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Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R057XY014MN
Linear Meadow
Last updated: 10/03/2023
Accessed: 08/16/2024
General information
Provisional. A provisional ecological site description has undergone quality control and quality assurance review. It contains a working state and transition model and enough information to identify the ecological site.
MLRA notes
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 057X–Northern Minnesota Gray Drift
The Northern Minnesota Gray Drift (57) is located within the Northern Lakes Forest and Forage Region. This area is entirely in north-central Minnesota and makes up about 9,785 square miles (Figure 1). The entire area is covered by Wisconsin-age glacial drift. The glacial deposits are from four major ice lobes-Des Moines, Rainy, Superior, and Wadena. The landscape developed through a series of glaciations and the subsequent retreating and wasting of the ice sheets, which resulted in a complex pattern of moraines, outwash plains, drumlins, lake plains and drainages. Lakes, ponds and marshes are common. The thickness of the glacial till ranges from 90 to 185 meters. Some areas of these deposits are overlain by outwash or lacustrine sediments. Some depressional areas have an accumulation of organic matter. The organic deposits are more than 2.5meters thick in some areas. Elevation ranges from 300 to 500 meters across the area. (USDA-NRCS 2006)
The dominant soil orders in this MLRA are Alfisols, Entisols, and Histosols, with some Mollisols in the westernmost part of the area. The soils in the area have a frigid soil temperature regime; aquic or udic soil moisture regime, and mixed mineralogy. Their natural drainage class is related to landscape position. In general, the Alfisols formed in till on moraines, Entisols formed in outwash on moraines and outwash plains, and Histosols formed in organic material over outwash or till on moraines or outwash plains. (USDA-NRCS 2006)
Classification relationships
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): Northern Minnesota Gray Drift (57) (USDA Handbook 296, 2006)
USFS Subregions: Northern Minnesota Drift & Lake Plain Section (212N); Chippewa Plains Subsection (212Na), Pine Moraines & Outwash Plains Subsections (212Nc), St. Louis Moraines Subsection (212Nb); Minnesota & NE Iowa Morainal Section (222M); Hardwood Hills Subsection (222Ma); Northern Superior Uplands Section (212L); Nashwauk Uplands Subsection (212Lc); Northern Minnesota & Ontario Peatlands Section (212M); Littlefork-Vermillion Uplands Subsection (212Ma) (Cleland et al. 2007).
US EPA Level IV Ecoregion: Itasca and St. Louis Moraines (50q); Chippewa Plains (50r); Nashwauk/Marcell Moraines and Uplands (50s); Alexandria Moraines and Detroit Lakes Outwash Plain (51j); McGrath Till Plain and Drumlins (51k); Wadena/Todd Drumlins and Osakis Till Plain (51l)(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2013)
Ecological site concept
Linear Meadow sites are limited in extent in the southern region of MLRA 57, and typically occur on moraines, lake plains and outwash plain in lower footslope and toeslope hillslope positions, bottomlands, and linear upland drainageways. Soils can vary widely in texture and are mostly mollisols with dark organic-enriched upper horizons. These sites are typically poorly and very poorly drained soils with depth to gray and or rust colored redoximorphic features or depth to seasonal high water-table ranges from 0 to 25 centimeters. These sites often support a prairie ecosystem consisting of mix grass species adapted to seasonal high water tables.
Associated sites
R057XY013MN |
Loamy Overflow These sites occur on summit, shoulder and upper backslope hillslope positions on moraines and outwash plains. These sites typically exist on soils with coarse textured sandy and loamy textures of sand, coarse sand, loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, fine sand, loamy fine sand, sandy loam, fine sandy loam and loamy very fine sand within a depth of 50 centimeters. Soils are well to excessively well drained with rust and grey redoximorphic features and or depth to seasonal water table from 100 to greater than 150 centimeters. The central concept soil series is Arvilla, Dorest, Sverdrup and Verndale but other series are included. |
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R057XY010MN |
Loamy Prairie These sites occur on summit, shoulder and upper backslope hillslope positions on moraines and outwash plains. These sites typically exist on soils with loamy and clayey textures of loam, silt loam, silty clay loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam, very fine sandy loam, clay, silty clay and silty clay loam within a depth of 50 centimeters. Soils are well drained with rust and grey redoximorphic features and or depth to seasonal water table from 100 to greater than 150 centimeters. The central concept soil series is Almora and Lizzie but other series are included. |
Similar sites
R057XY013MN |
Loamy Overflow These sites occur on summit, shoulder and upper backslope hillslope positions on moraines and outwash plains. These sites typically exist on soils with coarse textured sandy and loamy textures of sand, coarse sand, loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, fine sand, loamy fine sand, sandy loam, fine sandy loam and loamy very fine sand within a depth of 50 centimeters. Soils are well to excessively well drained with rust and grey redoximorphic features and or depth to seasonal water table from 100 to greater than 150 centimeters. The central concept soil series is Arvilla, Dorest, Sverdrup and Verndale but other series are included. |
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Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
Not specified |
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Shrub |
Not specified |
Herbaceous |
(1) Andropogon gerardii |
Click on box and path labels to scroll to the respective text.
Ecosystem states
T1A | - | Introduction of non-native species coupled with heavy grazing pressure and extended periods without wildfire. |
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T1B | - | Tillage and farming practices |
T2A | - | Tillage and farming practices |
State 1 submodel, plant communities
1.1A | - | Increased water on the site from frequent storm events and excess runoff from adjacent landscapes. |
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1.2A | - | Decreased water available on the site due to draught. |
State 2 submodel, plant communities
State 3 submodel, plant communities
3.1A | - | Seeding. |
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3.2A | - | Tillage or other agricultural method. |