Vegetation Classification and Mapping Project Report - USGS

USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program
Colonial National Historical Park
association was represented by 21 plots from the northern Coastal Plain of Virginia. The original
concept of this vegetation was based on field work by Bill Moorhead (VDNH), who investigated
several of the large, elliptical depressions that dot the flat landscape in Accomack County. There
are three plots that document this vegetation at two sites: "Dahl Swamp" and "The Lake" (G.
Fleming pers. comm.). The stands apparently cover many hectares and are associated with slight
depressions with drainage impeded by an impermeable clay layer about half a meter below the
soil surface. The habitat apparently has a seasonally high water table but ponds water only
intermittently or for short periods. Most of the areas seen by Bill Moorhead had been logged
some decades ago and had a very open (woodland-like) physiognomy due to poor restocking of
canopy trees. However, he also obtained information from local people that one of the areas was
known historically as "savanna land," suggesting that fire and hydrology maintained a woodland
physiognomy in the depressions (G. Fleming pers. comm.).
Similar Associations:
• Carex striata var. brevis Herbaceous Vegetation
(CEGL004120).
• Liquidambar styraciflua - Acer rubrum - Quercus phellos / Leucothoe racemosa Forest (CEGL006110)--is also
found in Ecoregion 58.
• Quercus michauxii - Quercus pagoda / Clethra alnifolia - Leucothoe axillaris Forest (CEGL007449)--southern
analogue found on mineral soils near the edge of extensive peat flats on the outer Coastal Plain terraces of
southeastern Virginia and North Carolina; compositionally very similar to CEGL004644 but contains southern
species such as Quercus laurifolia, Leucothoe axillaris, Arundinaria gigantea ssp. tecta, and Sabal minor that are
absent from CEGL004644.
Related Concepts:
• Quercus (michauxii, pagoda, phellos, alba) / Clethra alnifolia / Woodwardia virginica Forest (VDNH 2003) =
SOURCES
Description Authors: G. P. Fleming, mod. M. Pyne and G. P. Fleming.
References: Fleming et al. 2001, Fleming pers. comm., J. Harrison pers. comm., Southeastern
Ecology Working Group n.d., VDNH 2003.
Figure I17. Non-Riverine Saturated Forest (plot COLO.18) at Colonial National Historical Park.
July 2004. NAD 1983 / UTM easting 340914, northing 4124971.
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