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NatureServe Unique Identifier: CEGL006272: Picea rubens - Abies fraseri Forest

Park Vegetation Plot Summary

Tree Canopy: Picea rubens, Tsuga canadensis

Tree subcanopy: N/A

Tall Shrubs and Saplings: Rhododendron maximum

Short Shrubs and Saplings: N/A

Herbs (field): N/A

Nonvascular: N/A

 Habitat Image

GLOBAL COMMUNITY CONCEPT

  • This community is known to occur in the Great Smoky Mountains in the vicinity of Mount Le Conte on steep, middle to high slopes between 1,372 and 1,524 m (4,500-5,000 feet) elevation.
    • Sites may be relatively exposed and rocky and subject to disturbance by wind and ice.
    • Soils are well-drained and high in organic matter.
    • Apparently related stands in West Virginia and possibly Virginia are also included here.

  • This needle-leaved evergreen forest has a canopy dominated by mixtures of Picea rubens and Tsuga canadensis. Betula alleghaniensis, Acer rubrum, or Prunus pensylvanica may form a minor part of the canopy or subcanopy.

  • Typically, there is a dense subcanopy/tall-shrub stratum of Rhododendron maximum.
  • The herb stratum is typically very sparse with scattered ferns and other forbs.

  • The ground cover is dominated by leaf litter and may have scattered large rocks or exposed bedrock.

PARK VEGETATION PLOT SUMMARY

DISTRIBUTION

North America:
  • This community is known to occur in the Great Smoky Mountains in the vicinity of Mount Le Conte.
    • It also apparently occurs in West Virginia and possibly Virginia.
Click map to view distribution.
Potential Occurs
Click map to view North American distribution.
 
In the Park:
  • This community was sampled on the Mount Le Conte quadrangle and was not found on the Cades Cove quadrangle.

  • It occurs on the northern slopes of Mount Le Conte and on slopes east of Peregrine Peak.
    • It should be looked for in other areas of the park between 4,500 and 5,000 feet elevation.
Click here for GRSMNP Range Map

CONSERVATION STATUS

Global Status:

  • Global Conservation Status Rank: G2? (Last reviewed: 02 15 1999).

  • In the Southern Blue Ridge, this forest is nearly or entirely restricted to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
    • While the total distribution of this community is uncertain, the total acreage is certainly small, less than 10,000 hectares.
    • The only known location with substantial, high-quality occurrences is Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

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:

K.D. Patterson

Web Page:

Charles Wilder.

Photographs:

NatureServe

Maps:

N/A

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.

Peet, R. K., T. R. Wentworth, M. P. Schafale, and A.S. Weakley. 2002. Unpublished data of the North Carolina Vegetation Survey. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

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

Schafale, M. 1998b. Fourth approximation guide. High mountain communities. March 1998 draft. North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh.

Schafale, M. P., and A. S. Weakley. 1990. Classification of the natural communities of North Carolina. Third approximation. North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh. 325 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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