General information

Provisional. A provisional ecological site description has undergone quality control and quality assurance review. It contains a working state and transition model and enough information to identify the ecological site.

MLRA notes

Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 127X–Eastern Allegheny Plateau and Mountains

This site occupies alluvial lands in the Allegheny Mountain Section of the Appalachian Highlands of the Appalachian Plateau Province. The deeply dissected plateau in this area terminates in a high escarpment, the Allegheny Front, in the eastern part of the area. Steep slopes are dominant, but level to gently rolling plateau remnants are conspicuous in the northern part of the area.

This ecosite is found in alluvial plains, and river valleys within hills, mountains, and plateaus in MLRA 127 Eastern Allegheny Plateau and Mountains.

Classification relationships

USDA-NRCS (USDA2 2006):
Land Resource Region (LRR): N—East and Central Farming and Forest Region
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 127—Eastern Allegheny Plateau and
Mountains
USDA-FS (Cleland et al. 2007)
Province: 211 – Northeastern Mixed Forest Province (in Part)
Section: 211G - Northern Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau
Subsection: 211Ga – Allegheny High Plateau
211Gb – Allegheny Deep Valleys
Province: 221 - Eastern Broadleaf Province (in part)
Section: 221E - Southern Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau (in part)
Subsection: 221Ea - Pittsburgh Low Plateau
Province: M221 – Central Appalachian Broadleaf Forest – Coniferous Forest - Meadow Province (in part)
Section: M221B - Allegheny Mountains
Subsection: M221Ba – Northern High Allegheny Mountains
M221Bb – Western Allegheny Mountains
M221Bc – Southern High Allegheny Mountains
M221Bd – Eastern Allegheny Mountain and Valley
M221Be – Western Allegheny Mountain and Valley
M221Bf – Allegheny Mountain Plateau
Section: M221C - Northern Cumberland Mountains
Subsection: M221Ca – Western Coal Fields


This site crosswalks to Landfire biophysical setting (BpS) Central Interior and Appalachian Floodplain Systems. Not all the component associations are applicable to MLRA 127.

