Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site F089XY011WI
Moist Sandy Outwash Uplands
Last updated: 9/27/2023
Accessed: 11/04/2024
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): 089X–Wisconsin Central Sands
The Wisconsin Central Sands (MLRA 89) corresponds closely to Central Sand Plains Ecological Landscape published by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR, 2015). Much of the following brief overview of this MLRA is borrowed from that publication.
The Wisconsin Central Sands MLRA is entirely in Wisconsin. The total land area is 2,187,100 acres (3,420 square miles, 8858 square kilometers). It is bordered to the east by Johnstown-Hancock end moraines, which were pushed to their extent by the west side of the Green Bay Lobe (Clayton & Attig, 1999). It is bordered to the southwest by highly eroded, unglaciated valleys and ridges. The dominant feature of this MLRA is the remarkably flat, sandy plain, composed of lacustrine deposits and outwash sand, that was once the main basin of Glacial Lake Wisconsin. It also features extensive pine and oak barrens and wetland complexes.
Glacial Lake Wisconsin was fed primarily by glacial meltwater from the north and east. The lake deposited silt overlain by tens of meters of sand (Clayton & Attig, 1989). The silty layers are closer to the surface in some areas, where they impede drainage and contribute to the formation of extensive wetland complexes. It is believed that Glacial Lake Wisconsin drained within several days after a breach in the ice dam that supported it. The catastrophic flood that followed flowed to the south and carved the scattered buttes and mesas protruding from the sandy plain in the southern portion of this MLRA. Before vegetation established after glacial recession, strong winds formed aeolian sand dunes that now support xeric pine and oak stands within the Wisconsin Central Sands.
The surface of the northwestern portion is mostly undulating. The sandy surface sediment was mostly deposited by meltwater during the Wisconsin glaciation. Gentle hills are a result of underlying bedrock topography. Valleys and floodplains are formed by stream action. The underlying bedrock controls the water table elevation and contributes to the formation of numerous wetlands.
Historically, the Wisconsin Central Sands were dominated by large wetland complexes, sand prairies, and oak forests, savannas, and barrens. Some pine and hemlock forests were found in the northwest portion. The Wisconsin Central Sands was subject to frequent fires, leading to today’s need for prescribed burns to maintain the area.
Classification relationships
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): Wisconsin Central Sands (89)
USFS Subregions: Central Wisconsin Sand Plain (222Ra)
Small sections occur in the Neillsville Sandstone Plateau (222Rb), Central Wisconsin Moraines and Outwash (222Kb), and Lincoln Formation Till Plain - Mixed Hardwoods (212Qb) Subregions
Relationship to Established Framework and Classification Systems:
Habitat Types of N. & S. Wisconsin (Kotar, 2002 & 1996): The sites of this ES keyed out to four habitat types: Pinus/Vaccinium-Gaultheria (PVG); Acer rubrum/Desmodium (ArDe); Acer rubrum/Desmodium, Vaccinium variant (ArDe-V); Pinus strobus-Acer rubrum/Vaccinium-Rubus hispidus (PArVRh)
Biophysical Settings (Landfire, 2014): This ES is largely mapped as North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest, North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland, North-Central Oak Barrens Woodland, Laurentian Oak Barrens.
WDNR Natural Communities (WDNR, 2015): This ES is most similar to the Central Sands Pine-Oak Forest and Northern Dry-mesic Forest communities.
Ecological site concept
The Moist Sandy Outwash Uplands ecological site is widespread on the eastern portion of MLRA 89, which is dominated by an expansive sand plain created from the deposition of sandy outwash and sandy lacustrine materials by glacial meltwaters and Glacial Lake Wisconsin, respectively. These sites are characterized by very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in sandy outwash and sandy lacustrine. Some sites have sandy or loamy drift and/or alluvium. Precipitation, runoff from adjacent uplands, groundwater discharge are the primary sources of water. Soils range from very strongly acid to slightly acid.
These conditions are clearly reflected by floristic composition of plant communities. Historically, this Ecological Site was dominated by a variety of plant communities, apparently reflecting differences in fire regime. Prairie, Pine Barrens, Oak Barrens, Oak Savanna and mixed Pine - Oak forests were all represented (Finley,1976). Following European settlement most of the area was cleared of forest vegetation and converted to farming, although scattered woodlots remained. Current woodlots typically consist of mixed oak, primarily white oak (Q. alba) and Red oak (Q. rubra), white pine (Pinus strobus) and red maple (Acer rubrum).. There are also considerable areas of planted red pine (P. resinosa). Even though this Ecological Site is classified as Somewhat Poorly Drained, these conditions are not uniform across the landscape. Species reflecting relatively high soil moisture, such as winterberry (Ilex verticillata), swamp dewberry (Rubus hispidus) and sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis), occur only sporadically.
