Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site F090BY014WI
Loamy Bedrock Upland
Last updated: 11/16/2023
Accessed: 11/13/2024
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): 090B–Central Wisconsin Thin Loess Dissected Till Plain
The Wisconsin and Minnesota Thin Loess MLRA, Northern and Southern Parts (90A and 90B) correspond closely to the North Central Forest and the Forest Transition Ecological Landscapes, respectively. Some of the following brief overview is borrowed from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources ecological landscape publications (2015).
The Wisconsin and Minnesota Thin Loess MLRA, Northern and Southern Parts (90A and 90B) is an extensive glacial landscape that comprised of over 11.1 million acres (17,370 sq mi) throughout central and northern Wisconsin – about 27% of the total land area in the state. This glacial landscape is comprised of a heterogenous mix of loess-capped ground moraines, end moraines with eskers and ice-walled lake plains, and pitted, unpitted, and collapsed outwash plains sometimes interspersed with drumlins from the Illinoian and Pre-Illinoian glaciations. The entire area has been glaciated and nearly all of it is underlain by dense glacial till that impedes drainage. An extensive morainal system – the Perkinstown end moraine – spans most of the width of northern Wisconsin and divides the Northern and Southern Parts of this large landscape. This moraine, which has been sliced by outwash in many places, marks the southernmost extent of the Wisconsin glaciation (Wisconsin’s most recent glacial advance).
North of the Perkinstown morainal system is a loess plain, with a loess mantle 6-24 inches thick. The northernmost edge of this landscape is an undulating till and outwash plain with materials deposited by the Chippewa Lobe. Drumlins are common in the northern and northeastern portions. The drumlins are oriented towards the southwest and formed during a glacial episode prior to the most recent glacial advance. Some are covered with glacial till. Pitted, unpitted, and collapsed outwash plains fill the spaces between drumlins. Detached from the major land mass to the northeast is the hummocky Hayward collapsed end moraines, where swamps, ice-walled lake plains, and eskers are common.
Most of the MLRA to the south of the Perkinstown morainal system is an extensive ground moraine with some proglacial stream features including pitted outwash plains, terraces, and fans. A layer of loess 6-47 inches thick covers much of the area. Like the Northern Part, all areas of the Southern Part of this MLRA were glaciated, although the southcentral portion is a relatively older till plain with materials from the Illinoian and pre-Illinoian glaciations, not the most recent Wisconsin glaciation. The landforms in the southcentral portion are highly variable. Much of the area topography is controlled by underlying bedrock. Sandstone outcrops and pediments can be found here. Some of the most southern portions of the MLRA are mixed glacial deposits and residuum.
The land surface of the southeastern portion was formed by many small glacial advances and retreats. Morainal ridges protrude through an erosional, pitted outwash-mantled surface. These parallel ridges run in a northeast to southwest orientation and are dissected by many steams.
The continental climate of this MLRA is typical of northcentral Wisconsin, with cold winters and warm summers. The southern boundary of this MLRA straddles Wisconsin’s Tension Zone, a zone of transition between Wisconsin’s northern and southern ecological landscapes. Historically, the mesic forests were dominated by eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis).
Classification relationships
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): Wisconsin and Minnesota Thin Loess and Till (Northern and Southern Parts - 90A and 90B)
USFS Subregions: Rib Mountain Rolling Ridges (212Qd), Lincoln Formation Till Plain - Hemlock Hardwoods (212Qc), Lincoln Formation Till Plain - Mixed Hardwoods (212Qb), Brule and Paint Rivers Drumlinized Ground Moraine (212Xc), Rosemont Baldwin Plains and Moraines (222Md)
Small sections occur in Crystal Falls Till and Outwash (212Xq), Perkinstown End Moraine (212Xe), Hayward Stagnation Moraines (212Xf), Mille Lacs Uplands (212Kb)
Wisconsin DNR Ecological Landscapes: Forest Transition, Western Prairie, North Central Forest, Northwest Lowlands
Ecological site concept
The Loamy Bedrock Upland ecological site is common to the southern portion of MLRAs 90A and 90B, located on till plains. These sites are characterized by moderately deep to very deep, moderately well to well drained soils that formed primarily in loamy till deposits over bedrock, but also include loess, alluvium, outwash, and pedisediment. Bedrock types include granite, quartzite, gneiss, basalt, sandstone, interbedded sandstone and shale, limestone, and igneous and metamorphic rock. Precipitation and runoff from adjacent uplands are the primary sources of water. Soils range from very strongly acid to slightly alkaline.
