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CEGL006442 Schizachyrium scoparium - Sporobolus heterolepis Serpentine Grassland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Little Bluestem - Prairie Dropseed Serpentine Grassland

Colloquial Name: Little Bluestem - Prairie Dropseed Serpentine Barrens

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This serpentine grassland community of Pennsylvania and Maryland is associated with soils derived from weathered serpentine bedrock. It typically occurs on mid to upper slopes on very shallow (0-10 cm deep) stony or gravelly sand or silt loam soils. Exposed bedrock and bare ground are common at some locations. Soils are typically very dry, reflecting well-drained to excessively well-drained soil conditions and shallow depth to bedrock. Slope aspect is variable but is rarely due east. The slope angle ranges from 1-16° and is most often between 3-6°. The dominant species in this community are the grasses Schizachyrium scoparium and Sporobolus heterolepis. Other characteristic herbaceous species may include Symphyotrichum depauperatum, Scleria pauciflora, Cerastium arvense var. villosum, Solidago nemoralis, Packera anonyma, Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon, and Arabis lyrata. Woody plants are rare and usually include Juniperus virginiana or pine seedlings and saplings of Pinus rigida and/or Pinus virginiana. A subtype of this community occurs on gravel barrens in Pennsylvania and Maryland. These barrens have the same species composition; however, they typically have less than 60% vegetation cover and exposed serpentine bedrock and gravel as the dominant cover type. Gravel barrens occur at midslope positions with a steep slope (>6° and as much as 16°).

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This and a number of other serpentine vegetation community types were described by Podniesinski et al. (unpubl. data 1999); subsequently, former Pinus rigida / Schizachyrium scoparium - Scleria pauciflora Wooded Herbaceous Vegetation (CEGL006159) was archived as the type was too broad given the more recent data describing more specific community types occurring within the eastern serpentine barrens.

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

Floristics: The dominant species in this community are the grasses Schizachyrium scoparium and Sporobolus heterolepis. Other characteristic herbaceous species may include Symphyotrichum depauperatum (= Aster depauperatus), Scleria pauciflora, Cerastium arvense var. villosum, Solidago nemoralis, Packera anonyma (= Senecio anonymus), Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon (= Panicum sphaerocarpon), and Arabis lyrata. Woody plants are rare and usually include Juniperus virginiana or pine seedlings and saplings of Pinus rigida and/or Pinus virginiana.

Dynamics:  This grassland community is adapted to the weathering of serpentine bedrock. It was once thought that the lack of canopy cover was maintained by the unique edaphic features of the chrome series soils, but in the last 20 years, many sites have been invaded by dense Pinus virginiana (Tyndall 1992a). Selective cutting has been effective in restoring degraded sites to their previous composition and structure, but most researchers believe that without regular burning to prevent soil development the herbaceous serpentine plant communities may not persist. There is substantial evidence that most of the existing areas were regularly burned by Native Americans (Marye 1920, 1955a, 1955b, 1955c) and perhaps maintained by grazing after European settlement.
Environmental Description:  This serpentine grassland community is associated with soils derived from weathered serpentine bedrock. It typically occurs on mid to upper slopes on very shallow (0-10 cm deep) stony or gravelly sand or silt loam soils. Exposed bedrock and bare ground are common at some locations. Soils are typically very dry, reflecting well-drained to excessively well-drained soil conditions and shallow depth to bedrock. Slope aspect is variable but is rarely due east. The slope angle ranges from 1-16° and is most often between 3-6°. A subtype of this community occurs on gravel barrens in Pennsylvania and Maryland. These barrens have the same species composition; however, they typically have less than 60% vegetation cover and exposed serpentine bedrock and gravel as the dominant cover type. Gravel barrens occur at mid-slope positions with a steep slope (>6° and as much as 16°). Gravel barrens are also more likely to have a southern aspect.
Geographic Range: This community occurs in serpentine barrens located within Chester and Lancaster counties in Pennsylvania and in Cecil County, Maryland.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  MD, PA


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G1G2

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.1 Catawba Rosebay / Michaux''s Saxifrage - Flattened Oatgrass Felsic & Mafic Scrub & Grassland Macrogroup M506 2.B.2.Nc.1
Group 2.B.2.Nc.1.c Little Bluestem - Balsam Groundsel - Prairie Groundsel Appalachian Mafic Glade Group G180 2.B.2.Nc.1.c
Alliance A3468 Little Bluestem - Indiangrass - Serpentine American-aster Serpentine Grassland Alliance A3468 2.B.2.Nc.1.c
Association CEGL006442 Little Bluestem - Prairie Dropseed Serpentine Grassland CEGL006442 2.B.2.Nc.1.c
Concept Lineage: CEGL006159 was split into several distinct serpentine barrens types.

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Little Bluestem - Prairie Dropseed Grassland (Podniesinski et al. 1999)
< Smith''s Eastern Serpentine Barren (Podniesinski et al. 1999)
Concept Author(s): G. Podniesinski, A. Leimanis, and J. Ebert (1999)

Author of Description: G. Podniesinski, A. Leimanis, J. Ebert, M. Anderson

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 09-21-05
  • Eastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boston, MA.
  • Fike, J. 1999. Terrestrial and palustrine plant communities of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Recreation, Bureau of Forestry, Harrisburg, PA. 86 pp.
  • Harrison, J. W. 2011. The natural communities of Maryland: 2011 working list of ecological community groups and community types. Unpublished report. Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife and Heritage Service, Natural Heritage Program, Annapolis. 33 pp.
  • Harrison, J. W., compiler. 2004. Classification of vegetation communities of Maryland: First iteration. A subset of the International Classification of Ecological Communities: Terrestrial Vegetation of the United States, NatureServe. Maryland Natural Heritage Program, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis. 243 pp.
  • Marye, W. B. 1920. The old Indian road. Maryland Historical Magazine 15:107-124, 208-229, 345-395.
  • Marye, W. B. 1955a. The great Maryland barrens I. Maryland Historical Magazine 50:11-23.
  • Marye, W. B. 1955b. The great Maryland barrens II. Maryland Historical Magazine 50:124-142.
  • Marye, W. B. 1955c. The great Maryland barrens III. Maryland Historical Magazine 50:234-253.
  • Podniesinski, G., A. Leimanis, and J. Ebert. 1999. Serpentine plant community classification. Unpublished data. Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Pittsburgh, PA. 14 pp.
  • Smith, T. L. No date (a). Natural ecological communities of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory, East, Harrisburg, PA. 97 pp.
  • Tyndall, R. W. 1992a. Historical considerations of conifer expansion in Maryland serpentine "barrens." Castanea 57:123-131.
  • Tyndall, R. W. 1992b. Herbaceous layer vegetation on Maryland serpentine. Castanea 57:264-272.
  • Tyndall, R. W., and P. M. Farr. 1990. Vegetation and flora of the Pilot serpentine area Maryland. Castanea 55:123-131.