Title: Classification of Vegetation Communities of Maryland

Classification of Vegetation Communities of Maryland: First Iteration

A Subset of the International Classification of Ecological
Communities: Terrestrial Vegetation of the United States
March 2004

V. HERBACEOUS VEGETATION
V.A.5.N.j. Temporarily flooded temperate or subpolar grassland
V.A.5.N.j.1. ANDROPOGON GERARDII - (SORGHASTRUM NUTANS)
TEMPORARILY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Big Bluestem - (Yellow Indiangrass) Temporarily Flooded Herbaceous Alliance

Concept: This alliance includes scoured riverbank 'prairies' in northeastern and southeastern United States, which may be called 'riverside prairies,' 'linear prairies,' 'rivershore grasslands,' or 'scoured riverine bluff prairie.' In addition to the nominal species, examples may also contain Schizachyrium scoparium, Chasmanthium latifolium, and/or Panicum virgatum, any of which could be locally dominant. These grasslands may be associated with dry cobble riverbanks and lakeshores, as well as flood-scoured, acidic or calcareous bedrock exposures associated with major rivers. This includes riverine gravel/cobble bar 'prairies' along the upper Cumberland River in Kentucky and Tennessee; scour areas along high gradient sections of major rivers, such as in gorges in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and possibly farther west; and scoured limestone bluffs along the Duck River in Tennessee's Central Basin.

Comments: On the Daniel Boone National Forest, this vegetation is found only in the southern part, i.e., Big South Fork and (I believe) Marsh creek and mainstem of the Cumberland above Cumberland Falls (M. Evans pers. comm.).

Range: This alliance is found on scoured riverbanks in the northeastern, southeastern, and midwestern United States from Illinois and Iowa (?) south to Kentucky and Tennessee, and in the east from New England to northern Virginia.

States/Provinces: CT? IA? IL IN KY MA MD ME NH NY OH? PA TN VA VT WV

TNC Ecoregions: 44:C, 50:C, 52:C, 59:C, 60:P, 61:C, 63:C, 64:C

USFS Ecoregions: 212Ba:C??, 212Da:CCC, 212Ea:CCP, 212Ec:CC?, 212Fa:CP?, 212Fc:CPP, 212Ga:CP?, 212Gb:CPP, 221Aa:CCP, 221Af:CCC, 221Ai:CCP, 221Al:CCP, 221Ba:CCP, 221Bc:CCC, 221Bd:CCP, 221Da:CCP, 221Db:CCC, 221Dc:CCC, 221F:C?, 221Hc:CCC, 221Ja:C??, 221Jb:C??, 222Db:CC?, 222Df:CCC, 222Ea:CCP, 222Ec:CCP, 222Ed:CCC, 222Eg:CCP, 222Eh:CCP, 222Ek:CCC, 222Fa:CCP, 222Fb:CCC, 222Fc:CC?, 222Fd:CC?, 222Fe:CCC, 231Ak:CCC, 231Al:CCC, 231Ap:CCP, 231Da:C??, 231Dc:C??, 232Aa:PPP, 232Ac:PPP, M212Bb:CCC, M212Cc:CPP, M212Da:CCP, M212Db:CC?, M212Dc:CCP, M212De:CCC, M212Eb:CCC, M221Aa:CCC, M221Ab:CCC, M221Ac:CCC, M221Ad:CCC, M221Bb:CCP, M221Bd:CCC, M221Be:CCC, M221Ca:CP?, M221Cb:CPP, M221Cc:CP?, M221Cd:CPP, M221Da:CCC, M221Db:CCC

Federal Lands: NPS (Big South Fork, Great Falls); TVA (Columbia); USFS (Daniel Boone, Jefferson)

Synonymy: Big bluestem - Indian grass river grassland (Fike 1999); River Gravel Community (Smith 1991)

References: Faber-Langendoen et al. 1996, Fike 1999, Pyne and Withers 1996, Smith 1991

Authors: ECS, JT, East Identifier: A.1337

ANDROPOGON GERARDII - PANICUM VIRGATUM - BAPTISIA AUSTRALIS HERBACEOUS VEGETATION
Big Bluestem - Switchgrass - Tall Blue Wild Indigo Herbaceous Vegetation
Fall-Line Riverwash Bedrock Prairie                                                               G2G3 (98-12-14)
Ecological Group (SCS;MCS): Appalachian Highlands Riverscour Vegetation (457-40; 2.2.3.2)

Concept: This riverwash grassland community is found in the east-central United States. Stands occur only along high-gradient sections of major rivers, such as in gorges and along the Fall Line. They occur within the active channel shelf at an intermediate level above the low-water level and the bank-full level. Flood scouring and river ice may become a powerful and ecologically important abrasive force along the riverbanks. Soils are rapidly drained Psamments. Often, soil material is restricted to the narrow interstices of tightly packed boulders, or to small crevices in bedrock exposures. This community is characterized by a luxuriant growth of the robust grasses Andropogon gerardii, Sorghastrum nutans, Panicum virgatum, and Spartina pectinata which resembles prairie vegetation. Tripsacum dactyloides may also occur. Many of the forbs are also typical of prairies. Characteristic species include Baptisia australis, Toxicodendron radicans, Allium cernuum, Cerastium arvense, Clematis viorna, Coreopsis tripteris, Melica mutica, Phlox divaricata, Pycnanthemum virginianum, Silphium trifoliatum, Solidago erecta, Solidago rupestris, Solidago speciosa, Teucrium canadense, Veronicastrum virginicum, Vicia americana, and Zizia aurea.

