Home/Ecosystems/ Southern Interior Mixed Hardwood Forest

Southern Interior Mixed Hardwood Forest

EVT 7321South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest

CES202.887GNRTreeHardwood

Summary

These high-diversity, predominately deciduous forests occur on deep and enriched soils (in some cases due to, or enhanced by, the presence of limestone or related base-rich geology), in non-montane settings and usually in somewhat protected landscape positions such as coves or lower slopes. The core distribution of this system lies in the Cumberland and Allegheny plateaus, extending into the adjacent southern Ridge and Valley and portions of the Interior Low Plateau where it is located entirely south of the glacial boundary. Dominant species include Acer saccharum, Fagus grandifolia, Liriodendron tulipifera, Tilia americana, Quercus rubra, Magnolia acuminata, and Juglans nigra. The abundance of Tsuga canadensis, which may be a component of some stands, is being rapidly reduced by the hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae). The canopy trees may grow very large in undisturbed areas. The herb layer is very rich, often with abundant spring ephemerals. Many examples may be bisected by small streams.

Source: NatureServe Explorer

Vegetation

Dominant tree species include Acer saccharum, Fagus grandifolia, Liriodendron tulipifera, Tilia americana, Quercus rubra, Magnolia acuminata, and Juglans nigra. Tsuga canadensis may be a component of some stands. Shrubs include Calycanthus floridus, Hydrangea quercifolia, Lindera benzoin, Staphylea trifolia, and others. The herb layer is very rich, often with abundant spring ephemerals. Some typical species include Actaea racemosa, Athyrium filix-femina ssp. asplenioides, Caulophyllum thalictroides, Collinsonia verticillata, Galium circaezans, Hydrastis canadensis, Panax quinquefolius, Podophyllum peltatum, Polystichum acrostichoides, Sanguinaria canadensis, Stylophorum diphyllum, and many others.

Source: NatureServe Explorer

Environment

These high-diversity deciduous forests occur on deep and enriched soils, usually in somewhat protected landscape positions such as coves or lower slopes.

Source: NatureServe Explorer

Distribution

This system occurs in southeastern Ohio east to Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama, with disjunct occurrences in unglaciated southwestern Pennsylvania and southwestern New York. This range is more-or-less consistent with the "Mixed Mesophytic" and "Western Mesophytic" (non-coastal plain portion only) forest regions of Braun (1950) and Greller (1988), although it does extend into unglaciated portions of the "Beech-Maple" region to the north. Thus, this system is most extensive in the Cumberland and Allegheny plateaus, as well as the unglaciated Interior Low Plateau, and becomes relatively limited in extent towards its western limit in the Ozark Hills of Illinois, and towards its northern limit in southwestern New York.. It is replaced in the Upper East Gulf Coastal Plain by other systems. Its range also includes the southern Ridge and Valley from Tennessee (and adjacent southwestern Virginia) to Alabama. Parts of the Cumberland Mountains (EPA 69 in Kentucky and Tennessee) are instead occupied by Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest (CES202.373). North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest (CES202.693) replaces this one in EPA 72b of Indiana.

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

Acer leucoderme, Acer pensylvanicum, Acer saccharum, Acer spicatum, Fagus grandifolia, Juglans cinerea, Juglans nigra, Liriodendron tulipifera, Magnolia acuminata, Magnolia macrophylla, Quercus rubra, Thuja occidentalis, Tilia americana, Tsuga canadensis

Shrub/sapling (tall & short)

Aesculus parviflora, Calycanthus floridus var. glaucus, Cornus rugosa, Diervilla rivularis, Dirca palustris, Pyrularia pubera

Short shrub/sapling

Euonymus atropurpureus

Herb (field)

