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Sporobolus heterolepis - Deschampsia cespitosa / Dasiphora fruticosa Alvar Grassland Alliance | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Sporobolus heterolepis - Deschampsia cespitosa / Dasiphora fruticosa Alvar Grassland Alliance
Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description: This alliance occurs around the eastern and central Great Lakes on calcareous bedrock (dolomite or limestone). The physiognomy is dominated by sedges and grasses with scattered short to tall shrubs (&lt;25%), and sometimes trees (&lt;10%), growing in thin soil over calcareous bedrock. Areas of exposed bedrock pavement are common. Dwarf-shrubs such as <i>Juniperus horizontalis</i> and <i>Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda</i> may have variable cover. There are three subtypes of this alliance. The dominant species in each are as follows: subtype 1 (mesic alvar grassland) contains <i>Carex scirpoidea, Carex</i> spp., <i>Schizachyrium scoparium</i>, and <i>Sporobolus heterolepis</i>; subtype 2 (wet-mesic alvar grassland) contains <i>Carex crawei, Deschampsia cespitosa</i>, and <i>Eleocharis compressa</i>; subtype 3 (alvar pavement grassland) contains annual grasses such as <i>Trichostema brachiatum, Panicum philadelphicum, Sporobolus neglectus</i>, and <i>Sporobolus vaginiflorus</i> as well as various lichen spp. Windthrow can occur in alvars because of the thin soils and proximity to major streams (which often funnel windstorms) and the Great Lakes. The thin soils are also droughty, giving the potential for tree-killing drought or surface fires. Thus, stands of this alliance are maintained as primarily herb-and-dwarf-shrub-dominated communities. Flooding after spring snowmelt may also limit tree growth by creating anaerobic conditions for a few weeks. 
Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38399-{D398601E-096B-43AB-A21E-1841C40C04FF}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 26-Sep-2014 to: ongoing
      Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.899234 NatureServe ExplorerNatureServe Explorer logo
  Code: A3104
  Translated: Prairie Dropseed - Tufted Hairgrass / Shrubby-cinquefoil Alvar Grassland Alliance
  Common: Great Lakes Alvar Grassland
  Scientific: Sporobolus heterolepis - Deschampsia cespitosa / Dasiphora fruticosa Alvar Grassland Alliance