Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site F089XY014WI
Moist Loamy Uplands
Last updated: 9/27/2023
Accessed: 11/21/2024
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 a representation of fire-dependent communities.
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) Subregions.
Ecological site concept
The Moist Loamy Uplands ecological site is found on depressions and drainageways on lake plains, stream terraces, and pediments, primarily along the southwest boundary where MLRA 89 borders the Driftless region. These sites are characterized by very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils formed in loamy alluvium and silty lacustrine deposits. Some sites have underlying sandy alluvium or clayey lacustrine deposits. Precipitation, runoff from adjacent uplands, and groundwater discharge are the primary sources of water. Soils range from strongly acid to moderately alkaline.
Moist Loamy Uplands differs from other sites by its deep loamy deposits and somewhat poorly drained soils. The deep deposits set this site apart from Moist Loamy Bedrock Uplands. Other somewhat poorly drained sites have sandy or clayey textures. Loamy textures tend to have higher pH and available water capacity than sand, but less than clay. The somewhat poor drainage sets this site apart from other loamy sites. While soils are classified as somewhat poorly drained, this condition does not appear to dominate the landscape. Plant communities are characterized primarily by mesophytic species while a few members of typically wetter communities occur only sporadically.
The exact nature of pre-European settlement vegetation is difficult to assess at the scale of this Ecological Site. Natural disturbances and activities of native peoples no doubt produced a mosaic of plant community types. However, based on our understanding of ecological characteristics of species currently occupying these sites we can make estimates of the nature of ecological states and transitions that we might expect under current conditions. Seven tree species have been recorder in our sampling of two representative sites: Trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides),), red maple (A. rubrum), white oak (Q. alba), white ash (Fraxinus Americana), ironwood (Ostrya virginiana), boxelder (Acer negundo) and sugar maple (A. saccharum).
Associated sites
| F089XY001WI |
Acidic Poor Fen Acidic Poor Fens sites consist of deep herbaceous organic materials. They are very poorly drained and remain saturated throughout the year. They are strongly to extremely acidic. These sites are wetlands. These sites are found primarily in the western half of the Wisconsin Central Sands MLRA. They may occur lower in the drainage sequence and are much wetter than Moist Loamy Uplands. |
|---|---|
| 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. They may occur lower in the drainage sequence and are much wetter than Moist Loamy Uplands. |
| F089XY004WI |
Loamy Floodplains Loamy Floodplains are found exclusively on floodplains in loamy alluvium underlain by sandy alluvium. Soils are somewhat poorly to poorly drained and are subject to flooding. These sites occur primarily along tributaries to the Yellow River in central Wood County and along the Lemonweir River. They may be adjacent to Moist Loamy Uplands. |
| F089XY020WI |
Loamy Uplands Loamy Uplands consist of deep sandy deposits underlain by clayey lacustrine deposits or loamy alluvium underlain by sandy outwash. They are moderately well to somewhat excessively drained. They occur higher on the drainage sequence and are drier than Moist Loamy Uplands. |
Similar sites
| F089XY013WI |
Moist Loamy Bedrock Uplands Moist Loamy Bedrock Uplands form in loamy alluvium or loess underlain by loamy or clayey residuum weathered from interbedded sandstone and shale. Bedrock is found within 48 inches (122 cm) of the surface. These soils are somewhat poorly drained and are subject to neither flooding nor ponding. These sites are found in northern portion of the Wisconsin Central Sands MLRA where depth to bedrock is shallow. Some of the vegetative communities supported by these sites are also found on Moist Loamy Uplands. |
|---|---|
| F089XY004WI |
Loamy Floodplains Loamy Floodplains are found exclusively on floodplains in loamy alluvium underlain by sandy alluvium. Soils are somewhat poorly to poorly drained and are subject to flooding. These sites occur primarily along tributaries to the Yellow River in central Wood County and along the Lemonweir River. Their vegetative communities may be similar to those of Moist Loamy Uplands. |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
| Tree |
(1) Acer rubrum |
|---|---|
| Shrub |
(1) Cornus |
| Herbaceous |
(1) Impatiens capensis |
Click on box and path labels to scroll to the respective text.
Ecosystem states
| T1 | - | Clear cut; severe disturbance |
|---|---|---|
| R2 | - | Time; succession; increase in maples |