Aconitum reclinatum, Aconitum uncinatum, Actaea racemosa, Actaea rubifolia, Adlumia fungosa, Allium tricoccum var. burdickii, Anemonastrum canadense, Aplectrum hyemale, Arabis patens, Aralia racemosa, Arnoglossum reniforme, Asplenium rhizophyllum, Botrychium lanceolatum var. angustisegmentum, Botrychium matricariifolium, Botrychium oneidense, Calystegia catesbeiana, Camassia scilloides, Campanulastrum americanum, Cardamine clematitis, Cardamine flagellifera, Cardamine rotundifolia, Carex aestivalis, Carex careyana, Carex cherokeensis, Carex fraseriana, Carex hitchcockiana, Carex leptonervia, Carex manhartii, Carex pedunculata, Carex plantaginea, Carex platyphylla, Carex purpurifera, Carex radfordii, Carex roanensis, Carex woodii, Caulophyllum giganteum, Caulophyllum thalictroides, Chelone lyonii, Circaea alpina ssp. alpina, Circaea lutetiana ssp. canadensis, Clematis addisonii, Clematis ochroleuca, Coeloglossum viride, Collinsia verna, Collinsonia verticillata, Cypripedium parviflorum var. parviflorum, Cystopteris protrusa, Diarrhena americana, Dicentra canadensis, Dicentra cucullaria, Diphylleia cymosa, Dryopteris goldieana, Dryopteris intermedia, Euphorbia mercurialina, Euphorbia purpurea, Frasera caroliniensis, Hexastylis shuttleworthii var. shuttleworthii, Homalosorus pycnocarpos, Hydrastis canadensis, Hydrophyllum macrophyllum, Hydrophyllum virginianum, Isotrema macrophyllum, Jeffersonia diphylla, Maianthemum canadense, Matelea carolinensis, Meehania cordata, Melanthium parviflorum, Melanthium woodii, Melica nitens, Menispermum canadense, Mitella diphylla, Osmorhiza claytonii, Pachysandra procumbens, Panax quinquefolius, Panax trifolius, Phacelia bipinnatifida, Phacelia dubia var. dubia, Phacelia fimbriata, Piptatherum racemosum, Platanthera grandiflora, Platanthera orbiculata, Platanthera psycodes, Polymnia laevigata, Prenanthes crepidinea, Primula meadia ssp. 2, Prosartes maculata, Ranunculus allegheniensis, Sanicula trifoliata, Scutellaria pseudoserrata, Scutellaria saxatilis, Silene ovata, Smilax biltmoreana, Smilax hugeri, Stachys latidens, Stylophorum diphyllum, Symphyotrichum oblongifolium, Synandra hispidula, Thalictrum coriaceum, Thaspium pinnatifidum, Tiarella cordifolia var. cordifolia, Trientalis borealis, Trillium decumbens, Trillium discolor, Trillium flexipes, Trillium grandiflorum, Trillium lancifolium, Trillium luteum, Trillium recurvatum, Trillium rugelii, Trillium simile, Triosteum aurantiacum, Triphora trianthophora, Viola appalachiensis, Viola pubescens var. scabriuscula, Viola tripartita

Nonvascular

Brachythecium rotaeanum, Bryoerythrophyllum ferruginascens, Cirriphyllum piliferum, Donrichardsia pringlei, Drepanolejeunea appalachiana, Encalypta procera, Entodon challengeri, Entodon concinnus, Entodon sullivantii, Hygrohypnum closteri, Lejeunea blomquistii, Lophocolea appalachiana, Marsupella emarginata, Megaceros aenigmaticus, Metzgeria consanguinea, Metzgeria uncigera, Plagiochila austinii, Plagiochila caduciloba, Plagiochila retrorsa, Plagiochila virginica var. virginica, Plagiomnium carolinianum, Riccardia jugata, Sciuro-hypnum populeum

Source: NatureServe Ecological System assessment

Ecologically Associated Animals (55)

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 (6)

Common Name	Scientific Name	G-Rank
Red Wolf	Canis rufus	G1
Southern Rock Vole	Microtus chrotorrhinus carolinensis	G5T3
Woodland Vole	Microtus pinetorum	G5
Hairy-tailed Mole	Parascalops breweri	G5
White-footed Deermouse	Peromyscus leucopus	G5
Southern Bog Lemming	Synaptomys cooperi	G5

Birds (7)

Common Name	Scientific Name	G-Rank
Canada Warbler	Cardellina canadensis	G5
Eastern Wood-Pewee	Contopus virens	G5
Kentucky Warbler	Geothlypis formosa	G5
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Pheucticus ludovicianus	G5
Cerulean Warbler	Setophaga cerulea	G4
Hooded Warbler	Setophaga citrina	G5
Yellow-throated Vireo	Vireo flavifrons	G5

