Sumter National Forest Final Report - NatureServe

ELEMENT DISTRIBUTIONRange: This community occurs in upland areas of the Blue Ridge escarpment where there has been removal of the above-groundportion of canopy trees within the past ten years. It occurs in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee, in the BlueRidge Physiographic Province and is likely in the Cumberland Plateau and Ridge and Valley Province.Subnations: GA, KY, NC, SC, TNTNC Ecoregions: 50:C, 51:CUSFS Ecoregions: 221Ha:CCC, 221He:CCC, M221Dc:CCC, M221Dd:CCCFederal Lands: NPS (Blue Ridge Parkway?, Great Smoky Mountains); USFS (Chattahoochee, Cherokee, Daniel Boone, Nantahala,Pisgah, Sumter)ELEMENT SOURCESReferences: Allard 1990, Eyre 1980, Golden 1974, Govus 1982, Horn 1976, Horn 1980, McGee and Hooper 1970, NatureServeEcology - Southeastern U.S. unpubl. data, NatureServe Ecology - Southeastern U.S. unpubl. data, Peet et al. unpubl. data 2002,Phillips and Shure 1990, Schmalzer 1978, Southeastern Ecology Working Group n.d., Thomas 1966, USFS 1988TULIPTREE - LOBLOLLY PINE FORESTELEMENT IDENTIFIERSNVC association: Liriodendron tulipifera - Pinus taeda ForestDatabase Code: CEGL007521Formation: Lowland or submontane cold-deciduous forest (I.B.2.N.a)Alliance: Liriodendron tulipifera Forest Alliance (A.236)ELEMENT CONCEPTSummary: This semi-natural forest community is strongly dominated by Liriodendron tulipifera and Pinus taeda which togethercontribute more than 75% canopy cover. Other canopy species include Liquidambar styraciflua and Acer rubrum. It was firstdocumented from the Piedmont of South Carolina, but has also been documented in Virginia and Alabama, and is almost certainlypresent in other Piedmont states as well. In addition, this or related vegetation occurs in adjacent areas of the Upper East Gulf CoastalPlain and Interior Low Plateau. It develops on slopes following cropping, and soils usually have 60-70% sand. The understory andground layers are very sparse with much open ground present.Environment: This successional forest community develops on slopes following cropping. The specific documented occurrences onthe Sumter National Forest, SC, have developed on former cotton fields of lower to mid slopes. Soils usually have 60-70% sand.Vegetation: Stands of this forest community are strongly dominated by Liriodendron tulipifera and Pinus taeda which togethercontribute more than 75% canopy cover. Other canopy species include Liquidambar styraciflua and Acer rubrum. The understory andground layers are very sparse with much open ground present.Dynamics: This community would rarely, if ever, be subjected to floodwaters. The dominant species could be expected to withstandlight fire, but the community is not fire-resistant. Successional dynamics of this community are not know, but it is expected thatsuccession would lead to a dry-mesic to mesic community dominated by species of Quercus and Carya.Similar Associations:• Liriodendron tulipifera - Acer negundo Forest (CEGL007184) -- has a shrub stratum of Robinia pseudoacacia.Related Concepts:• IF3a. Recently Harvested Timber Land (Allard 1990) B• Loblolly Pine - Hardwood: 82 (Eyre 1980) B• Yellow Poplar: 57 (Eyre 1980) B• Yellow poplar (50) (USFS 1988) ?Classification Comments:CONSERVATION RANKING & RARE SPECIESGRank: GNA (ruderal) (2001-5-11): A successional type, not of conservation value, but dominated by species native to NorthAmerica (Grank changed from GW).High-ranked species: No informationELEMENT DISTRIBUTIONRange: This association is known from the Piedmont of South Carolina, but is likely to be found in the North Carolina and GeorgiaPiedmont as well. It also occurs in Virginia and Alabama and is likely in Tennessee.Subnations: AL, GA?, NC?, SC, TN?, VATNC Ecoregions: 43:C, 44:P, 52:CUSFS Ecoregions: 222:C, 231:CFederal Lands: USFS (Bankhead, Oconee?, Sumter)Vegetation of Sumter National Forest April 30 2004Copyright © 2004 NatureServe46