Department of Conservation and Recreation

THE NATURAL COMMUNITIES OF VIRGINIA
CLASSIFICATION OF ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY GROUPS

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Second Approximation (Version 2.5)
Information current as of February, 2012

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Fluvial Terrace Woodlands

This is a somewhat enigmatic group of communities occurring on flat, sandy terraces and islands along Coastal Plain rivers in eastern Virginia. These habitats are elevated well above the level of adjacent swamps and are characterized by xeric, sandy soils and open forest or woodland vegetation. Single occurrences have been documented along the Nottoway River (Sussex County), Chickahominy River (New Kent County), Dragon Swamp (Middlesex County), and Mattaponi River (Caroline County). At all four sites, hickories (Carya pallida and Carya alba) are the dominant trees, with drought-tolerant oaks (Quercus falcata, Quercus nigra, Quercus marilandica, Quercus alba) and pines (Pinus taeda, Pinus virginiana) present in smaller numbers. Shrubs occurring at all or most sites include sand post oak (Quercus margarettiae), sweetleaf (Symplocos tinctoria), American holly (Ilex opaca var. opaca), and eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana). Typical herbs include sedges (Carex albicans var. australis , Carex pensylvanica, and Carex tonsa), Canada frostweed (Helianthemum canadense), butterfly-pea (Clitoria mariana), late goldenrod (Solidago tarda), and prickly-pear (Opuntia humifusa var. humifusa). The Dragon Run site is anomalous in the presence (despite low soil pH and base status) of several calciphiles such as eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis var. canadensis), wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), smooth rock-cress (Arabis laevigata var. laevigata), robin's-plantain (Erigeron pulchellus var. pulchellus), and elm-leaved goldenrod (Solidago ulmifolia var. ulmifolia). A full understanding of the status and compositional relationships of this group will require additional inventory and assessment.

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Click on the images below to open a larger image in a separate window.

Eastern needlegrass (Piptochaetium avenaceum) and prickly-pear (Opuntia humifusa) in a Fluvial Terrace Woodland along the Chickahominy River in New Kent County (Game Farm Marsh Wildlife Management Area).Photo © Gary P. Fleming.

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REPRESENTATIVE COMMUNITY TYPES:
Plot data collected from three of the four known Virginia sites (map) represent a reasonably coherent group. The stands have loose affinities to the USNVC association listed below and defined from coastal Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. This vegetation will be a target for future field inventories since additional sites and data will be needed to produce a more robust classification and assessment of conservation status. Click on any highlighted CEGL code below to view the global USNVC description provided by NatureServe Explorer.

• Carya pallida / Quercus margarettiae / Opuntia humifusa - Carex umbellata Woodland
  Coastal Plain Xeric Fluvial Terrace Woodland
  USNVC: x CEGL006354
  Global/State Ranks: GNR/S1
  

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