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CEGL002024 Andropogon gerardii - Panicum virgatum - Helianthus grosseserratus Wet Meadow
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Big Bluestem - Switchgrass - Sawtooth Sunflower Wet Meadow
Colloquial Name: Central Wet-Mesic Tallgrass Prairie
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This wet-mesic tallgrass prairie community is found widely throughout the central midwestern United States. Stands typically occur in narrow draws of headwaters of small streams, depressions of terraces (sometimes uplands), and on floodplains of larger streams and rivers. The loamy soils are somewhat poorly drained and deep (100 cm or more). Standing surface water may be present for short periods in the winter and spring or after heavy rains. Fire was common in this community. There is a single layer of dominant graminoids intermixed with abundant forbs. Andropogon gerardii and Spartina pectinata can exceed 2 m in height in this wet-mesic community. Panicum virgatum is usually somewhat shorter but still greater than 1 m tall. Other typical plants found in this community in Missouri are Juncus interior, Tripsacum dactyloides, Helianthus grosseserratus, Potentilla simplex, Eryngium yuccifolium, and Carex bicknellii. Calamagrostis canadensis is more common northward. Species diversity does not tend to be as high as in more mesic grassland communities. Woody species can become more abundant in the absence of fire.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This community has nearly been eliminated because of conversion to cropland. Although Kansas may be expected to have this community type, it is not recognized there (Lauver et al. 1999), and is included within mesic prairie (as done in the northern tallgrass prairie by Minnesota). The concept of this community is very broad, including both glaciated and unglaciated regions, because it was felt that the influence of alluvium overrode old Kansan glacial effects. Further divisions may be warranted. In Wisconsin, wet-mesic prairies on river terraces, e.g. Avoca Prairie on the lower Wisconsin River, may represent a wet-mesic sand prairie type, namely ~Andropogon gerardii - Calamagrostis canadensis Sand Wet Meadow (CEGL005177)$$.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This community is an extensive grassland with a tree canopy of less than 10%. There is a single layer of dominant graminoids intermixed with abundant forbs. All of the dominant grasses are tall grasses. Andropogon gerardii and Spartina pectinata can exceed 2 m in height in this wet-mesic community. Panicum virgatum is usually somewhat shorter but still greater than 1 m tall. Other typical plants found in this community in Missouri are Juncus interior, Tripsacum dactyloides, Helianthus grosseserratus, Potentilla simplex, Eryngium yuccifolium, and Carex bicknellii. Calamagrostis canadensis is more common northward. Species diversity does not tend to be as high as in more mesic grassland communities (White and Madany 1978, Nelson 1985, MNNHP 1993, Lauver et al. 1999, Steinauer and Rolfsmeier 2003).
Dynamics: Fire plays a role in the maintenance of this wet-mesic prairie, with an average fire frequency of every two to five years. Woody species can become more abundant in the absence of fire (Nelson 1985).
Environmental Description: This community occurs in narrow draws of headwaters of small streams, depressions of terraces (sometimes uplands), and on floodplains of larger streams and rivers. The soil is somewhat poorly drained and deep (100 cm or more). The parent material is typically alluvium. In headwater draws loess, glacial till, or deeply weathered rock are likely to be the parent material. Surface water is often present after heavy rains and in the winter and spring.
Some stands occur on sandy outwash plains, lakeplains, and shallow swales. The soils are sands, loamy sands, and sandy loams. They are imperfectly or somewhat imperfectly drained. The soils often have a slowly permeable layer within the profile, a high water table, additions of moisture through seepage, or a combination of several of these conditions. They have deep, acidic, dark A horizons which are high in organic matter. There is faint evidence of gleying immediately beneath the A horizon (White and Madany 1978, Nelson 1985, MNNHP 1993, Lauver et al. 1999, Steinauer and Rolfsmeier 2003).
Some stands occur on sandy outwash plains, lakeplains, and shallow swales. The soils are sands, loamy sands, and sandy loams. They are imperfectly or somewhat imperfectly drained. The soils often have a slowly permeable layer within the profile, a high water table, additions of moisture through seepage, or a combination of several of these conditions. They have deep, acidic, dark A horizons which are high in organic matter. There is faint evidence of gleying immediately beneath the A horizon (White and Madany 1978, Nelson 1985, MNNHP 1993, Lauver et al. 1999, Steinauer and Rolfsmeier 2003).
Geographic Range: This wet-mesic tallgrass prairie community is found widely throughout the central midwestern United States, extending from Indiana northwest to Minnesota, south to possibly Kansas and Arkansas, and east to possibly Kentucky.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AR, IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, OK, SD, WI
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686363
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2G3
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class | C02 | 2 |
| Subclass | 2.C Shrub & Herb Wetland Subclass | S44 | 2.C |
| Formation | 2.C.4 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Formation | F013 | 2.C.4 |
| Division | 2.C.4.Nd Eastern North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division | D323 | 2.C.4.Nd |
| Macrogroup | 2.C.4.Nd.2 Broadleaf Cattail - White Snakeroot - Rush species Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup | M069 | 2.C.4.Nd.2 |
| Group | 2.C.4.Nd.2.e Prairie Cordgrass - Bluejoint - Sedge species Midwest Wet Prairie, Wet Meadow & Shrub Swamp Group | G770 | 2.C.4.Nd.2.e |
| Alliance | A4056 Big Bluestem - Panicum virgatum Wet Prairie Alliance | A4056 | 2.C.4.Nd.2.e |
| Association | CEGL002024 Big Bluestem - Switchgrass - Sawtooth Sunflower Wet Meadow | CEGL002024 | 2.C.4.Nd.2.e |
Concept Lineage: At Milo Pyne''s suggestion this type now includes CEGL002022, which formerly described an unglaciated Andropogon gerardii - Panicum virgatum wet-mesic type in Oklahoma. Merged into the existing 2024.
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Andropogon gerardii - Panicum virgatum - Helianthus grosseserratus Herbaceous Vegetation (Faber-Langendoen 2001) [Wet-Mesic Prairie Inland Subtype]
< ID4a. Bluestem Tallgrass Prairie (Allard 1990)
? T5A1aI1b. Panicum virgatum (Foti et al. 1994)
= Wet-mesic Tall-grass Prairie (Steinauer and Rolfsmeier 2003)
< ID4a. Bluestem Tallgrass Prairie (Allard 1990)
? T5A1aI1b. Panicum virgatum (Foti et al. 1994)
= Wet-mesic Tall-grass Prairie (Steinauer and Rolfsmeier 2003)
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