Ecological dynamics
[Caveat: The vegetation information contained in this section and is only provisional, based on concepts, not yet validated with field work.*]
The vegetation groupings described in this section are based on the terrestrial ecological system classification and vegetation associations developed by NatureServe (Comer 2003). Terrestrial ecological systems are specifically defined as a group of plant community types (associations) that tend to co-occur within landscapes with similar ecological processes, substrates, and/or environmental gradients. They are intended to provide a classification unit that is readily mappable, often from terrain and remote imagery, and readily identifiable by conservation and resource managers in the field. A given system will typically manifest itself in a landscape at intermediate geographic scales of tens-to-thousands of hectares and will persist for 50 or more years. A vegetation association is a plant community that is much more specific to a given soil, geology, landform, climate, hydrology, and disturbance history. It is the basic unit for vegetation classification and recognized by the US National Vegetation Classification (US FDGC 2008; USNVC 2017). Each association will be named by the diagnostic and often dominant species that occupy the different height strata (tree, shrub, and herb). Within the NatureServe Explorer database, ecological systems are numbered by a community Ecological System Code (CES) and individual vegetation associations are assigned an identification number called a Community Element Global Code (CEGL).
[*Caveat] The information presented is representative of very complex vegetation communities. Key indicator plants and ecological processes are described to help inform land management decisions. Plant communities will differ across the MLRA because of the naturally occurring variability in weather, soils, and geography. The reference plant community is not necessarily the management goal. The drafts of species lists are merely representative and are not botanical descriptions of all species occurring, or potentially occurring, on this site. They are not intended to cover every situation or the full range of conditions, species, and responses for the site
The Dry Outwash ecological site is characterized by a wide mix of xeric plant communities with coastal affinities from Long Island, New York, north to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. These plant communities coincide with Northern Atlantic Coastal Pitch Pine Barrens system (CES203.269), Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry Oak-Hardwood Forest system(CES203.475), and Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Heathland and Grassland (CES203.895). The prevailing ecological processes are related to coastal influences, such as a coastal climate and storms, and if within close proximity to the coast, maritime effects of wind exposure, salt spray, and sand movement. This ecological site is influenced by fire. A decadal fire frequency maintains the character of pine barrens, dominated by pitch Pine (Pinus rigida), as well as some heathlands and grasslands with characteristic shrubs Northern bayberry (Morella pensylvanica) kinnikinnik (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), and goldenheathers (Hudsonia spp.) with grasses little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) or coastal little bluestem (Schizachyrium littorale). Longer fire intervals and/or cold-air drainage (frostpockets) will support various oaks (Quercus), predominately scrub oak (Q. ilicifolia), dwarf chesnut oak (Q. prinoides), scarlet oak (Q. coccinea), black oak (Q. velutina), as well as white oak (Q. alba) and chesnut oak (Q. montana). Threats include development and fragmentation, fire-suppresion, off road vehicles, and invasive plants such as, but not limited to, Morrow’s honeysuckle, (Lonicera morowii), oriental bittersweet (Celatrus orbiculatus), wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius) tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima). (Source: NatureServe 2018 [accessed 2019], USNVC 2017 [accessed 2019]).
State 1
Reference State (Dry Outwash)
The predominant plant communities of the Dry Outwash ecological site Reference State (minimally-managed) include:
• Pitch Pine - Scarlet Oak Woodland, (Pitch Pine - Scarlet Oak / Hillside Blueberry - (Northern Bayberry) Woodland), [Pinus rigida - Quercus coccinea / Vaccinium pallidum - (Morella pensylvanica) Woodland] - CEGL006381.
• Coastal Pitch Pine / Bear Oak Barrens, (Pitch Pine / Bear Oak / Northern Bayberry Woodland), [Pinus rigida / Quercus ilicifolia / Morella pensylvanica Woodland] CEGL006315
Other associated communities include several fire-dependent communities:
• Northern Dwarf Pine Plains, (Pitch Pine - Bear Oak / Bearberry Scrub), [Pinus rigida - Quercus ilicifolia / Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Scrub] - CEGL006097
• Outwash Bear Oak Barrens, (Bear Oak - Dwarf Chinkapin Oak Scrub), [Quercus ilicifolia - Quercus prinoides Scrub], - CEGL006111
• Sandplain Heathland, (Black Huckleberry - Lowbush Blueberry - Bearberry / Shore Little Bluestem Dwarf-shrubland), [Gaylussacia baccata - Vaccinium angustifolium - Arctostaphylos uva-ursi / Schizachyrium littorale Dwarf-shrubland], - CEGL006066
• Sandplain Grassland, (Northern Bayberry / Shore Little Bluestem - Poverty Oatgrass Shrub Grassland), [Morella pensylvanica / Schizachyrium littorale - Danthonia spicata Shrub Grassland], - CEGL006067
(Source: NatureServe 2018 [accessed 2019], USNVC 2017 [accessed 2019]).