NatureServe (2007) describes this as an aggregated system including the following standard ecological systems (for MLRA 127):
• Central Appalachian River Floodplain (CES202.608)
Component Associations (all not applicable to MLRA 127)
Association Unique ID Association Name
CEGL002014 Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Ulmus spp. - Celtis occidentalis Forest
CEGL002086 Betula nigra - Platanus occidentalis Forest
CEGL002191 Cephalanthus occidentalis / Carex spp. - Lemna spp. Southern Shrubland
CEGL002586 Acer saccharinum - Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Ulmus americana Forest
CEGL003896 Platanus occidentalis - Betula nigra - Salix (caroliniana, nigra) Woodland
CEGL004073 Platanus occidentalis - Acer negundo - Juglans nigra / Asimina triloba / Mertensia virginica Forest
CEGL004103 Carex torta Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL004286 Justicia americana Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL005014 Fagus grandifolia - Quercus spp. - Acer rubrum - Juglans nigra Forest
CEGL005033 Acer negundo Ruderal Floodplain Forest
CEGL005082 Alnus serrulata Swamp Shrubland
CEGL005449 Calamagrostis canadensis North-Central Wet Meadow
CEGL006001 Acer saccharinum - Ulmus americana / Onoclea sensibilis Forest
CEGL006036 Platanus occidentalis - Fraxinus pennsylvanica Forest
CEGL006042 Acer saccharinum - Ulmus americana / Physocarpus opulifolius Forest
CEGL006069 Cephalanthus occidentalis - Decodon verticillatus Shrubland
CEGL006114 Acer saccharum - Fraxinus spp. - Tilia americana / Matteuccia struthiopteris - Ageratina altissima Forest
CEGL006147 Acer saccharinum - (Populus deltoides) / Matteuccia struthiopteris - Laportea canadensis Forest
CEGL006176 Acer saccharinum / Onoclea sensibilis - Boehmeria cylindrica Forest
CEGL006184 Betula nigra - Platanus occidentalis / Impatiens capensis Forest
CEGL006185 Quercus palustris - Acer rubrum / Carex grayi - Geum canadense Forest
CEGL006217 Acer saccharinum - Acer negundo / Ageratina altissima - Laportea canadensis - (Elymus virginicus) Forest
CEGL006218 Quercus bicolor - Fraxinus pennsylvanica - (Platanus occidentalis) / Chasmanthium latifolium - Dichanthelium clandestinum - Zizia aurea Woodland
CEGL006244 Peltandra virginica - Polygonum amphibium var. emersum - Carex stricta - Impatiens capensis Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006251 Alnus serrulata - Physocarpus opulifolius Shrubland
CEGL006255 Liriodendron tulipifera - Platanus occidentalis - Betula lenta / Lindera benzoin / Circaea lutetiana ssp. canadensis Forest
CEGL006283 Andropogon gerardii - Panicum virgatum - Baptisia australis Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006305 Salix sericea Shrubland
CEGL006314 Liriodendron tulipifera - Fraxinus spp. / Lindera benzoin - Viburnum prunifolium / Podophyllum peltatum Forest
CEGL006386 Quercus bicolor - Acer rubrum / Carpinus caroliniana Forest
CEGL006405 Tilia americana - Acer saccharum - Acer nigrum / Laportea canadensis Forest
CEGL006445 Carya cordiformis - Prunus serotina / Ageratina altissima Forest
CEGL006447 Carex trichocarpa Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006459 Acer saccharum - Fraxinus americana / Carpinus caroliniana / Podophyllum peltatum Forest
CEGL006463 Salix nigra - Betula nigra / Schoenoplectus pungens Wooded Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006466 Platanus occidentalis / Aesculus flava Forest
CEGL006473 Acer saccharum - Liriodendron tulipifera / Galium concinnum - Carex laxiculmis Forest
CEGL006476 Platanus occidentalis - Acer saccharinum - Betula nigra - Fraxinus pennsylvanica / Boehmeria cylindrica - Carex emoryi Woodland
CEGL006478 Fraxinus americana / Andropogon gerardii - Sorghastrum nutans - Schizachyrium scoparium - Pycnanthemum tenuifolium Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006480 Verbesina alternifolia - Elymus riparius - Solidago gigantea - (Teucrium canadense) Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006481 Eupatorium serotinum - Polygonum (lapathifolium, punctatum, pensylvanicum) Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006483 Eragrostis hypnoides - Ludwigia palustris - Lindernia dubia - Cyperus squarrosus Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006484 Carpinus caroliniana - Ilex decidua Shrubland
CEGL006491 (Hypericum prolificum, Leucothoe racemosa) / Schizachyrium scoparium - Solidago simplex var. racemosa - Ionactis linariifolius Sparse Vegetation
CEGL006495 Quercus rubra - Quercus shumardii / Cercis canadensis Temporarily Flooded Forest
CEGL006497 Quercus palustris - Quercus bicolor / Carex tribuloides - Carex radiata - (Carex squarrosa) Forest
CEGL006518 Prunus pumila / Andropogon gerardii - Sorghastrum nutans Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006536 Carex torta - Apocynum cannabinum - Cyperus spp. Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006546 Alnus incana - Viburnum recognitum / Calamagrostis canadensis Shrubland
CEGL006548 Acer (rubrum, saccharinum) - Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Ulmus americana / Boehmeria cylindrica Forest
CEGL006575 Fraxinus pennsylvanica - (Juglans nigra, Platanus occidentalis) Forest
CEGL006595 Spiraea alba Shrubland
CEGL007696 Peltandra virginica - Saururus cernuus - Boehmeria cylindrica / Climacium americanum Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL007879 Juglans nigra / Verbesina alternifolia Ruderal Forest
CEGL008405 Liriodendron tulipifera - Pinus strobus - (Tsuga canadensis) / Carpinus caroliniana / Amphicarpaea bracteata Forest
CEGL008449 Pinus virginiana - Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana - Quercus stellata / Amelanchier stolonifera / Danthonia spicata / Leucobryum glaucum Woodland


