Print Report
CEGL002292 Central Midwest-Interior Limestone - Dolostone Moist Cliff Vegetation
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Central Midwest-Interior Limestone - Dolostone Moist Cliff Vegetation
Colloquial Name: Central Midwest-Interior Moist Limestone - Dolostone Cliff
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This limestone - dolostone moist cliff community occurs in localized areas throughout the central midwestern-interior United States and southern Ontario, Canada. The cliffs are often very steep and found along rivers and strongly dissected hills. The aspect is typically northern and east, but is variable. Soils are generally absent, except on ledges or shelves. The cliff is moist due to seepage or shading due to aspect. The vegetation is generally quite sparse (<25% cover). Trees, when present, are scattered. Shrubs, herbs, and nonvascular species are more often present. Characteristic trees include Acer saccharum. Characteristic shrubs include Hydrangea arborescens and Staphylea trifolia. Common ferns include Adiantum pedatum, Asplenium rhizophyllum, and Cystopteris bulbifera, as well as Asplenium ruta-muraria and Asplenium resiliens. Other herbs include Aquilegia canadensis, Chenopodium simplex, Lysimachia quadriflora, Parnassia grandifolia, Pilea pumila, Selaginella apoda, Solidago caesia, and Solidago flexicaulis. Mosses, liverworts and lichens are also present.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This moist cliff type is apparently less common across the region than ~Central Midwest-Interior Limestone - Dolostone Dry Cliff Sparse Vegetation (CEGL002291)$$. Definitions of cliff types remain problematic. Curtis (1959) in Wisconsin suggested that substrate was of secondary importance compared to moisture (shading versus open) in determining floristic patterns. Furthermore some cliffs are a combination of layers of sandstone, shale and limestone or dolostone, making classification problematic. Tim Nigh (pers. comm. 1996) has suggested that the Missouri type could be named "Hydrangea arborescens - Adiantum capillus-veneris - Cystopteris bulbifera - Parnassia grandifolia Alkaline Cliff." This type should also be compared with ~Cystopteris bulbifera - (Asplenium rhizophyllum) Cliff Sparse Vegetation (CEGL004394)$$ in the Southeast. Ozark and southern Illinois and Indiana cliffs may be better placed into a Southeastern/Interior Low Plateau type, separate from a Midwest type, based on such species as Asplenium ruta-muraria and Asplenium resiliens. In southeastern Indiana, other rare calciphitic species include Carex eburnea, Heuchera villosa, Phlox bifida ssp. stellaria, Hylotelephium telephioides, and Sullivantia sullivantii. Limestone cliffs along the Niagara Escarpment in central Ontario/Bruce Peninsula may be different from those in southern Ontario (W. Bakowsky pers. comm. 1998) and from other Great Lakes Limestone cliffs. More northern examples of these cliffs in the Great Lakes region may also contain ~Thuja occidentalis Cliff Woodland (CEGL002451)$$, which may overlap in concept with this type.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The vegetation is generally quite sparse (<25% cover). Trees, when present, are scattered. Shrubs, herbs, and nonvascular species are more often present. Characteristic trees include Acer saccharum. Characteristic shrubs include Hydrangea arborescens and Staphylea trifolia. Common ferns include Adiantum pedatum, Asplenium rhizophyllum (= Camptosorus rhizophyllus), and Cystopteris bulbifera, as well as Asplenium ruta-muraria and Asplenium resiliens in the southern part of the range. Other herbs include Aquilegia canadensis, Chenopodium simplex, Lysimachia quadriflora, Parnassia grandifolia, Pilea pumila, Selaginella apoda, Solidago caesia, and Solidago flexicaulis. Mosses, liverworts and lichens are also present (Curtis 1959, White and Madany 1978, Homoya et al. 1985, Nelson 1985). In Wisconsin, seepage areas include Primula mistassinica and Campanula rotundifolia. In Oklahoma, the type occurs in the Arbuckle Mountains. The vegetation is sparse, but includes Boehmeria cylindrica, Pellaea atropurpurea, Asplenium platyneuron, and Urtica chamaedryoides.
Dynamics: Disturbances include wind and icestorm damage (Nelson 1985).
Environmental Description: The cliffs are often very steep and found along rivers and strongly dissected hills. The aspect is typically north and east, but is variable. Soils are generally absent, except on ledges or shelves. The cliff is moist due to seepage or shading due to aspect (Nelson 1985).
