Michigan Forest Communities - Michigan Association of ...

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7 Southern Dry-Mesic Deciduous (Oak-Mixed Hardwood) Forests W Habitat The hardwood forest community emblematic of much of southern Michigan, these forests occupy welldrained, moderately fertile habitats. They occupy mostly glacial ice-contact features—end moraines, kames, eskers, and till plains—so topography frequently is hilly or rolling. But these forests also can occur on flat, sandy lake plains. Near Lake Michigan they also grow in sand dunes. Soils are typically coarse-textured—mostly slightly acid sandy loams. Prior to European settlement, much of the land now in this forest type probably was oak openings— savanna communities maintained by annual fires set by native people. Some of this land was converted to agriculture by white settlers, and the most fertile land still is farmed. Other areas succeeded to closed forests when the fires ceased to burn or agriculture was abandoned. Surface fires can occur in this community, but wind and ice storms are the most common natural disturbances. 62
Southern Dry-Mesic Oak Forests Signature trees This is typically an oak-dominated forest type, with one or more of the following species always present: • Black oak • White oak • Red oak Other trees Associated tree species may be present in small numbers or they may outnumber the oaks, especially if a stand has been selectively logged: • Shagbark hickory • Pignut hickory • Sassafras • Black cherry • Red maple • Bur oak • White ash • Basswood • Black walnut • Bigtooth aspen • White pine (near Lake Michigan and in the Region I-II transition zone) Blue beech (musclewood). Associated plants On very moist and rich dry-mesic habitats, a high understory diversity usually develops, including many of the species found in mesic hardwood forests (Type 6). Poison ivy. 63
Page 1 and 2: Michigan Forest Communities A Field
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS Acknowledgments . . . . .
Page 5 and 6: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS O ne does not trave
Page 7 and 8: INTRODUCTION Forests are continuall
Page 9 and 10: A SHORT HISTORY OF MICHIGAN FORESTS
Page 11 and 12: ECOLOGY OF MICHIGAN FORESTS • The
Page 13 and 14: MICHIGAN FOREST COMMUNITY TYPES A f
Page 15 and 16: MICHIGAN FOREST COMMUNITY TYPES ✔
Page 17 and 18: MICHIGAN FOREST COMMUNITY TYPES ✔
Page 19 and 20: 1 Southern Deciduous (Hardwood) Swa
Page 21 and 22: WETLAND FOREST COMMUNITIES Distribu
Page 23 and 24: WETLAND FOREST COMMUNITIES • Nort
Page 25 and 26: 3 Northern Hardwood-Conifer Swamps
Page 27 and 28: 4 Northern Rich Conifer (Cedar) Swa
Page 29 and 30: 6 Southern Mesic Deciduous (Maple-B
Page 31: CLOSED-CANOPY UPLAND FOREST COMMUNI
Page 35 and 36: 11 Northern Dry-Mesic Pine Forests
Page 37 and 38: Part III. Open-Canopy Upland Forest
Page 39 and 40: Southern Lakeplain Openings Many fo
Page 41 and 42: 18 Southern Oak Barrens R Habitat T
Page 43 and 44: Southern Oak Barrens Northern dewbe
Page 45 and 46: 19 Northern Pine and Oak Barrens R
Page 47 and 48: OPEN-CANOPY UPLAND FOREST COMMUNITI
Page 49 and 50: Great Lake Barrens Trees in barrens
Page 51 and 52: 21 Northern Balds, Cliffs, and Bedr
Page 53 and 54: Balds, Cliffs, and Glades Distribut
Page 55 and 56: OPEN-CANOPY UPLAND FOREST COMMUNITI
Page 57 and 58: BIRDS AND MAMMALS ASSOCIATED WITH F
Page 59 and 60: FIELD GUIDES TO SPECIES IDENTIFICAT
Page 61 and 62: ADDITIONAL REFERENCES Cleland, D.T.
Page 63 and 64: LATIN NAMES OF SHRUBS, GROUND FLORA
Page 65 and 66: LATIN NAMES OF SHRUBS, GROUND FLORA

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