• Northern Sandplain Grassland, (Lowbush Blueberry / Little Bluestem - Hillside Sedge Shrub Grassland), [Vaccinium angustifolium / Schizachyrium scoparium - Carex lucorum Shrub Grassland], - CEGL006393
Community 1.1
Pitch Pine - Scarlet Oak / Hillside Blueberry - (Northern Bayberry) Woodland
Pitch Pine - Scarlet Oak Woodland, (Pitch Pine - Scarlet Oak / Hillside Blueberry - (Northern Bayberry) Woodland), [Pinus rigida - Quercus coccinea / Vaccinium pallidum - (Morella pensylvanica) Woodland] - CEGL006381.
This vegetation is a matrix woodland/low forest comprising the pine-barren lands from Long Island, New York, north to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Typically, it occurs on very well-drained sandy outwash. The canopy is largely pitch pine (Pinus rigida) plus an admixture of oaks (Quercus): scarlet oak (Q. coccinea), black oak (Q. velutina), dwarf chestnut oak (Q. prinoides), white oak (Q. alba), and northern red oak (Q. rubra) and occasionally post oak (Q. stellata). Tall shrubs are dominated by bear or scrub oak (Quercus ilicifolia) can be sporadic to locally well-developed and northern bayberry (Morella pensylvanica) can also commonly occur. Heaths tend to form a dense dwarf-shrub layer, especially black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata), lowbush blueerry (Vaccinium angustifolium), and hillside blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum). The herb layer is often sparse and characterized by brackenfern (Pteridium aquilinum), eastern teaberry (Gaultheria procumbens), and wavy hairgrass (Deschampsia flexuosa). (Source: NatureServe 2018 [accessed 2019], USNVC 2017 [accessed 2019]).
Cross-referenced plant community concepts (typically by political state):
Coastal Forest/Woodland (Swain 2016) [MA]
Pitch pine – oak Forest (Edinger et al. 2014) [NY]
Pitch pine – oak Forest (Sneddon et al. 2010) [Cape Cod National Seashore]
Community 1.2
Pitch Pine / Bear Oak / Northern Bayberry Woodland
Coastal Pitch Pine / Bear Oak Barrens, (Pitch Pine / Bear Oak / Northern Bayberry Woodland), [Pinus rigida / Quercus ilicifolia / Morella pensylvanica Woodland] CEGL006315.
These pine barren woodlands are characterized by droughty, fire-prone vegetation, sandy soils. Pitch pine (Pinus rigida) is the canopy dominant. Bear or scrub oak (Quercus ilicifolia) forms a dense shrub layer with occasional dwarf chesnut oak Quercus prinoides. Dwarf-shrubs such as black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata), northern bayberry (Morella pensylvanica), hillside blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum), and lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium). Herbs tend to be sparse, although more open areas may support patches of little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) shore little bluestem (Schizachyrium littorale)and wavy hairgrass (Deschampsia flexuosa), or Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica). Additional scattered herbs include sweetfern (Comptonia peregrina), brakenfern (Pteridium aquilinum), earern teaberry (Gaultheria procumbens), and kinnikinnik (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi). (Source: NatureServe 2018 [accessed 2019], USNVC 2017 [accessed 2019]).
Cross-referenced plant community concepts (typically by political state):
Pitch Pine - Scrub Oak Community (Swain 2016) [MA]
Pitch Pine - Scrub Oak Barren (Edinger et al. 2014) [NY]
Coastal Pitch Pine / Scrub Oak Barren
Pathway CP1.1-1.2
Community 1.1 to 1.2
disturbance, greater fire frequency, coastal proximity
Pathway CP1.2-1.1
Community 1.2 to 1.1
succession, lessor fire frequency
State 2
Semi-natural State
Vegetation on lands somewhat conditioned by land use, e.g., managed native plant communities or invasive plant communities.
Community 2.1
Managed Forest Woodland
Community 2.2
Invasive Plant Community
White poplar (Populus alba), winged burningbush (Euonymus alatus), Japanese knotweed (Lonicera japonica), oriental bittersweet (Celatrus orbiculatus)
Pathway CP2.1-2.1
Community 2.1 to 2.2
Invasive Plant establishment
Pathway CP2.2-2.1
Community 2.2 to 2.1
Invasive Plant Management
Invasive Plant Species Control |
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State 3
Cultural State
Landscapes heavily conditioned by land use, e.g., Plantations/gardens
Community 3.1
Plantations/gardens
Transition T1-2
State 1 to 2
disturbance, invasive plant establishment
Transition T1-3
State 1 to 3
cutting, land clearing, plant establishment
Brush Management |
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Land Clearing |
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Restoration pathway R2-1
State 2 to 1
herbaceous weed treatment, plant removal, plant establishment, successional management
Brush Management |
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Restoration and Management of Natural Ecosystems |
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Native Plant Community Restoration and Management |
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Forest Land Management |
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Invasive Plant Species Control |
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Monitoring and Evaluation |
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Transition T2-3
State 2 to 3
cutting, land clearing, plant establishment
Land Clearing |
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Invasive Plant Species Control |
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Herbaceous Weed Control |
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Restoration pathway R3-1
State 3 to 1
herbaceous weed treatment, plant removal, plant establishment, successional management
Brush Management |
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Restoration and Management of Natural Ecosystems |
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Native Plant Community Restoration and Management |
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Invasive Plant Species Control |
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Monitoring and Evaluation |
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Herbaceous Weed Control |
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Transition T3-2
State 3 to 2
disturbance, invasive plant establishment