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Dry-Mesic Oak-Hickory forest

Sites

Mid slopes, low ridges, upland flats, and other dry-mesic upland areas on acidic soils.

Soils

A variety of upland soils. Series include Appling, Cecil, Georgeville, Herndon, Lloyd, Tarrus, Vance, and Wedowee.

Hydrology

Terrestrial, dry-mesic.

Vegetation

Canopy

Forest dominated by mixtures of oaks and hickories, with Quercus alba (White Oak) most prevalent, along with Q. rubra (Red Oak), Q. velutina (Black Oak), Carya tomentosa (Mockernut Hickory), and C. glabra (Pignut Hickory). Varying amounts of Pinus spp. (Pine), Liriodendron tulipifera (Tulip-tree) and Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweet Gum) may be common.

Understory

Understory species include Acer rubrum (Eastern Red Maple), Cornus florida (Flowering Dogwood), Nyssa sylvatica (Black Gum) and Oxydendrum arboreum (Sourwood). Shrubs include Vaccinium pallidum (Hillside Blueberry), Euonymus americanus (Strawberry-bush), Vaccinium stamineum (Common Deerberry) and Viburnum spp. Vitis rotundifolia (Muscadine) and Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia-creeper) are often present.

Herb Layer

Herbs are fairly sparse, with Chimaphila maculata (Pipsissewa), Hylodesmum nudiflorum (Naked Tick-trefoil), Hexastylis spp., Goodyera pubescens (Downy Rattlesnake-orchid) and Hieracium venosum (Veiny Hawkweed) common.

Dynamics

Disturbed areas have increased amounts of pines and weedy hardwoods such as Acer rubrum (Eastern Red Maple) and Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweet Gum). Areas that were cultivated are generally dominated by even-aged pine stands. Logged areas may have a mixture of hardwoods and pines. Under natural conditions these forests are uneven-aged, with old trees present. Reproduction occurs primarily in canopy gaps. The natural fire regime of the Piedmont is not known, but fires certainly occurred periodically. Most of the component trees are able to tolerate light surface fires with little effect. Regular fire may have created a more open forest, with gaps persisting longer than at present and perhaps forming more frequently.

Associations

Occurs in the topographic moisture gradient, between Dry Oak-Hickory Forest and Mesic Mixed Hardwoods. May also grade into Acidic Cliff, Heath Bluff, Monadnock Forest, other upland communities or floodplain communities.

Comments

Dry-Mesic Oak-Hickory Forests were once one of the predominant community types in the Piedmont. Most of this area is now in agriculture or urban development or is occupied by successional pine stands after past agriculture. What was not cleared was subject to long-term cutting and to livestock foraging. This type is still relatively common compared to most natural community types, but examples of significant size and good quality are fairly rare.