Leucothoe recurva, Rhododendron maximum, Vaccinium pallidum, and Vaccinium stamineum. In the upper Piedmont Kalmia latifolia, Vaccinium arboreum, and Vaccinium pallidum are common. In the montane distribution of this alliance, forests of this alliance have replaced forests formerly dominated or codominated by Castanea dentata, and chestnut sprouts are common in the understory. Other shrub species found in forests of this alliance include Chionanthus virginicus, Diospyros virginiana, Robinia hispida, Sassafras albidum, Styrax grandifolius, Symplocos tinctoria, Viburnum acerifolium, Viburnum prunifolium, and Viburnum rufidulum. Herbaceous cover is typically sparse in these dry, rocky forests and species vary with geographic location. Some typical herbaceous species include Antennaria plantaginifolia, Aureolaria laevigata, Chamaelirium luteum, Chimaphila maculata, Danthonia spicata, Dichanthelium commutatum, Dichanthelium dichotomum, Dioscorea quaternata, Epigaea repens, Galax urceolata, Galium latifolium, Gaultheria procumbens, Goodyera pubescens, Hieracium venosum, Lysimachia quadrifolia, Medeola virginiana, Monotropa uniflora, Potentilla canadensis, Pteridium aquilinum, Stenanthium gramineum, Uvularia puberula, and Uvularia sessilifolia. These forests occur on convex, upper slopes and ridgetops, south-facing slopes, over thin, rocky, infertile soils in the Appalachians, typically below 3500 feet (1066 m), where windthrow and ice damage are common natural disturbances. In the Piedmont these forests occur on low mountains and hills, on rocky, well-drained, acidic soils, sometimes associated with outcrops of quartzite, or other resistant rock.

Range: This alliance occurs in the southern and central Appalachians, Ridge and Valley, Cumberland Plateau, Piedmont, Interior Low Plateau, and possibly in the northern Appalachians. It is found in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, and possibly Maine (?), Maryland (?), Mississippi (?), and West Virginia (?).

States/Provinces: AL CT DE GA IL IN KY MA MD ME NC NH NJ NY OH PA RI SC TN VA VT WV

TNC Ecoregions: 38:C, 43:P, 44:C, 45:C, 48:C, 49:C, 50:C, 51:C, 52:C, 59:C, 60:C, 61:C, 63:C, 64:C

USFS Ecoregions: 212Ec:CCC, 212Fa:CCP, 212Fb:CCC, 212Fc:CCC, 212Fd:CCC, 212Ga:CCC, 212Gb:CCC, 221Aa:CC?, 221Ac:CCP, 221Ad:CCP, 221Ae:CCC, 221Af:CCC, 221Ag:CCC, 221Ah:CCC, 221Ai:CCP, 221Aj:CCP, 221Ak:CCP, 221Al:CC?, 221Am:CCC, 221Ba:CCC, 221Bb:CCC, 221Bc:CCC, 221Bd:CCC, 221Da:CCC, 221Db:CCP, 221Dc:CCC, 221Ea:CCC, 221Eb:CCC, 221Ec:CCC, 221Ed:CCC, 221Ee:CCC, 221Ef:CCC, 221Eg:CCC, 221Fa:CCC, 221Fb:CCP, 221Hc:CC?, 221I:CP, 221Ja:CCP, 221Jb:CCC, 221Jc:CCP, 222Aq:CCC, 222Cf:CCP, 222Cg:CCP, 222Da:CCP, 222Db:CCC, 222Dc:CCP, 222De:CCC, 222Dg:CCP, 222Dh:CCP, 222Dj:CCP, 222Eb:CCC, 222Eg:CCC, 222Ei:CCC, 222Ek:CCP, 222El:CCC, 222Em:CCC, 222Eo:CCC, 222Fd:CCC, 222Hb:CCC, 231Aa:CCP, 231Ad:CCC, 231Ae:CCC, 231Af:CCC, 231Ag:CCC, 231Aj:CCC, 231Ak:CCC, 231Al:CCC, 231Am:CCP, 231An:CCP, 231Ao:CCP, 231Ap:CCP, 231Be:CPP, 231Cd:CCC, 231Dc:CCC, 232Aa:PPP, 232Ac:PPP, 232Ad:PPP, 232Ba:PP?, 232Bc:PP?, 232Bd:PPP, 232Br:PPP, 232Ch:PPP, M212Ba:CPP, M212Bb:CPP, M212Ca:CCC, M212Cb:CCC, M212Cc:CCC, M212Cd:CCP, M212De:CCC, M212Ea:CCC, M212Eb:CCP, M221Aa:CCC, M221Ab:CCC, M221Ac:CCC, M221Ad:CCC, M221Ba:CCC, M221Bb:CCC, M221Bc:CCC, M221Bd:CCC, M221Be:CCC, M221Bf:CCC, M221Ca:CPP, M221Cb:CPP, M221Cc:CPP, M221Cd:CPP, M221Ce:CPP, M221Da:CCC, M221Db:CCC, M221Dc:CCC, M221Dd:CCC

