Ohio subset of Plant Communities of the Midwest ... - NatureServe

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Prairies/Grasslands: Midwestern Deep Soil Tallgrass Prairies Andropogon gerardii - Sorghastrum nutans - (Sporobolus heterolepis) - Liatris spp. - Ratibida pinnata Herbaceous Vegetation Big Bluestem - Yellow Indiangrass - (Prairie Dropseed) - Blazingstar Species - Gray-head Prairie Coneflower Herbaceous Vegetation Central Mesic Tallgrass Prairie CEGL002203 DESCRIPTION: This is a tallgrass mixed herbaceous community dominated by perennial C4 bunch and sod grasses. Trees are rare to absent. The height of the dominant plants ranges from 0.5-2.0 m. Cover is high, 85-95% is typical. Ninety-five percent of the plant species are perennial. Forb species composition varies more than grass composition from site to site. Andropogon gerardii, Symphyotrichum ericoides (= Aster ericoides), Dalea candida, Eryngium yuccifolium, Helianthus pauciflorus ssp. pauciflorus, Ratibida pinnata, Rosa carolina, Schizachyrium scoparium, Sporobolus heterolepis, Oligoneuron rigidum (= Solidago rigida), and Sorghastrum nutans are abundant throughout this community's range. Amorpha canescens, a subshrub species, and Salix humilis are also typically present. Soils are characteristically deep (>100 cm) silty clay loams and silty loams, which occur in the glaciated portions of the Midwest. Soils are derived from glacial till or unaltered loess, or are in the Driftless Area. Soil drainage is intermediate and nutrient content is high. The pH ranges from slightly acid to circumneutral. Topography varies from level to moderately sloping on uplands of glacial outwash and till plains. COMMENTS: 1, MCS. Note, in Iowa, the Southern Mesic Prairie includes the northeastern part of the state (Iowan Surface). In Ohio this type is found at Castalia Prairie. Characteristic forb of this type in the central part of its range (but absent from Ohio and Michigan) is Silphium laciniatum. Relation to tallgrass prairie in Kentucky needs review. Nebraska historically had much more loess tallgrass prairie, Andropogon gerardii - Sorghastrum nutans - Hesperostipa spartea Loess Hills Herbaceous Vegetation (CEGL002025), but virtually all of that has been plowed up. Remaining sites are either on heavily eroded loess sites or glacial till sites that are difficult to plow, blurring what distinction there might have been between these two types (G. Steinauer pers. comm. 2000, Steinauer and Rolfsmeier 2000). CONSERVATION RANK: G1G2. This community has nearly been eliminated from its former range. Most former sites have been converted to cropland, pasture, or development. Others are succeeding to forest or woodland in the absence of fire. Many remaining sites are along rights-of-way (roads, railroads, utilities) and long term viability is problematic. DISTRIBUTION: This mesic tallgrass prairie grassland community is found primarily in the glaciated central midwestern United States, ranging from western Ohio and Michigan west to east-central Minnesota, south to northern Missouri, and east to Indiana. USFS ECOREGIONS: 222D:C, 222E:C, 222Fd:C, 222Ga:CCC, 222Gb:CCC, 222Ge:CCC, 222Ha:CCC, 222Hb:CCC, 222He:CCC, 222Hf:CCC, 222If:CCC, 222Jh:CCC, 222Ji:CCC, 222Jj:CCC, 222Ka:CCC, 222Kc:CCC, 222Ke:CCC, 222Kf:CCC, 222Kg:CCC, 222Kh:CCC, 222Ki:CCC, 222Kj:CCC, 222Lc:CCC, 222Le:CCC, 222Lf:CCC, 222Ma:CCC, 222Mb:CCC, 222Mc:CCC, 222Md:CCC, 222Me:CCC, 251Bd:CCC, 251Ca:CCC, 251Cb:CCC, 251Cc:CCC, 251Cd:CCP, 251Ce:CCP, 251Cf:CCC, 251Ch:CCC, 251Ci:CCC, 251Cj:CCC, 251Ck:CCP, 251Cm:CC, 251Cp:CCC, 251Cq:CCC, 251Da:CCP, 251Db:CCP, 251Dc:CCC, 251Dd:CCC, 251De:CCC, 251Df:CCP, 251Dg:CCC, 251Dh:CCC CONSERVATION REGIONS: 35:C, 36:C, 44:C, 45:C, 46:C, 48:C STATES: