FOREST REGIONS

THE NINE BASIC FOREST REGIONS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES Biotic communities are shaped by the interaction of three factors:

physical environment (climate, soils, aspect) biotic interactions (competition, predation) disturbances (fire, windthrow) LUCY BRAUN

T HE F OREST R EGIONS OF THE E ASTERN D ECIDUOUS F ORESTS 1950 – Lucy Braun’s Forest Regions

http://cnre.vt.edu/forestupdate/presentations/master_naturalist/dyer_forest_types.pdf Canopy Subcanopy Shrub

-American beech -Dogwood -Spicebush Mixed -Tulip tree -Umbrella magnolia -Witch-hazel Mesophytic -Basswood -Striped maple -Paw-paw -Sugar maple -Redbud -Hydrangea Forest Region -American chestnut -Hop hornbeam -Alternate-leafed -Black cherry -Shadbush dogwood -Sweet buckeye -Hornbeam -Rosebay -Northern red oak -American holly rhododendron -White oak -Mapleleaf viburnum -Black oak -Red, Black maple -Hemlock -White ash -Black birch -Chestnut oak Canopy Subcanopy Shrub Oak – -American chestnut -Red maple -Mapleleaf viburnum -Chestnut oak -Black birch -Mountain laurel Chestnut -Red oak -Black gum -Blueberry -White oak -Dogwood -Asalea Forest Region -Black oak -Shadbush -Rhododendron -Scarlet oak -Hop hornbeam -Menziesia -White basswood -Sassafras -Spicebush -Shagbark hickory -Shadebush -Scrub oak -Pignut hickory -Witch-hazel -Tulip tree -Beech -Yellow buckeye Canopy Subcanopy Shrub

Hemlock- -Canadian hemlock -Jack pine -Canada yew White Pine – -White pine -Paper birch -Fly honeysuckle -Sugar maple -Gray birch -Red elderberry Northern -Beech -Pin cherry -Rosebay Hardwoods -Red maple -Striped maple rhododendron -Basswood -Quaking aspen -Hobble bush Forest Region -Red spruce -Mountain ash viburnum -Yellow birch -Shadbush -Mountain maple -Mountain holly Canopy Subcanopy Shrub

-White oak *Virginia pine -Mountain laurel -Black oak *Pitch pine -Blueberries Oak – Pine -Red oak *Table mountain -Huckleberries -Post oak pine -Viburnums Forest Region -White hickory -Pignut hickory -Sweet gum

* Mainly as successional trees Forest Types

18th and 19th centuries forests were cleared extensively for: -Agriculture -Timber production -Fuelwood -Urban expansion

According to 1930 US Census records, of land in farms in the eastern United States, less than 10% of total acreage was reported as nonpastured woodland (Geospatial and Statistical Data Center 2004) Now this area east of the 100th meridian is nearly 40 percent forest cover (USGS/USFS 2002).

However! Most of this forest land is successional, and quite distinct from old-growth forests. 2006 – James Dyer’s Forest Regions

http://cnre.vt.edu/forestupdate/presentations/master_naturalist/dyer_forest_types.pdf Mesophytic Forest Region

162 species, most diverse, not one dominate canopy species Oak-Hickory Forest Region

Crop productions Drier westernmost section: post oaks, black oaks, black hickory, white oak, mockernut hickory Southern Forest Regions

More loblolly pine Beech-Maple-Basswood Forest Regions Northern Hardwoods-Conifer Forest Regions

77 species, lowest Sugar maple,diversity red maple, American beech and white ash