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

Rocky Uplands (Glades, Rock Barrens, Outcrops and Alvars): Interior Highlands Carbonate
Glades and Barrens
Quercus muehlenbergii - Juniperus virginiana / Schizachyrium scoparium - Manfreda virginica
Wooded Herbaceous Vegetation
Chinquapin Oak - Eastern Red-cedar / Little Bluestem - Eastern Agave Wooded Herbaceous Vegetation
Central Limestone Glade
CEGL005131
DESCRIPTION: Herbaceous cover is very uneven, ranging from very dense in some areas to absent in others. Some
dominant or characteristic grasses include Schizachyrium scoparium, Sorghastrum nutans, Aristida spp., and
Sporobolus compositus. In deeper soil areas Andropogon gerardii may be present. At some sites Bouteloua
curtipendula is present, but it may be rare or absent at others. Forbs vary in dominance by site and include Asclepias
verticillata, Comandra umbellata, Coreopsis tripteris, Croton monanthogynus, Echinacea simulata, Galactia regularis,
Hexalectris spicata, Helianthus divaricatus, Helianthus hirsutus, Hypericum dolabriforme, Hypericum sphaerocarpum,
Euphorbia corollata, Gaura spp., Lespedeza hirta, Lespedeza virginica, Liatris aspera, Liatris cylindracea, Liatris
squarrosa, Lithospermum canescens, Lobelia spicata var. leptostachys, Manfreda virginica, Matelea obliqua,
Ophioglossum engelmannii, Physostegia virginiana, Ratibida pinnata, Rudbeckia hirta, Ruellia humilis, Sabatia
angularis, Scutellaria parvula, Silphium trifoliatum, Solidago nemoralis, Verbesina helianthoides, Verbesina virginica,
and Zizia aptera. Quercus muehlenbergii and Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana can form a sparse canopy. Quercus
stellata may be common in parts of the range. Other scattered trees which may be present include Cercis
canadensis, Fraxinus quadrangulata, Quercus velutina, Quercus alba, Quercus marilandica, and Liriodendron
tulipifera. The subcanopy is absent or very sparse. Commonly encountered shrubs include Celtis tenuifolia, Cornus
florida, Ulmus alata, Rhus aromatica, Rhus copallinum, and Symphoricarpos orbiculatus. This vegetation may exist
as more extensive areas, or in some southeastern cases, it may be limited to a more narrow zone between
vegetation dominated by woody plants and that dominated by annual grasses (TNC 1995a, Dave Minney pers.
comm. 2000).
This community occurs on gentle to steep slopes of hills, knobs, ridges, bluffs along streams, and broad terraces.
Aspect is variable, but the community is generally best developed on southern and western exposures. Parent
material is limestone, cherty limestone, dolomite, or calcareous shale which is exposed at the surface, resulting in a
very shallow, well-drained substrate. Soils are neutral to alkaline, shallow to moderately deep, and contain a
homogenous mixture of rock fragments of various sizes. They can erode easily, partly due to freeze-thaw and
subsequent mass wasting (TNC 1995a).
There is evidence that prior to their disappearance, bison and elk grazing helped maintain this natural community
(Hall 1970). Fire also periodically swept through these barrens, killing woody vegetation and encouraging herbaceous
growth. Drought stress is prevalent, and openings are occasionally enlarged when trees are removed by wind or
lightning.
COMMENTS: 2, MCS. In Indiana, Quercus stellata is typical, Bouteloua curtipendula is rare, and Sorghastrum nutans
is common. In Illinois, Sorghastrum nutans is more common than Bouteloua curtipendula. This type was developed in
the Midwest and attributed to various southeastern states. Its relation to other eastern and southeastern alkaline
glades needs further investigation. In Tennessee, this community might be called a limestone barren, as the term
"glade" is restricted to bedrock-defined openings that are mostly flat, pavement-like, and dominated by annual
grasses rather than perennial ones. In Indiana, this community is commonly called a cedar glade because stands of
Juniperus virginiana border many of the sites of the community. Juniperus virginiana, which occurs with Quercus
stellata, was probably rare in this community before the time of European settlement and consequent fire
suppression. Quercus muehlenbergii - Quercus (alba, velutina) Bluff Woodland (CEGL002144) is the more northern
equivalent of this type. In southeastern Ohio, this type also contains a distinctive zone tracked as a separate type, the
Juniperus virginiana / Schizachyrium scoparium - Silphium terebinthinaceum var. luciae-brauniae - Carex juniperorum
- Castilleja coccinea Wooded Herbaceous Vegetation (CEGL004464).
CONSERVATION RANK: G2G3. There are probably over 100 occurrences rangewide. Eighty-three have been
documented: 32 in Illinois (S2), 48 in Indiana (S2S3), and 3 in Ohio (S2). Although no other occurrences are
documented, the community is also reported in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Virginia
(all S). It is found in 15 ecoregional subsections. The present range of this community is probably very close to its
presettlement range, but lack of fire permits increased dominance by woody species.
PLANT COMMUNITIES OF THE MIDWEST – 2001. APPENDIX: ASSOCIATION DESCRIPTIONS
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