Alluvial plant communities of Piedmont brownwater rivers

1. 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

2. Piedmont brownwater rivers

3. Alluvial plant communities of Piedmont brownwater rivers • Describe the vegetation composition and structure • Inform management decisions and future restoration projects

4. Piedmont brownwater rivers

5. CVS protocol • 20m X 50m plots • Nested corners in 4 intensive modules • Cover by strata • Soil samples and geomorphic position

6. 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

7. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipiferasmall stream forest

12. 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

13. Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipiferasmall stream forest Species Nativity Strata Cover Constancy

14. Liquidambar styraciflua-Liriodendron tulipiferasmall stream forest Species Nativity Strata Cover Constancy

15. Plot 742

17. 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

18. 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

19. Ilex opaca- Quercusnigrasmall stream forest

21. Ilex opaca-Querc nig

22. 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

23. 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

24. Quercus spp. bottomland forest

27. 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

28. 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

29. Acer rubrum-Fraxinuspennsylvanicabottomland swamp forest

32. 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

33. 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

34. Platanusoccidentalis- Celtislaevigata- Fraxinuspennslyvanicalevee forest

38. 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

39. 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

40. Liquidambar-Platanus/ Carpinuslevee forest

43. Future directions • Further refine classification and description • Expand dataset with more plots in the Yadkin-Peedee and Catawba river basins

44. 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