Ohio subset of Plant Communities of the Midwest ... - NatureServe

Forests and Woodlands: Interior Highlands Mesic Hardwood Forests
Fagus grandifolia - Acer saccharum - Liriodendron tulipifera Unglaciated Forest
American Beech - Sugar Maple - Tuliptree Unglaciated Forest
Beech - Maple Unglaciated Forest
CEGL002411
DESCRIPTION: The vegetation is dominated by a closed-canopy forest with a well-developed tall-shrub layer. The
forest canopy is dominated by Fagus grandifolia and Acer saccharum. Other canopy species include Liriodendron
tulipifera, Liquidambar styraciflua, Fraxinus americana, Quercus rubra, Carya glabra, and Carya cordiformis. Shrubs
commonly found in this community are Asimina triloba and Lindera benzoin. Herbaceous species are diverse, forming
a dense cover. They include Adiantum pedatum, Arisaema triphyllum, Asarum canadense, Carex blanda, Dicentra
canadensis, Dioscorea quaternata, Galium circaezans, Menispermum canadense, Phegopteris hexagonoptera,
Polystichum acrostichoides, and Sanguinaria canadensis. The large size of dominant canopy species (over 30 m tall),
herbaceous diversity, and accumulated litter emphasize the high degree of mesophytism (TNC 1995a).
Stands occur on unglaciated terraces and mesic slopes of maturely dissected plateaus and submontane regions. The
aspect is neutral on sandy alluvial terraces and is northern to eastern on slopes. Soils are moderately well-drained,
moist, rich, and deep (100+ cm). In Crowley's Ridge, stands occur on moderate slopes of hills and valleys and on
knolls or ridges of large alluvial terraces.
Canopy openings due to wind throws are the most common form of natural disturbance.
COMMENTS: 2, MCS. Braun (1950, p. 141-150) describes these beech - maple forests in the Hill Section of her
Western Mesophytic Forest Region. Dry-mesic forests, in which Quercus alba, Quercus rubra, and Carya ovata
dominate, often have American beech and sugar maple regeneration due to an increased availability of moisture
when mature oaks are removed. Where logging is heavy in these oak - hickory stands, second-growth regeneration is
often dominated by sugar maple and, to a lesser extent, American beech. Classification under these circumstances
can be difficult. Conversely, where sugar maple is selectively removed by logging, American beech can occur in pure
stands. Forests from the southern part of Crowley's Ridge (Arkansas) are placed in Fagus grandifolia - Quercus alba
- Liriodendron tulipifera / Hydrangea arborescens / Schisandra glabra Forest (CEGL004663), where Acer saccharum
is not a big component and Quercus alba is more common. This type may apply to other parts of Crowley's Ridge,
but more information is needed.
CONSERVATION RANK: G4. Many community occurrences have been extensively logged, and the canopy openings
favor regeneration of Acer saccharum. In Crowley's Ridge Section of Missouri, this community is rare and confined to
protected valleys (Vancil Hollow Natural Area), but it has been so extensively eliminated that its classification is
problematic. It is probably eliminated in the Lowlands Section of the state. Possible occurrences in Arkansas need to
be examined further.
DISTRIBUTION: This beech - maple forest is found in unglaciated areas of the east-central United States, ranging
from southern Pennsylvania and Maryland southwest to southeastern Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee, and
possibly Arkansas.
USFS ECOREGIONS: 221Ea:CCC, 221Ec:CCC, 221Ed:CCC, 221Ef:CCC, 221Eg:CCC, 221Ha:CCP, 221Hb:CCC, 221He:CCP,
221I:CP, 221J:CP, 222Ak:CP, 222Ao:CPP, 222Aq:CPP, 222Ca:CPP, 222Ch:CPP, 222Db:CCC, 222Dc:CCC, 222De:CCC,
222Df:CCC, 222Dh:CCP, 222Di:CCC, 222Ei:CCC, 222Ek:CCC, 222El:CCC, 222Em:CCC, 222En:CCP, 222Eo:CCP,
222Fa:CCP, 222Fb:CCC, 222Fc:CCC, 222Fd:CCC, 222Fe:CCC, 222Ff:CCC, 222Gc:CCC, 222Gd:CCP, 222Hc:CCC,
234Ab:CCC, 234Ac:CCC, 234An:CCP, M221Ab:CCP, M221Ac:CCC, M221Ad:CCP, M221Ba:CCC, M221Bb:CCC, M221Da:CPP
CONSERVATION REGIONS: 38:C, 42:C, 43:C, 44:C, 45:C, 49:C, 50:P, 59:C
STATES: AR IL IN KY MD MO OH PA TN WV PROVINCES:
MIDWEST HERITAGE SYNONYMY: IL mesic upland forest (S) +
IN mesic upland forest +
MO mesic forest; mesic sand forest I
OH beech-sugar maple forest +
OTHER SYNONYMY: Western Mesophytic Forest (Braun 1950) I. The terms "western mesophytic" and "mesic upland"
rely upon moisture and topographic position to establish community boundaries., Beech - Maple Forest (Braun 1950)
I. The "Beech - Maple Forest" community also includes a significant forest community type of the glaciated mesic
forests of the northeastern United States., Fagus - Acer saccharum - Liriodendron / Rhus radicans Community (Voigt
and Mohlenbrock 1964) =, Coastal Plain mesophytic cane forest (Evans 1991), Beech-maple-tuliptree forest (matrix,
large patch) (CAP)
USNVC HIERARCHY: FAGUS GRANDIFOLIA - ACER SACCHARUM - (LIRIODENDRON TULIPIFERA) FOREST ALLIANCE (I.B.2.N.a)
PLANT COMMUNITIES OF THE MIDWEST – 2001. APPENDIX: ASSOCIATION DESCRIPTIONS
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