Print Report

CEGL006107 Dactylis glomerata - Phleum pratense - Festuca spp. - Solidago spp. Ruderal Meadow

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Orchardgrass - Timothy - Fescue species - Goldenrod species Ruderal Meadow

Colloquial Name: Northeastern Old-field Meadow

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This broadly defined vegetation type includes pastures and post-agricultural fields and is largely composed of non-native cool-season grasses and herbs (generally of European origin) in the early stages of succession. The fields are typically mowed at least annually. Physiognomically, these grasslands are generally composed of mid-height (1-3 feet tall) grasses and forbs, with occasional scattered shrubs. Species composition varies from site to site, depending on land-use history and perhaps soil type, but in general this vegetation is quite wide-ranging in northeastern and midwestern states and at higher elevations (610-1220 m [2000-4000 feet]) in the southeastern states. Dominant grasses vary from site to site but generally feature the nominal species. Other graminoid associates may include Agrostis stolonifera, Agrostis hyemalis, Elymus repens, Bromus inermis, Bromus tectorum, Lolium perenne, Poa pratensis, Poa compressa, Schizachyrium scoparium (not in abundance), and Anthoxanthum odoratum. Forbs scattered among the grasses are varied but include Hieracium spp., Oxalis stricta, Achillea millefolium, Asclepias syriaca, Solidago rugosa, Solidago nemoralis, Solidago juncea, Solidago canadensis, Solidago altissima, Euthamia graminifolia, Cerastium arvense, Oenothera biennis, Potentilla simplex, Symphyotrichum lateriflorum, Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, Symphyotrichum lanceolatum, Daucus carota, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Vicia cracca, Trifolium spp., and many others.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: ~Schizachyrium scoparium - (Andropogon virginicus) - Solidago spp. Ruderal Meadow (CEGL006333)$$ is similar to this type but is dominated by warm-season grasses.

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

Floristics: In addition to Dactylis glomerata and Phleum pratense, these grassy fields are characterized by graminoids including Agrostis stolonifera, Agrostis hyemalis, Elymus repens, Bromus inermis, Bromus tectorum, Lolium perenne, Poa pratensis, Poa compressa, Schizachyrium scoparium (not in abundance), and Anthoxanthum odoratum. Forbs scattered among the grasses are varied but include Hieracium spp., Oxalis stricta, Achillea millefolium, Asclepias syriaca, Solidago rugosa, Solidago nemoralis, Solidago juncea, Solidago canadensis, Solidago altissima, Euthamia graminifolia, Cerastium arvense, Oenothera biennis, Potentilla simplex, Symphyotrichum lateriflorum (= Aster lateriflorus), Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (= Aster novae-angliae), Symphyotrichum lanceolatum (= Aster simplex), Daucus carota, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Vicia cracca, Trifolium spp., and many others.

Dynamics:  These pastures and post-agricultural fields are largely composed of non-native cool-season grasses and herbs (generally of European origin) in the early stages of succession. The fields are typically mowed at least annually.
Environmental Description:  This association occurs on pastures and land that has been tilled. Generally the fields are mowed at least annually.
Geographic Range: This vegetation is quite wide-ranging in northeastern and midwestern states and possibly occurs at higher elevations in the southeastern states.

Nations: CA?,US

States/Provinces:  CT, DE, KY, MA, MD, ME, NB?, NH, NJ, NS?, NY, PA, QC?, RI, TN, VA, VT, WV?


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNA

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.Nc Eastern North American Grassland & Shrubland Division D024 2.B.2.Nc
Macrogroup 2.B.2.Nc.90 Orchardgrass - Canada Goldenrod - Multiflora Rose Eastern North American Ruderal Grassland & Shrubland M123 2.B.2.Nc.90
Group 2.B.2.Nc.90.a Tall goldenrod - Kentucky Bluegrass - Stiff Dogwood Ruderal Meadow & Shrubland Group G059 2.B.2.Nc.90.a
Alliance A1190 Orchardgrass - Fescue species - Canada Goldenrod Ruderal Mesic Meadow Alliance A1190 2.B.2.Nc.90.a
Association CEGL006107 Orchardgrass - Timothy - Fescue species - Goldenrod species Ruderal Meadow CEGL006107 2.B.2.Nc.90.a
Concept Lineage: This type (CEGL006517) was merged into CEGL006107.