• North-Central Interior Floodplain (CES202.694)
Component Associations (all not applicable to MLRA 127)
Association Unique ID Association Name
CEGL002018 Populus deltoides - Salix nigra - Acer saccharinum Forest
CEGL002026 Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani - Typha spp. - (Sparganium spp., Juncus spp.) Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL002086 Betula nigra - Platanus occidentalis Forest
CEGL002087 Carya illinoinensis - Celtis laevigata Forest
CEGL002099 Quercus michauxii - Quercus shumardii - Liquidambar styraciflua / Arundinaria gigantea Forest
CEGL002101 Quercus palustris - (Quercus stellata) - Quercus pagoda / Isoetes spp. Forest
CEGL002102 Quercus phellos - (Quercus lyrata) / Carex spp. - Leersia spp. Forest
CEGL002103 Salix nigra Forest
CEGL002191 Cephalanthus occidentalis / Carex spp. - Lemna spp. Southern Shrubland
CEGL002314 River Mudflats Sparse Vegetation
CEGL002386 Nuphar advena - Nymphaea odorata Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL002410 Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Celtis spp. - Quercus spp. - Platanus occidentalis Bottomland Forest
CEGL002417 Quercus stellata - Quercus marilandica - Quercus falcata / Schizachyrium scoparium Sand Woodland
CEGL002420 Taxodium distichum / Lemna minor Forest
CEGL002427 Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Ulmus americana - Celtis laevigata / Ilex decidua Forest
CEGL002430 Polygonum spp. - Mixed Forbs Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL002431 Acer saccharinum - Celtis laevigata - Carya illinoinensis Forest
CEGL002586 Acer saccharinum - Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Ulmus americana Forest
CEGL003725 Platanus occidentalis - Betula nigra / Cornus amomum / (Andropogon gerardii, Chasmanthium latifolium) Woodland
CEGL003836 Arundinaria gigantea ssp. gigantea Shrubland
CEGL003895 Alnus serrulata - Xanthorhiza simplicissima Shrubland
CEGL003910 (Diospyros virginiana, Platanus occidentalis) / Eupatorium serotinum - Diodia virginiana Ruderal Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL004049 River Valley Impoundment Mudflat Sparse Vegetation
CEGL004103 Carex torta Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL004286 Justicia americana Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL004420 Acer rubrum var. trilobum - Fraxinus pennsylvanica / Carex crinita - Peltandra virginica Forest
CEGL004544 Quercus macrocarpa - Quercus shumardii - Carya cordiformis / Chasmanthium latifolium Forest
CEGL004618 Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Ulmus crassifolia - Celtis laevigata Forest
CEGL004691 Platanus occidentalis - Liriodendron tulipifera - Betula (alleghaniensis, lenta) / Alnus serrulata - Leucothoe fontanesiana Forest
CEGL004979 Quercus nigra - Quercus (alba, phellos) Forest
CEGL005014 Fagus grandifolia - Quercus spp. - Acer rubrum - Juglans nigra Forest
CEGL005033 Acer negundo Ruderal Floodplain Forest
CEGL005035 Acer saccharum - Carya cordiformis / Asimina triloba Floodplain Forest
CEGL005057 Quercus stellata / (Danthonia spicata, Croton willdenowii) Woodland
CEGL005451 Lemna spp. Eastern North American Aquatic Vegetation
CEGL006458 Platanus occidentalis - Fraxinus pennsylvanica / Carpinus caroliniana / Verbesina alternifolia Forest
CEGL006462 Quercus (rubra, velutina, alba) / Carpinus caroliniana - (Halesia tetraptera) / Maianthemum racemosum Forest
CEGL006466 Platanus occidentalis / Aesculus flava Forest
CEGL006480 Verbesina alternifolia - Elymus riparius - Solidago gigantea - (Teucrium canadense) Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006620 Tsuga canadensis - Quercus rubra - (Platanus occidentalis, Betula nigra) / Rhododendron maximum / Anemone quinquefolia Forest
CEGL007064 Salix caroliniana Temporarily Flooded Ozark Shrubland
CEGL007334 Platanus occidentalis - Acer saccharinum - Juglans nigra - Ulmus rubra Forest
CEGL007339 Platanus occidentalis - Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Quercus imbricaria Forest
CEGL007399 Quercus palustris - (Fraxinus nigra) / Lindera benzoin / Carex bromoides Forest
CEGL007410 Salix nigra Large River Floodplain Forest
CEGL007702 Liquidambar styraciflua - Quercus michauxii - Carya laciniosa / Fagus grandifolia - (Aesculus flava) Forest
CEGL007810 Acer saccharinum - Betula nigra / Cephalanthus occidentalis Forest
CEGL007879 Juglans nigra / Verbesina alternifolia Ruderal Forest
CEGL007880 Liquidambar styraciflua - Liriodendron tulipifera - (Platanus occidentalis) / Carpinus caroliniana - Halesia tetraptera / Amphicarpaea bracteata Forest
CEGL007999 Platanus occidentalis - Betula nigra - Celtis laevigata - Fraxinus pennsylvanica / Arundinaria gigantea Temporarily Flooded Forest
CEGL008404 Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis Seepage Scour Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL008495 Hypericum densiflorum - Alnus serrulata / Tripsacum dactyloides Shrubland
CEGL008562 Salix interior Temporarily Flooded Shrubland