Federal Lands: DOD (Fort Knox); NPS (Carl Sandburg Home, Chickamauga-Chattanooga, Great Smoky Mountains, Harpers Ferry, Kings Mountain, Rock Creek, Russell Cave); TVA (Tellico); USFS (Bankhead, Chattahoochee, Cherokee, Daniel Boone, George Washington, Jefferson, Land Between the Lakes, Nantahala, Oconee?, Pisgah, Sumter, Talladega?, Uwharrie)

Synonymy: IA6d. Chestnut Oak Slope and Ridge Forest (Allard 1990); IA7d. Piedmont Monadnock Forest (Allard 1990); Appalachian sub-xeric forest, in part (Evans 1991); Chestnut Oak Forest, in part (Schafale and Weakley 1990); Piedmont Monadnock Forests, in part (Schafale and Weakley 1990); Oligotrophic Forest, in part (Rawinski 1992); Quercus prinus - Quercus velutina / Vaccinium stamineum Association (Fleming and Moorhead 1996); Chestnut Oak: 44, in part (Eyre 1980); Mixed Oak Forest (Swain and Kearsley 2001); Ridgetop Chestnut Oak (Swain and Kearsley 2001); Dry oak - heath forest (Fike 1999); Xeric Central Hardwood Forest (Smith 1991)

References: Allard 1990, Arends 1981, Callaway et al. 1987, Cooper 1963, DuMond 1970, Evans 1991, Eyre 1980, Faber-Langendoen et al. 1996, Fike 1999, Fleming and Moorhead 1996, Gibbon 1966, Golden 1974, Martin 1989, McLeod 1988, Mowbray 1966, Nelson 1986, Newell and Peet 1996a, Patterson 1994, Peet and Christensen 1980, Rawinski 1992, Rawinski et al. 1996, Schafale and Weakley 1990, Schmalzer 1978, Smith 1991, Swain and Kearsley 2001, Tobe et al. 1992, Wells 1974, Wheat 1986, Whittaker 1956

Authors: D. FABER-LANGENDOEN/D.J., RW, East Identifier: A.248 52

Concept: This dry to xeric chestnut oak forest association of lower New England ranges to the northern Piedmont and central Appalachian Mountains. It occurs on upper slopes and ridgetops and is characterized by thin, nutrient-poor acidic soils. Windthrow, fire and ice damage are common natural disturbances. The tree canopy is closed to partially open and is dominated by Quercus prinus. Quercus rubra, Quercus alba, Quercus velutina, Betula lenta, and Acer rubrum are common associates, with other less frequent trees including Quercus coccinea, Amelanchier arborea, Carya alba, Carya glabra, Pinus rigida, Pinus strobus, Quercus alba, Robinia pseudoacacia, and Sassafras albidum. Cornus florida and Nyssa sylvatica are associates at the southern and western portions of the range. A tall-shrub layer is generally lacking, but when present may include Viburnum acerifolium, Hamamelis virginiana, and Viburnum prunifolium. The low-shrub layer is well developed and comprised chiefly of ericaceous species, including Vaccinium angustifolium, Vaccinium pallidum, Vaccinium stamineum, Gaylussacia baccata, or Kalmia angustifolia. The herbaceous layer is of sparse to moderate cover and may include Carex pensylvanica, Antennaria plantaginifolia, Aralia nudicaulis, Aureolaria laevigata, Gaultheria procumbens, Chimaphila maculata, Carex rosea, Carex pensylvanica, Comandra umbellata, Cypripedium acaule, Deschampsia flexuosa, Danthonia spicata, Dioscorea quaternata, Epigaea repens, Galium latifolium, Goodyera pubescens, Hieracium venosum, Lysimachia quadrifolia, Medeola virginiana, Monotropa uniflora, Potentilla canadensis, Pteridium aquilinum, Uvularia puberula, and Uvularia sessilifolia.

Comments: This community type is closely related to other oak / heath. It is distinguished by the presence of northern species such as Pinus strobus and Vaccinium angustifolium, and its general lack of southern Appalachian species such as Gaylussacia ursina, Leucothoe recurva, and Galax urceolata. In comparison to Quercus prinus - Quercus (alba, coccinea, velutina) / Viburnum acerifolium - (Kalmia latifolia) Forest (CEGL005023), it lacks Oxydendrum arboreum, Pinus echinata, and Pinus virginiana. It occupies poorer sites and has a more abundant ericaceous shrub component than Quercus prinus - Quercus rubra - Carya (glabra, alba) / Gaylussacia baccata Forest (CEGL006057) and Quercus prinus - Quercus velutina / Oxydendrum arboreum - Cornus florida Forest (CEGL008522). The Chestnut Oak / Low-Elevation Subtype of Virginia intergrades with the more southern Quercus (prinus, coccinea) / Kalmia latifolia / (Galax urceolata, Gaultheria procumbens) Forest (CEGL006271) throughout west-central Virginia. A well-developed Piedmont example of the Chestnut Oak / Low-Elevation Subtype is described by Allard and Leonard (1943). The Chestnut Oak - Northern Red Oak / High-Elevation Subtype of Virginia is similar to Quercus rubra - (Quercus prinus, Quercus velutina) / Rhododendron periclymenoides / Lysimachia quadrifolia - Hieracium paniculatum Forest (CEGL008523) of high-elevation granitic terrain on the Northern Blue Ridge, but lacks Quercus velutina, Rhododendron periclymenoides, and the suite of low-cover herbaceous species characteristic of mineral soil microhabitats in that unit.

