Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R109XY010MO
Interbedded Sedimentary Upland Savanna
Accessed: 04/19/2024
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.
Figure 1. Mapped extent
Areas shown in blue indicate the maximum mapped extent of this ecological site. Other ecological sites likely occur within the highlighted areas. It is also possible for this ecological site to occur outside of highlighted areas if detailed soil survey has not been completed or recently updated.
MLRA notes
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 109X–Iowa and Missouri Heavy Till Plain
The Iowa and Missouri Heavy Till Plain (area outlined in red on the map) is an area of rolling hills interspersed with interfluve divides and alluvial valleys. Elevation ranges from about 660 feet along the lower reaches of rivers, to about 980 feet on stable interfluve summits in southern Iowa. Relief is about 80 to 160 feet between major streams and adjacent interfluve summits. Most of the till plain drains south to the Missouri River via the Grand and Chariton River systems, but the northeastern portion drains southeast to the Mississippi River. Loess caps the pre-Illinoisan aged till on interfluves, whereas the till is exposed on side slopes. Mississippian aged limestone and Pennsylvanian aged sandstone and shale crop out on lower slopes in some areas.
Classification relationships
Terrestrial Natural Community Type in Missouri (Nelson, 2010):
The reference state for this ecological site is most similar to a Sandstone/Shale Savanna.
National Vegetation Classification System Vegetation Association (NatureServe, 2010):
The reference state for this ecological site is most similar to Quercus stellata - Quercus marilandica / Schizachyrium scoparium Wooded Herbaceous Vegetation (CEGL002391).
Geographic relationship to the Missouri Ecological Classification System (Nigh & Schroeder, 2002):
This ecological site occurs in several Land Type Associations, primarily within the following Subsections:
Chariton River Hills
Grand River Hills
Ecological site concept
NOTE: This is a “provisional” Ecological Site Description (ESD) that is under development. It contains basic ecological information that can be used for conservation planning, application and land management. As additional information is collected, analyzed and reviewed, this ESD will be refined and published as “Approved”.
Interbedded Sedimentary Upland Savannas are within the green areas on the map. Most areas are in the southwestern part of the MLRA and on similar landscapes south of the Missouri River, and in south-central Iowa. This ecological site is on Pennsylvanian aged sediments that are typically interbedded shale, sandstone, siltstone and limestone. Soils are moderately deep to deep over interbedded sedimentary bedrock, and typically have sedimentary fragments in clayey subsoils. The reference plant community is savanna with scattered bur oak, swamp white oak, post oak, American hazelnut, prairie willow and wild plum, shrubs, and a ground flora of grasses such as big bluestem, little bluestem, Indiangrass, switch grass, and eastern gamagrass, and a wide variety of prairie wildflowers.
Associated sites
F109XY004MO |
Loamy Upland Drainageway Woodland Loamy Upland Drainageway Woodlands and other floodplain ecological sites are downslope. |
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R109XY002MO |
Loess Upland Prairie Loess Upland Prairies are upslope, on summits and shoulders. |
R109XY012MO |
Interbedded Sedimentary Backslope Savanna Sedimentary Interbedded Backslope Savannas are downslope, on steep lower backslopes. |
R109XY046MO |
Till Upland Savanna Till Upland Savannas are upslope, on gently sloping upper backslopes. |
Similar sites
R109XY012MO |
Interbedded Sedimentary Backslope Savanna Interbedded Sedimentary Backslope Savannas are similar in composition and structure and are usually adjacent to Interbedded Sedimentary Upland Savannas but occur lower on the landscape and are generally less productive. |
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Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
(1) Quercus macrocarpa |
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Shrub |
(1) Amorpha canescens |
Herbaceous |
(1) Schizachyrium scoparium |
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