Name:
Quercus macrocarpa - Populus tremuloides / Pascopyrum smithii Forest & Woodland Macrogroup
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This macrogroup consists of aspen, oak and mixed hardwood woodlands found throughout much of the Great Plains, from central Kansas to the Canadian aspen parkland region. Deciduous trees dominate most stands. Trees are typically short to medium in height, and the canopy can vary from open to closed (10-100%). <i>Quercus macrocarpa</i> is common across much of eastern part of the range; <i>Populus tremuloides</i> and <i>Betula papyrifera</i> are most abundant northward, and scattered in the southern parts. <i>Fraxinus pennsylvanica</i> and <i>Ulmus americana</i> are abundant in ravines and draws in the central and southern parts of the range. The shrub stratum can be nearly absent but is typically moderate to dense. <i>Amelanchier alnifolia, Corylus</i> spp., <i>Elaeagnus commutata, Prunus americana, Prunus virginiana, Ribes</i> spp. (including <i>Ribes oxyacanthoides</i>), <i>Rosa</i> spp. (including <i>Rosa arkansana, Rosa woodsii</i>), <i>Salix</i> spp., <i>Shepherdia argentea, Symphoricarpos albus, Symphoricarpos occidentalis</i>, and small trees are common. The understory is typically dominated by shrubs, grasses and sedges more tolerant of shade, but may also be common in the surrounding prairies. Among these are <i>Andropogon gerardii, Calamagrostis canadensis, Festuca</i> spp., <i>Pascopyrum smithii, Sorghastrum nutans</i>, and <i>Sporobolus heterolepis</i>. Most stands occur on the landscape where water accumulates and where there is some protection from fire, i.e., in ravines, near rivers or ponds, or on mesic slopes. Northward, where the woodlands approach the boreal forests, trees are more common and this type is more widespread on the landscape. Stands occur on a variety of soils, though fine-textured soils are more common. Fire, drought, and grazing are important drivers of the system.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:40523-{D38C261A-F18B-4E34-BFF8-0164AB06ED13}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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