Natural Resources
Conservation Service

Ecological site R115XB042MO

Ponded Floodplain Prairie

Accessed: 11/13/2024

Home / Esd catalog / MLRA 115X / Ecological site R115XB042MO

USC

Metric

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.

Click to explore map

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 Wet Bottomland Prairie, or Marsh.

National Vegetation Classification System Vegetation Association (NatureServe, 2010):
The reference state for this ecological site is most similar to Spartina pectinata - Carex spp. - Calamagrostis canadensis - Lythrum alatum - (Oxypolis rigidior) Herbaceous Vegetation (CEGL002224).

Geographic relationship to the Missouri Ecological Classification System (Nigh & Schroeder, 2002):
This ecological site occurs primarily in Land Type Associations of the following Subsections:
Mississippi River Alluvial Plain
Missouri River Alluvial Plain

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”.

Ponded Floodplain Prairies (green areas on the map) are on the Missouri and Mississippi River floodplains, and in the lower portion of the Grand River floodplain. They occur in depressional areas of the floodplain associated with former meander scars, tributary stream channels and backswamps between natural levees of these once dynamic rivers. Sites are commonly adjacent to the Clayey Floodplain Forest and the Loamy Floodplain Forest ecological sites. Soils are very deep and clayey, and are subject to flooding and ponding. The reference plant community is prairie dominated by a dense cover of wetland species, including buttonbush, willow, prairie cord grass, sedges, and wet-tolerant forbs.

Associated sites

F115XB031MO	Loamy Floodplain Forest Loamy Floodplain Forests are commonly in the same floodplain with this ecological site.
F115XB041MO	Clayey Floodplain Forest Clayey Floodplain Forests are commonly adjacent to this ecological site.
R115XB037MO	Loamy Terrace Prairie Loamy Terrace Prairies are commonly in the same floodplain with this ecological site but nearer the main channel on higher positions.

F115XB031MO

Loamy Floodplain Forest

Loamy Floodplain Forests are commonly in the same floodplain with this ecological site.

F115XB041MO

Clayey Floodplain Forest

Clayey Floodplain Forests are commonly adjacent to this ecological site.

R115XB037MO

Loamy Terrace Prairie

Loamy Terrace Prairies are commonly in the same floodplain with this ecological site but nearer the main channel on higher positions.

Similar sites

R115XB042MO	Ponded Floodplain Prairie There are no similar ecological sites in this region.

R115XB042MO

Ponded Floodplain Prairie

There are no similar ecological sites in this region.

Table 1. Dominant plant species

Tree	Not specified
Shrub	(1) Cephalanthus occidentalis
Herbaceous	(1) Spartina pectinata (2) Carex

Download full description

Physiographic features

This site is in depressional areas of backswamps on the Missouri and Mississippi River floodplains, and in the lower portion of the Grand River floodplain. Slopes are less than 2 percent. The site receives runoff from adjacent floodplain sites. Areas not protected by levees are frequently flooded. The site is subject to intermittent ponding.

The following figure (adapted from Horn, 1992) shows the typical landscape position of this ecological site, and landscape relationships among the major ecological sites of the Missouri River floodplain. This site is within the area labeled as “4” on the figure, and is typically in swales of former backswamp positions of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. These sites are commonly adjacent to Clayey Floodplain sites (labeled “3”). The dashed lines within the Sandy/Loamy Floodplain Forest area indicate the various soils included in this ecological site.

Figure 2. Landscape relationships for this ecological site.

Table 2. Representative physiographic features

Landforms	(1) Flood plain
Flooding duration	Long (7 to 30 days)
Flooding frequency	Occasional to frequent
Ponding duration	Long (7 to 30 days)
Ponding frequency	Frequent
Slope	2%
Water table depth	6 – 9 in
Aspect	Aspect is not a significant factor

Climatic features

The Central Mississippi Valley Wooded Slopes, Western Part has a continental type of climate marked by strong seasonality. In winter, dry-cold air masses, unchallenged by any topographic barriers, periodically swing south from the northern plains and Canada. If they invade reasonably humid air, snowfall and rainfall result. In summer, moist, warm air masses, equally unchallenged by topographic barriers, swing north from the Gulf of Mexico and can produce abundant amounts of rain, either by fronts or by convectional processes. In some summers, high pressure stagnates over the region, creating extended droughty periods. Spring and fall are transitional seasons when abrupt changes in temperature and precipitation may occur due to successive, fast-moving fronts separating contrasting air masses.

