Southern Mixed Hardwood Forest in the Virginia Coastal Plain

Abstract

The more mature portions of the College Woods at Williamsburg, Virginia, were analyzed and compared with the southern mixed hardwood forest (SMHF) described by Quarterman and Keever (1962). In order of decreasing importance values the dominants in the three layer were Quercus alba, Liriodendron tulipifera, Pinus taeda, Fagus grandifolia, Quercus falcata, and Acer rubrum. Cornus florida, Acer rubrum, and Ilex opaca were the most important understory tree species, with Myrica cerifera and Euonymus americana as the abundant shrub species. The forest exhibited a strong relationship to the SMHF. Ten of the SMHF group I overstory species were present, contributing 62% of the total tree layer importance value; those missing (Quercus laurifolia and Magnolia grandiflora) are very rare so far north. The sampled community differs from the SMHF in the high importance of Liriodendron and Acer rubrum. These species may generally be more important in the north—eastern portion of the SMHF.