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Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site F127XY010WV
Cold Uplands
Accessed: 08/17/2024
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 ecosite is found in mountains, plateau in MLRA 127: Eastern Allegheny Plateau and Mountains. This site occupies 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. The area is dominantly forest, containing large blocks of state forest, game lands, and national forest. Less than one-tenth of the MLRA consists of urban areas
Classification relationships
This site crosswalks to Landfire biophysical setting (BpS) Appalachian (Hemlock-)Northern Hardwood Forest
NatureServe (2007) describes this as Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest (CES202.593)
Component Associations
Association Unique ID Association Name
CEGL003819 Rhododendron maximum Upland Shrubland
CEGL005005 Acer saccharum - Pinus strobus / Acer pensylvanicum Forest
CEGL005043 Tsuga canadensis - Fagus grandifolia - Acer saccharum / (Hamamelis virginiana, Kalmia latifolia) Forest
CEGL006019 Pinus strobus - Tsuga canadensis / Acer pensylvanicum / Polystichum acrostichoides Forest
CEGL006029 Picea rubens - Tsuga canadensis - Fagus grandifolia / Dryopteris intermedia Forest
CEGL006045 Acer saccharum - Betula alleghaniensis - Prunus serotina Forest
CEGL006046 Acer saccharum - Quercus rubra / Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa Forest
CEGL006088 Tsuga canadensis - Fagus grandifolia - Quercus rubra Forest
CEGL006125 Quercus rubra - Acer saccharum - Liriodendron tulipifera Forest
CEGL006193 Chrysosplenium americanum Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006206 Tsuga canadensis - Betula alleghaniensis - Prunus serotina / Rhododendron maximum Forest
CEGL006211 Acer saccharum - (Fraxinus americana) / Arisaema triphyllum Forest
CEGL006241 Quercus bicolor / Vaccinium corymbosum / Carex stipata Forest
CEGL006296 Fagus grandifolia - Betula lenta - Liriodendron tulipifera - Acer saccharum Forest
CEGL006328 Pinus strobus - Tsuga canadensis Lower New England / Northern Piedmont Forest
CEGL006454 Quercus (rubra, velutina, alba) - Betula lenta - (Pinus strobus) Forest
CEGL006474 Tsuga canadensis - Fagus grandifolia - Quercus (prinus, alba) Forest
CEGL006566 Quercus rubra - Tsuga canadensis - Liriodendron tulipifera / Hamamelis virginiana Forest
CEGL006577 Acer saccharum - Fraxinus americana - Juglans cinerea / Staphylea trifolia / Adlumia fungosa Forest
CEGL006597 Carex scabrata - Viola cucullata / Plagiomnium ciliare Herbaceous Vegetation
CEGL006631 Acer saccharum - Betula alleghaniensis - Fagus grandifolia / Viburnum lantanoides Forest
CEGL006632 Acer saccharum - Fagus grandifolia - Fraxinus americana / Arisaema triphyllum Forest
CEGL006633 Quercus rubra - Acer saccharum - Fagus grandifolia / Viburnum acerifolium Forest
CEGL006635 Quercus rubra - Acer saccharum / Viburnum acerifolium - Lindera benzoin Forest
CEGL006638 Tsuga canadensis - Betula alleghaniensis - Acer saccharum / Dryopteris intermedia Forest
CEGL006639 Tsuga canadensis - Acer saccharum - Fagus grandifolia / Dryopteris intermedia Forest
CEGL007861 Betula alleghaniensis - (Tsuga canadensis) / Rhododendron maximum / (Leucothoe fontanesiana) Forest
CEGL008426 Thuja occidentalis - Pinus strobus - Tsuga canadensis / Carex eburnea Woodland
CEGL008502 Betula alleghaniensis - Quercus rubra / Acer (pensylvanicum, spicatum) / Dryopteris intermedia - Oclemena acuminata Forest
CEGL008504 Betula alleghaniensis / Sorbus americana - Acer spicatum / Polypodium appalachianum Forest
CEGL008513 Tsuga canadensis - (Betula alleghaniensis, Quercus rubra) / Ilex montana / Rhododendron catawbiense Forest
CEGL008533 Tsuga canadensis - Betula alleghaniensis / Veratrum viride - Carex scabrata - Oclemena acuminata Forest
Ecological site concept
These sites are likely frigid mean annual air temperature <= 45; occur at an median elevation <= 973 meters and a drainage class of Moderately well drained, Somewhat poorly drained, Well rained, Somewhat excessively drained. These sites receive 41inches of mean annual precipitation.
From Landfire http://www.landfire.gov/index.php:
Generally ranges from PA west to Lake Erie and south to northern GA, eastern KY, southeastern OH, western NC, northwestern SC, eastern TN, southwestern WV, western VA, the Appalachian Mountains and the Cumberland Plateau.
This mixed forest occurs predominantly on mesic sites over a broad range of topographic conditions with elevations generally ranging from 1000-3000ft. Sites remain moist in all but most severe drought conditions. The BpS shifts from occupying a broad elevation range in the northern extent of the map zone (PA) to a more narrow range (higher elevation) in the southern extent of the mapzone (WV).
In the northern portion of its range it occurs primarily at higher elevations and on slope positions that favor cool, moist conditions. Soils are usually acidic and can contain a variety of parent material and drainage conditions.
At lower elevations and in the southern portion of its range, it occurs more frequently in sheltered coves and valleys. Sites are acid, generally on moist, but moderately well drained to well drained loamy or silty soils, either colluvial or alluvial. Soils are often rocky and usually deep (>40in) even if only in pockets between boulders. In riparian areas it is usually along high gradient (1-2%) streams. Also found on lower slopes with west and south aspect, lower to mid slope on east and north aspects, and in narrow cliff bound valleys; it may occur to the base of cliffs on all slopes.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
(1) Fagus grandifolia |
---|---|
Shrub |
(1) Betula alleghaniensis |
Herbaceous |
Not specified |
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