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Alluvial plant communities of Piedmont brownwater rivers. Elizabeth R. Matthews 1 Robert K. Peet 1 Alan S. Weakley 1 Thomas R. Wentworth 2 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 1 North Carolina State University 2. Piedmont brownwater rivers.
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Alluvial plant communities of Piedmont brownwater rivers Elizabeth R. Matthews1 Robert K. Peet1 Alan S. Weakley1 Thomas R. Wentworth2 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill1North Carolina State University2
Alluvial plant communities of Piedmont brownwater rivers • Describe the vegetation composition and structure • Inform management decisions and future restoration projects
CVS protocol • 20m X 50m plots • Nested corners in 4 intensive modules • Cover by strata • Soil samples and geomorphic position
Analysis • Cluster techniques • Ordination • Indicator species analysis • Comparison of groups with current classifications • Classification of the Natural Communities of North Carolina, 3rd approximation, Schafale and Weakley • U.S. National Vegetation Classification
Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest Quercus species bottomland forest Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest
Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest Quercus species bottomland forest Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest
Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipiferaforest • Dominance: Liquidambar styraciflua, Liriodendron tulipifera, Acer rubrum, Acer floridanum, Polystichum acrostichoides • Plots: 20 • Environment: • Small floodplain with poorly developed geomorphology • Sandy soils • Most prominent in Cape Fear
Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipiferasmall stream forest
Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipiferasmall stream forest • Nearest community concepts • NVC: Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipifera/ Lindera benzoin/ Arisaema triphyllum Forest (CEGL 4418) • NVC: Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipifera/ Onoclea sensibilis Forest (CEGL 7329) • 3rd approximation: Piedmont alluvial forest
Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipiferasmall stream forest Species Nativity Strata Cover Constancy
Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipiferasmall stream forest Species Nativity Strata Cover Constancy
Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest Quercus species bottomland forest Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest
Ilex opaca- Quercusnigrasmall stream forest • Dominance: Ilex opaca*, Quercus nigra*, Liquidambar styraciflua, Acer rubrum, Carpinus caroliniana, Viburnum dentatum*, Chasmanthium latifolium • Plots: 14 • Environment: • Small floodplain • Sandy soils • Most extensive in Tar Basin
Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest Quercus species bottomland forest Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest
Quercus spp. bottomland forest • Dominance: Quercus phellos*, Quercus pagoda*, Quercus michauxii, Liquidambar styraciflua, Acer rubrum, Ilex decidua*, Carpinus caroliniana, Toxicodendron radicans* • Plots: 18 • Environment: • Large floodplain • Soils with high clay content
Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest Quercus species bottomland forest Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest
Acer rubrum-Fraxinuspennsylvanicabottomland swamp forest • Dominance: Acer rubrum*, Fraxinus pennsylvanica*, Liquidambar styraciflua, Ulmus americana*, Saururus cernuus*, Carex lupulina*, Carex typhina* • Plots: 19 • Environment: • Large floodplain • Backswamp or low landscape position • Soil: high clay content, high Fe and Al
Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest Quercus species bottomland forest Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest
Platanusoccidentalis- Celtislaevigata- Fraxinuspennslyvanicalevee forest • Dominance: Platanus occidentalis*, Celitis laevigata*, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Acer negundo*, Juglans nigra*, Chasmanthium latifolium* • Plots: 26 • Environment: • Fertile soils- high base saturation, high Ca and Mg content
Platanusoccidentalis- Celtislaevigata- Fraxinuspennslyvanicalevee forest
Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest Quercus species bottomland forest Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest
Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinuslevee forest • Dominance: Liquidambar styraciflua, Ulmus americana, Ulmus rubra, Platanus occidentalis, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Carpinus caroliniana, Arundinaria gigantea • Plots: 18 plots • Environment: • Moderately fertile soils
Future directions • Further refine classification and description • Expand dataset with more plots in the Yadkin-Peedee and Catawba river basins
Thank you • This project was made possible by a grant from the NC Environmental Enhancement Program • Forbes Boyle, Brenda Wichmann, Jessi Outzs, Jose Zúñiga, and the Plant Ecology Lab at UNC