Classification of Vegetation Communities of Maryland: First Iteration

IV. DWARF-SHRUBLAND
IV.B.2.N.a. Caespitose cold-deciduous dwarf-shrubland
IV.B.2.N.a.1. VACCINIUM (ANGUSTIFOLIUM, MYRTILLOIDES, PALLIDUM)
DWARF-SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
(Northern Lowbush Blueberry, Velvetleaf Blueberry, Hillside Blueberry) Dwarf-shrubland Alliance

Concept: This alliance includes communities dominated by heaths or heathlike shrubs (typically blueberries, Vaccinium angustifolium, Vaccinium myrtilloides, Vaccinium pallidum (= Vaccinium vacillans) and commonly referred to as 'heath barrens.' In general, these communities are small and patchy and restricted to two broad habitat types: (a) bedrock outcrops, ledges, summits of igneous or metamorphic rock, or (b) depressions on level outwash plain or valley floor frost pockets. Soils are shallow accumulations of organic material on bedrock habitats, or rapidly drained and nutrient-poor sands on outwash plains. In addition to Vaccinium, the communities typically contain other shrubs such as Gaylussacia baccata and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi along with scattered herbaceous plants such as Deschampsia flexuosa, Schizachyrium scoparium, Carex pensylvanica, Piptatherum pungens (= Oryzopsis pungens), Rubus hispidus, Euthamia graminifolia, Solidago canadensis, Lycopodium dendroideum, and Lycopodium digitatum. Mosses and lichens usually are present. Scattered individuals of Picea mariana, Pinus strobus, Prunus serotina, Larix laricina, Abies balsamea, Picea rubens, Betula papyrifera var. cordifolia, and/or Sorbus americana may occur where soil has accumulated. This alliance includes communities which are known locally as 'heath barrens' and 'acidic rocky summits.'

Comments: This alliance occurs on sandstone glades in Garrett County, Maryland.

Range: This alliance is found in Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, and in Canada, and possibly in Virginia (?).

States/Provinces: CT MA MD ME NH NY ON PA VT WV

TNC Ecoregions: 59:C, 60:C, 61:C, 62:C, 63:C

USFS Ecoregions: 212Aa:CPP, 212Ab:CPP, 212Ba:CCP, 212Bb:CCC, 212Ca:CCC, 212Cb:CCC, 212Da:CCP, 212Db:CCC, 212Dc:CCC, 212Fa:CCC, 212Fb:CCC, 212Fc:CCC, 212Fd:CCC, 212Ga:CCP, 212Gb:CCP, 221Ab:CCC, 221Ac:CCC, 221Ae:CCP, 221Af:CCP, 221Ag:CCP, 221Ah:CCP, 221Ai:CCP, 221Aj:CCP, 221Ak:CCP, 221Al:CCC, 221Bc:CCP, 221Bd:CCP, 232Aa:CCC, M212Aa:CCC, M212Ab:CCP, M212Ac:CCP, M212Ad:CCP, M212Ba:CCP, M212Bb:CC?, M212Bc:CCC, M212Bd:CCC, M212Ca:CCP, M212Cb:CCC, M212Cc:CCC, M212Cd:CCP, M212Da:CCP, M212Db:CCP, M212Dc:CCP, M212Ea:CCC, M212Eb:CCP, M221Aa:CCP, M221Ab:CCP, M221Ac:CCC, M221Ba:CPP, M221Bb:CPP, M221Da:CPP

Federal Lands: NPS (Acadia); USFS (George Washington?, Jefferson?)

Synonymy: Sandplain Heathland (Swain and Kearsley 2001); Low heath shrubland (Fike 1999); Low heath - mountain ash shrubland (Fike 1999); Northern Appalachian Low Elevation Acidic Rocky Summit (Smith 1991); Ridgetop Dwarf-tree Forest, in part (Smith 1991)

References: Fike 1999, Smith 1991, Swain and Kearsley 2001

Authors: ECS, RW, East Identifier: A.1113

Concept: Northern or high-elevation acidic rock outcrops or summits characterized by abundant dwarf Vaccinium spp. This community is dominated by heaths or heath-like shrubs (typically blueberries, Vaccinium angustifolium, Vaccinium myrtilloides, Vaccinium pallidum (= Vaccinium vacillans)) and commonly referred to as `heath barrens.' In general, these communities are small and patchy and restricted to two broad habitat types: (1) bedrock outcrops, ledges, summits of igneous or metamorphic rock, or (2) depressions on level outwash plain or valley floor frost pockets. Soils are shallow accumulations of organic material on bedrock habitats, or rapidly drained and nutrient-poor sands on outwash plains. In addition to Vaccinium, the communities typically contain other shrubs such as Gaylussacia baccata and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, along with scattered herbaceous plants such as Deschampsia flexuosa, Schizachyrium scoparium, Carex pensylvanica, Piptatherum pungens (= Oryzopsis pungens), Rubus hispidus, Euthamia graminifolia, Solidago canadensis, Lycopodium dendroideum, and Lycopodium digitatum. Mosses and lichens usually are present. Scattered individuals of Picea mariana, Pinus strobus, Prunus serotina, Larix laricina, Abies balsamea, Picea rubens, Betula papyrifera var. cordifolia (= Betula cordifolia), and/or Sorbus americana may occur where soil has accumulated. This alliance includes communities which are known locally as `heath barrens' and `acidic rocky summits.'

States/Provinces: MD:S?, PA:S?, WV:S?

TNC Ecoregions: 59:C, 60:C

USFS Ecoregions: 212Fa:CCC, 212Fb:CCP, 212Fc:CCC, 212Fd:CCC, 212Ga:CCP, 212Gb:CCP, M212Ea:CCP, M212Eb:CCP, M221Ac:CCC

References: Fike 1999

Authors: ECS Confidence: 2 Identifier: CEGL003958

- Maryland Vegetation Classification Subset Report IV. Dwarf-shrubland

View Next Topic