Classification of Vegetation Communities of Maryland: First Iteration

III. SHRUBLAND
III.B.2.N.a. Temperate cold-deciduous shrubland
III.B.2.N.a.9. MORELLA PENSYLVANICA - (PRUNUS MARITIMA) SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
Northern Bayberry - (Beach Plum) Shrubland Alliance

Concept: Dune thickets of the Mid-Atlantic Coast; this alliance includes maritime shrublands dominated by Morella pensylvanica (= Myrica pensylvanica), with Baccharis halimifolia, Rhus copallinum, and stunted individuals of Pinus taeda. Prunus maritima is characteristic of this community from Maryland to the north. The constant movement of sand in this community limits the herbaceous cover. Typical herbaceous species include Ammophila breviligulata, Cenchrus tribuloides, Chamaesyce polygonifolia, Cyperus grayi, Dichanthelium acuminatum, Diodia teres, Hudsonia tomentosa, Lechea maritima, Oenothera humifusa, Panicum amarum var. amarulum, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Rumex acetosella, Solidago sempervirens, Spartina patens, Toxicodendron radicans, and Triplasis purpurea. This maritime shrubland usually occupies the intermediate areas between the very unstable oceanward portions of the dunes and the more protected backdunes, where it forms partially open to dense shrub thickets. The substrate is sand with no soil profile development, and with variable amounts of accumulated leaf litter. Where this community occupies the lee side of foredunes, greater exposure to winds and storms contributes to a shorter stature and more open aspect of the vegetation. Here there are large patches of open unvegetated or sparsely vegetated sand.

Range: This alliance is found in North Carolina, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and others.

States/Provinces: CT DE MA MD ME NC NH NJ NY RI VA

TNC Ecoregions: 57:C, 58:C, 62:C, 63:C

USFS Ecoregions: 212A:CC, 212Cb:CPP, 212Db:CPP, 212Dc:CPP, 221Aa:CCP, 221Ab:CCC, 221Ac:CCC, 221Ad:CCC, 221Ai:CCP, 221Ak:CCC, 232Aa:CCC, 232Ab:CCC, 232Ac:CCC, 232Bc:CCP, 232Bd:CCP, 232Bz:CCC, 232Ch:CCP, 232Ci:CCC, 232Cj:CCP

Federal Lands: NPS (Acadia, Assateague Island, Fire Island)

Synonymy: Maritime Shrub, in part (Schafale and Weakley 1990); Prunus maritima-Myrica pensylvanica coastal dune scrub (Clancy 1993b); dunegrass-shrub transition zone, in part (Higgins et al. 1971); Shrub succession community, in part (Hill 1986); upland (dune) thicket, in part (Klotz 1986); Maritime Dune Community (Swain and Kearsley 2001); Maritime Shrubland Community (Swain and Kearsley 2001)

References: Clancy 1993b, Higgins et al. 1971, Hill 1986, Klotz 1986, Schafale and Weakley 1990, Sneddon et al. 1996, Swain and Kearsley 2001

Authors: ECS, MP, East Identifier: A.902

Concept: This community is a maritime shrubland dominated by Morella pensylvanica (= Myrica pensylvanica), occurring with Baccharis halimifolia, Rhus copallinum, and stunted individuals of Pinus taeda, Prunus serotina, Quercus virginiana, and Diospyros virginiana. The constant movement of sand in this community limits the herbaceous cover. Typical herbaceous species include Ammophila breviligulata, Panicum amarum var. amarulum, Cyperus grayi, Lechea maritima, Dichanthelium acuminatum, Spartina patens, Triplasis purpurea, Cenchrus tribuloides, Chamaesyce polygonifolia, Diodia teres, Hudsonia tomentosa, Oenothera humifusa, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Rumex acetosella, Solidago sempervirens, and Toxicodendron radicans. This maritime shrubland usually occupies the intermediate areas between the very unstable oceanward portions of the dunes and the more protected backdunes, where it forms partially open to dense shrub thickets. The substrate is sand with no soil profile development, and with variable amounts of accumulated leaf litter. Where this community occupies the lee side of foredunes, greater exposure to winds and storms contributes to a shorter stature and more open aspect of the vegetation. Here there are large patches of open unvegetated or sparsely vegetated sand. This community occurs from Delaware south to northern North Carolina.

Comments: This community is a maritime shrubland dominated by Morella pensylvanica. It supports the following species characteristic of the Morella pensylvanica - (Prunus maritima) Shrubland Alliance (A.902), including Solidago sempervirens, Oenothera humifusa, Cyperus grayi, Ammophila breviligulata, Chamaesyce polygonifolia, Rhus copallinum, and from Maryland and north, Prunus maritima. This association is further characterized by species that differentiate it from other communities in the alliance, most notably Morella cerifera (= Myrica cerifera), Panicum amarum, Spartina patens, Baccharis halimifolia, and stunted individuals of Pinus taeda. Morella pensylvanica - Prunus maritima Shrubland (CEGL006295) is the northern analog of this association.

Range: This association is restricted to backdunes of shorelines from Delaware to Nag's Head, North Carolina.

States/Provinces: DE:S?, MD:S?, NC:S3, VA:S?

TNC Ecoregions: 57:C, 58:C, 62:C

USFS Ecoregions: 232Ab:CPP, 232Ac:CPP, 232Bz:CCC, 232Ch:CCP, 232Ci:CCC

Federal Lands: NPS (Assateague Island)

Synonymy: Prunus maritima, Myrica pensylvanica coastal dune scrub association (Clancy 1993a) =. Delaware., Dunegrass-shrub transition zone (Higgins et al. 1971) =. Assateague Island., Shrub succession community (Hill 1986) B. Assateague Island., Upland (dune) thicket (Klotz 1986) B. Virginia.

References: Berdine 1998, Bowman 2000, Clancy 1993a, Fleming 2001, Fleming et al. 2001, Higgins et al. 1971, Hill 1986, Klotz 1986, Schafale and Weakley 1990, Sneddon et al. 1996

Authors: L.A. Sneddon, ECS Confidence: 2 Identifier: CEGL003881

- Maryland Vegetation Classification Subset Report III. Shrubland

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