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A4056 Andropogon gerardii - Panicum virgatum Wet Prairie Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This wet-mesic herbaceous alliance occurs throughout the central Midwest, is dominated by tallgrass species, particularly Andropogon gerardii and Panicum virgatum, and is found on sites that are saturated or flooded for part of the growing season.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Big Bluestem - Panicum virgatum Wet Prairie Alliance

Colloquial Name: Wet-Mesic Tallgrass Prairie

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance is found scattered throughout the central Midwest from eastern South Dakota to eastern Oklahoma and east to southern Michigan and western Ohio. Tallgrasses dominate and often form dense stands. Andropogon gerardii and Panicum virgatum are common to dominant on most examples. Calamagrostis canadensis, Pascopyrum smithii (in the west), Sorghastrum nutans, and Spartina pectinata are frequently present to abundant. Sites that experience seasonal droughts can have significant midgrasses, especially Schizachyrium scoparium. Woody vegetation tends to increase in the absence of fire and can take over sites left unburned for long periods. Forbs are abundant, especially in the east. Among these forbs are Asteraceae spp., Helianthus grosseserratus, Lysimachia quadrifolia, Pycnanthemum virginianum, Ratibida columnifera, Ratibida pinnata, Thalictrum dasycarpum, and Zizia aurea. The alliance occurs on sites that are wet or even flooded for part of the growing season but not to the degree that they are true wetlands. These are typically in ravines, shallow depressions, or flat lakeplains. Soils are usually fine-textured but coarse-textured surficial soils can be present if an impervious subsurface layer or a shallow water table keeps sites wet.

Diagnostic Characteristics: This alliance is characterized by wet-mesic sites with vegetation dominated by tallgrass species, especially Andropogon gerardii, Calamagrostis canadensis, Panicum virgatum, and Sorghastrum nutans, and with abundant forbs.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This alliance can grade into the mesic tallgrass prairie ~Andropogon gerardii - Sorghastrum nutans Mixedgrass Western Plains Grassland Alliance (A4028)$$ on drier margins or areas. Species characteristic of the wet-mesic setting include Spartina pectinata, Calamagrostis canadensis, and certain forbs which are not always present (Equisetum spp., Helianthus grosseserratus, Liatris spicata, Pycnanthemum virginianum, and Veronicastrum virginicum, among others).

~Juncus (acuminatus, brachycarpus) - Panicum virgatum - Bidens aristosa - Hibiscus lasiocarpos Wet Meadow (CEGL004782)$$ does not fit this alliance well but does share some dominants and a better fitting alliance could not be found. It may deserve its own alliance.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This alliance is characterized by mesic to wet-mesic tall grasslands. The dominant lifeforms in stands of this alliance are tallgrasses, although forbs can be abundant as well. Trees and shrubs can occur as scattered individuals or clumps. Vegetation tends to be dense and between 1.5-2 m tall.

Floristics: This alliance is made up of mesic to wet-mesic tall grasslands. Trees and shrubs can occur as scattered individuals or clumps. The dominant species across the range of this alliance is Andropogon gerardii. Other species that are common to abundant throughout the alliance''s range are Calamagrostis canadensis, Carex spp., Panicum virgatum, Sorghastrum nutans, and Spartina pectinata. Muhlenbergia richardsonis may be diagnostic of this alliance in the northeastern Great Plains (Diamond and Smeins 1988), and Pascopyrum smithii is common in the western portion of this alliance''s range. Elymus canadensis is abundant in Wisconsin (Curtis 1959). Schizachyrium scoparium can be found on sites subject to seasonal drought (Steinauer 1989, Comer et al. 1995b). Forbs are abundant, especially farther east in this alliance''s range. Among these forbs are Asteraceae spp., Helianthus grosseserratus, Lysimachia quadrifolia, Pycnanthemum virginianum, Ratibida columnifera, Ratibida pinnata, Thalictrum dasycarpum, and Zizia aurea.

Dynamics:  Precipitation generally increases from west to east across this alliance''s range, so fire or other factors that remove or inhibit growth of woody species become more important the farther east a site is. Fires were a common occurrence in stands of this alliance before effective fire suppression activities. In the prolonged absence of fire, woody species usually invade and can become abundant (Curtis 1959, Steinauer 1989). Seasonally variable conditions in soil moisture (flooded to dry) can also inhibit woody vegetation.
Environmental Description:  Stands of this widespread alliance occur most frequently on sand to silt loam soils. Some are found on clay loams or silty clays. The sites are typically level to gently sloping, and those with heavier soils often have standing water present in the spring or after heavy rains. Most stands are in the glaciated Midwest and occur on glacial till, outwash, drift, or glacial lakeplains.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in the western tallgrass region of western Minnesota and eastern South Dakota south to eastern Oklahoma and northern Arkansas and east to southern Michigan and western Ohio.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  AR, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY?, MB, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, OK, ON, SD, SK, WI


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.C Shrub & Herb Wetland Subclass S44 2.C
Formation 2.C.4 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Formation F013 2.C.4
Division 2.C.4.Nd Eastern North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division D323 2.C.4.Nd
Macrogroup 2.C.4.Nd.2 Broadleaf Cattail - White Snakeroot - Rush species Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup M069 2.C.4.Nd.2
Group 2.C.4.Nd.2.e Prairie Cordgrass - Bluejoint - Sedge species Midwest Wet Prairie, Wet Meadow & Shrub Swamp Group G770 2.C.4.Nd.2.e
Alliance A4056 Big Bluestem - Panicum virgatum Wet Prairie Alliance A4056 2.C.4.Nd.2.e
Association CEGL002024 Big Bluestem - Switchgrass - Sawtooth Sunflower Wet Meadow CEGL002024 2.C.4.Nd.2.e
Association CEGL002199 Big Bluestem - (Switchgrass) - Mat Muhly Wet Meadow CEGL002199 2.C.4.Nd.2.e
Association CEGL004782 (Tapertip Rush, Whiteroot Rush) - Switchgrass - Bearded Beggarticks - Interior Rosemallow Wet Meadow CEGL004782 2.C.4.Nd.2.e
Association CEGL005069 Steeplebush - Prairie Willow / Big Bluestem - Switchgrass Wet Shrubland CEGL005069 2.C.4.Nd.2.e
Association CEGL005177 Big Bluestem - Bluejoint Sand Wet Meadow CEGL005177 2.C.4.Nd.2.e
Concept Lineage: Four associations in this alliance are from old A.1191, one is from A.1362, and one is from A.897.

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< Andropogon gerardii herbaceous alliance (Hoagland 1998a)
? T5A1aI1b. Panicum virgatum (Foti et al. 1994)
? Wet-mesic Prairie (Curtis 1959)
Concept Author(s): J. Drake, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: J. Drake

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-18-14
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  • Curtis, J. T. 1959. The vegetation of Wisconsin: An ordination of plant communities. Reprinted in 1987. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. 657 pp.
  • Diamond, D. D., and F. E. Smeins. 1988. Gradient analysis of remnant true and upper coastal prairie grasslands of North America. Canadian Journal of Botany 66:2152-2161.
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