Rolling hills on Tomstown dolomite, most of this landscape (maybe all but this small patch) has been strip mined or is occupied by roads, towns, etc. . .Adjacent deciduous forest on limestone (sampled next) RR tracks, stripmines, quarry reserviors, historical cornfields. To the north on this aspect similar openings are much weedier with dominance by Festuca eliator, further evidence that this plot has a different land use history.;Small hill crest just above RR cut with woodlands dominated by Juniperus virginiana with sun-loving herbs in spaces between trees and understory. Junipers are forming closed canopies in part of this stand and deciduous trees are becoming established. Will likely lose many prarie endemics without management for canopy openings.
Representativeness
Small patch of open glade. Plot is most of this immediate opening, which seems to be the biggest in the area. Revisited on April 27, 2005 (additional plants added to species list).
Site appears to be a "natural" successional opening, but may have been triggered by fire or clearing related to the RR or adjacent mining or agriculture. Community is becoming weedy but retains rare elements found only in limestone praries. (exotic plants, trails/roads, dogwood anthracnose)
