Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site F115XB024MO
Loamy Terrace Forest
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.
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): 115X–Central Mississippi Valley Wooded Slopes
The Central Mississippi Valley Wooded Slopes, Western Part (area outlined in red on the map) consists mainly of the deeply dissected, loess-covered hills bordering the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers as well as the floodplains and terraces of these rivers. It wraps around the northeast corner of the Ozark Uplift, and constitutes the southern border of the Pre-Illinoisan-aged till plain. Elevation ranges from about 320 feet along the Mississippi River near Cape Girardeau in the south to about 1,020 feet on the highest ridges near Hillsboro, MO in the east. Local relief varies from 10 to 20 feet in the major river floodplains, to 50 to 100 feet in the dissected uplands, with bluffs of 200 to 350 feet along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. Underlying bedrock is mainly Ordovician-aged dolomite and sandstone, with Mississippian-aged limestone north of the Missouri River.
Classification relationships
Terrestrial Natural Community Type in Missouri (Nelson, 2010):
The reference state for this ecological site is most similar to a Mesic Bottomland Forest.
Missouri Department of Conservation Forest and Woodland Communities (MDC, 2006):
The reference state for this ecological site is most similar to a Mixed Hardwood Mesic Bottomland Forest.
National Vegetation Classification System Vegetation Association (NatureServe, 2010):
The reference state for this ecological site is most similar to an Acer saccharum - Quercus rubra - Carya cordiformis / Asimina triloba Forest (CEGL002060).
Geographic relationship to the Missouri Ecological Classification System (Nigh & Schroeder, 2002):
This ecological site occurs primarily in several Land Type Associations of the Outer Ozark Border Subsection.
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. After additional information is collected, analyzed and reviewed, this ESD will be refined and published as “Approved”.
Loamy Terrace Forests (green areas on the map) are scattered throughout the Missouri River watershed portion of the MLRA, and in adjacent areas. Soils are very deep and loamy, and are subject to flooding. The reference plant community is forest with an overstory dominated by a variety of trees including sugar maple, northern red oak, bitternut hickory, bur oak, American elm, black walnut and Kentucky coffee tree, an understory dominated by pawpaw, spicebush, Ohio buckeye and leatherwood, and a rich herbaceous ground flora.
Associated sites
F115XB023MO |
Wet Footslope Forest Wet Footslope Forests are upslope. |
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F115XB031MO |
Loamy Floodplain Forest Loamy Floodplain Forests and other floodplain ecological sites are downslope. |
Similar sites
F115XB023MO |
Wet Footslope Forest Wet Footslope Forests are upslope. |
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Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
(1) Acer saccharum |
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Shrub |
(1) Asimina triloba |
Herbaceous |
(1) Asarum canadense |
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