Sumter National Forest Final Report - NatureServe

Formation: Mixed needle-leaved evergreen - cold-deciduous forest (I.C.3.N.a)Alliance: Pinus taeda - Quercus (alba, falcata, stellata) Forest Alliance (A.404)ELEMENT CONCEPTSummary: This association comprises mixed loblolly pine - oak forests for the eastern and interior portions of the alliance's range. Inparts of the prescribed range this type could represent semi-natural stands of Pinus taeda mixed with Quercus spp. that develop fromPinus taeda plantations that have aged sufficiently to lose the pure pine character and develop more of a hardwood component. Thepresence in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain has been questionable and remains so; perhaps peripheral here?Environment: Throughout the range, associations of this alliance occur on dry sand or sand loam, clay loam, or silty clay loams.Soils are often coarse textured, shallow and droughty. This vegetation occurs on mid to lower slopes on broad flats or in shelteredravines.Vegetation: This association has not been defined yet and is based on the alliance classification. Pinus virginiana and Pinus taedaare usually present, generally less abundant in more mature stands. Quercus falcata is characteristic but other oaks are also presentincluding Quercus alba, Quercus stellata, Quercus velutina, Quercus coccinea, Quercus marilandica, and Quercus phellos. Otherless prevalent associates include Nyssa sylvatica, Carya glabra, Carya alba, Pinus rigida, Liquidambar styraciflua, Cerciscanadensis, and Cornus florida. Ericaceous shrubs are common including Vaccinium spp., Gaylussacia spp., Rhododendronpericlymenoides (= Rhododendron nudiflorum), and Kalmia latifolia. Typical herbs and vines are Gaultheria procumbens, Mitchellarepens, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, and Smilax spp.Dynamics: No informationSimilar Associations:Related Concepts: No informationClassification Comments:CONSERVATION RANKING & RARE SPECIESGRank: GNR (1997-9-11): No informationHigh-ranked species: No informationELEMENT DISTRIBUTIONRange: This type could occur in the Piedmont or adjacent/related ecoregions (Atlantic Coastal Plain, Cumberlands / Southern Ridgeand Valley).Subnations: MD, NC?, SC?, TN?, VATNC Ecoregions: 50:?, 52:P, 57:?USFS Ecoregions: 231:P, 232:PFederal Lands: NPS (Rock Creek); USFS (Sumter?, Uwharrie?)ELEMENT SOURCESReferences: Southeastern Ecology Working Group n.d.LOBLOLLY PINE / SWEETGUM - RED MAPLE / DEERBERRY FORESTELEMENT IDENTIFIERSNVC association: Pinus taeda / Liquidambar styraciflua - Acer rubrum var. rubrum / Vaccinium stamineum ForestDatabase Code: CEGL006011Formation: Rounded-crowned temperate or subpolar needle-leaved evergreen forest (I.A.8.N.b)Alliance: Pinus taeda Forest Alliance (A.130)ELEMENT CONCEPTSummary: This association represents stands in which Pinus taeda is the monospecific dominant tree in the overstory. These aregenerally early- to mid-successional forests where the pines have reached tree size (as opposed to saplings) and have been establishedfor a long enough period to have developed a closed canopy. Below the canopy of Pinus taeda, a well-developed subcanopy ofhardwoods is present. Acer rubrum var. rubrum and Liquidambar styraciflua are often the dominant species in the subcanopy. Ifsignificant numbers of these species enter the canopy, the stand would be covered by another association (e.g., CEGL008462).Although this forest may result from a planted stand [see CEGL007179], it is distinguished from young pine plantations by tree heightand the formation of distinct stratal layers, especially a well-developed subcanopy. This type may also develop following sitepreparation, with or without site conversion, and also following agriculture. It is a wide ranging type, most common from thePiedmont of Virginia, through North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama, likely extending throughout the adjacentCoastal Plain. A large amount of variability exists in species composition and density due to geographic and disturbance factors.Stands typically have more-or-less closed canopies, understories dominated by fire-intolerant hardwoods, and shrub-dominated lowerstrata.Environment: This forest follows agricultural cropping or silvicultural site preparation on a variety of sites, and presumably is morelikely on moderately dissected topography where fire is a rare occurrence. This community usually is not present on steep slopes andVegetation of Sumter National Forest April 30 2004Copyright © 2004 NatureServe42