Reptiles (6)

Common Name	Scientific Name	G-Rank
Green Anole	Anolis carolinensis	G5
Ring-necked Snake	Diadophis punctatus	G5
Northern Coal Skink	Plestiodon anthracinus anthracinus	G5T5
Red-bellied Snake	Storeria occipitomaculata	G5
Mountain Earthsnake	Virginia valeriae pulchra	G5T3T4
Eastern Smooth Earthsnake	Virginia valeriae valeriae	G5T5

Amphibians (18)

Common Name	Scientific Name	G-Rank
Mole Salamander	Ambystoma talpoideum	G4G5
Green Salamander	Aneides aeneus	G3G4
Seepage Salamander	Desmognathus aeneus	G4
Carolina Mountain Dusky Salamander	Desmognathus carolinensis	G4
Imitator Salamander	Desmognathus imitator	G3G4
Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander	Desmognathus ochrophaeus	G5
Santeetlah Dusky Salamander	Desmognathus santeetlah	G3G4Q
Pygmy Salamander	Desmognathus wrighti	G3
Longtail Salamander	Eurycea longicauda	G5
Tellico Salamander	Plethodon aureolus	G2G3
Peaks of Otter Salamander	Plethodon hubrichti	G2G3
Cow Knob Salamander	Plethodon punctatus	G3
Southern Appalachian Salamander	Plethodon teyahalee	G4
Southern Zigzag Salamander	Plethodon ventralis	G4
Wehrle's Salamander	Plethodon wehrlei	G4
Weller's Salamander	Plethodon welleri	G3
Yonahlossee Salamander	Plethodon yonahlossee	G4
Mountain Chorus Frog	Pseudacris brachyphona	G5

Butterflies & Moths (5)

Common Name	Scientific Name	G-Rank
Diana Fritillary	Argynnis diana	G2G3
Dusky Azure	Celastrina nigra	GU
West Virginia White	Pieris virginiensis	G4
Chestnut Clearwing Moth	Synanthedon castaneae	G3G5
Golden-banded Skipper	Telegonus cellus	G5

Insects (5)

Common Name	Scientific Name	G-Rank
a spur-throat grasshopper	Melanoplus acrophilus acrophilus	G2G3T2T3
Cherokee Melanoplus	Melanoplus cherokee	G1G3
Divergent Melanoplus	Melanoplus divergens	G2G3
Serrulate Melanoplus	Melanoplus serrulatus	G1G3
Bright Ground Beetle	Trechus luculentus luculentus	GNRTNR

Molluscs (2)

Common Name	Scientific Name	G-Rank
Wrinkled Button	Mesomphix rugeli	G4
Glassy Grapeskin	Vitrinizonites latissimus	G4

Arachnids (1)

Common Name	Scientific Name	G-Rank
a cave cobweb spider	Nesticus sheari	G2?

Other Invertebrates (1)

Common Name	Scientific Name	G-Rank
American Box Turtle	Terrapene carolina	G5

Other (4)

Common Name	Scientific Name	G-Rank
Northern Zigzag Salamander	Plethodon dorsalis	G5
Hebard's Noctuid Moth	Psectrotarsia hebardi	GU
Eastern Cougar	Puma concolor couguar	G5TXQ
Southern Water Shrew	Sorex palustris punctulatus	G5T3

Source: NatureServe Ecological System assessment

At-Risk Species Associated with this Ecosystem (57)

