Home/Ecosystems/ Northern Gulf Coast Dry Upland Hardwood Forest

Northern Gulf Coast Dry Upland Hardwood Forest

EVT 7307East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest

CES203.483GNRTreeHardwood

Summary

This system represents dry, upland, predominantly hardwood forests of limited portions of the East Gulf Coastal Plain of western Kentucky and Tennessee, northern Mississippi and Alabama. The core range of this type lies within the Northern Hilly Coastal Plain (EPA Level IV Ecoregion 65e), which includes the Northern Pontotoc Ridge (222Cf), Upper Loam Hills (222Cg), and Northern Loessal Hills (222Ce) Ecomap subsections. These areas occupy the eastern margin of the Upper East Gulf Coastal Plain where elevation is greatest and influence of loess is less than adjacent areas to the west. The vegetation has been broadly considered distinct from other coastal plain forests but has received almost no specific study. Although vastly forested when compared to the loess plains to the west, most of the vegetation is recovering from one or more forms of severe disturbance. Quercus alba dominates the upland forests which have been studied in a limited portion of this area, but communities have not been described to the same detail as in other ecological systems.

Source: NatureServe Explorer

Vegetation

Stands may contain Aesculus pavia, Carya tomentosa (= Carya alba), Carya glabra, Carya pallida, Carya spp., Celtis laevigata, Iris verna var. smalliana, Kalmia latifolia, Liquidambar styraciflua, Liriodendron tulipifera, Ostrya virginiana, Oxydendrum arboreum, Quercus alba, Quercus falcata, Quercus marilandica, Quercus muehlenbergii, Quercus pagoda, Quercus stellata, Quercus velutina, Styrax grandifolius, Vaccinium arboreum, Vaccinium spp., and Vaccinium stamineum.

Source: NatureServe Explorer

Environment

The most northern examples (e.g., western Tennessee and Kentucky) occur along the eastern margin of the East Gulf Coastal Plain where elevation is greatest and influence of loess is minimal, and where they occur as predominantly slope forests in relatively deep, dissected stream valleys. The vegetation in this region has been broadly considered distinct from other coastal plain forests (Bryant et al. 1993, Fralish and Franklin 2002) but has received almost no specific study (Franklin and Kupfer 2004). Although vastly forested when compared to the loess plains to the west (USGS 1992), most of the vegetation is recovering from one or more forms of severe disturbance (Franklin and Kupfer 2004). Quercus alba dominates the upland forests which have been studied in a limited portion of this area (Franklin and Kupfer 2004), but communities have not been described to the same detail as in other ecological systems.

Source: NatureServe Explorer

Dynamics

Fire suppression and the resulting greater understory density and resulting cooler conditions on the forest floor affect this system.

Source: NatureServe Explorer

Distribution

This system is found in the Coastal Plain of western Kentucky and Tennessee, ranging south to northern Mississippi and Alabama.

Source: NatureServe Explorer

Ecologically Associated Plant Species

Plant species that characterize this ecosystem type, organized by vegetation stratum. These are species ecologically associated with the ecosystem, not confirmed present in any specific area.

Tree canopy

Carya glabra, Carya pallida, Carya tomentosa, Celtis laevigata, Liquidambar styraciflua, Liriodendron tulipifera, Ostrya virginiana, Oxydendrum arboreum, Quercus alba, Quercus arkansana, Quercus falcata, Quercus marilandica, Quercus muehlenbergii, Quercus pagoda, Quercus stellata, Quercus velutina

Shrub/sapling (tall & short)

Aesculus pavia, Kalmia latifolia, Rhododendron austrinum, Styrax grandifolius, Vaccinium arboreum, Vaccinium stamineum

Herb (field)

Iris verna var. smalliana

Source: NatureServe Ecological System assessment

Ecologically Associated Animals (8)

Animal species ecologically associated with this ecosystem type based on NatureServe assessment. These are species whose habitat requirements overlap with this ecosystem, not confirmed present in any specific roadless area.

