Sumter National Forest Final Report - NatureServe

ELEMENT DISTRIBUTIONRange: This forest occurs in the southeastern Coastal Plain of the United States.Subnations: AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, TN, TXTNC Ecoregions: 40:P, 41:C, 42:C, 43:C, 53:CUSFS Ecoregions: 231A:CC, 232F:CC, 234A:CCFederal Lands: USFS (Angelina?, Davy Crockett?, De Soto, Delta, Kisatchie, Sabine NF?, Sam Houston?, Sumter); USFWS(Chickasaw NWR, Hatchie, Lower Hatchie?, Reelfoot?)ELEMENT SOURCESReferences: Allard 1990, Ambrose 1990a, Burns and Honkala 1990b, Clark and Benforado 1981, Dickson and Segelquist 1978,Eyre 1980, Faulkner and Patrick n.d., Foti et al. 1994, Klimas 1988b, Klimas et al. 1981, McWilliams and Rosson 1990, Oberholster1993, Putnam 1951, Putnam et al. 1960, Smith 1996a, Smith and Linnartz 1980, Southeastern Ecology Working Group n.d., VanAuken and Bush 1988, Wharton 1978, Wharton et al. 1982, Wieland 1994b, Wieland 2000bRIVER BIRCH - SYCAMORE / SMOOTH ALDER / FALSE NETTLE FORESTELEMENT IDENTIFIERSNVC association: Betula nigra - Platanus occidentalis / Alnus serrulata / Boehmeria cylindrica ForestDatabase Code: CEGL007312Formation: Temporarily flooded cold-deciduous forest (I.B.2.N.d)Alliance: Betula nigra - (Platanus occidentalis) Temporarily Flooded Forest Alliance (A.280)ELEMENT CONCEPTSummary: This riverfront forest, dominated by Betula nigra and Platanus occidentalis, occurs primarily on levees along small riversand streams. It also is found along flowages of larger rivers ('artificial oxbows'). It ranges from Virginia to southern Georgia in thePiedmont and Coastal Plain (and into the southern and lower-elevation parts of the Southern Blue Ridge, excluding the highestelevations of the Mountains) and west to eastern Texas, and possibly the Cumberland Plateau of northern Alabama. No effort hasbeen made to subdivide this type into northern and southern, or Coastal Plain and Interior variants, although there are undoubtedlysome floristic differences between these extremes, at least in the lower strata.Platanus occidentalis may be codominant, or at least prominent, with large individuals overtopping the Betula, which tends to have agreater number of stems, but Platanus occidentalis may be more conspicuous because of its larger size. Other canopy associatesinclude Liriodendron tulipifera, Liquidambar styraciflua, Acer rubrum, Acer negundo, Ulmus americana, Ulmus rubra, Celtis spp.,and Quercus spp. The subcanopy or tall-shrub strata may include Cornus florida and Carpinus caroliniana, along with Acer rubrum,Ilex opaca, Ulmus alata, Prunus serotina, and Carya spp. Shrubs and woody vines may include Alnus serrulata, Euonymusamericana, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Smilax rotundifolia, Toxicodendron radicans, and Vitis rotundifolia. Herbs may includeBoehmeria cylindrica, Polygonum virginianum, Rudbeckia laciniata, Sanicula sp., Symphyotrichum lateriflorum (= Asterlateriflorus), Thalictrum dioicum, Viola sororia, Polystichum acrostichoides, Woodwardia areolata, Botrychium dissectum,Botrychium virginianum, and Impatiens capensis. The exotics Ligustrum sinense, Lonicera japonica, Microstegium vimineum, andRosa multiflora may spread into disturbed examples of this community.Environment: Betula nigra requires soils near field capacity throughout the year but is relatively intolerant of flooding; Platanusoccidentalis also is intolerant of flooding during the growing season and will die if the entire tree is inundated for more than twoweeks. The absence of this community in the lower Mississippi River Alluvial Plain is attributed this intolerance, as is its mostcommon location on levees of smaller rivers. The community usually is found on the natural levee of the watercourse and, therefore,is slightly elevated from the flats behind the levee. The community is more common along small streams and blackwater streams thanalong alluvial floodplains, mostly because of the higher sustained flow rates of these larger rivers. It also is found along flowages oflarger rivers ("artificial oxbows") in southeast Kentucky. In the Upper East Gulf Coastal Plain (Shiloh National Military Park, HardinCounty, Tennessee), this association occurs along small stream floodplains.Vegetation: Betula nigra contributes at least 50%, and often more, of the tree density of stands of this community. Platanusoccidentalis may be codominant, or at least prominent, with large individuals overtopping the Betula, which tends to have a greaternumber of stems, but Platanus occidentalis may be more conspicuous because of its larger size. Other canopy associates includeLiriodendron tulipifera, Liquidambar styraciflua, Acer rubrum, Acer negundo, Ulmus americana, Ulmus rubra, Celtis spp., andQuercus spp. Pinus echinata, Pinus strobus, or Pinus virginiana may be found in some montane or submontane examples. Thesubcanopy or tall-shrub strata may include Cornus florida and Carpinus caroliniana, along with Acer rubrum, Ilex opaca, Ulmusalata, Prunus serotina, and Carya spp. Shrubs and woody vines may include Alnus serrulata, Euonymus americana, Parthenocissusquinquefolia, Smilax rotundifolia, Toxicodendron radicans, and Vitis rotundifolia. Herbs may include Boehmeria cylindrica,Polygonum virginianum, Rudbeckia laciniata, Sanicula sp., Symphyotrichum lateriflorum (= Aster lateriflorus), Thalictrum dioicum,Viola sororia, Polystichum acrostichoides, Woodwardia areolata, Botrychium dissectum, Botrychium virginianum, and Impatienscapensis. The exotics Ligustrum sinense, Lonicera japonica, Microstegium vimineum, and Rosa multiflora may spread into disturbedVegetation of Sumter National Forest April 30 2004Copyright © 2004 NatureServe87