Ecological site concept

This site is alluvial land deposited during the Quaternary period. The flooding frequency is none.

The following information from NatureServe and Landfire is applicable both to alluvial areas that do and do not flood. However, this PES is applicable only to non-flooded areas in MLRA 127.

From NatureServe (2007): This system encompasses flood plains of medium to large rivers in Atlantic drainages from southern New England to Virginia. This system can include a complex of wetland and upland vegetation on deep alluvial deposits. This complex includes floodplain forests in which Acer saccharinum, Populus deltoides, and Platanus occidentalis are characteristic, as well as herbaceous sloughs, shrub wetlands, riverside prairies and woodlands. Richer sites may be dominated by Acer saccharam and Tilia americana, while more nutrient poor dry sites may have an oak dominated forest, most commonly Quercus rubra.

From Landfire http://www.landfire.gov/index.php:
This systems group encompasses large-river flood plains over much of the eastern US (NatureServe 2007), but differs from the Coastal Plain model in several ways. First it is floristically different in that it lacks cypress and tupelo except in its lowest elevation where it transitions to the Coastal Plain. Permanent standing water is lacking except in the areas closest to sea level where oxbow lakes may exist. Hydroperiods are shorter and fluvial features such as river terraces, oxbows, alluvial flats, point bars, streamside levees and other fine-scale alluvial floodplain features are abundant. NatureServe (2007) notes some will include herbaceous sloughs and shrub wetlands, particularly in abandoned channels

The substrate is primarily alluvium. The generally fertile soils are usually sandy to loamy but include local clayey and gravelly areas (NatureServe 2007).

Synonyms for this BpS and its variations include eastern riverfront forest, bottomland hardwood forest, and alluvial forest. Fire and beaver activity create a mosaic whose elements include canebrake, beaver ponds, and grass-sedge meadows in abandoned beaver clearings, as well as the swamps and bottomland hardwood forests that make up more than 95% of the cover that exists today.

Standard Ecological Systems noted by NatureServe (2007) that make up this aggregated system include:
• Central Appalachian River Floodplain (CES202.608)
• North-Central Interior Floodplain (CES202.694)
• South-Central Interior Large Floodplain (CES202.705)
• Southern Piedmont Large Floodplain Forest (CES202.324)
Issues or Problems:
Federal reservoirs have had a serious and negative effect, along with agriculture that has converted much floodplain acreage to drained agricultural land. In the remaining less altered floodplains, flood duration varies according to the river's gradient (NatureServe 2007).

Associated sites

Similar sites

Table 1. Dominant plant species