Comments: The distinctions between this community type and Salix spp. / Andropogon gerardii - Sorghastrum nutans Gravel Wash Herbaceous Vegetation (CEGL005175) and (Salix caroliniana, Rhododendron arborescens) - Andropogon gerardii - Baptisia australis - (Solidago simplex var. randii) Herbaceous Vegetation (CEGL008471) seem quite artificial and further study should be undertaken to determine whether these merely represent geographic subtypes of a single association.

In the Central Appalachian region, the type is found predominantly on Western Allegheny Mountains (M221Be + M221Bd, Gauley M221Ca dammed).

Range: This riverwash grassland community is found in the east-central United States, from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Virginia, and possibly Ohio.

States/Provinces: MD:S?, OH?, PA:S?, TN:S?, VA:S?, WV:S?

TNC Ecoregions: 59:C, 61:C

USFS Ecoregions: 231Ak:CCC, 231Al:CCC, M221Aa:CCC, M221Ab:CCC, M221Ac:CCC, M221Ad:CCC, M221Bd:CCC, M221Be:CCC, M221C:C?, M221Da:CCC, M221Db:CC?

Federal Lands: USFS (Jefferson)

Synonymy: Fraxinus pennsylvanica / Andropogon gerardii - Panicum virgatum - Baptisia australis Wooded Herbaceous Vegetation (Lea 2000), Riverwash Grasslands (Baptisia australis - Lespedeza violacea - Chasmanthium latifolium Herbaceous Vegetation) (Grossman et al. 1994), Andropogon gerardii - Panicum virgatum - Rhus radicans - Baptisia australis Association (Rawinski et al. 1996), Cornus amomum / Andropogon gerardii - Panicum virgatum - Baptisia australis Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation (Fleming and Coulling 2001)

References: Fike 1999, Fleming and Coulling 2001, Fleming et al. 2001, Grossman et al. 1994, Lea 2000, Rawinski 1988, Rawinski et al. 1996

Authors: L.A. Sneddon, mod. G. Fleming and P. Coulling, ECS Confidence: 2 Identifier: CEGL006283

ANDROPOGON GERARDII - PHLOX SUBULATA - SOLIDAGO SIMPLEX VAR. RACEMOSA - PACKERA PAUPERCULA HERBACEOUS VEGETATION
Big Bluestem - Moss Phlox - Sticky Goldenrod - Balsam Ragwort Herbaceous Vegetation
Potomac River Basalt Outcrop Scour Prairie                                                    G2? (97-11-10)
Ecological Group (SCS;MCS): Appalachian Highlands Riverscour Vegetation (457-40; 2.2.3.2)

Concept: This riverside outcrop vegetation of the Potomac River in Virginia and Maryland occurs on metamorphic rock ledges that are catastrophically flood-scoured. The vegetation is generally herbaceous but may range from sparsely vegetated to herbaceous with sparse shrubs. The habitat is variable, with small pools interspersed among shaded microhabitats and exposed xeric microhabitats. Typical species include Phlox subulata, Solidago simplex var. racemosa (= Solidago racemosa), Solidago rupestris, Andropogon gerardii, and Leucothoe racemosa. In more shaded locations, Asplenium platyneuron, Aquilegia canadensis, and Mitchella repens occur, while Danthonia spicata is more commonly found in exposed, xeric openings. This association is apparently restricted to the Great Falls area.

Range: This community is known from Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. In Virginia, it is confined to one stretch of the Potomac River, usually pretty high on the river, and is only scoured in catastrophic floods.

States/Provinces: MD:S?, VA:S?

TNC Ecoregions: 52:C, 61:C

USFS Ecoregions: 221Da:CCP, 221Db:CCC

Federal Lands: NPS (Great Falls)

Synonymy: Oligotrophic Herbaceous Vegetation (Rawinski 1992) B. in part, Leucothoe racemosa - Gaylussacia baccata / Solidago simplex ssp. randii var. racemosa Sparse Shrubland (Fleming pers. comm.)

References: Fleming et al. 2001, Fleming pers. comm., Grossman et al. 1994, Lea 2000, Rawinski 1992

Authors: ECS Confidence: 2 Identifier: CEGL004284

- Maryland Vegetation Classification Subset Report V.A. Perennial graminoid vegetation

 
Return to Table of Contents

View Next Topic

This Page Up-dated on February 09, 2010