Mammals (4)

Common Name	Scientific Name	G-Rank
Southern Short-tailed Shrew	Blarina carolinensis	G5
Southern Flying Squirrel	Glaucomys volans	G5
White-footed Deermouse	Peromyscus leucopus	G5
Eastern Gray Squirrel	Sciurus carolinensis	G5

Reptiles (3)

Common Name	Scientific Name	G-Rank
Eastern Copperhead	Agkistrodon contortrix	G5
North American Racer	Coluber constrictor	G5
Eastern Milksnake	Lampropeltis triangulum	G5

Other (1)

Common Name	Scientific Name	G-Rank
Western Ratsnake	Pantherophis obsoletus	G5

Source: NatureServe Ecological System assessment

At-Risk Species Associated with this Ecosystem (2)

Species with conservation concern that are ecologically associated with this ecosystem type. G-Rank indicates global conservation status: G1 (critically imperiled) through G5 (secure). ESA status indicates U.S. Endangered Species Act listing.

Common Name	Scientific Name	G-Rank	ESA Status
Arkansas Oak	Quercus arkansana	G3	--
Orange Azalea	Rhododendron austrinum	G3	--

Source: NatureServe Ecological System assessment

Component Associations (9)

Plant community associations that occur within this ecological system. Associations are the finest level of the U.S. National Vegetation Classification (USNVC) and describe specific, repeating assemblages of plant species. Each association represents a distinct community type that may be found where this ecosystem occurs.

Name	G-Rank
Quercus alba - Carya glabra - Carya tomentosa / Aesculus pavia Forest	G4	NatureServe
Quercus alba - Carya glabra / Mixed Herbs Coastal Plain Forest	G4	NatureServe
Quercus falcata - Quercus stellata - Carya tomentosa / Vaccinium spp. Coastal Plain Forest	G4	NatureServe
Quercus montana - Carya spp. - Quercus velutina / Vaccinium arboreum / Iris verna var. smalliana Forest	G3	NatureServe
Quercus montana - Quercus spp. / Vaccinium arboreum - (Kalmia latifolia, Styrax grandifolius) Forest	G4	NatureServe
Quercus muehlenbergii - Carya spp. / Ostrya virginiana Upper East Gulf Coastal Plain Forest	G3	NatureServe
Quercus pagoda - (Quercus falcata) / Ostrya virginiana Forest	G3	NatureServe
Quercus stellata - Quercus marilandica - Carya (tomentosa, pallida) Upper East Gulf Coastal Plain Woodland	G2	NatureServe
Quercus velutina - Carya pallida - Tilia americana var. heterophylla / Celtis laevigata / Aesculus pavia Forest	G3	NatureServe

State Conservation Ranks (4)

Subnational conservation status ranks (S-ranks) assigned by Natural Heritage Programs in each state where this ecosystem occurs. S1 indicates critically imperiled at the state level, S2 imperiled, S3 vulnerable, S4 apparently secure, and S5 secure. An ecosystem may be globally secure but imperiled in specific states at the edge of its range.

State	S-Rank
AL	SNR
KY	SNR
MS	SNR
TN	SNR

Roadless Areas (1)

Inventoried Roadless Areas where this ecosystem is present, identified from LANDFIRE 2024 Existing Vegetation Type spatial analysis. Coverage indicates the proportion of each area occupied by this ecosystem type.

Alabama (1)

Area	Forest	Coverage	Hectares
Reed Brake	Talladega National Forest	3.4%	8.64

Methodology and Data Sources

Ecosystem classification: Ecosystems are classified using the LANDFIRE 2024 Existing Vegetation Type (EVT) layer, mapped to NatureServe Terrestrial Ecological Systems via a curated crosswalk. Each EVT is linked to the USNVC (U.S. National Vegetation Classification) hierarchy through pixel-level co-occurrence analysis of LANDFIRE EVT and NatureServe IVC Group rasters across all roadless areas.

Vegetation coverage: Coverage percentages and hectares are derived from zonal statistics of the LANDFIRE 2024 EVT raster intersected with roadless area boundaries.

Ecosystem narratives and community species: Sourced from the NatureServe Explorer API, representing professional ecological assessments of vegetation composition, environmental setting, dynamics, threats, and characteristic species assemblages.

IVC hierarchy: The International Vegetation Classification hierarchy is sourced from the USNVC v3.0 Catalog, providing the full classification from Biome through Association levels.

Component associations: Plant community associations listed as components of each NatureServe Ecological System. Association data from the NatureServe Explorer API.

State ranks: Conservation status ranks assigned by NatureServe member programs in each state where the ecosystem occurs.