Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Kentucky Bluegrass - Smooth Brome Ruderal Meadow

Colloquial Name: Midwest Graminoid Old-field Meadow

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This association is currently only described from Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, Minnesota. Additional global information will be added as it becomes available. This association is characterized by strong dominance by exotic grasses <1 m tall. The herbaceous stratum is moderate to dense (avg. 80%) and may have scattered trees and shrubs above it but those lifeforms have <25% cover. This association often results from planting or the spread of planted species from nearby areas. Most sites are dominated by the perennials Bromus inermis or Poa pratensis. Elymus repens may be abundant. Annual grasses can be abundant or even dominant in some stands, among these Digitaria spp. and Setaria spp. are the most common. Forb cover ranges from very sparse to high but is always less than the grass cover. Common forbs tend to be exotic or weedy natives, including Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Asclepias verticillata, Berteroa incana, Centaurea stoebe ssp. micranthos, Cirsium arvense, Securigera varia, Melilotus officinalis, Rudbeckia hirta, Solidago canadensis, Trifolium spp., and Verbascum thapsus. Shrubs and trees that are present reflect the open, often disturbed nature of the sites and include Lonicera spp., Prunus virginiana, Rhus spp., Rubus spp., and Ulmus pumila. This association occurs on a variety of landforms, slopes, and soil types. The common factor to all sites is a history of significant anthropogenic disturbance, often including planting of exotic species. Sites are found on flat to steep slopes and mostly on medium-textured soils but coarse or fine soils are possible. Sites range from wet-mesic to dry-mesic. Dead plants, both standing and in the form of litter on the ground, are common. Plant litter had an average of 73% cover and bare ground only 5% cover.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This association was identified based on information collected during the vegetation mapping project at Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. It lacks characterization based on data from a larger region and thus lacks global information.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available

note: No Data Available