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.
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.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | G-Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Red Wolf | Canis rufus | G1 |
| Least Weasel | Mustela nivalis | G5 |
| Southern Appalachian Woodrat | Neotoma floridana haematoreia | G5T4Q |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | G-Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Black-billed Cuckoo | Coccyzus erythropthalmus | G5 |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | G-Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Green Anole | Anolis carolinensis | G5 |
| Northern Scarletsnake | Cemophora coccinea copei | G5T5 |
| North American Racer | Coluber constrictor | G5 |
| Timber Rattlesnake | Crotalus horridus | G4 |
| Eastern Hog-nosed Snake | Heterodon platirhinos | G5 |
| Northern Coal Skink | Plestiodon anthracinus anthracinus | G5T5 |
| Southeastern Five-lined Skink | Plestiodon inexpectatus | G5 |
| Eastern Fence Lizard | Sceloporus undulatus | G5 |
| Southeastern Crowned Snake | Tantilla coronata | G5 |
| Mountain Earthsnake | Virginia valeriae pulchra | G5T3T4 |
| Eastern Smooth Earthsnake | Virginia valeriae valeriae | G5T5 |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | G-Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain Chorus Frog | Pseudacris brachyphona | G5 |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | G-Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Frosted Elfin | Callophrys irus | G3 |
| Chestnut Clearwing Moth | Synanthedon castaneae | G3G5 |
| Golden-banded Skipper | Telegonus cellus | G5 |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | G-Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Serrulate Melanoplus | Melanoplus serrulatus | G1G3 |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | G-Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Cougar | Puma concolor couguar | G5TXQ |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Cohosh | Actaea racemosa | G3G4 | -- |
| Frosted Elfin | Callophrys irus | G3 | -- |
| Red Wolf | Canis rufus | G1 | Endangered; Experimental population, non-essential |
| Fort Mountain Sedge | Carex communis var. amplisquama | G5T3Q | -- |
| Variable Sedge | Carex polymorpha | G3 | -- |
| American Chestnut | Castanea dentata | G3 | -- |
| Larkspur Tickseed | Coreopsis delphiniifolia | G3? | -- |
| Cream Tick-trefoil | Desmodium ochroleucum | G2G3 | -- |
| Mountain Witch-alder | Fothergilla major | G3 | -- |
| Box Huckleberry | Gaylussacia brachycera | G3 | -- |
| Serrulate Melanoplus | Melanoplus serrulatus | G1G3 | -- |
| Globe Bladderpod | Physaria globosa | G2 | Endangered |
| Eastern Cougar | Puma concolor couguar | G5TXQ | Delisted |
| Mountain Parsley | Taenidia montana | G3 | -- |
| Ashleaf Bush-pea | Thermopsis fraxinifolia | G3? | -- |
| Allegheny Mountain Golden-banner | Thermopsis mollis | G3G4 | -- |
| Mountain Earthsnake | Virginia valeriae pulchra | G5T3T4 | -- |
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 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pinus echinata - Quercus montana - Quercus (coccinea, velutina) Forest | G2 | NatureServe |
| Pinus rigida - Quercus coccinea / Vaccinium angustifolium Woodland | G4 | NatureServe |
| Pinus strobus - Quercus alba - (Carya tomentosa) / Gaylussacia ursina Forest | G3 | NatureServe |
| Pinus strobus - Quercus (coccinea, montana) / (Gaylussacia ursina, Vaccinium stamineum) Forest | G4 | NatureServe |
| Pinus virginiana - Pinus (rigida, echinata) - (Quercus montana) / Vaccinium pallidum Forest | G3 | NatureServe |
| Quercus alba - Carya tomentosa - (Quercus velutina) / Desmodium nudiflorum - (Carex picta) Forest | G4 | NatureServe |
| Quercus alba - Quercus (coccinea, velutina, montana) / Gaylussacia baccata Forest | G5 | NatureServe |
| Quercus alba - Quercus falcata / Vaccinium (arboreum, hirsutum, pallidum) Forest | G3 | NatureServe |
| Quercus alba - (Quercus montana) / (Hydrangea quercifolia) - Viburnum acerifolium / Carex picta Forest | G3 | NatureServe |
| Quercus alba - Quercus rubra - Carya ovata / Cercis canadensis - Juniperus virginiana Forest | G4 | NatureServe |
| Quercus alba - Quercus stellata / Ostrya virginiana - Acer floridanum / Chasmanthium sessiliflorum Forest | G3 | NatureServe |
| Quercus alba - Quercus velutina - Carya (ovata, tomentosa) - Pinus sp. Forest | G4 | NatureServe |
| Quercus falcata - Quercus (coccinea, stellata) / Vaccinium (pallidum, stamineum) Forest | G4 | NatureServe |
| Quercus montana - Carya spp. - Quercus velutina / Vaccinium arboreum / Iris verna var. smalliana Forest | G3 | NatureServe |
| Quercus montana - Carya (tomentosa, glabra, ovata) / Juniperus virginiana Forest | G2 | NatureServe |
| Quercus montana - Quercus (alba, coccinea) / Viburnum acerifolium - (Kalmia latifolia) Forest | G4 | NatureServe |
| Quercus montana - (Quercus coccinea) / Carya pallida / Vaccinium arboreum - Vaccinium pallidum Forest | G4 | NatureServe |
| Quercus montana - Quercus rubra - Carya (ovata, glabra) - Pinus virginiana Forest | G4 | NatureServe |
| Quercus montana - Quercus spp. / Vaccinium arboreum - (Kalmia latifolia, Styrax grandifolius) Forest | G4 | NatureServe |
| Quercus stellata - Pinus virginiana / (Schizachyrium scoparium, Piptochaetium avenaceum) Woodland | G2 | NatureServe |
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 |
| GA | SNR |
| KY | SNR |
| OH | SNR |
| TN | SNR |
| VA | SNR |
| WV | SNR |
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.
| Area | Forest | Coverage | Hectares |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakey Mountain | Talladega National Forest | 21.6% | 535.59 |
| Area | Forest | Coverage | Hectares |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolfpen | Daniel Boone National Forest | 33.2% | 381.06 |
| Area | Forest | Coverage | Hectares |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Fork Pound | Jefferson National Forest | 38.0% | 731.79 |
| Area | Forest | Coverage | Hectares |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spice Run | Monongahela National Forest | 2.2% | 55.8 |
| Mcgowan Mountain | Monongahela National Forest | 0.9% | 38.25 |
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.