IA IL IN KS MI MN MO NE OH WI PROVINCES: MIDWEST HERITAGE SYNONYMY: IL mesic prairie (N); mesic prairie (S) - IN mesic prairie + MI mesic prairie = MN mesic prairie (southeast section); mesic prairie (central section) - MO mesic prairie + NE tallgrass prairie OH big bluestem prairie + WI mesic prairie = OTHER SYNONYMY: Mesic, impeded drainage type (White and Glenn-Lewin 1984) F, Wet-mesic, unimpeded drainage type (White and Glenn-Lewin 1984) F USNVC HIERARCHY: ANDROPOGON GERARDII - (SORGHASTRUM NUTANS) HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE (V.A.5.N.a) PLANT COMMUNITIES OF THE MIDWEST – 2001. APPENDIX: ASSOCIATION DESCRIPTIONS 599
Prairies/Grasslands: Midwestern Deep Soil Tallgrass Prairies Schizachyrium scoparium - Sorghastrum nutans - Bouteloua curtipendula Herbaceous Vegetation Little Bluestem - Yellow Indiangrass - Sideoats Grama Herbaceous Vegetation Midwest Dry-mesic Prairie CEGL002214 DESCRIPTION: The dominant vegetation of this community is mid and tall grasses, 1-2 m tall. Total plant cover is moderate to dense. The most abundant species are Schizachyrium scoparium, Sorghastrum nutans, and Hesperostipa spartea (= Stipa spartea). Other common herbaceous species include Andropogon gerardii, Bouteloua curtipendula, Echinacea pallida, Potentilla arguta, and Sporobolus heterolepis. Amorpha canescens is a common subshrubby species. Woody species occur but are not common in high-quality examples of this community (Curtis 1959, MNNHP 1993, Nelson 1985). This community is found on upper slopes and hillcrests with moderate to steep slopes. Rarely, it can be found on level plains, especially in the southern parts of its range (Nelson 1985). The aspect is most often southern or western, but others are possible (Curtis 1959, Chapman 1984). Soils are 40-100 cm deep (Nelson 1985), well-drained to excessively well-drained, and clay loam, sandy loam, or loamy sand (MNNHP 1993). The sites typically occur over loess, glacial outwash, or glacial till. Stands depend on fire to prevent woody encroachment (Nelson 1985). COMMENTS: 2, MCS. This type is currently reported from subsections 251Bd and 251Be (and subsections east), but these two subsections could also go with Schizachyrium scoparium - Bouteloua curtipendula - Hesperostipa spartea - (Pascopyrum smithii) Herbaceous Vegetation (CEGL002377), which occurs primarily in 251A. In Ohio, this type is probably extirpated, except perhaps Buffalo Beats (on clay dome). However, those stands are far east of much of the range of this type, and they should be compared to other eastern prairie openings. Type may closely resemble Schizachyrium scoparium - Bouteloua curtipendula Gravel Herbaceous Vegetation (CEGL002215). CONSERVATION RANK: G2G3. This community has a fairly broad and matrix-scale distribution in the Midwest, but current high-quality sites tend to be small patches restricted to upper slopes and hillcrests. This community has probably been substantially reduced by conversion to agriculture, or degraded by grazing and fire suppression. DISTRIBUTION: This dry-mesic prairie community type is found in the central midwestern United States, ranging from outliers in Ohio west to east-central Minnesota, south to Missouri and possibly Oklahoma, and east to Indiana. USFS ECOREGIONS: 221Ea:CCC, 221Ed:CCP, 221Eg:CCC, 221Fa:CCC, 222Ai:CCC, 222Ga:CCC, 222Gb:CCC, 222Ge:CCC, 222Ha:CCC, 222Hb:CCC, 222Hf:CCC, 222If:CCC, 222Ja:CCP, 222Jh:CCC, 222Ji:CCC, 222Jj:CCC, 222Ka:CCC, 222Ke:CCC, 222Kf:CCC, 222Kg:CCC, 222Kh:CCC, 222Kj:CCC, 222Lc:CCC, 222Le:CCC, 222Lf:CCC, 222Ma:CCC, 222Mb:CCC, 222Mc:CCC, 222Me:CCC, 251Aa:CCC, 251Ba:CCC, 251Bb:CCC, 251Bd:CCC, 251Be:CCC, 251Ca:CCC, 251Cc:CCC, 251Cf:CCC, 251Ch:CCC, 251Cj:CCC, 251Ck:CCC, 251Db:CCC, 