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Pocahontas County, West Virginia
November, 1999
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Between Tea Creek and the Cranberry glades the Allegheny Plateau is so deeply dissected that what remains at high elevations is a pattern of flat-topped dendritic ridges. These ridges are largely formed of resistant sandstone of the Pennsylvania Kanawha Formation. The tops and upper slopes of these ridges, among which are Sugar Creek, Yew and Black Mountains, are, or once were, occupied by Red Spruce montane forest of boreal aspect. In one place there is a fir forest that, although in part a result of a plantation,also propagated itself naturally.
The Sugar Creek, Yew and Black Mountains are some of the loftiest parts of the Plateau, but are (unfortunately) easily accessible by State Route 150 which runs through the area from north to south. This road also skirts the eastern edge of one of the largest federally designated wildernesses in the East, the Cranberry Wilderness Of the Monongahela National Forest and is near the famous Cranberry Glades Botanical Area (see our section on the Cranberry Glades and Vicinity). Much of the forest discussed here falls in the Wilderness.
Transitional Forest
Source Walk: 8-5-95 warm, pleasant
Two areas were inventoried near the junction of the access trail from Route 150 and the North-South Trail just west of the 4215 ft (1285 meter) elevation bench mark. These areas are on the south slope of Sugar Creek Mountain. The forest in these areas are transitional from northern hardwood to spruce forest in space and probably also in time. They are depauperate northern hardwood but with a spruce element that points to eventual reversion to spruce forest similar to that which predated logging in the region.
The first site is on a flat south of the trail junction at about 4250 ft (1295 meters) elevation. The forest here is young, perhaps not much more than 50 years in age. The canopy consists of about 40% Red Spruce, 30% Yellow Birch with the rest Red Maple and Beech. Understory is Striped Maple (Acer pensylvanicum) and Mountain Holly (Ilex montana. ). Mountain Ash (Pyrus americana) occurs mostly as seedlings. There is also some Mountain Maple (Acer spicatum) and Southern Mountain Cranberry (Vaccinium erythrocarpum) . Ground cover is dominated by New York Fern (Thelypteris noveboracensis) . Other herbs are White Wood Sorrel (Oxalis montana) , Canada Mayflower ( Maianthemum canadense) , Partridge Berry (Mitchella repens) , Shining clubmoss (Lycopodium lucidulum ), Ground Pine (L. flabelliforme ), Cinnamon Fern (Osmunda cinnamomea) , Indian Cucumber-root (Medeola virginiana ) and the sedges Carex intumescens and C. radiata. There are small patches of Haircap (Polytrichum ) and Peat (Sphagnum ) Mosses, Leucobryum and Dicranum cushion mosses on down tree trunks. The leafy liverwort, Bazzania rilobata, occurs on old stumps. In open seepy areas there is manna grass (Glyceria melicaria), Northern Bugleweed (Lycopus uniflorus) and the orchid, Habenaria lacera as, as well as other herbs.
The second site is about 600 ft (200 meters) north of the first, along the North-South Trail on a southeast slope. Large beautiful Black Cherry, some of which are more than 18 inches (46 cm) dbh dominate the site. Yellow Birch, Red Maple and Beech are also common, and there is a little Sugar Maple. Red Spruce is a minor component, mostly in the understory with Striped Maple and Mountain Holly . In one place there is a small grove of equally small Cucumber Magnolia (Magnolia acuminata) , which, at an elevation of perhaps 4300 ft (1310 meters), is probably at its elevational limit. The dominant ground cover here is Intermediate Shield Fern (Dryopteris intermedia ), with smaller amounts of White Wood Sorrel, Canada Mayflower, Partridge Berry, Indian Cucumber-root, Shining Clubmoss and Carex debilis. Hermit Thrushes (Catharus guttatus) were heard to sing in this forest.
The dominantly deciduous forest of this slope yields gradually to spruce forest above 4400 ft (1340 meters). It is likely that slope and aspect play almost as important a role here as elevation. The greater abundance of spruce on the flat probably reflects not only cold air accumulation but also more acid and poorly drained soils, while the better-drained and relatively warm soils of the slope encourage deciduous species. However conditions on the slope are also likely to be temporary. Black Cherry is very intolerant of shade, and although it may have grasped a brief advantage over spruce following logging, it will probably be replaced by the latter over time, albeit at a slower rate than the deciduous species on the flat - and if climate change does not occur!
Spruce Forest, North-South Trail
Sugar Creek Mountain
Source Walks: 9-8-94 and 8-4-95
This is the forest, mostly above 4400 ft (1340 meters) elevation, that lies upslope from the transitional forest previously described. It lies along the North-South Trail on the way to the Big Beechy Trail.
