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CEGL002025 Andropogon gerardii - Sorghastrum nutans - Hesperostipa spartea Loess Hills Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Big Bluestem - Indiangrass - Porcupine Grass Loess Hills Grassland
Colloquial Name: Midwest Mesic Loess Tallgrass Prairie
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This big bluestem tallgrass prairie type is found in the west-central tallgrass prairie region of the United States, including the Loess Hills. Stands occur on moderately steep mid to upper slopes of loess hills and along ridges. It is most common on southern and western aspects. The soil is well-drained, acidic to neutral, and shallow to deep loess (40-100 cm). The parent material is a deep loess or glacial till and other deeply weathered substrates. This community is virtually lacking in shrubs and trees. Woody vegetation that is present, such as Amorpha canescens, is usually less than 0.5 m tall. The dominant vegetation is tallgrasses. Of the dominant species, Andropogon gerardii, Sorghastrum nutans, and Hesperostipa spartea) typically exceed 1 m. Schizachyrium scoparium, also very common, is shorter. In Missouri some other species that are usually found in this community are Echinacea pallida, Potentilla arguta, Silphium laciniatum, and Sporobolus compositus var. compositus.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Nebraska historically had much more loess tallgrass prairie, than loam/glacial till prairie, which is classified as ~Andropogon gerardii - Sorghastrum nutans - (Sporobolus heterolepis) - Liatris spp. - Ratibida pinnata Grassland (CEGL002203)$$. But virtually all of the loess prairie has been plowed up. Remaining sites are either on heavily eroded loess sites or glacial till sites that are difficult to plow, blurring what distinction there might have been between these two types (G. Steinauer pers. comm. 2000, Steinauer and Rolfsmeier 2003).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This community is virtually lacking in shrubs and trees. Woody vegetation that is present, such as Amorpha canescens, is usually less than 0.5 m tall. The dominant vegetation is tallgrasses. Of the dominant species, Andropogon gerardii, Sorghastrum nutans, and Hesperostipa spartea (= Stipa spartea) typically exceed 1 m. Schizachyrium scoparium, also very common, is shorter. In Missouri and Kansas other species that are usually found in this community include Dalea candida, Echinacea pallida, Potentilla arguta, Psoralidium tenuiflorum, Silphium laciniatum, and Sporobolus compositus.
Dynamics: This community experiences moderate drought stress. It is maintained by fire with an average burn frequency of 1-3 years.
Environmental Description: This community occurs on moderately steep mid- to upper slopes of hills and along ridges. It has been found on several aspects (Nelson 1985, Rosburg and Glenn-Lewin 1996). This dry-mesic community is associated with dry prairie on mesic slopes of steep loess hills. The soil is well-drained, acidic to neutral, and shallow to deep loess (40-100 cm) (Nelson 1985). The parent material is loess or glacial till and other deeply weathered substrates.
Geographic Range: This big bluestem tallgrass prairie type is found in the west-central tallgrass prairie region of the United States, including the Loess Hills, extending from northwestern Missouri west to northeastern Kansas, north to southeastern South Dakota, and southeast to western Iowa.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: IA, KS, MO, NE, SD
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.687723
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2
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 | A4057 Big Bluestem - Indiangrass - Stiff Tickseed Central Grassland Alliance | A4057 | 2.B.2.Nb.1.c |
| Association | CEGL002025 Big Bluestem - Indiangrass - Porcupine Grass Loess Hills Grassland | CEGL002025 | 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: = Andropogon gerardii - Sorghastrum nutans - Hesperostipa spartea Loess Hills Herbaceous Vegetation (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
< Tall-grass Prairie (Steinauer and Rolfsmeier 2003)
= Tall/mid-grass (Rosburg and Glenn-Lewin 1996)
< Tall-grass Prairie (Steinauer and Rolfsmeier 2003)
= Tall/mid-grass (Rosburg and Glenn-Lewin 1996)
- 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.).
- INAI [Iowa Natural Areas Inventory]. 2017. Vegetation classification of Iowa. Iowa Natural Areas Inventory, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines.
- 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.
- Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
- 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.
- Nelson, P. W. 1985. The terrestrial natural communities of Missouri. Missouri Natural Areas Committee, Jefferson City. 197 pp. Revised edition, 1987.
- Rolfsmeier, S. B., and G. Steinauer. 2010. Terrestrial ecological systems and natural communities of Nebraska (Version IV - March 9, 2010). Nebraska Natural Heritage Program, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Lincoln, NE. 228 pp.
- Rosburg, T. R., and D. C. Glenn-Lewin. 1996. Species composition and environmental characteristics of grassland and ecotonal plant communities in the Loess Hills of western Iowa (USA). Natural Areas Journal 16:318-334.
- SDNHP [South Dakota Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data. South Dakota Natural Heritage Program, Pierre, SD.
- Steinauer, G., and S. Rolfsmeier. 2003. Terrestrial natural communities of Nebraska. (Version III - June 30, 2003). Nebraska Natural Heritage Program, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Lincoln. 163 pp.