The Central Mississippi Valley Wooded Slopes, Western Part experiences regional differences in climates, but these differences do not have obvious geographic boundaries. Regional climates grade inconspicuously into each other. The basic gradient for most climatic characteristics is along a line diagonally crossing the MLRA from northwest to southeast. Both mean annual temperature and precipitation exhibit gradients along this line.

The average annual precipitation in most of this area is 38 to 48 inches. The average annual temperature is 53 to 57 degrees F. Mean January minimum temperature follows the northwest-to-southeast gradient. However, mean July maximum temperature shows hardly any geographic variation in the MLRA. Mean July maximum temperatures have a range of only two or three degrees across the area.

Mean annual precipitation varies along the same gradient as temperature. Seasonal climatic variations are more complex. Seasonality in precipitation is very pronounced due to strong continental influences. June precipitation, for example, averages three to four times greater than January precipitation. Most of the rainfall occurs as high-intensity, convective thunderstorms in summer. Snowfall is common in winter.

During years when precipitation comes in a fairly normal manner, moisture is stored in the top layers of the soil during the winter and early spring, when evaporation and transpiration are low. During the summer months the loss of water by evaporation and transpiration is high, and if rainfall fails to occur at frequent intervals, drought will result. Drought directly affects plant and animal life by limiting water supplies, especially at times of high temperatures and high evaporation rates.

Superimposed upon the basic MLRA climatic patterns are local topographic influences that create topoclimatic, or microclimatic variations. In regions of appreciable relief, for example, air drainage at nighttime may produce temperatures several degrees lower in valley bottoms than on side slopes. At critical times during the year, this phenomenon may produce later spring or earlier fall freezes in valley bottoms. Higher daytime temperatures of bare rock surfaces and higher reflectivity of these unvegetated surfaces may create distinctive environmental niches such as glades and cliffs. Slope orientation is an important topographic influence on climate. Summits and south-and-west-facing slopes are regularly warmer and drier than adjacent north- and-east-facing slopes. Finally, the climate within a canopied forest is measurably different from the climate of a more open grassland or savanna areas.

Source: University of Missouri Climate Center - http://climate.missouri.edu/climate.php; accessed June 2012

Land Resource Regions and Major Land Resource Areas of the United States, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Basin, United States Department of Agriculture Handbook 296 - http://soils.usda.gov/survey/geography/mlra/

Table 3. Representative climatic features

Frost-free period (average)	175 days
Freeze-free period (average)	197 days
Precipitation total (average)	44 in

Bar

Line

Figure 3. Monthly precipitation range

Bar

Line

Figure 4. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature

Figure 5. Annual precipitation pattern

Figure 6. Annual average temperature pattern

Climate stations used

(1) ALTON MELVIN PRICE L&D [USC00110137], West Alton, IL
(2) KASKASKIA RVR NAV LOCK [USC00114629], Ellis Grove, IL
(3) BOONVILLE [USC00230817], Boonville, MO

Influencing water features

This ecological site is in floodplains of perennial streams, in backswamp positions, and are not adjacent to the current stream channel. They are influenced by a seasonal high water table, due to high groundwater levels in these topographically low positions, as well as slow hydraulic conductivity, which impedes throughflow from precipitation and flood events. The water table is typically near or at the surface in late fall through spring, receding in the summer. Ephemeral ponding may occur as a result of entrapment of floodwaters in these depressional positions, from seasonal high groundwater tables above the soil surface, as a result of runoff from higher positions in the floodplain and adjacent uplands, or a combination of these factors.

Stream levels typically respond quickly to storm events, especially in watersheds where surface runoff is dominant. Long-duration flooding is common in many areas, particularly during spring and early summer storm events. Constructed levees, often accompanied by stream channelization, have altered the hydrology and flooding dynamics in many places and may be a sign of an alternative state.

