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.
This ecological site, set in well-drained till environments, is characterized by a wide mix of plant communities with coastal affinities from Long Island, New York, north to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. These plant communities coincide Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry Oak-Hardwood Forest system(CES203.475), and Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Heathland and Grassland (CES203.895). Well-drained Till ecological site supports reference plant communities of the oak (Quercus)/heath (Vaccinium spp.) type. oaks (Quercus, spp.). Other canopy hardwoods may include, hickories (Carya spp.), and to a lessor extent, American beech (Fagus gradifolia), and tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera) and occasional pines (Pinus spp.). Oaks were found to be dominant on terminal moraines within Cape Cod while pines dominated sandy outwash sites (Parshall et al. 2003). Post settlement clearing of forests and an increase in fire has led to a dominance of pitch pine over oaks on terminal moraines within Cape Cod (Parshall et al. 2003). In the absence of severe or frequent fire, oaks replaces pitch pine while other hardwoods such as beech and hickories become a larger component of the forests on more mesic sites (Parshall et al. 2003). These plant communities coincide with 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. Fire can be an influence. Threats include development and fragmentation, fire-suppresion, off road vehicles, and invasive plants such as, but not limited to, black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima), autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata), white poplar (Populus alba), multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), Honeysuckles, (Lonicera spp.), oriental bittersweet (Celatrus orbiculatus), japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius), and Asiatic tearthumb (Polygonum perfoliatum). (Source: NatureServe 2018 [accessed 2019], USNVC 2017 [accessed 2019]).
State 1
Reference State (Well-drained Till Uplands)
The predominant plant communities of the Well-drained Till ecological site’s Reference State (minimally-managed) include:
• Northeastern Coastal Oak / Heath Forest, (Scarlet Oak - Black Oak / Sassafras / Hillside Blueberry Forest), [Quercus coccinea - Quercus velutina / Sassafras albidum / Vaccinium pallidum Forest], - CEGL006375
• Coastal Oak / Mountain Laurel Forest, (Black Oak - Scarlet Oak - Chestnut Oak / Mountain Laurel Forest), [Quercus velutina - Quercus coccinea - Quercus montana / Kalmia latifolia Forest], - CEGL006374
•
Or with greater fire frequency:
• Pitch Pine - Scarlet Oak Woodland, (Pitch Pine - Scarlet Oak / Hillside Blueberry - (Northern Bayberry) Woodland), [Pinus rigida - Quercus coccinea / Vaccinium pallidum - (Morella pensylvanica) Woodland] - CEGL006381.
Other associated coastal/maritime communities can include:
• Mid-Atlantic Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest, (American Beech – Oaks (White Oak, Northern Red Oak) - Tuliptree / (American Holly) Forest, [Fagus grandifolia - Quercus (alba, rubra) - Liriodendron tulipifera / (Ilex opaca) Forest], - CEGL006075
• Northeastern Atlantic Coastal Beech - Oak Forest (American Beech - White Oak - Northern Red Oak Forest), [Fagus grandifolia - Quercus alba - Quercus rubra Forest, - CEGL006377
• Little Bluestem Old-field Meadow, (Little Bluestem - (Broomsedge Bluestem) - Goldenrod species Ruderal Meadow), [Schizachyrium scoparium - (Andropogon virginicus) - Solidago spp. Ruderal Meadow], - CEGL006333
•
(Source: NatureServe 2018 [accessed 2019], USNVC 2017 [accessed 2019]).
Community 1.1
Scarlet Oak - Black Oak / Sassafras / Hillside Blueberry Forest
Northeastern Coastal Oak / Heath Forest, (Scarlet Oak - Black Oak / Sassafras / Hillside Blueberry Forest), [Quercus coccinea - Quercus velutina / Sassafras albidum / Vaccinium pallidum Forest], - CEGL006375
This dry coastal forest occurs on rapidly drained, nutrient-poor, sandy or gravelly outwash and till soils. This plant community is dominated by scarlet oak (Quercus coccinea), black oak (Quercus velutina), and occasionally white oak (Quercus alba). Other less abundant canopy associates include chestnut oak (Quercus montana), black birch (Betula lenta), and American holly (Ilex opaca) (usually less than 15% cover). Pitch pine (Pinus rigida) is also common in low cover. Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) can occur in low cover and may indicate influence by coastal (but not maritime) climate. American chestnut (Castanea dentata) saplings may be present. A dense dwarf-shrub heath layer of hillside blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum), lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium), and black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata) occurs. Blue huckleberry (Gaylussacia frondosa) can sometimes occur. The herbaceous layer is usually sparse, with Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica), brakenfern (Pteridium aquilinum), and eastern teaberry (Gaultheria procumbens) being common. Species richness increases with greater canopy gaps, where kinnikinnik (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), and bushclovers (Lespedeza spp.) occur, and where possibly Canada frostweed (Helianthemum canadense [= Crocanthemum canadense]), Virginia tephrosia [= wild goat’s rue] (Tephrosia virginiana), false foxgloves (Aureolaria spp.), and pinweeds (Lechea spp.) can occur. (Source: NatureServe 2018 [accessed 2019], USNVC 2017 [accessed 2019]).
Cross-referenced plant community concepts (typically by political state):
BlackOak - Scarlet Oak Woodland (Swain 2016) [MA]
Coastal oak-heath forest (Edinger et al. 2014) [NY]
Northeastern Coastal Oak-Heath Forest (Sneddon et al. 2010) [Cape Cod National Seashore]
Community 1.2
Black Oak - Scarlet Oak - Chestnut Oak / Mountain Laurel Forest
Coastal Oak / Mountain Laurel Forest, (Black Oak - Scarlet Oak - Chestnut Oak / Mountain Laurel Forest), [Quercus velutina - Quercus coccinea - Quercus montana / Kalmia latifolia Forest], - CEGL006374
This association comprises coastal oak-laurel forests occurring on sandy and gravelly soils. Characteristic dominants are scarlet oak (Quercus coccinea), black oak (Quercus velutina), chestnut oak (Quercus montana), and white oak (Quercus alba). Pines (Pinus) (pitch pine (Pinus rigida), or less comonly white pine (Pinus strobus)) can be present at low cover. Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia ) can be the dominant shrub forming extensive, dense patches, with other heath (ericaceous) shrubs such as hillside blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum), lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium ), deer blueberry (Vaccinium stamineum), and black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata). The herbaceous layer may be sparse due to the dense Kalmia latifolia yet may include braken fern (Pteridium aquilinum), eastern teaberry (Gaultheria procumbens), Pensylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica), and whitetinge sedge (Carex albicans). With fire suppression, fire-sensitive hardwoods such as American beech (Fagus grandifolia), red maple (Acer rubrum), blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica), and American holly (Ilex opaca )are sometimes present. (Source: NatureServe 2018 [accessed 2019], USNVC 2017 [accessed 2019]).
Cross-referenced plant community concepts (typically by political state):
BlackOak - Scarlet Oak Woodland (Swain 2016) [MA]
Coastal oak-heath forest (Edinger et al. 2014) [NY]
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 plants
Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) or tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima), white poplar (Populus alba), winged burningbush (Euonymus alatus), Japanese knotweed (japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum), and oriental bittersweet (Celatrus orbiculatus) multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), bramble wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius), garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), major celindine (Chelidonium majus), ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea), and European lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis), can be present, which may also include native plants. (Source: NatureServe 2018 [accessed 2019], USNVC 2017 [accessed 2019]).
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/croplands.
Community 3.1
Plantations / Gardens / Cultivated / Pasture
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