Print Report
G059 Solidago altissima - Poa pratensis - Cornus foemina Ruderal Meadow & Shrubland Group
Type Concept Sentence: This group encompasses old fields in the northern and central regions of the eastern United States dominated by native and exotic forbs, grasses, ferns and shrubs that occur on sites that have been cleared and plowed (for farming or development), and then abandoned.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Tall goldenrod - Kentucky Bluegrass - Stiff Dogwood Ruderal Meadow & Shrubland Group
Colloquial Name: Eastern North American Ruderal Meadow & Shrubland
Hierarchy Level: Group
Type Concept: This group encompasses shrub or herb meadows or old fields in the northern and central regions of the eastern United States and adjacent Canada dominated by native and exotic forbs, grasses, ferns and shrubs that occur on sites that have been cleared and plowed (for farming or development), and then abandoned. Characteristics herbs and shrubs include three variants. Dry variants are less well-described. The mesic open old-field meadow variant has characteristic forbs that include Asclepias syriaca, Cerastium arvense, Centaurea stoebe ssp. micranthos, Daucus carota, Euthamia graminifolia, Fragaria virginiana, Oenothera biennis, Picris hieracioides, Potentilla simplex, Rudbeckia hirta, Solidago altissima, Solidago canadensis, Solidago nemoralis, Solidago rugosa, Solidago juncea, Symphyotrichum lateriflorum, and Symphyotrichum novae-angliae. Common grasses include Anthoxanthum odoratum, Bromus inermis, Dactylis glomerata, Elymus repens, Phleum pratense, Poa compressa, and Poa pratensis. Shrubs may be present, but collectively they have less than 25% cover. Characteristic shrubs include Cornus amomum, Cornus racemosa, Cornus sericea, Juniperus virginiana, Lonicera spp., Rubus spp., Rhus typhina, Rhus glabra, and Viburnum recognitum. The mesic old-field shrubland variant includes Amelanchier spp., Cornus racemosa, Cornus sericea, Crataegus spp., Prunus americana, Prunus virginiana, Rhus glabra, Rhus typhina, Rubus spp., Viburnum lentago, and Viburnum recognitum. The exotic shrubs Elaeagnus angustifolia, Lonicera spp., Rhamnus cathartica, and Rosa multiflora may be invasive in some areas. The dry old-field grassland and shrubland is found on sandy or rock substrates and includes Andropogon virginicus, Poa compressa, Solidago nemoralis, Schizachyrium scoparium, and an assortment of dry weedy species such as Centaurea stoebe ssp. micranthos.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Occurs on abandoned farmland sites, often in formerly forested sites. Sites contain a mix of native and exotic shrubs and herbs, often with some woody sapling establishment from surrounding forests.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Other natural types that originate through both natural and human disturbances, but have natural analogs are placed in other "natural" groups, such as ~Laurentian-Acadian Acidic Scrub & Grassland Group (G788)$$ and ~North-Central Appalachian Acidic Scrub & Grassland Group (G789)$$. For example, blueberry heaths are dominated by ericaceous shrubs that occur on sites with acidic soils that have been cleared for logging, farming, etc., but can also develop on forest sites with a severe fire or persist for a long time with periodic fire. Another example are the northern and midwestern sandplain grasslands that develop on sandplains that have been cleared and plowed for farming or development, and then abandoned, or they can develop in response to severe fire in native forests, or persist for a long time with periodic fire. A well-studied example are the "old field" sand barrens of the upper Midwest, studied at Cedar Creek Natural History Area (Inouye et al. 1987). They are treated here as "native successional grasslands" within ~Central Tallgrass Prairie Group (G333)$$, because they are very similar to naturally occurring sand barrens and oak barrens types in the surrounding landscape, within 10-25 years. Examples of these natural sandplain associations include ~Vaccinium angustifolium / Schizachyrium scoparium - Carex lucorum Shrub Grassland (CEGL006393)$$.
On the flip side, recently harvested crop fields may quickly become very early-successional old fields, dominated by Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Hieracium spp., Taraxacum officinale, etc. Practically speaking, they may be treated as fallow cropland under Cultural Vegetation, as long as a more-or-less continuous cover of vegetation is not present.
