Low-Moderate

Oak and oak-pine forests are found in dry to mesic conditions across a variety of sites, from low to high elevations. This type occurs as a large matrix and patches and dominates the central Mid-Atlantic region. Fire history largely determines community composition at individual occurrences. Dominant species in these forests include drought-tolerant oaks, especially northern red, white, black, chestnut, or scarlet oak. Soils are often acidic, and range from dry, and nutrient-poor to relatively basic and moist.

Situated on the Atlantic coastal plain, this is a dry, fire-adapted forest with a variable canopy of pitch pine and scrub oak. Other oaks are sometimes present, including scarlet, blackjack, chestnut, black, white oak, and post oak. Composition and structure vary with fire frequency. In general, pines are more prevalent in stands with a fire-return interval of less than 10 years, while oaks are more prevalent in stands with a longer fire-return interval. Scrub oak stands may occur without pine cover, particularly in low-lying areas.

Situated on the Atlantic coastal plain, this type is limited to well-drained soils on flat to rolling hills and dunes. Relatively high rates of fine litter production and accumulation coupled with dry conditions foster periodic fire, which promotes several oak species, including white, southern red, chestnut, black, Shumard oak and scarlet oak. Numerous hardwood species may be present as co-dominants in mesic and early successional sites, including red maple, sassafras, gray birch, bigtooth and quaking aspen, and hazelnut.

Situated on the Atlantic coastal plain in depressions, basins, along streams and rivers, and in low-lying areas. Includes a range of forested wetlands heavily influenced by local fresh-water hydrology, with plant communities that reflect the occurrence of seasonal or persistent flooding. Common species include red maple, sweetgum, blackgum, willow oak, and green ash; loblolly pine may occur in locations south of the Delaware Bay. Atlantic white-cedar is often dominant in peat-accumulating basins that are hydrologically isolated from rivers and streams.

Northern hardwood forests are widely distributed over a variety of sites with dry-mesic to wet-mesic conditions and nutrient-poor to rich soils. This forest type is generally found at low to moderate elevations. Species that are commonly dominant include sugar maple, yellow birch, American beech, eastern hemlock, and red spruce.

Stands are dominated by eastern white pine. Some stands may include a component of eastern hemlock or northern red oak and white ash.

Stands are dominated by one or more oak species. Aspen, eastern white pine, and other species may be co-dominant in some stands.

This forest ecosystem includes two matrix-forming oak-dominated systems that are only weakly differentiated and occupies more area than any other in the Central Appalachians. Common species include white oak, black oak, northern red oak, scarlet oak, red maple, pignut hickory, mockernut hickory, shagbark hickory, sugar maple, chestnut oak, sweet birch, American beech, black gum, tulip tree, and white ash.

Glades are typically located on hilltops on rocky, extremely well-drained soils. They experience frequent low-intensity fires. Some scattered post oak and eastern redcedar are present, but they are dominated by herbaceous vegetation.

Flatwoods have a claypan or fragipan layer, leading to a perched water table. Soils are wet in the winter and spring and dry in summer. They experience frequent moderate-low intensity fires. Pin, post, blackjack oak; shagbark, mockernut hickory; shortleaf pine, and blackgum.