Loamy Bedrock Upland is distinguished from other sites based on drainage and moderately deep profile. The underlying bedrock can perch water and cause limitations to growth, acting as a root restricting layer. These sites may be more vulnerable to tree tips. The loamy materials differentiate this site from other moderately well and well drained sites that have sandy or clayey deposits. Loamy materials often have higher pH and available water capacity than sand, but less than clay. The drainage differentiates this site from other loamy sites.
Associated sites
F090BY007WI |
Wet Clayey Lowland Wet Clayey Lowland form in deep, loamy to clayey deposits derived from a mixture of alluvium, residuum, till, or lacustrine sources. These sites have a seasonally high water table at the surface, and some are subject to occasional ponding. Sustained saturation is enough for hydric conditions to occur. They are wetter and occur lower on the drainage sequence than Loamy Bedrock Upland. |
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F090BY008WI |
Moist Sandy Bedrock Upland Moist Bedrock Lowland sites consist of sandy to clayey alluvium, till, or eolian deposits over residuum weathered from bedrock. Bedrock contact occurs within two meters of the surface. Sites have seasonally high water table within a meter of the surface. Perching of the water table may occur as a result of bedrock contact. They are wetter and occur lower on the drainage sequence than Loamy Bedrock Upland. |
F090BY021WI |
Dry Loamy Upland Dry Loamy Upland consist of deep sandy to loamy outwash, alluvium, or till. The water table is deeper than two meters year-round. They are drier and occur higher on the drainage sequence than Loamy Bedrock Upland. |
Similar sites
F090BY017WI |
Clayey Upland Clayey Upland consist of loamy to clayey residuum or lacustrine deposits overlain by loess or sandy outwash. Bedrock contact may occur within two meters of the surface. These sites have a seasonally high water table within one meter of the surface, though they are not saturated for sustained periods. They occupy the same landscape positions and have the same drainage class as Loamy Bedrock Upland but have finer textures. |
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F090BY016WI |
Loamy Upland Loamy Upland consist of deep loamy till, alluvium, residuum, lacustrine, or eolian deposits. Sandy deposits of these parent materials, plus outwash, may also be present. The depth to the seasonally high water table ranges from as high as the surface to as low as almost two meters below the surface. A few sites are on floodplains and upland drainageways, where very brief flooding is rare but possible. They occupy the same landscape positions and have the same drainage class an particle size as Loamy Bedrock Upland, but they lack bedrock contact within two meters. |
F090BY015WI |
Loamy Upland with Carbonates Loamy Upland with Carbonates consist of deep loamy till, colluvium, alluvium, residuum, or eolian deposits. Some sites may also have sandy outwash or eolian deposits. Carbonates are present in these soils. They have a seasonally high water table within one meter of the surface, though they don't remain saturated for extended periods of time. They occupy the same landscape positions and have the same drainage class an particle size as Loamy Bedrock Upland, but they lack bedrock contact within two meters. |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
(1) Acer saccharum |
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Shrub |
(1) Ostrya virginiana |
Herbaceous |
(1) Amphicarpaea |
Click on box and path labels to scroll to the respective text.
T1A | - | Clear cutting or stand-replacing fire. |
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T1B | - | Removal of forest vegetation and tilling. |
R2A | - | Disturbance-free period 70+ years. |
T2A | - | Removal of forest cover and tilling for agricultural crop production. |
T3A | - | Removal of forest vegetation and tilling. |
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 for 30+ years. |
State 2 submodel, plant communities
2.1A | - | Immigration and establishment of red oak and red maple. |
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2.2A | - | Immigration and establishment of red oak and red maple. |
2.3A | - | Clear cutting or stand-replacing fire. |