Print Report
CEGL002394 Pinus echinata - Quercus alba / Schizachyrium scoparium Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Shortleaf Pine - White Oak / Little Bluestem Woodland
Colloquial Name: Shortleaf Pine - Oak Dry-Mesic Woodland
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This shortleaf pine - oak woodland type is found in the central United States, in the Ozarks and Ouachita Mountains of Missouri and Arkansas, likely extending into Oklahoma. Stands occur on upper to middle, south-facing slopes, saddles, and flatter ridgelines. Soils are shallow to deep (25-100 cm), and well-drained. Parent material is a variety of sandstone and mixed sandstone/shale-derived substrates or, in parts of the Missouri Ozarks and central Ouachitas, chert substrates. The vegetation contains an open canopy. The canopy is dominated by Pinus echinata codominating with Quercus alba, Quercus rubra, or Quercus velutina, either singly or in combination. Pinus echinata often forms an emergent canopy over the oaks. Other woody species may be present in the shrub and sapling strata. Species from examples in the central Ouachita Mountains include Acer rubrum, Amelanchier arborea, Carya tomentosa, Castanea pumila var. ozarkensis, Cornus florida, Hamamelis virginiana, Nyssa sylvatica, Ostrya virginiana, Prunus serotina, Sassafras albidum, Toxicodendron radicans, Vaccinium arboreum, Vaccinium stamineum, and Vitis rotundifolia. Cover of the herbaceous stratum is variable (20-50%) depending on crown closure and fire history and comprises a mixture of graminoid and forb species. The herbaceous layer is often dominated by Schizachyrium scoparium and Dichanthelium linearifolium, but a diversity of herbaceous species is present. Other herbaceous species can include Antennaria plantaginifolia, Symphyotrichum anomalum, Baptisia bracteata var. leucophaea, Carex sp., Clitoria mariana, Cunila origanoides, Danthonia spicata, Desmodium marilandicum, Desmodium glutinosum, Lespedeza capitata, Lespedeza virginica, Dichanthelium latifolium, Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon var. isophyllum, Solidago caesia, Solidago petiolaris, and Solidago ulmifolia.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Compare with ~Pinus echinata / Schizachyrium scoparium - Solidago ulmifolia - Monarda russeliana - Echinacea pallida Woodland (CEGL007815)$$, which may be synonymous with this type apart from not having a high percentage of oaks in the canopy, and whose ground layer description may apply equally well to stands of this type. See also ~Pinus echinata - Quercus alba - Quercus falcata Forest (CEGL004444)$$ of the Southern Ouachita and Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain. See also ~Pinus echinata - Quercus alba - Quercus rubra / Vaccinium arboreum / Chasmanthium sessiliflorum Forest (CEGL007489)$$, which may represent the fire-suppressed version of this type (M. Leahy pers. comm. 1999). Sites occur at Big Spring Pines Natural Area, Hawn State Park, and a few sites on the Mark Twain National Forest (M. Leahy pers. comm. 1999). In Arkansas, this community is found in the Ouachita National Forest, with examples known from Polk, Montgomery, Garland, and Hot Spring counties.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The vegetation contains an open canopy. The canopy is dominated by Pinus echinata codominating with Quercus alba, Quercus rubra, or Quercus velutina, either singly or in combination. Pinus echinata often forms an emergent canopy over the oaks. Other woody species may be present in the shrub and sapling strata. Species from examples in the central Ouachita Mountains include Acer rubrum, Amelanchier arborea, Carya tomentosa (= Carya alba), Castanea pumila var. ozarkensis (= Castanea ozarkensis), Cornus florida, Hamamelis virginiana, Nyssa sylvatica, Ostrya virginiana, Prunus serotina, Sassafras albidum, Toxicodendron radicans, Vaccinium arboreum, Vaccinium stamineum, and Vitis rotundifolia. The ground layer is dominated by grasses, including Schizachyrium scoparium, but a diversity of herbaceous species is present. Other herbaceous species can include Antennaria plantaginifolia, Symphyotrichum anomalum (= Aster anomalus), Baptisia bracteata var. leucophaea, Carex sp., Clitoria mariana, Cunila origanoides, Danthonia spicata, Desmodium marilandicum, Desmodium glutinosum, Lespedeza capitata, Lespedeza virginica, Dichanthelium latifolium, Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon var. isophyllum, Solidago caesia, Solidago petiolaris, and Solidago ulmifolia.
