Name:
Calamagrostis canadensis - Juncus spp. - Carex spp. Sandhills Herbaceous Vegetation
Reference:
Midwestern Ecology Working Group...
Description:
This community is found in sand-dominated regions of the central and northern Great Plains, possibly extending into the eastern Dakotas. Stands occur on nearly level ground along streams and rivers and in wet interdunal valleys, and often form a zone bordering lakes, marshes, and fens. Soils are poorly drained sandy loams and sands with high organic content (muck or peat) and are formed in eolian sand or alluvium. These sites are often saturated or temporarily flooded early in the season, and the water table is usually within 1 m of the surface throughout the growing season. This community is densely vegetated, predominately by hydrophytic graminoids about 0.5-1.5 m tall. Calamagrostis canadensis and Spartina pectinata are the most common native grasses, though frequently Agrostis stolonifera, Phalaris arundinacea, Phleum pratense, and Poa pratensis are introduced and abundant. Other graminoids are also plentiful; the most abundant are Carex atherodes, Carex crawei, Carex pellita (= Carex lanuginosa), Carex nebrascensis, Carex sartwellii, Carex scoparia, Carex tetanica, Eleocharis atropurpurea, Eleocharis elliptica, Juncus balticus, Juncus nodosus, Juncus torreyi, and Panicum virgatum. Scattered patches of shrubs, including Amorpha fruticosa, Cornus sericea, Salix exigua and Salix lutea, are often found in slightly wetter areas, such as near streams. Forbs are scattered to locally common. Among the more prominent species are Asclepias incarnata, Cicuta maculata, Hypoxis hirsuta, Mentha arvensis, Lycopus uniflorus, and Scutellaria galericulata. Trifolium spp. has been seeded in many sites. Species diversity is moderate to relatively high.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.20666.CALAMAGROSTISCA
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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