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Mowing Fields (Conard 1935)
Concept Author(s): Eastern Ecology Group

Author of Description: S.C. Gawler

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 05-01-13
  • Clark, J. S. 1986a. Vegetation and land-use history of the William Floyd Estate, Fire Island National Seashore, Long Island, New York. USDI, National Park Service, North Atlantic Region, Office of Scientific Studies. 126 pp.
  • Conard, H. S. 1935. The plant associations of central Long Island. The American Midland Naturalist 16:433-516.
  • Coxe, R. 2009. Guide to Delaware vegetation communities. Spring 2009 edition. State of Delaware, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Delaware Natural Heritage Program, Smyrna.
  • Dowhan, J. J., and R. Rozsa. 1989. Flora of Fire Island, Suffolk Country, New York. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 116:265-282.
  • Eastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boston, MA.
  • Edinger, G. J., A. L. Feldmann, T. G. Howard, J. J. Schmid, E. Eastman, E. Largay, and L. A. Sneddon. 2008a. Vegetation classification and mapping at Gateway National Recreation Area. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2008/107. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 283 pp.
  • Edinger, G. J., A. L. Feldmann, T. G. Howard, J. J. Schmid, F. C. Sechler, E. Eastman, E. Largay, L. A. Sneddon, C. Lea, and J. Von Loh. 2014b. Vegetation inventory: Saratoga National Historical Park, New York. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NETN/NRTR--2014/869, National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
  • 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.
  • Ehrenfeld, J. G. 1977. Vegetation of Morristown National Historical Park: Ecological analysis and management alternatives. Final Report. USDI National Park Service Contract No. 1600-7-0004. 166 pp.
  • Elliman, T. 2003. Boston Harbor Islands plant communities. Report submitted to Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, Westborough.
  • Gawler, S. C., R. E. Zaremba, and Cogan Technology, Inc. 2017. Vegetation mapping inventory project: Minute Man National Historical Park, Massachusetts. Natural Resource Report NPS/MIMA/NRR--2017/1450. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
  • Gawler, S. C., and P. S. Bowman. 2012. Vegetation classification and mapping at Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site, New Hampshire. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2012/584.1. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
  • Keever, C. 1979. Mechanisms of plant succession on old fields of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 106(4):299-308.
  • Klopfer, S. D., A. Olivero, L. Sneddon, and J. Lundgren. 2002. Final report of the NPS Vegetation Mapping Project at Fire Island National Seashore. Conservation Management Institute, GIS & Remote Sensing Division, College of Natural Resources, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. 193 pp.
  • Largay, E. F., and L. A. Sneddon. 2017. Vegetation mapping and classification of Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2017/1529. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
  • Metzler, K. J., J. P. Barrett, T. E. Nosal, W. A. Millinor, and L. A. Sneddon. 2009. Vegetation classification and mapping at Weir Farm National Historic Site, Connecticut. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2008/130. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 128 pp.
  • NRCS [Natural Resources Conservation Service]. 2004a. Soil survey of Saratoga County, New York. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. 590 pp.
  • NatureServe. 2009. Vegetation of the E.B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. International Ecological Classification Standard: Terrestrial Ecological Classifications. NatureServe Central Databases. Arlington, VA. U.S.A. Data current as of 1 December 2009.
  • Patterson, K. D. 2008a. Vegetation classification and mapping at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Virginia. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2008/125. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Patterson, K. D. 2008b. Vegetation classification and mapping at Booker T. Washington National Monument, Virginia. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2008/100. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 173 pp.
  • Patterson, K. D. 2008c. Vegetation classification and mapping at Colonial National Historical Park, Virginia. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2008/129. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 369 pp.
  • Patterson, K. D. 2008d. Vegetation classification and mapping at George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Virginia. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2008/099. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 231 pp.
  • Patterson, K. D. 2008e. Vegetation classification and mapping at Petersburg National Battlefield, Virginia. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2008/127. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 235 pp.
  • Patterson, K. D. 2008f. Vegetation classification and mapping at Richmond National Battlefield Park, Virginia. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2008/128. National Park Service. Philadelphia, PA. 244 pp.
  • Perles, S. J., G. S. Podniesinski, E. A. Zimmerman, E. Eastman, and L. A. Sneddon. 2006d. Vegetation classification and mapping at Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2006/079. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Perles, S. J., G. S. Podniesinski, E. A. Zimmerman, W. A. Millinor, L. A. Sneddon. 2006a. Vegetation classification and mapping at Fort Necessity National Battlefield. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2006/038. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Perles, S. J., G. S. Podniesinski, E. A. Zimmerman, W. A. Millinor, and L. A. Sneddon. 2006b. Vegetation classification and mapping at Friendship Hill National Historic Site. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2006/041. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 113 pp.
  • Perles, S. J., G. S. Podniesinski, E. A. Zimmerman, W. A. Millinor, and L. A. Sneddon. 2006e. Vegetation classification and mapping at Johnstown Flood National Memorial. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2006/034. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 144 pp.
  • Perles, S. J., G. S. Podniesinski, E. Eastman, L. A. Sneddon, and S. C. Gawler. 2007. Classification and mapping of vegetation and fire fuel models at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2007/076. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 2 volumes.
  • Perles, S. J., G. S. Podniesinski, M. Furedi, B. A. Eichelberger, A. Feldmann, G. Edinger, E. Eastman, and L. A. Sneddon. 2008. Vegetation classification and mapping at Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2008/133. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 370 pp.
  • Perles, S. J., G. S. Podniesinski, W. A. Millinor, and L. A. Sneddon. 2006c. Vegetation classification and mapping at Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Park. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2006/058. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Podniesinski, G. S., L. A. Sneddon, J. Lundgren, H. Devine, B. Slocumb, and F. Koch. 2005b. Vegetation classification and mapping of Valley Forge National Historical Park. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2005/028. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 129 pp.
  • Sechler, F. C., G. J. Edinger, T. G. Howard, J. J. Schmid, E. Eastman, E. Largay, L. A. Sneddon, C. Lea, and J. Von Loh. 2014. Vegetation classification and mapping at Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites, New York. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NETN/NRTR--2014/873, National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 392 pp.
  • Sneddon, L. A., K. J. Metzler, and M. Anderson. 1995. A classification and description of natural community alliances and selected community elements of the Delaware Estuary. In: L. E. Dove and R. M. Nyman, editors. Living resources of the Delaware Estuary. The Delaware Estuary Program. 530 pp. plus appendices.
  • Sneddon, L. A., Zaremba, R. E., and M. Adams. 2010. Vegetation classification and mapping at Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts. Natural Resources Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2010/147. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 481 pp. [http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/caco/cacorpt.pdf]
  • Sneddon, L., R. E. Zaremba, E. Largay, G. Podniesinski, S. Perles, and J. Thompson. 2008. Vegetation classification and mapping of Morristown National Historical Park, New Jersey. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2008/116. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 162 pp. [http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/morr/morrrpt.pdf]
  • Swain, P. C., and J. B. Kearsley. 2014. Classification of the natural communities of Massachusetts. Version 2.0. Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Westborough, MA. [http://www.mass.gov/nhesp/http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/natural-heritage/natural-communities/classification-of-natural-communities.html]
  • Taverna, K. and K. D. Patterson. 2008. Vegetation classification and mapping at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, Virginia. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR-2008/126. National Park Service, Philadelphia, PA. 277 pp.
  • Walz, K. S., K. H. Anderson, L. C. Kelly, A. G. Windisch, and M. C. Wong. 2008. New Jersey ecological community crosswalk: A tool for the identification of habitats across jurisdictional boundaries. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry, Office of Natural Lands Management, Natural Heritage Program, Trenton.