Moist Sandy Outwash Uplands differs from other sites based on its deep sandy deposits and somewhat poorly drained soils. These sites formed in outwash and lacustrine sands that are not siliceous, differentiating them from Moist Siliceous Sand Uplands. Sites with outwash sand tend to be more productive than the siliceous sands, and the vegetative communities supported by outwash sands may be slightly different from those supported by siliceous sands. Depth to bedrock sets apart Moist Sandy Bedrock Uplands. The somewhat poor drainage of this site differs it from other sandy sites.
Associated sites
F089XY017WI |
Sandy Outwash Uplands Sandy Outwash Uplands primarily consist of deep sandy outwash deposits. Soils are somewhat excessively to excessively drained and are primarily found east of the Yellow River. They occur higher on the drainage sequence and are drier than Moist Sandy Outwash Uplands. |
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F089XY002WI |
Mucky Swamps Mucky Swamps sites consist of herbaceous organic materials sometimes underlain by sandy to loamy mineral soil. They are very poorly drained and remain saturated throughout much of the year. These sites are wetlands and they occur lower on the drainage sequence and are much wetter than Moist Sandy Outwash Uplands. |
F089XY006WI |
Wet Sandy Outwash Lowlands Wet Sandy Outwash Lowlands consist of deep sandy deposits derived from a mixture of outwash, alluvium, and lacustrine sources. They are very poorly to poorly drained, remain saturated for much of the growing season, and are subject to frequent ponding. These sites are primarily found in the eastern half of the Wisconsin Central Sands MLRA. They occur lower on the drainage sequence and are wetter than Moist Sandy Outwash Uplands. |
Similar sites
F089XY015WI |
Moist Clayey Uplands Moist Clayey Uplands consist of deep clayey lacustrine deposits overlain by sandy or loamy alluvium. They are somewhat poorly drained and are subject to neither flooding nor ponding. These sites are primarily found in the northwestern portion of the Wisconsin Central Sands MLRA, especially in Juneau County adjacent to the Lemonweir River. Despite the differences in texture, these sites have vegetative communities similar to those of Moist Sandy Outwash Uplands. |
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F089XY010WI |
Moist Sandy Bedrock Uplands Moist Sandy Bedrock Uplands sites consist of sandy deposits derived from a mixture of outwash, alluvium, and lacustrine sources. They have contact with sandstone bedrock within 40 inches (102 cm) of the surface. These soils are somewhat poorly drained. These sites are found to the west of the Wisconsin River, mostly in Clark and Jackson counties where the depth of bedrock is shallow. Their vegetative communities are similar to those of Moist Sandy Outwash Uplands. |
F089XY012WI |
Moist Siliceous Sandy Uplands Moist Siliceous Sand Uplands consist of deep sandy deposits sourced primarily from the weathering of sandstone high in silica. The weathered sand was deposited by rivers or glacial lakes. They are somewhat poorly drained and are subject to neither flooding nor ponding. These sites are found west of the Wisconsin River. Their vegetative communities are similar to those of Moist Sandy Outwash Uplands. |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
(1) Pinus strobus |
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Shrub |
(1) Acer rubrum |
Herbaceous |
(1) Vaccinium |
Click on box and path labels to scroll to the respective text.
Ecosystem states
T1A | - | Clear cutting or stand-replacing fire. |
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R2A | - | Disturbance-free period 70+ years. |
T2A | - | Livestock grazing commenced. |
T2B | - | Clearing; tiling |
R3A | - | Removal of livestock grazing |
T3A | - | Clearing; tiling |
R4A | - | Natural or artificial afforestation. |
State 1 submodel, plant communities
1.1A | - | Light to moderate intensity fires, blow-downs, snow-ice breakage. |
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1.2A | - | Disturbance-free period 30+ years |
State 2 submodel, plant communities
2.1A | - | Establishment of shade tolerant species |
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2.2A | - | Establishment of shade tolerant species |
2.3A | - | Establishment of shade tolerant species |