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Quercus stellata Flatwoods Forest Alliance | Midwestern Ecology Working Group...
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Name: Quercus stellata Flatwoods Forest Alliance Reference: Midwestern Ecology Working Group... Description: This alliance, found in the central United States, is a flatwoods forest. It is dominated by trees with an average canopy cover of 80% or greater. The tree species present in the canopy include Quercus alba, Quercus bicolor, Quercus falcata, Quercus palustris, and Quercus stellata. The understory contains Cinna arundinacea and has few seedlings, saplings or shrubs. Plants typical of dry and dry-mesic soil grow on slight rises. Stunted trees are often present due to unfavorable soil conditions. In southern Illinois, stands of this alliance occur in very poorly-drained areas with Quercus stellata the only abundant tree species, creating a cathedral-like overstory. The height growth of Quercus stellata trees stops when the trees reach about 30 cm in diameter, creating a maximum tree height of 22-23 m. Stands of this alliance occur on level or nearly level soil with a well-developed hardpan. This hardpan is an impermeable or nearly impermeable layer of subsoil that causes a shallowly perched water table. The hardpan stops movement of water up to the dry surface soil from deeper, more moist soil in the summer and slows drainage during wet periods. It also restricts rooting and burrowing depth. The soil moisture fluctuates widely throughout the growing season. Depressions often contain seasonal or ephemeral ponds; these vernal ponds are characteristic. Stands of this alliance usually are found over glacial till of Illinoisan age, but their distribution south of glacial deposits in Kentucky is uncertain.  Accession Code: VB.CC.20711.QUERCUSSTELLATA Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 26-Nov-1997 to: 01-May-2019
	status: accepted This Community's Level: Alliance This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   Scientific: Quercus stellata Flatwoods Forest Alliance   Translated: Post Oak Flatwoods Forest Alliance   UID: HIGHER_CLASS_UNIT.2.125618 NatureServe Explorer   Code: A.261