Dynamics: Fires played a key role in maintaining the open overstory and grassland character of the ground layer (Nelson 1985, M. Leahy pers. comm. 1999). Without fire suppression, this community tends to be more open and have more Pinus echinata and herbaceous cover. With fire suppression, Pinus echinata dies out (becomes emergent), the mid-canopy oak layer closes, shrub cover increases, and the herbaceous stratum becomes depauperate.
Environmental Description: Stands occur on upper to middle, south-facing slopes, saddles, and flatter ridgelines. Soils are shallow to deep (25-100 cm) and well-drained. Parent material is a variety of sandstone and mixed sandstone/shale-derived substrates or, in parts of the Missouri Ozarks and Central Ouachitas, chert substrates (Nelson 1985, D. Zollner pers. comm.).
Geographic Range: This shortleaf pine - oak woodland community is reported from Missouri and Arkansas, where it is known from the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains. It may range into Oklahoma. It is reported from two provinces, but subsection distribution is not fully known.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AR, MO, OK
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684130
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3G4
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1 Forest & Woodland Class | C01 | 1 |
| Subclass | 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass | S15 | 1.B |
| Formation | 1.B.2 Cool Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation | F008 | 1.B.2 |
| Division | 1.B.2.Na Eastern North American Forest & Woodland Division | D008 | 1.B.2.Na |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.2.Na.1 White Oak - Southern Red Oak - Shortleaf Pine Forest & Woodland Macrogroup | M016 | 1.B.2.Na.1 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Na.1.b Shortleaf Pine - Southern Red Oak - Post Oak Forest & Woodland Group | G012 | 1.B.2.Na.1.b |
| Alliance | A3271 Shortleaf Pine - Post Oak - Black Oak Ozark-Ouachita Woodland Alliance | A3271 | 1.B.2.Na.1.b |
| Association | CEGL002394 Shortleaf Pine - White Oak / Little Bluestem Woodland | CEGL002394 | 1.B.2.Na.1.b |
Concept Lineage: merged
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Pinus echinata - Quercus alba / Schizachyrium scoparium Woodland (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Quercus alba - Quercus rubra - (Pinus echinata) / Cornus florida / Vaccinium arboreum - Vaccinium stamineum / Schizachyrium scoparium - Panicum linearifolium - Antennaria plantaginifolia Dry-mesic Slope Woodland (Smith et al. 2000)
>< Igneous Savanna (Nelson 1985)
>< Sandstone Savanna (Nelson 1985)
< Shortleaf Pine - Oak: 76 (Eyre 1980)
= Quercus alba - Quercus rubra - (Pinus echinata) / Cornus florida / Vaccinium arboreum - Vaccinium stamineum / Schizachyrium scoparium - Panicum linearifolium - Antennaria plantaginifolia Dry-mesic Slope Woodland (Smith et al. 2000)
>< Igneous Savanna (Nelson 1985)
>< Sandstone Savanna (Nelson 1985)
< Shortleaf Pine - Oak: 76 (Eyre 1980)
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- Leahy, Mike. Personal communication. Missouri Natural Heritage Database, Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City.
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- Rice, E. L. 1963. Vegetation of Beavers Bend State Park, Oklahoma. Geological Survey Guide Book 9:39-45.
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- Zollner, Douglas. Personal communication. Ecologist, The Nature Conservancy, Arkansas Field Office, Little Rock.