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CEGL002215 Schizachyrium scoparium - Bouteloua curtipendula Gravel Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Little Bluestem - Sideoats Grama Gravel Grassland
Colloquial Name: Midwest Dry Gravel Prairie
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This little bluestem dry gravel prairie is found in the upper midwestern region of the United States. Stands occur on steep, gravelly slopes, usually facing south or southwest. These slopes can be kames, eskers, river terraces, or hills. Soils are gravelly, well to excessively drained, and often excessively aerated. Sites at the bottom of a slope have more soil accumulation, more soil moisture, and are generally more fertile. This community is dominated by grasses or, locally, by low shrubs. Trees may be present but their canopy cover is less than 10%. Grasses are typically less than 1 m tall. Bouteloua curtipendula, Schizachyrium scoparium, Sorghastrum nutans, Sporobolus heterolepis, and Hesperostipa spartea dominate this community. There is considerable variation in the composition of the forb component.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Indicator species need to be identified to better determine how distinctive this gravel prairie type is from other dry prairies. Cirsium hillii may be a good one, at least in Minnesota. In addition Hesperostipa comata and Bouteloua gracilis are typically absent from this type compared to ~Schizachyrium scoparium - Bouteloua spp. - Hesperostipa spartea Gravel Grassland (CEGL002499)$$ (R. Dana pers. comm. 1999).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This community is dominated by grasses or, locally, by low shrubs. Trees may be present but their canopy cover is less than 10%. Grasses are typically less than 1 m tall. Bouteloua curtipendula, Schizachyrium scoparium, Sorghastrum nutans, Sporobolus heterolepis, and Hesperostipa spartea (= Stipa spartea) dominate this community. There is considerable variation in the composition of the forb component (White and Madany 1978).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This community occurs on steep, gravelly slopes, usually facing south or southwest. These slopes can be kames, eskers, river terraces, or hills. Soils are gravelly, well- to excessively drained, and often excessively aerated. Sites at the bottom of a slope have more soil accumulation, more soil moisture, and are generally more fertile (White and Madany 1978).
Geographic Range: This bluestem dry gravel prairie is found in the upper midwestern region of the United States, ranging from northern Indiana west to Iowa and east-central Minnesota.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: IA, IL, IN, MN, WI
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686388
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3
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 | A4047 Little Bluestem - Indiangrass Central Sand & Gravel Grassland Alliance | A4047 | 2.B.2.Nb.1.c |
| Association | CEGL002215 Little Bluestem - Sideoats Grama Gravel Grassland | CEGL002215 | 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: = Schizachyrium scoparium - Bouteloua curtipendula Gravel Herbaceous Vegetation (Faber-Langendoen 2001) [Dry Prairie Gravel Hill Subtype]
- Faber-Langendoen, D., editor. 2001. Plant communities of the Midwest: Classification in an ecological context. Association for Biodiversity Information, Arlington, VA. 61 pp. plus appendix (705 pp.).
- Homoya, M. A., J. Aldrich, J. Bacone, L. Casebere, and T. Post. 1988. Indiana natural community classification. Indiana Natural Heritage Program, Indianapolis, IN. Unpublished manuscript.
- INAI [Iowa Natural Areas Inventory]. 2017. Vegetation classification of Iowa. Iowa Natural Areas Inventory, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines.
- MNNHP [Minnesota Natural Heritage Program]. 1993. Minnesota''s native vegetation: A key to natural communities. Version 1.5. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program, St. Paul, MN. 110 pp.
- Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
- Minnesota DNR [Minnesota Department of Natural Resources]. 2003-2005a. Field guide to the native plant communities of Minnesota. Three volumes: The Laurentian Mixed Forest Province (2003), The Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province (2005c), The Prairie Parkland and Tallgrass Aspen Parklands provinces (2005b). Ecological Land Classification Program, Minnesota County Biological Survey, and Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul.
- Minnesota DNR [Minnesota Department of Natural Resources]. 2005b. Field guide to the native plant communities of Minnesota: The Prairie Parkland and Tallgrass Aspen Parklands provinces. Ecological Land Classification Program, Minnesota County Biological Survey, and Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul.
- WDNR [Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources]. 2015. The ecological landscapes of Wisconsin: An assessment of ecological resources and a guide to planning sustainable management. PUB-SS-1131 2015. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison. [http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/landscapes/Book.html]
- White, J., and M. Madany. 1978. Classification of natural communities in Illinois. Pages 311-405 in: Natural Areas Inventory technical report: Volume I, survey methods and results. Illinois Natural Areas Inventory, Urbana, IL.