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

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DISTRIBUTION: This graminoid shale glade community is found in the central United States, particularly in the Interior Low Plateau region. Stands range from the Shawnee Hills of southern Illinois and western Kentucky, the Western Knobs of Kentucky, the Edge of Appalachia area in southern Ohio, and the Knobstone Escarpment and Brown County Hills of Southern Indiana to scattered sites in central Missouri. This type also tentatively includes some areas in West Virginia. USFS ECOREGIONS: 222Ah:CCC, 222Aq:CCC, 222Dh:CCC, 222Ei:CCC, 222El:CCC, 222Em:CCP, 222Ff:CCC, 251Ce:CCC CONSERVATION REGIONS: 36:C, 38:C, 44:C, 45:C STATES: AR IL IN KY MO OH OK WV PROVINCES: MIDWEST HERITAGE SYNONYMY: IL shale glade = IN siltstone glade = MO shale glade = OH shale glade, post oak opening OTHER SYNONYMY: IE6b. Interior Upland Shale Barren, in part (Allard 1990) USNVC HIERARCHY: (QUERCUS STELLATA, QUERCUS MARILANDICA) / SCHIZACHYRIUM SCOPARIUM WOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE (V.A.6.N.q) PLANT COMMUNITIES OF THE MIDWEST – 2001. APPENDIX: ASSOCIATION DESCRIPTIONS 311
Cliffs, Talus, Buttes and Badlands: Eastern Dry Alkaline Cliffs Limestone - Dolostone Midwest Dry Cliff Sparse Vegetation Limestone - Dolostone Midwest Dry Cliff Sparse Vegetation Midwest Dry Limestone - Dolostone Cliff CEGL002291 DESCRIPTION: Vegetation is restricted to shelves, cracks and crevices in the rock, generally averaging less than 20%, and typically consisting of vines and ferns. In the Ozarks and Interior Plateau region, ferns include Cheilanthes feei, Argyrochosma dealbata (= Notholaena dealbata), Pellaea atropurpurea, and Pellaea glabella. Herbaceous forbs and graminoids include Aquilegia canadensis, Hedyotis nigricans (= Houstonia nigricans), Mentzelia oligosperma, Muhlenbergia cuspidata, Sedum pulchellum, and Solidago rugosa ssp. aspera (= Solidago drummondii). Lichens include Dermatocarpon lachneum, Lecanora muralis and Psora russellii. In Ohio, stands contain the ferns Pellaea atropurpurea and Pellaea glabella, and the forbs Aquilegia canadensis, Arabis laevigata, Heuchera americana, Hydrangea arborescens, and Sedum ternatum. Scattered woody plants across the range include Celastrus scandens, Juniperus virginiana, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Physocarpus opulifolius, Quercus prinus (southward), and Toxicodendron radicans (= Rhus radicans), and farther north, Taxus canadensis, Thuja occidentalis, and Tsuga canadensis (Curtis 1959, Nelson 1985, MNNHP 1993, Anderson 1996). Stands occur as steep to vertical rock exposures of limestone bedrock. Aspect is variable, but stands are best developed on south- and west-facing slopes. Soils are either absent or, along ledges and shelves, very shallow. The cliffs drain very rapidly, and can become very dry in summer (Nelson 1985). Natural disturbances include drought stress, wind and storm damage, and disturbances from cliff-dwelling animals, particularly in the crevices, ledges and rock shelters (Nelson 1985). COMMENTS: 2, MCS. Definitions of cliff types remain problematic. A minimum height of 3 m may be practical. Curtis (1959) in Wisconsin suggested that substrate was of secondary importance compared to moisture (shading vs. open) in determining floristic patterns. Furthermore some cliffs are a combination of layers of sandstone, shale and limestone or dolostone, making classification problematic. The combination of moisture and substrate is retained here, but a more systematic rangewide comparison of cliff floras is needed. Tim Nigh (pers. comm. 1996) has suggested that the Missouri type could be named "Aquilegia canadensis - Solidago rugosa ssp. aspera (= Solidago drummondii) - Pellaea atropurpurea Cliff." Ozark, southern Illinois and Indiana cliffs may be better placed into a Southeastern/Interior Low Plateau type, separate from an upper Midwest type. Limestone cliffs along the Niagara Escarpment in central Ontario/Bruce Peninsula may be different from those in southern Ontario (Wasyl Bakowsky pers. comm. 1998) and from other Great Lakes Limestone cliffs. A series of studies in Ontario's cliffs have led to surprising biological discoveries, including a rich snail fauna, unusual cyanobacteria, and old growth Thuja occidentalis stands on the cliffs (Larson and Kelly 1991, Larson, Matthes and Kelly 1999, Larson et al. 1999). Chalk breaks in west-central Kansas along the Smoky Hill River and associated terrain are cliff-like and probably need to be separated from the eastern cliffs (Lauver pers. comm. 1998). CONSERVATION RANK: G4G5. In Missouri many sites have been quarried (M. Leahy pers. comm. 1999). This issue should be examined range-wide. Other sites lack adequate buffers above and below the cliffs. Finally, rock-climbing can be disruptive to vegetation (Larson et al. 1999). DISTRIBUTION: This limestone/dolostone cliff community type is found throughout the midwestern United States and adjacent Canada, from Ohio and Ontario, west to Minnesota, south to Kansas, and possibly Arkansas, and east to Indiana. USFS ECOREGIONS: 212Jn:CCC, 222Ac:CCC, 222Ad:CCC, 222Ae:CCC, 222Af:CCC, 222Ag:CCC, 222Ah:CCC, 222Ak:CCC, 222Am:CCC, 222Ap:CCC, 222Aq:CCC, 222Df:CCC, 222Di:CCP, 222Ek:CCC, 222Fd:CCC, 222Fe:CCC, 222Hc:CCC, 222Hf:CCP, 222Lc:CCC, 222Lf:CCC, 222Md:CCC, 251Ce:CCC CONSERVATION REGIONS: 36:C, 37:C, 38:C, 44:C, 45:C, 46:C, 48:C STATES: IA IL IN KS MI MN MO OH PROVINCES: ON MIDWEST HERITAGE SYNONYMY: IL limestone cliff community; dolomite cliff community I IN limestone cliff + MI dry non-acid cliff + MN dry cliff (southeast section) + MO dry limestone/dolomite cliff = OH calcareous cliff community + OTHER SYNONYMY: Exposed Rock Cliffs (Curtis 1959) B, Cliff Communities (Anderson 1996) B USNVC HIERARCHY: OPEN CLIFF SPARSE VEGETATION ALLIANCE (VII.A.1.N.a) PLANT COMMUNITIES OF THE MIDWEST – 2001. APPENDIX: ASSOCIATION DESCRIPTIONS 335
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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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Page 28 and 29:
Page 30 and 31: * Nonstandard type (needs review) G
Page 32 and 33: Open and Emergent Marshes: Great La
Page 34 and 35: Wet Prairies and Wet Meadows: Great
Page 36 and 37: Wet Prairies and Wet Meadows: Midwe
Page 38 and 39: Wet Prairies and Wet Meadows: Midwe
Page 40 and 41: Wooded Swamps and Floodplains: Nort
Page 46 and 47: Wooded Swamps and Floodplains: Midw
Page 60 and 61: 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 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
Page 112 and 113: Prairies/Grasslands: Midwestern Dee
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Ohio subset of Plant Communities of the Midwest ... - NatureServe

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