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CEGL002203 Andropogon gerardii - Sorghastrum nutans - (Sporobolus heterolepis) - Liatris spp. - Ratibida pinnata Grassland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Big Bluestem - Indiangrass - (Prairie Dropseed) - Blazingstar species - Pinnate Prairie Coneflower Grassland

Colloquial Name: Midwest Mesic Tallgrass Prairie

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This mesic tallgrass prairie grassland community is found primarily in the glaciated central midwestern United States. Stands occur on silty clay loams and silty loams. Soils are typically derived from deep (>100 cm) silty clay and silt loam glacial till or unaltered loess, except for those in the Driftless Area. Soil drainage is intermediate, and nutrient content is high. The pH ranges from slightly acidic to circumneutral. Topography varies from level to moderately sloping on uplands of glacial outwash and till plains. This is a tallgrass mixed herbaceous community dominated by perennial C4 bunch and sod grasses. Trees are infrequent to absent. The height of the dominant plants ranges from 0.5-2.0 m. Cover is high, typically 85-95%. Forb species composition varies more than grass composition from site to site. Andropogon gerardii, Symphyotrichum ericoides, Dalea candida, Eryngium yuccifolium, Helianthus pauciflorus ssp. pauciflorus, Liatris pycnostachya, Liatris spicata, Ratibida pinnata, Rosa carolina, Schizachyrium scoparium, Sporobolus heterolepis, Oligoneuron rigidum, and Sorghastrum nutans are abundant throughout this community''s range. Amorpha canescens, a subshrubby species, and Salix humilis are also typically present.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: 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 Grassland (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 2003). In Minnesota, this type may have been historically relatively uncommon in the southeast part of the state. Few occurrences remain today (Minnesota DNR 2005b).

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: 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. In Ohio and Minnesota, introduced Poa pratensis has been noted as replacing native grasses when this community is grazed. This may occur in other states as well.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  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 acidic to circumneutral. Topography varies from level to moderately sloping on uplands of glacial outwash and till plains.
Geographic Range: This mesic tallgrass prairie grassland community is found primarily in the glaciated central midwestern United States, ranging from western Ohio and Michigan west to the Paleozoic Plateau of east-central Minnesota, south to western Iowa, northern Missouri, and east to Indiana.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, OH, WI


Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G1G2

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class C02 2
Subclass 2.B Temperate & Boreal Grassland & Shrubland Subclass S18 2.B
Formation 2.B.2 Temperate Grassland & Shrubland Formation F012 2.B.2
Division 2.B.2.Nb Central North American Grassland & Shrubland Division D023 2.B.2.Nb
Macrogroup 2.B.2.Nb.1 Big Bluestem - Indiangrass - Dense Blazingstar Tallgrass Prairie Macrogroup M054 2.B.2.Nb.1
Group 2.B.2.Nb.1.c Big Bluestem - Indiangrass - Porcupine Grass Tallgrass Prairie Group G333 2.B.2.Nb.1.c
Alliance A4057 Big Bluestem - Indiangrass - Stiff Tickseed Central Grassland Alliance A4057 2.B.2.Nb.1.c
Association CEGL002203 Big Bluestem - Indiangrass - (Prairie Dropseed) - Blazingstar species - Pinnate Prairie Coneflower Grassland CEGL002203 2.B.2.Nb.1.c
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Andropogon gerardii - Sorghastrum nutans - (Sporobolus heterolepis) - Liatris spp. - Ratibida pinnata Herbaceous Vegetation (Faber-Langendoen 2001) [Mesic Prairie]
> Mesic, impeded drainage type (White and Glenn-Lewin 1984)
> Wet-mesic, unimpeded drainage type (White and Glenn-Lewin 1984)
Concept Author(s): D. Faber-Langendoen (2001)

Author of Description: J. Drake, D. Faber-Langendoen, and D. M. Ambrose

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 03-03-94
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