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A1599 Pteridium aquilinum - Bromus kalmii Sand Grassland Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: This alliance, currently documented from the Great Lakes region and adjacent Canada, comprises meadows dominated by Pteridium aquilinum on level plains or rolling uplands and in depressions ("frost pockets") in pitted outwash topography. It is often of anthropogenic origin.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Western Brackenfern - Arctic Brome Sand Grassland Alliance
Colloquial Name: Brackenfern Sand Grassland
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: This alliance, currently documented from the Great Lakes region and adjacent Canada, comprises meadows dominated by Pteridium aquilinum on level plains or rolling uplands and in depressions ("frost pockets") in pitted outwash topography. It is often of anthropogenic origin. Stands may have originated after severe slash fires following logging that destroyed or reduced the humus in the soil. In some cases the sites may have originally been Pinus resinosa or Pinus banksiana barrens, where the pines occurred as a sparse layer over the grassland. This vegetation is fairly stable, slowly invaded by Populus tremuloides and Abies balsamea, but frost and other factors may slow their invasion. Stands are dominated by ferns, forbs, and graminoids, with tree cover less than 10%. Pteridium aquilinum may form an almost continuous cover of fronds. Graminoid diversity is high, including Bromus kalmii, Danthonia spicata, Elymus trachycaulus, and Poa compressa. Associated forbs include Symphyotrichum ciliolatum, Solidago nemoralis, and Fragaria virginiana. Exotic species composition can be high, including Hieracium aurantiacum, Lactuca serriola, Phleum pratense, Poa compressa, Poa pratensis, Rumex acetosella, and Verbascum thapsus.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Dominance by Pteridium aquilinum and lacking significant tree or shrub cover.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This alliance may occur more broadly but has not been well-studied.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Stands are dominated by ferns, forbs, and graminoids, with scattered shrubs, and tree cover less than 10%.
Floristics: Pteridium aquilinum may form an almost continuous cover of fronds. Graminoid diversity is high, including Bromus kalmii, Danthonia spicata, Elymus trachycaulus, and Poa compressa. Associated forbs include Dennstaedtia punctilobula, Fragaria virginiana, Solidago nemoralis, and Symphyotrichum ciliolatum (= Aster ciliolatus). Shrubs may include Vaccinium angustifolium and Vaccinium pallidum. Exotic species composition can be high, including Hieracium aurantiacum, Lactuca serriola, Phleum pratense, Poa compressa, Poa pratensis, Rumex acetosella, and Verbascum thapsus (Curtis 1959). Stands of this alliance are most likely modified occurrences of other community types.
Dynamics: These bracken-dominated grasslands likely originated through fire. Many areas have scattered pine stumps. Stands may have originated after severe slash fires following logging that destroyed or reduced the humus in the soil. In some cases the sites may have originally been Pinus resinosa or Pinus banksiana barrens, where the pines occurred as a sparse layer over the grassland. The bracken grasslands are fairly stable. They are slowly invaded by Populus tremuloides and Abies balsamea, but frost and other factors may slow their invasion.
Environmental Description: This alliance occurs on level plains or rolling uplands and in depressions ("frost pockets") in pitted outwash topography.
Geographic Range: This alliance occurs in the Great Lakes region, New York, and adjacent Canada.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: WI
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.899156
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
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.4 Laurentian -Acidic Rocky Scrub & Grassland Macrogroup | M505 | 2.B.2.Nc.4 |
| Group | 2.B.2.Nc.4.a Laurentian-Acadian Acidic Scrub & Grassland Group | G788 | 2.B.2.Nc.4.a |
| Alliance | A1599 Western Brackenfern - Arctic Brome Sand Grassland Alliance | A1599 | 2.B.2.Nc.4.a |
| Association | CEGL005142 Western Brackenfern - Arctic Brome Grassland | CEGL005142 | 2.B.2.Nc.4.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Bracken Grassland (Curtis 1959) [Wisconsin]
? Successional fern meadow (Edinger et al. 2002)
? Successional fern meadow (Edinger et al. 2002)
- Curtis, J. T. 1959. The vegetation of Wisconsin: An ordination of plant communities. Reprinted in 1987. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. 657 pp.
- 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, M. Hall, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, M. Russo, K. Schulz, L. Sneddon, K. Snow, and J. Teague. 2013-2019b. Screening alliances for induction into the U.S. National Vegetation Classification: Part 1 - Alliance concept review. NatureServe, Arlington, VA.
- Faber-Langendoen, D., and Midwest State Natural Heritage Program Ecologists. 1996. Terrestrial vegetation of the midwest United States. International classification of ecological communities: Terrestrial vegetation of the United States. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA.