Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site F090BY018WI
Dry Sandy 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: Rosemont Baldwin Plains and Moraines (222Md)
Wisconsin DNR Ecological Landscapes: Western Prairie
Ecological site concept
The Dry Sandy Bedrock Upland ecological site is an uncommon site in MLRAs 90A and 90B but may be found in southwest portion, located on hills, till plains, and stream terraces. It’s found primarily in St. Croix and Pierce counties where bedrock is relatively shallow. These sites are characterized by moderately deep, somewhat excessively to excessively drained soils that formed in sandy alluvium, sandy till, and sandy residuum. Precipitation and runoff from adjacent uplands are the primary water sources. Soils range from extremely acid to moderately acid.
Dry Sandy Bedrock Upland is distinguished from other ecological sites based on somewhat excessive to excessive drainage and a moderately deep profile. Other somewhat excessively and excessively drained sands have soils that are greater than 80 inches in depth. The underlying bedrock perches the water table and can cause limitations to growth, acting as a root restricting layer. These sites are more vulnerable to tree tips. Other somewhat excessively and excessively drained sites have loamy deposits. Sands have lower pH and available water capacity than loamy sites, which can limit vegetative growth. The somewhat excessively and excessively drained soils differentiates this site from other sandy sites.
Associated sites
F090BY013WI |
Sandy Upland Sandy Upland consist of deep sandy and loamy deposits of outwash, alluvium, till, and residuum. Soils are primarily sand and loamy sand and have a seasonally high water table within two meters, though they don't remain saturated for extended periods. They are somewhat wetter and occur lower on the drainage sequence than Dry Sandy Bedrock Upland. |
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F090BY019WI |
Dry Sandy Upland Dry Sandy Upland sites consist of primarily sandy deposits of various origin. Loamy deposits are also present in many soils. They may have a seasonally high water table within two meters of the surface, though they do not remain saturated for sustained periods. They may be found adjacent to Dry Sandy Bedrock Upland. |
Similar sites
F090BY020WI |
Dry Loamy Bedrock Upland Dry Loamy Bedrock Upland consist of silty loess, sometimes underlain by loamy till. Basalt or quartzite bedrock typically occurs within one meter of the surface. These soils show no evidence of a seasonally high water table. They occur in similar landscape positions and share both drainage class and bedrock contact with Dry Sandy Bedrock Upland but have finer particle sizes. |
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F090BY019WI |
Dry Sandy Upland Dry Sandy Upland consist of primarily sandy deposits of various origin. Loamy deposits are also present in many soils. They may have a seasonally high water table within two meters of the surface, though they do not remain saturated for sustained periods. They occur in similar landscape positions and share both drainage class and particle size with Dry Sandy Bedrock Upland but lack bedrock contact within two meters of the surface. |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
(1) Pinus strobus |
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Shrub |
(1) Rubus |
Herbaceous |
(1) Circaea ×intermedia |
Click on box and path labels to scroll to the respective text.
T1A | - | Major stand replacing disturbance such as blow-down or clear-cutting in conjunction with fire. |
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T1B | - | Removal of forest vegetation and tilling. |
R2A | - | Disturbance-free period 70+ years. |
T2A | - | Cessation of agricultural practices, natural, or artificial afforestation. |
T3A | - | Clear cutting and tillage to establish agriculture. |
State 1 submodel, plant communities
1.1A | - | Natural mortality in the oldest age classes, sporadic small-scale blow-downs and ice storms, or low intensity fire create openings for entry of younger trees |
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1.2A | - | Time and natural succession. No fire or long fire return interval with low intensity fire. |
State 2 submodel, plant communities
2.1A | - | Red oak and red maple regenerating under aspen -- paper birch canopy |
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2.2A | - | Time and natural succession. No fire or long fire return interval with low intensity fire. |
2.3A | - | Clear cutting or stand-replacing fire. |