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| General Description |
A key factor of this habitat is the presence of shrubby species of the Ericaceae that form dense thickets in a variety of upland habitats. This group occurs widely across the state, with all members being found extensively in at least two of the state's physiographic provinces. All of these species occur in upland habitats; species that occur in both uplands and wetlands are included in other habitats.
Heaths included in this habitat are all shrubs and most occur in either open woodlands or in barrens that lack a tree canopy. Almost all are associated with acidic, rocky or sandy soils but at least one species, Vaccinium stamineum, also occurs in Basic Oak-Hickory Forests (LeGrand and Sorrie, 2019). Species of Vaccinium and Gaylucassia are found in most occurrences of this habitat. Dense tangles of Kalmia latifolia that exclude most other species of shrubs are also included.
Most of the insect members of this habitat are herbivores on Blueberries (Vaccinium sp.) and Huckleberries (Gaylussacea), although there are several that additionally feed on Azaleas (deciduous Rhododendrons), Staggerbush (Lyonia mariana), Fetterbush (Eubotrys sp.). One species, Callophrys augustinus, feeds primarily on Kalmia latifolia.
This habitat does not include thickets of evergreen Rhododendrons, which are more restricted to the mountains and support a different set of symbiotic species. Both the General Upland Heath Thickets and Montane Rhododendron Thickets and Balds intersect the General Shrublands and Thickets habitat, which contains generalists that make use of all types of shrubby habitats in the state.
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| Abiotic Factors |
Geographic Regions: Lower Coastal Plain to High Mountains. USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-8. Landform: ridges and slopes. Slope Aspect: occurs on all slopes aspects as well as on ridges. Soil Moisture: Dry to mesic. Soil texture: all types from loamy to alluvial. Soil pH: typically acidic but with some variants on circumneutral substrates. Soil Nutrient Content: typically poor, occasionally rich. Microclimate: Warm to cool; dry to xeric. Hydrological Features: surface waters are common to scarce. Flood Frequency: rarely flooded on lower slopes to never flooded on ridges and upper slopes. Flood Duration: nonexistent to transient. Fire Frequency: common to rare. Drought Frequency: frequent to rare. Ice Storm Damage: low to severe. Wind Storm Damage: moderate to severe; may play an important role in creating canopy gaps, which some heaths need for regeneration. Insolation: full sun to full shade
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| Biotic Structure |
Key Species species belonging to the Ericaceae must be present Vegetation Type: closed-canopy forest to shrublands that completely lack a forest canopy. Strata: shrub layer is well-developed but herbs are often absent. Shelter: Woody debris and leaf litter are usually plentiful
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| Co-evolved Species Groups |
Phagic and Competitory Symbioses:
Ericaceae species // Callophrys augustinus-Acronicta tritona-Catocala andromedae-Catocala gracilis-Pangrapta decoralis-Probole nepiasaria-Xestia dilucida
Vaccinium species // Acrobasis vaccinii-Catocala sordida-Chrysanympha formosa
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| Determining Species |
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| Estimated Risk to the Determining Species |
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| Estimated Security of the Habitat |
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| Index of Habitat Imperilment |
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| Identified Risks |
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| Observed Trends |
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| Distribution Map | |
| Distribution |
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| Major Conservation Reserves |
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| Priority Areas for Surveys and Conservation Protection |
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| Stewardship and Management Recommendations |
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| References |
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| Updated on |
2022-01-02 14:36:47 |
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