251Dc:CCC, 251Dd:CCC, 251Dg:CCC, 251Dh:CCC CONSERVATION REGIONS: 35:C, 36:C, 38:C, 44:C, 45:C, 46:C, 48:C, 49:C STATES: IA IL IN MI MN MO OH OK WI PROVINCES: MIDWEST HERITAGE SYNONYMY: IL dry-mesic prairie (S); mesic barren (N); dry-mesic prairie (N) - IN dry-mesic prairie = MI hillside prairie = MN dry prairie (central section) hill subtype; dry prairie (southeast section hill subtype - MO dry-mesic prairie + OH little bluestem prairie + WI dry-mesic prairie = OTHER SYNONYMY: Dry-mesic Prairie (Curtis 1959) =, Hilltop Prairie (Chapman 1984) = USNVC HIERARCHY: SCHIZACHYRIUM SCOPARIUM - SORGHASTRUM NUTANS HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE (V.A.5.N.a) PLANT COMMUNITIES OF THE MIDWEST – 2001. APPENDIX: ASSOCIATION DESCRIPTIONS 605
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PLANT COMMUNITIES OF THE MIDWEST CL
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CONTENTS APPENDIX: PLANT COMMUNITY
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OVERVIEW APPENDIX: PLANT COMMUNITY
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− The USFS (U.S. Forest Service)
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Box 2. State Natural Heritage progr
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INDEX TO ASSOCIATIONS BY ECOLOGICAL
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2.3.4.4. Interior Highlands Shale G
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Acid Peatlands: Northern Shrub/Gram
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Rich Peat Fens: Northeastern Rich F
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Rich Peat Fens: Midwestern Prairie
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Seeps: Midwestern Seepage Meadows S
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Open and Emergent Marshes: Eastern
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* Nonstandard type (needs review) G
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Open and Emergent Marshes: Great La
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Wet Prairies and Wet Meadows: Great
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Wet Prairies and Wet Meadows: Midwe
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Wet Prairies and Wet Meadows: Midwe
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Wooded Swamps and Floodplains: Nort
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Wooded Swamps and Floodplains: Midw
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Wooded Swamps and Floodplains: Appa
Page 62 and 63: Wooded Swamps and Floodplains: Sout
Page 64 and 65: Wooded Swamps and Floodplains: Sout
Page 66 and 67: Shoreline Sand/Mud Strands, Beaches
Page 68 and 69: Sphagnum wulfianum, Sphagnum warnst
Page 70 and 71: Shoreline Sand/Mud Strands, Beaches
Page 72 and 73: Rocky Shores: Great Lakes Alkaline
Page 74 and 75: Rocky Shores: Appalachian Highlands
Page 76 and 77: Rocky Uplands (Glades, Rock Barrens
Page 78 and 79: DISTRIBUTION: This limestone glade
Page 80 and 81: DISTRIBUTION: This graminoid shale
Page 82 and 83: Cliffs, Talus, Buttes and Badlands:
Page 88 and 89: Forests and Woodlands: Midwestern D
Page 90 and 91: Forests and Woodlands: Midwestern D
Page 92 and 93: Forests and Woodlands: Midwestern M
Page 94 and 95: Forests and Woodlands: Appalachian
Page 102 and 103: Forests and Woodlands: Interior Hig
Page 104 and 105: Savannas and Non-Rock Barrens: Midw
Page 106 and 107: Savannas and Non-Rock Barrens: Midw
Page 108 and 109: Prairies/Grasslands: Midwestern San
Page 110 and 111: Prairies/Grasslands: Midwestern Thi
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Ohio subset of Plant Communities of the Midwest ... - NatureServe

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