Limy Upland

Description

This state describes the range of vegetative community phases that occur on the Limy Upland site where the natural processes are mostly intact.
The Reference Community is a representation of the native plant community phase that occupies a site that has been minimally altered by management. The Degraded Native Grass, the At-Risk Grass, and the Excessive Litter Communities are the phases that result from management decisions that are unfavorable for a healthy Reference Community. The Ephemeral Forb Community is the result of a high-intensity disturbance event.
High perennial grass cover and production allows for increased soil moisture retention, vegetative production, and overall soil quality.

Submodel

Description

This state has been degraded from the Reference State and much of the native warm-season grass community has been replaced by less desirable plants. The loss of tall and mid- warm-season grasses has negatively impacted energy flow and nutrient cycling. Water infiltration is reduced due to the shallow root system and rapid runoff characteristics of the grazing-evasive plant communities.

The Native Evaders/Invasives and the Invaded Cool Season communities are the components of the Native/Invaded Grass State.

Submodel

Description

This State has a canopy of wooded cover of at least 15 percent. Sumac, elm, and dogwood are some of the deciduous invaders, while eastern redcedar is the primary evergreen encroacher. In the absence of fire and brush management, this site is very conducive to cedar seedling invasion, especially when adjacent to a seed source. Cedars can eventually dominate the site, resulting in a closed canopy monoculture which drastically reduces forage production and has limited value for either livestock grazing or wildlife habitat.

Eastern redcedar control can usually be accomplished with prescribed burning while the trees are six feet tall or less and fine fuel production is over 1,500 pounds per acre. Trees of all heights can be controlled with the use of specifically adapted preparation, and ignition and holding techniques.
Mechanical removal followed by a chemical treatment on stumps is effective on locust.

Total annual production during an average year varies significantly, depending on the production level prior to encroachment and the percentage of canopy cover.


Prescribed burning, wildfire, harvest, and brush management will move this state towards one of the herbaceous plant-dominated plant states. The forb component of a site with heavy tree density or canopy cover will initially increase following tree removal through mechanical brush management treatments and prescribed fire. The Native/Invaded State cannot return to the Reference State through this process, as the native plant community, soils, and hydrological cycle have been too severely degraded.

If resprouting brush such as honeylocust or Siberian elm is present, stumps must be chemically treated immediately after mechanical removal. Ongoing brush management such as hand cutting, chemical spot treatments, or periodic prescribed burning is required to prevent a return to this state.