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
White Monkshood	Aconitum reclinatum	G3G4	--
Black Cohosh	Actaea racemosa	G3G4	--
Appalachian Bugbane	Actaea rubifolia	G3	--
Small-flowered Buckeye	Aesculus parviflora	G3	--
Green Salamander	Aneides aeneus	G3G4	--
Spreading Rockcress	Arabis patens	G3	--
Diana Fritillary	Argynnis diana	G2G3	--
Rufous Beard Moss	Bryoerythrophyllum ferruginascens	G3G4	--
Red Wolf	Canis rufus	G1	Endangered; Experimental population, non-essential
Small Mountain Bittercress	Cardamine clematitis	G3	--
Blue Ridge Bittercress	Cardamine flagellifera	G3	--
Manhart's Sedge	Carex manhartii	G3G4	--
Radford's Sedge	Carex radfordii	G3	--
Roan Mountain Sedge	Carex roanensis	G3	--
Addison's Leatherflower	Clematis addisonii	G1G2	--
Whorled Horsebalm	Collinsonia verticillata	G3G4	--
Imitator Salamander	Desmognathus imitator	G3G4	--
Santeetlah Dusky Salamander	Desmognathus santeetlah	G3G4Q	--
Pygmy Salamander	Desmognathus wrighti	G3	--
Mountain Bush-honeysuckle	Diervilla rivularis	G3	--
Appalachian Threadwort	Drepanolejeunea appalachiana	G3	--
Sullivant's Silk Moss	Entodon sullivantii	G3G4	--
Glade Spurge	Euphorbia purpurea	G3	--
Goldenseal	Hydrastis canadensis	G3G4	--
Closter's Brook Moss	Hygrohypnum closteri	G3	--
Butternut	Juglans cinerea	G3	--
Blomquist Leafy Liverwort	Lejeunea blomquistii	G3	--
Appalachian Crestwort	Lophocolea appalachiana	G2	--
Headwaters Hornwort	Megaceros aenigmaticus	G3	--
a spur-throat grasshopper	Melanoplus acrophilus acrophilus	G2G3T2T3	--
Cherokee Melanoplus	Melanoplus cherokee	G1G3	--
Divergent Melanoplus	Melanoplus divergens	G2G3	--
Serrulate Melanoplus	Melanoplus serrulatus	G1G3	--
a liverwort	Metzgeria uncigera	G3	--
Southern Rock Vole	Microtus chrotorrhinus carolinensis	G5T3	--
a cave cobweb spider	Nesticus sheari	G2?	--
American Ginseng	Panax quinquefolius	G3G4	--
a liverwort	Plagiochila austinii	G3	--
Gorge Leafy Liverwort	Plagiochila caduciloba	G3	--
a liverwort	Plagiochila virginica var. virginica	G4T3	--
Mountain Wavy-leaf Moss	Plagiomnium carolinianum	G3	--
Tellico Salamander	Plethodon aureolus	G2G3	--
Peaks of Otter Salamander	Plethodon hubrichti	G2G3	--
Cow Knob Salamander	Plethodon punctatus	G3	--
Weller's Salamander	Plethodon welleri	G3	--
Tennessee Leafcup	Polymnia laevigata	G3	--
Eastern Cougar	Puma concolor couguar	G5TXQ	Delisted
a liverwort	Riccardia jugata	G2	--
Falseteeth Skullcap	Scutellaria pseudoserrata	G3	--
Rock Skullcap	Scutellaria saxatilis	G3G4	--
Ovate Catchfly	Silene ovata	G3	--
Southern Water Shrew	Sorex palustris punctulatus	G5T3	--
Cutleaf Meadow-parsnip	Thaspium pinnatifidum	G2G3	--
Faded Trillium	Trillium discolor	G3	--
Lanceleaf Wakerobin	Trillium lancifolium	G3	--
Jeweled Wakerobin	Trillium simile	G3	--
Mountain Earthsnake	Virginia valeriae pulchra	G5T3T4	--

Source: NatureServe Ecological System assessment

Component Associations (18)

