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CEGL005121 Quercus alba - Quercus macrocarpa / Andropogon gerardii Wooded Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: White Oak - Bur Oak / Big Bluestem Open Woodland
Colloquial Name: White Oak - Bur Oak Openings
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This community occurs in the upper midwestern United States and possibly adjacent Canada, particularly in south-central Michigan and western New York, and possibly southern Ontario. Stands historically occurred on level to rolling topography on well-drained outwash plains and coarse-textured end moraines, or more rarely on thin soils over limestone. Soils were sandy loam to loam with a low water-retaining capacity. The tree canopy may have varied from 10-60% closure. The dominant tree was Quercus alba, with some Quercus macrocarpa, Quercus muehlenbergii, Quercus velutina, Carya ovalis, Carya ovata, and Carya glabra. There is some evidence that Quercus muehlenbergii may have been more important historically. Ground layer graminoid species probably were Andropogon gerardii, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Sorghastrum nutans. Some typical forbs probably included Amorpha canescens, Anemone cylindrica, Asclepias tuberosa, Symphyotrichum laeve, Symphyotrichum pilosum, and Erigeron strigosus. No extant stands of high quality are known.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This type is found mainly in the south-central part of Michigan, being neither the mesic bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) plains type of the southwestern corner of the state, nor the mesic lakeplain oak openings type of southeastern Michigan. Its dry-mesic moisture conditions and dominance by Quercus alba (and perhaps historically Quercus muehlenbergii) distinguish it floristically from these other types. Part of what has been described as oak openings in central-western New York also fit this type, namely the thin soil, limestone stands, best exemplified by the single remaining site at Rush Oak Openings - though remaining stands are very small and lack a good scattered tree layer. Species descriptions of Rush Oak Openings are available from the New York Natural Heritage Program (G. Edinger pers. comm. 2000). This type now includes the former Quercus muehlenbergii / Andropogon gerardii - Anemone cylindrica Woodland (CEGL006230).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The tree canopy may have varied from 10-60% closure. The dominant tree was Quercus alba, with some Quercus macrocarpa, Quercus muehlenbergii, Quercus velutina, Carya ovalis, Carya ovata, and Carya glabra. There is some evidence that Quercus muehlenbergii may have been important. Ground layer graminoid species probably were Andropogon gerardii, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Sorghastrum nutans. Some typical forbs probably included Amorpha canescens, Anemone cylindrica, Asclepias tuberosa, Symphyotrichum laeve (= Aster laevis), Symphyotrichum pilosum (= Aster pilosus), Desmodium canadense, Erigeron strigosus, Lespedeza hirta, Monarda fistulosa, Rudbeckia hirta, Solidago juncea, and Veronicastrum virginicum (Shanks 1966, Chapman et al. 1989).
Dynamics: Succession to oak-hardwood and oak forest took place within 20-30 years in the absence of fire, according to anecdotal historical accounts (Chapman et al. 1989).
Environmental Description: Stands historically occurred on level to rolling topography on well-drained outwash plains and coarse-textured end moraines, as well as kames. In other situations it could occur on steeper slopes of ice-contact areas of sandy loam and somewhat richer soils. Soils were sandy loam to loam with a low water-retaining capacity (Chapman et al. 1989). In New York stands occur on thin soils over limestone (Shanks 1966, Reschke 1990).
Geographic Range: This community occurs in the upper midwestern United States and possibly adjacent Canada, particularly in south-central Michigan and western New York, and possibly southern Ontario.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: MI, NY, ON, QC?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686553
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G1
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.4 White Oak - Bur Oak - Shagbark Hickory Forest, Woodland & Savanna Macrogroup | M012 | 1.B.2.Na.4 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Na.4.a Bur Oak - Black Oak / Big Bluestem Savanna & Barrens Group | G181 | 1.B.2.Na.4.a |
| Alliance | A3256 Bur Oak - White Oak Wooded Grassland Alliance | A3256 | 1.B.2.Na.4.a |
| Association | CEGL005121 White Oak - Bur Oak / Big Bluestem Open Woodland | CEGL005121 | 1.B.2.Na.4.a |
Concept Lineage: included here
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Quercus alba - Quercus macrocarpa / Andropogon gerardii Wooded Herbaceous Vegetation (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
- CDPNQ [Centre de données sur le patrimoine naturel du Québec]. No date. Unpublished data. Centre de données sur le patrimoine naturel du Québec, Québec.
- Chapman, K. A., D. A. Albert, and G. A. Reese. 1989. Draft descriptions of Michigan''s natural community types. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Lansing, MI. 35 pp.
- Edinger, G. J., D. J. Evans, S. Gebauer, T. G. Howard, D. M. Hunt, and A. M. Olivero, editors. 2014a. Ecological communities of New York state. Second edition. A revised and expanded edition of Carol Reschke''s ecological communities of New York state. New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, NY.
- 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.).
- Kost, M. A., D. A. Albert, J. G. Cohen, B. S. Slaughter, R. K. Schillo, C. R. Weber, and K. A. Chapman. 2007. Natural communities of Michigan: Classification and description. Report No. 2007-21, Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Lansing. 314 pp. [http://web4.msue.msu.edu/mnfi/reports/2007-21_Natural_Communites_of_Michigan_Classification_and_Description.pdf]
- Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
- Reschke, C. 1990. Ecological communities of New York State. New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Latham, NY. 96 pp.
- Shanks, R. E. 1966. An ecological survey of the vegetation of Monroe County, New York. Rochester Academy of Science Proceedings 11:108-252.