Weather conditions were quite different on the two walks, it being dry and clear on 8-4-95 but raining lightly and moist on 9-8-94.
The forest canopy here is almost pure Red Spruce and the terrain rocky with outcrops and residual large blocks of sandstone, many with flat tops. The forest is young for the most part with few trees exceeding a foot (0.3 meter) in diameter. In the transition from northern hardwood Black Cherry vanishes but Yellow Birch and Red Maple persist as minor components of the canopy. As in the transitional forest, Striped Maple, Mountain Holly and Mountain Ash form an understory. However some Mountain Ash are tall enough to reach into the canopy and on 9-8-94 these had abundant berries. A feature of the Mountain Holly is a tendency to retain its leaves, which remain a sickly green into September. Perhaps significantly also, no Black Birch were sighted in the area, although it is possible that this species was missed or confused with the abundant Yellow Birch.
Shrubs are neither abundant nor diverse in this forest. The most abundant in terms of biomass is Great Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum) , which forms colonies both among the large rocks and on flats. The only other shrub of importance is Southern Mountain Cranberry, which is scattered throughout, and which on both visits bore its characteristic isolated and insipid red berries, even in quite deep shade. Only one plant of Hobblebush ( Viburnum alnifolium) was seen, but there are small patches of Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) in a few places and in openings, a little Thornless Blackberry (Rubus canadensis) .
Herbs are few but distinctive. Dominating all is an almost continuous blanket of the bright green Bazzania trilobata , which not only occupies the forest floor between the spruce, but climbs up the lower trunks. In places this blanket is interrupted by small patches of Cladina lichen and Sphagnum, Polytrichum and Leucobryum mosses, while the abundant down trees are host to the interesting and beautiful Mountain Fern Moss (Hylocumium splendens) as well as species of Dicranum. In one place on the 9-8-94 walk, a peculiar “shedding plant” was encountered. This plant, which turned hands and face green on contact, might be a moss, liverwort or a lichen. Since it was raining and turning dark, there was not time to study it closely. It is likely however that the shedding is a mechanism of propagation.
Emerging from the blanket of Bazzania and mosses are White Wood Sorrel, Canada Mayflower, Partridge Berry, Yellow Clintonia (Clintonia borealis) , Painted Trillium ( Trillium undulatum) , Indian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora) , the sedges Carex debilis and C. radiata , as well as scattered Moccasin Flower (Cypripedium acaule) . Although not abundant, Lycopods are represented by Shining Clubmoss and Tree Clubmoss (Lycopodium obscurum ). In some places Spinulose Shield Fern ( mostly Dryopteris intermedia ? )dominates, and in more open areas, Hay-scented Fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula) , while Cinnamon and Interrupted ( O.smunda claytoniana) Ferns occur in isolated patches. Fungi included species of Russula and Amanita flavoconia. Where there are rocks these are covered by mosses and Rock Fern ( Polypodium virginianum ) or on flat, elevated surfaces by Spinulose Shield Fern, the other herbs, and a proliferation of spruce seedlings and small saplings. These small spruce thrive wherever light is adequate, on rocks, and on broad flats between the larger spruce. A characteristic of a number of herbs, in particular Canada Mayflower, Clintonia and Trillium, is a marked stunting compared to their mode of growth in other forests. Another curiosity is the absence of Yew (Taxus canadensis), which is seen to grow on elevated rocks similar to those here at lower elevations because it is secure from deer browsing. However no evidence of Yew was seen in this spruce forest although it occurs in similar habitat with spruce in New England (Braun, 1950). It is likely that this shrub demands more nutrients than are avaiable in soils developed on the Kanawha sandstones however.
The August visit produced few observations of fauna in the spruce forest. While thrushes were seen and heard to call, positive identification of species could not be made. Unlike our experience among the hardwoods of the transitional forest, no songs of the Hermit Thrush were heard here. Instead the thrush observed, which were probably Hermit, behaved in a furtive and hurried manner as they flew between the dark trunks of the spruce. The only other animal seen was a large Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica) , which, as is frequent in Appalachian forests, was far from any open water.
The Red Spruce show evidence of being very shallow-rooted and when suffering windthrow usually fall in small groups. However the interlocking of roots in these dense stands probably provides some protection from this type of disturbance.
Along the trail, perhaps a mile or less from the trailhead, the spruce forest has been disturbed on a larger scale or has for some reason failed to regenerate. The result is a stand of northern hardwoods consisting almost entirely of Beech, Yellow Birch, Red and Striped Maple, a few shrubs, and small Spruce. Very likely this hardwood community is at the limit of its ecological if not elevational range on this ridge, and will eventually be replaced by spruce.
