Rich Low-Elevation Appalachian Oak Forest - Ecological Community of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

NatureServe Unique Identifier: CEGL007233: Quercus alba - (Quercus rubra, Acer saccharum, Fagus grandifolia) / Aesculus flava Forest

Park Vegetation Plot Summary

Tree Canopy: N/A

Tree subcanopy: N/A

Tall Shrubs and Saplings: N/A

Short Shrubs and Saplings: N/A

Herbs (field): N/A

Nonvascular: N/A

GLOBAL COMMUNITY CONCEPT

This mesic upland forest of the Ridge and Valley and adjacent Southern Blue Ridge is dominated by Quercus alba, Carya ovata, and Carya alba.
- Quercus rubra may be a dominant component of the canopy as well.

Other species that may be present in the canopy are Acer saccharum, Liriodendron tulipifera, Quercus velutina, Carya glabra, Fraxinus americana, Fagus grandifolia, Prunus serotina, Ulmus rubra, and Juglans nigra.

Acer saccharum may strongly dominate the subcanopy, this perhaps being a result of fire suppression.

Other common subcanopy species include Fraxinus americana, Ostrya virginiana, Asimina triloba, Fagus grandifolia, Oxydendrum arboreum, and Ulmus alata.
In the Ridge and Valley, examples may infrequently contain Pinus virginiana, Quercus prinus, Aesculus flava, Tilia americana var. heterophylla, Pinus echinata, Pinus strobus, and Tsuga canadensis.

Shrubs of various heights are commonly present; these may include Frangula caroliniana, Corylus cornuta, Vaccinium stamineum, Cercis canadensis, Acer rubrum, Morus rubra, and Lindera benzoin.
The herbaceous stratum may contain Podophyllum peltatum, Toxicodendron radicans, Polystichum acrostichoides, Maianthemum racemosum, and Desmodium spp. (specifically Desmodium pauciflorum and Desmodium nudiflorum).

PARK VEGETATION PLOT SUMMARY

N/A

DISTRIBUTION

North America:

At least a moderately widespread type, probably present throughout the Ridge and Valley and possibly adjoining ecoregions.
- A comprehensive review of related types is not complete.

Click map to enlarge.
Potential	Occurs

Click map to view North American distribution.

In the Park:

N/A

CONSERVATION STATUS

Global Status:

Global Conservation Status Rank: G4 (Last reviewed: 2000/01/14).
This is not an inherently rare forest type.
- It is presumed to be relatively common throughout its known range.
- It is at least a moderately widespread type, although its full range is not known.
- It occurs on a variety of aspects and elevations, and it is not restricted to any highly specific geologic substrates.
- It is poorly documented through EOs, and not much data are available on the specific condition of examples of this type.
- Some stands have been impacted by removal of more valuable timber species and loss of herbaceous species diversity from the disturbance effects of logging.
- In all probability, most examples which are not on public land have been repeatedly logged and their composition altered thereby.
- Remaining unprotected examples are threatened by timber removal, conversion to other managed forest types, and/or development into residential or commercial real estate. The Grank was formerly G3G5. Changing this to G4 helps to clarify its status.

Park Status:

Picking, digging, or otherwise damaging plants is prohibited in the Park. Collection is allowed only by special permit for research or educational purposes.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Field Work:

NatureServe

Supporting Institutions:

N/A

Forest Association Described By:

Web Page:

Charles Wilder.

Photographs:

NatureServe

Maps:

Charles Wilder.

REFERENCES

Allard, D. J. 1990. Southeastern United States ecological community classification. Interim report, Version 1.2. The Nature Conservancy, Southeast Regional Office, Chapel Hill, NC. 96 pp.

Andreu, M. G., and M. L. Tukman. 1995. Forest communities of the Tellico Lake Area, East Tennessee. M.F. project report, Duke University, School of the Environment. Durham, NC. 66 pp. plus appendices.

Eyre, F. H., editor. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 148 pp.

Fleming, G. P. 1999. Plant communities of limestone, dolomite, and other calcareous substrates in the George Washington and Jefferson national forests, Virginia. Natural Heritage Technical Report 99-4. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond. Unpublished report submitted to the USDA Forest Service. 218 pp. plus appendices.

Fleming, Gary P. Personal communication. Ecologist, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond, VA.

NatureServe Ecology - Southeastern United States. No date. Unpublished data. NatureServe, Durham, NC.

Pyne, M. 1994. Tennessee natural communities. Unpublished document. Tennessee Department of Conservation, Ecology Service Division, Nashville. 7 pp.

Rawinski, T. J. 1992. A classification of Virginia's indigenous biotic communities: Vegetated terrestrial, palustrine, and estuarine community classes. Unpublished document. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage. Natural Heritage Technical Report No. 92-21. Richmond, VA. 25 pp.

Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.

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