Geographic Range: This limestone - dolostone cliff community occurs in localized areas throughout the central midwestern and interior regions of the United States and southern Ontario, Canada, ranging from Ohio and southern Ontario west to Iowa, south to Oklahoma and Arkansas, and east to Tennessee.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, OH, ON, TN, WI
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686634
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4G5
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 6 Open Rock Vegetation Class | C06 | 6 |
| Subclass | 6.B Temperate & Boreal Open Rock Vegetation Subclass | S04 | 6.B |
| Formation | 6.B.1 Temperate & Boreal Cliff, Scree & Other Rock Vegetation Formation | F034 | 6.B.1 |
| Division | 6.B.1.Na Eastern North American Temperate Cliff, Scree & Rock Vegetation Division | D051 | 6.B.1.Na |
| Macrogroup | 6.B.1.Na.1 Shrubby Fivefingers - Rock Polypody / Cup Lichen species Eastern North American Cliff & Rock Vegetation Macrogroup | M111 | 6.B.1.Na.1 |
| Group | 6.B.1.Na.1.d Central Midwest-Interior Cliff & Rock Vegetation Group | G841 | 6.B.1.Na.1.d |
| Alliance | A3998 Central Midwest-Interior Alkaline Cliff Alliance | A3998 | 6.B.1.Na.1.d |
| Association | CEGL002292 Central Midwest-Interior Limestone - Dolostone Moist Cliff Vegetation | CEGL002292 | 6.B.1.Na.1.d |
Concept Lineage: Dripping cliffs are included as variants of moist cliffs.
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Limestone - Dolostone Midwest Moist Cliff Sparse Vegetation (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
< Shaded Cliff (Curtis 1959)
< Shaded Cliff (Curtis 1959)
- Bakowsky, Wasyl D. Personal communication. Ontario Natural Heritage Information Centre and Southern Region STTU, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Peterborough, Ontario.
- Chastain, R. A., M.A. Struckhoff, K. W. Grabner, E. D. Stroh, H. He, D. R. Larsen, T. A. Nigh, and J. Drake. 2006. Mapping vegetation communities in Ozark National Scenic Riverways: Final technical report to the National Park Service. Open-File Report 2006-1354. U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA. 90 pp. plus appendices.
- Curtis, J. T. 1959. The vegetation of Wisconsin: An ordination of plant communities. Reprinted in 1987. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. 657 pp.
- 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., D. B. Abrell, J. R. Aldrich, and T. W. Post. 1985. The natural regions of Indiana. Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science 94:245-268.
- INAI [Iowa Natural Areas Inventory]. 2017. Vegetation classification of Iowa. Iowa Natural Areas Inventory, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines.
- 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]
- Larson, D. W., U. Matthes, and P. E. Kelly. 1999a. Cliffs as natural refuges. American Scientist 87:410-418.
- Lauver, C. L., K. Kindscher, D. Faber-Langendoen, and R. Schneider. 1999. A classification of the natural vegetation of Kansas. The Southwestern Naturalist 44:421-443.
- Leahy, Mike. Personal communication. Missouri Natural Heritage Database, Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City.
- Lee, H., W. Bakowsky, J. Riley, J. Bowles, M. Puddister, P. Uhlig, and S. McMurray. 1998. Ecological land classification for southern Ontario: First approximation and its application. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Southcentral Science Section, Science Development and Transfer Branch. SCSS Field Guide FG-02.
- 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]. 2005c. Field guide to the native plant communities of Minnesota: The Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province. Ecological Land Classification Program, Minnesota County Biological Survey, and Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul.
- Nelson, P. 2010. The terrestrial natural communities of Missouri. Revised edition. Missouri Natural Areas Committee, Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Conservation, Jefferson City.
- Nigh, Tim A. Personal communication. Ecologist, Missouri Conservation Commission, Jefferson City.
- ONHD [Ohio Natural Heritage Database]. No date. Vegetation classification of Ohio and unpublished data. Ohio Natural Heritage Database, Division of Natural Areas and Preserves, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Columbus.
- ONHIC [Ontario Natural Heritage Information Centre]. 2018. Unpublished data. Ontario Natural Heritage Information Centre, Ministry of Natural Resources, Ontario, Canada.
- 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.