Sumter National Forest Final Report - NatureServe

naturally rare, but is somewhat self-protecting. Some occurrences have been negatively impacted by recreational use (off-roadvehicles), trash dumping, grazing by cattle, logging of adjacent forests, and mining.High-ranked species: No informationELEMENT DISTRIBUTIONRange: This community type is limited to exposures of granitic rocks in the upper Piedmont of North Carolina, and possibly SouthCarolina and Virginia.Subnations: NC, SC?, VA?TNC Ecoregions: 51:C, 52:CUSFS Ecoregions: M221:CFederal Lands: USFS (Nantahala, Pisgah, Sumter?)ELEMENT SOURCESReferences: Dellinger unpubl. data 1992, Peet et al. unpubl. data 2002, Schafale 1998b, Schafale pers. comm., Southeastern EcologyWorking Group n.d.SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL APPALACHIAN OAK FOREST(ROCK CHESTNUT OAK, SCARLET OAK) / MOUNTAIN LAUREL / (GALAX, WINTERGREEN) FORESTELEMENT IDENTIFIERSNVC association: Quercus (prinus, coccinea) / Kalmia latifolia / (Galax urceolata, Gaultheria procumbens) ForestDatabase Code: CEGL006271Formation: Lowland or submontane cold-deciduous forest (I.B.2.N.a)Alliance: Quercus prinus - (Quercus coccinea, Quercus velutina) Forest Alliance (A.248)ELEMENT CONCEPTSummary: This community includes xeric ridgetop forests in the Southern Blue Ridge, ranging south and east into the upperPiedmont, north into the Central Appalachians, and possibly west into the Ridge and Valley. This community occurs over shallow,rocky soils, primarily on south- to west-facing slopes and ridgetops. The community description includes forests with canopiesstrongly dominated by Quercus prinus and/or Quercus coccinea, with lesser amounts of Quercus velutina, Quercus rubra, Quercusfalcata, Oxydendrum arboreum, Nyssa sylvatica, and Acer rubrum var. rubrum, occurring over a typically dense shrub stratumdominated by ericaceous species. The shrub layer may vary between evergreen and deciduous dominance. Typical shrub speciesinclude Kalmia latifolia, Rhododendron maximum, Vaccinium stamineum, Vaccinium pallidum, Gaylussacia ursina, Gaylussaciabaccata, and Leucothoe recurva. Castanea dentata may occur abundantly as root sprouts. The herb layer is typically sparse andincludes subshrubs such as Epigaea repens and Gaultheria procumbens. Other common species include Chamaelirium luteum,Chimaphila maculata, Galax urceolata, Magnolia fraseri, Sassafras albidum, Symplocos tinctoria, Smilax rotundifolia, and Smilaxglauca. This community is distinguished by its overall floristic composition, with a high abundance of acid-loving ericaceous species,which are indicative of this community's extremely infertile, acid soils.Environment: This community occurs over shallow, rocky soils, primarily on south- to west-facing slopes and ridgetops. Thiscommunity includes xeric ridgetop forests in the Southern Blue Ridge, ranging south and east into the upper Piedmont and north intothe Central Appalachians, and possibly west into the Ridge and Valley.Vegetation: Stands of this association are forests with canopies strongly dominated by Quercus prinus and/or Quercus coccinea,with lesser amounts of Quercus velutina, Quercus rubra, Quercus falcata, Oxydendrum arboreum, Nyssa sylvatica, and Acer rubrumvar. rubrum, occurring over a typically dense shrub stratum dominated by ericaceous species. The shrub layer may vary betweenevergreen and deciduous dominance. Typical shrub species include Kalmia latifolia, Rhododendron maximum, Vaccinium stamineum,Vaccinium pallidum, Gaylussacia ursina, Gaylussacia baccata, and Leucothoe recurva. Castanea dentata may occur abundantly asroot sprouts. The herb layer is typically sparse and includes subshrubs such as Epigaea repens and Gaultheria procumbens. Othercommon species include Chamaelirium luteum, Chimaphila maculata, Galax urceolata, Magnolia fraseri, Sassafras albidum,Symplocos tinctoria, Smilax rotundifolia, and Smilax glauca. This community is distinguished by its overall floristic composition,with a high abundance of acid-loving ericaceous species, which are indicative of this community's extremely infertile, acid soils. Inthe Great Smoky Mountains Acer rubrum is often dominant or codominant in these forests, presumably on former American Chestnut(Castanea dentata) sites. In the Blue Ridge-Piedmont transition, below 2800 feet elevation, where this community is often associatedwith Pinus rigida forests and woodlands, Quercus falcata may be a component of the canopy, and the shrub stratum is stronglydominated by Vaccinium pallidum.Dynamics: No informationSimilar Associations:• Quercus prinus - (Quercus coccinea) / Carya pallida / Vaccinium arboreum - Vaccinium pallidum Forest (CEGL008431) --defined for the southern Cumberland Plateau and western fringe of the southern Blue Ridge, with more diverse shrubs.Vegetation of Sumter National Forest April 30 2004Copyright © 2004 NatureServe74