The recognition of global subtypes equivalent to two distinct state community types is well supported by quantitative analysis of compositional and environmental data. Further study may support the elevation of these subtypes to full association-level status in the USNVC.

Range: This community ranges from southern Maine to Virginia and West Virginia through the Central Appalachians, and north more locally in the Piedmont. The Chestnut Oak / Low-Elevation Subtype occurs throughout this range, while the Chestnut Oak - Northern Red Oak / High-Elevation Subtype is confined to the higher ridges of west-central and northwestern Virginia.

States/Provinces: CT:S?, DE:S?, MA:S4, MD:S?, ME:S?, NH:S?, NJ:S3S4, NY:S4, PA:S?, RI:S?, VA:S?, VT:S3, WV:S?

TNC Ecoregions:52:C, 59:C, 60:C, 61:C, 63:C, 64:C

USFS Ecoregions:212Ec:CCC, 212Fb:CCC, 212Fc:CCC, 212Fd:CCC, 212Ga:CCC, 212Gb:CCC, 221Ae:CCC, 221Af:CCC, 221Ag:CCC, 221Ah:CCC, 221Am:CCC, 221Ba:CCC, 221Bb:CCC, 221Bc:CCC, 221Bd:CCC, 221Da:CCC, 221Db:CCP, 221Dc:CCC, 231Ak:CCP, 231Al:CCC, M212De:CCC, M212Ea:CCC, M212Eb:CCP, M221Aa:CCC, M221Ab:CCC, M221Ac:CCC, M221Ad:CCC, M221Ba:CCC, M221Bb:CCC, M221Bc:CCC, M221Bd:CCP, M221Bf:CCC, M221Da:CCC, M221Db:CCC

Federal Lands: NPS (Harpers Ferry, Rock Creek); USFS (George Washington, Jefferson)

Synonymy: Chestnut Oak Forest (Breden 1989) =, Quercus velutina - (Quercus prinus) Forest (Metzler and Barrett 1996), Chestnut oak forest (NAP pers. comm. 1998), Chestnut oak-black oak/ericad forest: (matrix) xeric, S- & SW-facing slopes (CAP pers. comm. 1998), Black gum ridgetop forest (Fike 1999), Quercus montana / Kalmia latifolia / Gaylussacia baccata Forest (Fleming and Moorhead 2000), Quercus prinus - Quercus rubra / Acer pensylvanicum Association: Betula lenta / Ilex montana Subassociation and Quercus prinus / Smilax rotundifolia - Polypodium virginianum Subassociation (Fleming and Moorhead 1996), Populus grandidentata Association (Fleming and Moorhead 1996). a post-fire successional variant., Quercus prinus / Kalmia latifolia - Rhododendron periclymenoides Forest (Fleming and Coulling 2001) F. VA Srank = S5, Quercus prinus - Quercus rubra / Kalmia latifolia / Vaccinium angustifolium - Gaultheria procumbens Forest (Fleming and Coulling 2001) F. VA Srank = S4, Quercus montana / Kalmia latifolia / Vaccinium pallidum Association, pro parte (Rawinski et al. 1996), Quercus montana / Kalmia latifolia / Gaultheria procumbens Association (Rawinski et al. 1994), Chestnut Oak: 44 (Eyre 1980) B. typical variant and chestnut oak - northern red oak variant., SNE mesic oak/pine forest on acidic bedrock or till (Rawinski 1984), CNE dry hardwood forest on acidic bedrock or till (Rawinski 1984), SNE dry oak/pine forests on acidic bedrock or till (Rawinski 1984) B. in part, Dry Oak Woodland (Thompson 1996) B. closed-canopy occurrences on deeper soils, Dry Oak-Hickory Hophornbeam Forest (Thompson 1996) B

References: Allard and Leonard 1943, Breden 1989, Breden et al. 2001, CAP pers. comm. 1998, Clancy 1996, Collins and Anderson 1994, Edinger et al. 2002, Eyre 1980, Fike 1999, Fleming and Coulling 2001, Fleming and Moorhead 1996, Fleming and Moorhead 2000, Fleming et al. 2001, Gawler 2002, Metzler and Barrett 1996, Metzler and Barrett 2001, NAP pers. comm. 1998, Rawinski 1984, Rawinski et al. 1994, Rawinski et al. 1996, Shreve et al. 1910, Sperduto 1996, Thompson 1996, Thompson and Sorensen 2000, Vanderhorst 2000b

Authors: G. Fleming and P. Coulling, ECS Confidence: 2 Identifier: CEGL006282

- Maryland Vegetation Classification Subset Report I.B. Deciduous forest

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