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
Acer saccharum - Carya ovata - Juglans nigra / Symphoricarpos orbiculatus / Galium circaezans Forest	G3	NatureServe
Acer saccharum - Fraxinus americana - Tilia americana - Liriodendron tulipifera / Actaea racemosa Forest	G4	NatureServe
Acer saccharum - Liriodendron tulipifera - Fraxinus americana / Staphylea trifolia Forest	G4	NatureServe
Fagus grandifolia - Acer saccharum - Liriodendron tulipifera Unglaciated Forest	G4	NatureServe
Fagus grandifolia - Liriodendron tulipifera / Euonymus americanus / Athyrium filix-femina ssp. asplenioides Forest	G4	NatureServe
Fagus grandifolia - Quercus alba / Cornus florida Forest	G4	NatureServe
Fagus grandifolia Ridge & Valley Forest	G3	NatureServe
Juglans nigra / Verbesina alternifolia Ruderal Forest	GNA	NatureServe
Liriodendron tulipifera / (Cercis canadensis) / (Lindera benzoin) Ruderal Forest	GNA	NatureServe
Liriodendron tulipifera - Tilia americana var. heterophylla - Aesculus flava - Acer saccharum / (Magnolia tripetala) Forest	G4	NatureServe
Quercus alba - Fagus grandifolia / Hydrangea quercifolia - Viburnum acerifolium / Carex picta Forest	G3	NatureServe
Quercus alba - Fagus grandifolia Western Allegheny Forest	GNR	NatureServe
Quercus alba - (Liriodendron tulipifera, Liquidambar styraciflua) / Calycanthus floridus / Athyrium filix-femina Forest	G3	NatureServe
Quercus alba - Quercus rubra - Carya ovalis / Acer saccharum / Polystichum acrostichoides Forest	G4	NatureServe
Quercus rubra - Acer saccharum - Tilia americana var. heterophylla - Aesculus flava - (Cladrastis kentukea) Forest	G3	NatureServe
Quercus rubra - Tilia americana var. heterophylla - Carya carolinae-septentrionalis / Acer floridanum / Hydrangea quercifolia Forest	G2	NatureServe
Tsuga canadensis - Fagus grandifolia - Acer saccharum / (Hamamelis virginiana, Kalmia latifolia) Forest	G3	NatureServe
Tsuga canadensis - (Liriodendron tulipifera, Fagus grandifolia) / Magnolia macrophylla / Polystichum acrostichoides Forest	G1	NatureServe

State Conservation Ranks (11)

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
IL	SNR
IN	SNR
KY	SNR
NY	SNR
OH	SNR
PA	SNR
TN	SNR
VA	SNR
WV	SNR

Roadless Areas (31)

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
Oakey Mountain	Talladega National Forest	1.5%	37.71

Illinois (5)

Area	Forest	Coverage	Hectares
Ripple Hollow	Shawnee National Forest	67.6%	1,036.53
Clear Springs	Shawnee National Forest	56.4%	2.79
Burden Falls	Shawnee National Forest	20.8%	40.86
Burke Branch	Shawnee National Forest	12.6%	318.33
Bay Creek	Shawnee National Forest	7.4%	3.6

Indiana (1)

Area	Forest	Coverage	Hectares
Mogan Ridge	Hoosier National Forest	31.7%	1,083.33

Kentucky (1)

Area	Forest	Coverage	Hectares
Wolfpen	Daniel Boone National Forest	39.3%	451.53

Virginia (3)

Area	Forest	Coverage	Hectares
North Fork Pound	Jefferson National Forest	25.0%	480.24
Laurel Fork	George Washington National Forest	3.2%	127.89
Little Alleghany	George Washington National Forest	1.1%	47.43

West Virginia (20)

Area	Forest	Coverage	Hectares
Dry Fork	Monongahela National Forest	40.2%	106.83
Gauley Mountain	Monongahela National Forest	33.8%	1,816.83
Mcgowan Mountain	Monongahela National Forest	31.2%	1,324.98
Cranberry Addition	Monongahela National Forest	23.4%	1,054.53
Turkey Mountain	Monongahela National Forest	19.1%	495.09
Glady Fork	Monongahela National Forest	17.4%	228.33
Falls Of Hills Creek	Monongahela National Forest	15.7%	439.65
Cheat Mountain	Monongahela National Forest	14.6%	484.11
Seneca Creek	Monongahela National Forest	13.8%	1,245.24
Marlin Mountain	Monongahela National Forest	13.6%	515.79
Tea Creek Mountain	Monongahela National Forest	12.8%	430.65
Spice Run	Monongahela National Forest	11.4%	287.46
Laurel Fork	Monongahela National Forest	9.4%	44.73
East Fork Of Greenbrier	Monongahela National Forest	9.1%	264.33
Little Mountain	Monongahela National Forest	8.3%	273.6
Canaan Loop	Monongahela National Forest	7.8%	249.39
Cranberry Glades Botanical Area	Monongahela National Forest	5.0%	15.84
Dolly Sods Roaring Plain	Monongahela National Forest	4.7%	252.45
Middle Mountain	Monongahela National Forest	2.8%	218.43
Little Allegheny Mountain	Monongahela National Forest	1.0%	43.65

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.