On the flip side, recently harvested crop fields may quickly become very early-successional old fields, dominated by Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Hieracium spp., Taraxacum officinale, etc. Practically speaking, they may be treated as fallow cropland under Cultural Vegetation, as long as a more-or-less continuous cover of vegetation is not present.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: The vegetation is dominated by forbs, grasses, ferns and shrubs. Tree saplings may form a growing percentage of the cover should succession lead to a forested state.
Floristics: This group encompasses shrub or herb meadows in the northern and central regions of the eastern United States dominated by forbs, grasses, ferns and shrubs that occur on sites that have been cleared and plowed (for farming or development), and then abandoned. Characteristics herbs and shrubs include three variants. Dry variants are less well-described. The mesic old-field meadow variant is dominated by forbs and grasses that occur on sites that have been cleared and plowed (for farming or development), and then abandoned. Forbs include Asclepias syriaca, Cerastium arvense, Centaurea stoebe ssp. micranthos (= Centaurea maculosa), Daucus carota, Euthamia graminifolia, Fragaria virginiana, Oenothera biennis, Picris hieracioides, Potentilla simplex, Rudbeckia hirta, Solidago altissima, Solidago canadensis, Solidago nemoralis, Solidago rugosa, Solidago juncea, Symphyotrichum lateriflorum (= Aster lateriflorus), and Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (= Aster novae-angliae). Common grasses include Anthoxanthum odoratum, Bromus inermis, Dactylis glomerata, Elymus repens (= Agropyron repens), Phleum pratense, Poa compressa, and Poa pratensis. Shrubs may be present, but collectively they have less than 25% cover. Characteristic shrubs include Cornus amomum, Cornus racemosa (= Cornus foemina ssp. racemosa), Cornus sericea, Juniperus virginiana, Lonicera spp., Rubus spp., Rhus typhina, Rhus glabra, and Viburnum recognitum. The mesic old-field shrubland variant includes Amelanchier spp., Cornus racemosa, Cornus sericea, Crataegus spp., Prunus americana, Prunus virginiana, Rhus glabra, Rhus typhina, Rubus spp., Viburnum lentago, and Viburnum recognitum. The exotic shrubs Elaeagnus angustifolia, Lonicera spp., and Rosa multiflora may be invasive in some areas (Edinger et al. 2002). The dry old-field grassland and shrubland is found on sandy or rock substrates and includes Andropogon virginicus, Poa compressa, Solidago nemoralis, Schizachyrium scoparium, and an assortment of dry weedy species such as Centaurea stoebe ssp. micranthos. See also Wright and Fridley (2010) for the biogeographic variation among stands of this type.
Dynamics: Depending on the availability of adjacent seed sources, ongoing mowing, etc., sites may either remain as herb- and shrub-dominated meadows for 20-50+ years, or may succeed to forests. Sites in which Rhamnus cathartica establishes may persist in a small-tree state for many years.
Environmental Description: Sites where this group is found have typically been cleared and plowed (for farming or development), and then abandoned. Mesic sites are typically relatively flat to rolling and fairly moist, because of their desirability for agricultural activities. Drier, sand, rocky or steeper sloped sites are subject to other kinds of development or weedy invasion, and are not well-described.
Geographic Range: This group occurs widely across the northern and central regions of the United States and adjacent Canada, extending westward into the tallgrass region of the midwestern United States.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: CT, DE, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MB, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, NB, NC?, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NS, NY, OH, ON, PA, PE, QC, RI, SD, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.839432
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNA
Greasons: No Data Available
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: > Successional fern meadow (Edinger et al. 2002)
> Successional old field (Edinger et al. 2002)
> Successional shrubland (Edinger et al. 2002)
> Successional old field (Edinger et al. 2002)
> Successional shrubland (Edinger et al. 2002)
- Edinger, G. J., D. J. Evans, S. Gebauer, T. G. Howard, D. M. Hunt, and A. M. Olivero, editors. 2002. Ecological communities of New York state. Second edition. A revised and expanded edition of Carol Reschke''s ecological communities of New York state. (Draft for review). New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, NY.
- Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, S. Gawler, M. Hall, C. Josse, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, L. Sneddon, K. Schulz, J. Teague, M. Russo, K. Snow, and P. Comer, editors. 2010-2019a. Divisions, Macrogroups and Groups for the Revised U.S. National Vegetation Classification. NatureServe, Arlington, VA. plus appendices. [in preparation]
- Wright, J. P., and J. D. Fridley. 2010. Biogeographic synthesis of secondary succession rates in eastern North America. Journal of Biogeography 37:1584-1596.