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

Cliffs, Talus, Buttes and Badlands: Eastern Moist Acid Cliffs
Sandstone Midwest Moist Cliff Sparse Vegetation
Sandstone Midwest Moist Cliff Sparse Vegetation
Midwest Moist Sandstone Cliff
CEGL002287
DESCRIPTION: Vegetation is restricted to shelves, cracks and crevices in the rock, generally averaging less than
20%. In the Ozarks and Interior Low Plateau, the herbaceous layer contains the forbs Dicentra canadensis,
Dodecatheon frenchii, Heuchera parviflora, Triadenum walteri (= Hypericum walteri), Mitchella repens, Mitella
diphylla, among others, and the ferns Athyrium filix-femina, Cystopteris bulbifera, Osmunda cinnamomea, Osmunda
regalis, and Trichomanes boschianum. In the Allegheny region of Ohio, the sandstone cliffs include the forbs Agrostis
perennans, Aquilegia canadensis, Mitchella repens, and Viola blanda, and the ferns Asplenium montanum,
Asplenium pinnatifidum, Asplenium rhizophyllum, Asplenium trichomanes, Cystopteris fragilis, Dennstaedtia
punctilobula, Dryopteris intermedia, Dryopteris marginalis, Polypodium virginianum, and the rare Asplenium bradleyi.
In Minnesota and Wisconsin the moist cliffs include forbs, such as Aralia nudicaulis, Asarum canadense and Mitella
diphylla, and the ferns Cystopteris bulbifera and Cystopteris fragilis. Missouri sites often harbor glacial relicts. The
nonvascular layer is poorly described. Seepage areas in Minnesota include Sullivantia sullivantii (= Sullivantia
renifolia) (also found in Missouri) and Crytogramma stelleri (White and Madany 1978, Homoya et al. 1985, Nelson
1985, MNNHP 1993, Anderson 1996).
Stands occur as steep to vertical rock exposures of sandstone bedrock. Aspect is variable, but stands are best
developed on north- and east-facing slopes, or under sandstone overhangs (Nelson 1985, MNNHP 1993). The
sandstone overhangs are amphitheatre-like cuts in sandstone cliffs. They may recede deeply enough into the cliff
face that light levels are very low in the interior of the overhang. The soils beneath the overhang are typically sandy
and with little vegetation. Seepage areas may also occur (Homoya et al. 1985). In Missouri, geologic formations
include the St. Peter and Lamotte formations.
Natural disturbances include wind and storm damage, activity by cliff-dwelling animals in the crevices, ledges and
rock shelters, and the build up and collapse of ice (Nelson 1985).
COMMENTS: 2, MCS. In Missouri, a descriptive name for this type could be "Mitella diphylla - Mitchella repens -
Dryopteris goldiana Cliff" (Tim Nigh pers. comm. 1996), but the name would not work in Wisconsin (E. Epstein pers.
comm. 1999). Also present are polypodium ferns and mosses. Differences between sandstone overhang and
sandstone cliff need review. In Ontario this type is found as very small occurrences and is very rare. This type could
be split into an Ozark/Interior Low Plateau sandstone cliff type and more northern Midwest sandstone cliff type. Cliffs
are defined as vertical exposures of rock at least 3 m tall. The distinction between open (dry) versus shaded (moist)
may be more important that bedrock type, at least on a local or state level. Curtis (1959) comments that in an effort to
group the Wisconsin cliff data into meaningful categories, sites were separated by rock type (dolomite, sandstone,
igneous) and exposure (shaded, exposed).
CONSERVATION RANK: G4G5. Although the cliffs may be relatively common, sites may lack adequate buffers above
and below the cliffs.
DISTRIBUTION: This moist sandstone cliff community is found throughout the central and upper midwestern United
States and adjacent Canada, from Ohio and Ontario west to Minnesota, south to Kansas and east to Indiana.
USFS ECOREGIONS: 212Hi:CPP, 212Ja:CPP, 212Jn:CPP, 212Kb:CCC, 221Ea:CCC, 221Ec:CCP, 221Ed:CCP, 221Ef:CCC,
221Fa:CCC, 222Aa:CCC, 222Ag:CCC, 222Ak:CCC, 222Ap:CCC, 222Aq:CCC, 222Dc:CCP, 222De:CCC, 222Dh:CCC,
222Di:CCP, 222Hf:CCC, 222Jc:CCC, 222Ka:CCC, 222Lc:CCC, 222Ld:CCC, 222Lf:CCC, 222Md:CCC, 222Me:CCC,
251Cc:CCC, 251Ce:CCC, M221:
CONSERVATION REGIONS: 36:C, 37:C, 38:C, 44:C, 45:C, 46:C, 47:C, 48:C, 49:C
STATES: AR IA IL IN KS MI MN MO OH WI PROVINCES: ON
MIDWEST HERITAGE SYNONYMY: IL sandstone overhang community =
IN sandstone overhang =
MI moist acid cliff +
MN moist cliff (southeast section) +
MO moist sandstone cliff =
OH non-calcareous cliff community +
WI shaded cliff (sandstone subtype) =
OTHER SYNONYMY: Cliff Communities (Anderson 1996) B. Anderson also notes the sandstone overhang type.,
Shaded Rock Cliffs (Curtis 1959) B
USNVC HIERARCHY: OPEN CLIFF SPARSE VEGETATION ALLIANCE (VII.A.1.N.a)
PLANT COMMUNITIES OF THE MIDWEST – 2001. APPENDIX: ASSOCIATION DESCRIPTIONS
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