Spruce Forest, North-South Trail
Black Mountain
Source Walk: 8-26-92
The trailhead here is about 2 miles (3.2 km) south of the previously discussed site along Rt. 150. Access is to both the North-South and North Fork trails west of the 4556 ft (1389 meter) Bench Mark. The forest is very similar to that on Sugar Creek Mountain but is on more level and less rocky terrain. It is of similar age with an understory of Mountain Hollyand Mountain Ash and abundant Spruce seedlings and saplings. Here too Bazzania is the dominant ground cover with lesser amounts of mosses, and Southern Mountain Cranberry is common. There are patches of Great Rhododendron and surprisingly, this shrub was still in bloom in late August, raising the question whether the colonies at these high elevations might not have resulted from seeds carried from lower elevations by the wind, birds or other agencies. It seems unlikely that seeds could be produced by such late flowering here.
Species and mode of occurrence of flowering herbs, ferns and lycopods are also similar to those at the previously discussed site. One difference, perhaps an artifact of limited observation, is the presence here of Minnie-bush (Menziesia pilosa) in openings. Additional observations yielded evidence of feeding by some animal on spruce cones and the presence, perhaps related to this, of a large flock of Ruffed Grouse ( Bonasa umbellus) .
Spruce -Fir at Little Spruce Overlook
Source Walk: 8-5-95, Bright and Sunny with Temp. near 80°F
At an elevation of 4520 ft. (1380 meters) Route 150 bisects a stand of Spruce-Fir forest. , Although we were not able to confirm it, since no cones were accessible for our inspection, the species here is said to be Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri) and the result of a plantation ( personal communication B. R. McDonald and David Saville; also see Minckler, 1940 ). While the largest trees are likely part of the plantation, the many smaller ones, ranging from seedlings to small saplings, as well as their integration with other vegetation, clearly represent natural reproduction.
It is interesting to compare this community with two “southernmost” stations of Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) . The best known is the occurrence on Hawksbill Mtn. in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park, at approximately 38°33’ N. latitude. Somewhat less well known is that at Blister Run in the Monongahela National Forest 30 miles (50 km) NE of here and at about 38°36’N (see our section on Blister Run). The three communities differ considerably. On Hawksbill and nearby Stonyman Mtn. Fir occurs as understory in a forest of Northern Red, White and Chestnut Oaks while the Blister Run occurrence as a component of Spruce-Hemlock-Northern Hardwoods in a swampy riparian zone.
The Little Spruce Overlook site is a severe one by any standard. On the exposed Black Mountain Summit, thin sandy soil is all but missing among blocks of coarse white sandstone. Despite the exposed position, however the trees show little or no wind deformation. Fir occurs on both sides of the road over an area of perhaps ten acres (4 hectares). On the west side of the road there is a gentle slope to the northwest while on the east side it is steep toward the east.
In composition the forest at the summit is Spruce-Fir mixed with depauperate Hemlock-Northern Hardwood, consisting, in addition to Canada Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) of stunted Yellow Birch, Red Maple, Striped Maple, Mountain Ash and Mountain Holly. Among these, the taller spruce and Fir are conspicuous. Also present are yellowed and sickly-appearing Great Rhododendron, Minnie-bush, Southern Mountain Cranberry and a few Thornless Blackberry . Fir as well as other species show the most vigorous growth downslope on either side of the road but the Fir attains the greatest size — up to ten inches (0.3 meters) dbh or more— on the northwest slope, which is probably part of the original plantation .
Herbs are sparse in this forest but include Canada Mayflower, Mountain Oat Grass (Danthonia compressa) , Hay-scented, Spinulose Shield and Cinnamon Ferns, Shining and Tree Clubmosses, various mosses and Cladina lichens. Downslope herbs as well as woody vegetation become more lush and the same species as at the summit are present. There are however some additions, particularly on the steep eastern slope where a few Beech trees, Indian Cucumber-root and some stunted and battered looking Cucumber Magnolias were noted. This occurrence of the Magnolia at near 4300 ft (1310 meters), is likely at the extreme elevation limit for the species at this latitude and degree of continentality.
Despite the severe growing conditions and remoteness from its usual range, Fir seems to thrive at this site. This is indicated by the abundance of seedlings and saplings within the forest and especially along the road right-of-way and the abundant cones observed on the taller trees. From the appearance of these cones it is likely that the trees were ready to drop seeds at this time.
References
Braun, E. Lucy, 1950, Deciduous Forests of Eastern North America, Macmilan, New York
Minckler, L. S.,1940,Early planting experiments in the spruce-fir type of the southern Appalachians,Jour. Forestry, 38, 651-654.