Alluvial plant communities of Alluvial plant communities of

Piedmont brownwater riversPiedmont brownwater rivers

Elizabeth R. MatthewsElizabeth R. Matthews11

Robert K. PeetRobert K. Peet11

Alan S. WeakleyAlan S. Weakley11

Thomas R. WentworthThomas R. Wentworth22

University of North Carolina at Chapel HillUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill11

North Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State University22

Piedmont brownwater riversPiedmont brownwater rivers

Alluvial plant communities of Piedmont brownwater rivers

• Describe the vegetation composition and structure

• Inform management decisions and future restoration projects

Piedmont brownwater riversPiedmont brownwater rivers

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

Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest

Quercus species bottomland forest

Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest

Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest

Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest

Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest

Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest

Quercus species bottomland forest

Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest

Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest

Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipifera forest

•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 tulipifera small stream forest

Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipifera small 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 tulipifera small stream forest

Species Nativity Stratum Average cover Constancy

Liquidambar styraciflua N T 6 95Liriodendron tulipifera N T 5 80Vitis rotundifolia N T 3 80Carpinus caroliniana N T 6 65Acer rubrum N T 6 65Toxicodendron radicans N T 3 65Ulmus alata N T 4 60Cornus florida N T 5 55Parthenocissus quinquefolia N T 2 55Carya ovata N T 5 50Betula nigra N T 4 50Carya cordiformis N T 6 45Fagus grandifolia N T 5 45Fraxinus pennsylvanica N T 4 45Acer floridanum N T 7 40Ostrya virginiana N T 6 40Pinus taeda N T 6 40Ulmus rubra N T 5 40Nyssa sylvatica N T 4 40

Species Strata Cover ConstancyNativity

Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipifera small stream forest

Species Nativity Stratum Average cover Constancy

Microstegium vimineum E H 4 100Polystichum acrostichoides N H 3 100Lonicera japonica E H 3 100Euonymus americanus N H 2 100Vitis rotundifolia N H 2 100Parthenocissus quinquefolia N H 2 100Toxicodendron radicans N H 2 100Viola sp. N H 2 95Amphicarpaea bracteata N H 2 80Sanicula canadensis N H 2 80Rubus sp. N H 2 80Botrypus virginianus N H 2 80Polygonatum biflorum N H 2 80Smilax bona-nox N H 2 75Campsis radicans N H 2 75Oxalis sp. N H 2 75Carex blanda N H 2 70Bignonia capreolata N H 2 70Smilax rotundifolia N H 2 70Smilax glauca N H 2 70Carex radiata N H 2 65

Species Strata Cover ConstancyNativity

Plot 742

Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest

Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest

Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest

Quercus species bottomland forest

Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest

Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest

Ilex opaca- Quercus nigra small 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

Ilex opaca- Quercus nigra small stream forest

Ilex opaca-Querc nig

Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest

Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest

Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest

Quercus species bottomland forest

Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp 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

Quercus spp. bottomland forest

Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest

Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest

Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest

Quercus species bottomland forest

Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest

Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest

Acer rubrum-Fraxinus pennsylvanica bottomland 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

Acer rubrum-Fraxinus pennsylvanica bottomland swamp forest

Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest

Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest

Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest

Quercus species bottomland forest

Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest

Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest

Platanus occidentalis- Celtis laevigata- Fraxinus pennslyvanica levee 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

Platanus occidentalis- Celtis laevigata- Fraxinus pennslyvanica levee forest

Liquidambar-Liriodendron small stream forest

Ilex opaca-Quercus nigra forest

Platanus-Celtis-Fraxinus levee forest

Quercus species bottomland forest

Acer-Fraxinus bottomland swamp forest

Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest

Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest

• Dominance: Liquidambar styraciflua, Ulmus americana, Ulmus rubra, Platanus occidentalis, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Carpinus caroliniana, Arundinaria gigantea• Plots: 18 plots• Environment:

•Moderately fertile soils

Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinus levee forest

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