Southern Appalachian Eastern Hemlock Forest (White Pine Type) - Ecological Community of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

NatureServe Unique Identifier: CEGL007102: Pinus strobus - Tsuga canadensis / Rhododendron maximum - (Leucothoe fontanesiana) Forest

Park Vegetation Plot Summary

Tree Canopy: Pinus strobus, Tsuga canadensis

Tree subcanopy: N/A

Tall Shrubs and Saplings: Rhododendron maximum

Short Shrubs and Saplings: Leucothoe fontanesiana

Herbs (field): N/A

Nonvascular: N/A

GLOBAL COMMUNITY CONCEPT

This community occurs on creek and river margins and on lower or protected slopes.
- This association occurs in the Southern Blue Ridge and may extend into adjacent ecoregions, such as the Cumberlands of Kentucky.
- These Kentucky examples lack Leucothoe fontanesiana and have Magnolia macrophylla rather than Magnolia fraseri.
- Large stems of Smilax rotundifolia may be present in stands of this vegetation.
This forest vegetation has a canopy dominated by Pinus strobus, sometimes codominating with Tsuga canadensis.
- This is an evergreen forest, but deciduous trees may form a minor part of the canopy.
- Other minor canopy species may include Liriodendron tulipifera, Betula lenta, Magnolia fraseri (within its range), Acer rubrum, and Tilia americana var. heterophylla.
It occurs over a shrub stratum dominated by Rhododendron maximum.
- Other shrub species may include Kalmia latifolia, Leucothoe fontanesiana, Lindera benzoin, and Ilex opaca.
Herbaceous cover is typically sparse.

PARK VEGETATION PLOT SUMMARY

This forest is dominated by Pinus strobus and Tsuga canadensis.
- Other species that may have coverage in the subcanopy include Acer rubrum, Liriodendron tulipifera, Magnolia fraseri, Oxydendrum arboreum, and Quercus alba.
The tall-shrub stratum is dominated by Rhododendron maximum. Leucothoe fontanesiana sometimes dominates a short-shrub stratum.
- Other shrubs can include Calycanthus floridus, Clethra acuminata, Ilex opaca, Kalmia latifolia, and Pyrularia pubera.
Herb coverage is sparse.
- Typical species include Chimaphila maculata, Galax urceolata, Goodyera pubescens, Hexastylis arifolia var. ruthii, and Mitchella repens.

DISTRIBUTION

North America:

This community occurs in the Southern Blue Ridge, but extends into adjacent Cumberland Plateau or Ridge and Valley (?) ecoregions.

Click map to view distribution.
Potential	Occurs

Click map to view North American distribution.

In the Park:

This community was sampled on the Cades Cove quadrangle and Mount Le Conte quadrangle and is likely in other areas of the park.
Samples on the Cades Cove quadrangle ranged in elevation from 1,600 to 2,100 feet, mostly in the northwest portion of the quadrangle.
- Samples of this community came from slopes above More Licker Branch; from slopes along Abrams Creek, northeast of Spruce Double; from slopes above Arbutus Branch; from a ravine south of Coon Butt; and from low slopes in the vicinity of Wildcat Branch.
This community is uncommon on the Mount Le Conte quadrangle and was sampled from a single location in the northeastern portion of the quadrangle, on steep, southwest slopes above the Little Pigeon River (1,400 feet).
- This may be the only location for this community on the Mount Le Conte quadrangle.

CONSERVATION STATUS

Global Status:

Global Conservation Status Rank: G4 (Last reviewed: 12 01 1997).

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.

CAP [Central Appalachian Forest Working Group]. 1998. Central Appalachian Working group discussions. The Nature Conservancy, Boston, MA.

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

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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