This site is in the RIVERINE wetlands class of the Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) classification system (Brinson, 1993), and are Emergent Palustrine wetlands (Cowardin et al., 1979). Wetlands in RIVERINE backswamp positions may receive surface runoff and/or groundwater inflows from a contributing watershed. They may deliver surface and/or groundwater outflows to the stream channel. As an HGM class, the flow directions include horizontal and/or vertical flow vectors, and the flows are uni-directional.

Soil features

These soils are very deep, with seasonal high water tables. They were formed under herbaceous wetland vegetation, and have dark, organic-rich surface horizons. Parent material is alluvium. They have silty clay loam to clay surface horizons, with clayey subsurface layers. Soil series associated with this site include Beaucoup, Booker and Portage.

Table 4. Representative soil features

Surface texture	(1) Silty clay (2) Clay (3) Silty clay loam
Family particle size	(1) Clayey
Drainage class	Very poorly drained to poorly drained
Permeability class	Very slow
Soil depth	72 in
Surface fragment cover <=3"	Not specified
Surface fragment cover >3"	Not specified
Available water capacity (0-40in)	4 – 5 in
Calcium carbonate equivalent (0-40in)	10%
Electrical conductivity (0-40in)	2 mmhos/cm
Sodium adsorption ratio (0-40in)	Not specified
Soil reaction (1:1 water) (0-40in)	6.6 – 8.2
Subsurface fragment volume <=3" (Depth not specified)	Not specified
Subsurface fragment volume >3" (Depth not specified)	Not specified

Ecological dynamics

Information contained in this section was developed using historical data, professional experience, field reviews, and scientific studies. The information presented is representative of very complex vegetation communities. Key indicator plants, animals and ecological processes are described to help inform land management decisions. Plant communities will differ across the MLRA because of the naturally occurring variability in weather, soils, and aspect. The Reference Plant Community is not necessarily the management goal. The species lists are representative and are not botanical descriptions of all species occurring, or potentially occurring, on this site. They are not intended to cover every situation or the full range of conditions, species, and responses for the site.

Ponded Floodplain Prairie ecological sites exist because of their association with low, wet areas with very poorly drained, heavy soils. These conditions along with periodic fire have a strong influence on excluding trees. Ponded Floodplain Prairies are dominated by a dense cover of wetland species, including prairie cord grass, sedges and wet tolerant forbs. Shrubs, such as buttonbush and willow, are scattered throughout. The lowest and wettest areas may have marshes with cattails, river bulrush and other emergent wetland species, and minor areas of open water.

Prior to levee development and channeling, these areas were regularly flooded by typically slow-moving backwater floods. Some further inundation and ponding occurred through groundwater movement. Unaltered sites usually were flooded at least six months of the year. In addition to flooding, periodic fire also played a role in controlling woody species. Fire during dry periods removed the dense mat of leaf litter creating opportunities for plants less aggressive than the grasses and sedges. Over the long term, siltation slowly fills these depressions, altering flood duration and causing a shift toward floodplain forest or woodland communities. Today most of these ecological sites have been drained and farmed. Only a few quality remnants exist. However, because of their site conditions, during wet years, they do act as ephemeral farmed wetlands in the agricultural landscape. While their flood regime usually has been altered, their position and soil properties still make them good candidates for wet prairie and marsh development management. Left unfarmed, these wet depressions can quickly develop into naturally wet communities.

A State and Transition Diagram follows. Detailed descriptions of each state, transition, plant community, and pathway follow the model. This model is based on available experimental research, field observations, professional consensus, and interpretations

State and transition model

Custom diagram

Standard diagram

Figure 7. State and transition diagram for this ecological s

More interactive model formats are also available. View Interactive Models

More interactive model formats are also available. View Interactive Models
Click on state and transition labels to scroll to the respective text

State 1
Reference

This state is typical of wet depressional prairies and marshes that experience full horizon saturation (endosaturation) for extended periods during the growing season. Long duration flooding regimes are common during some years. This state is very rare. Nearly all sites have been converted to intensive agriculture cropland along with some cool season grassland.

Community 1.1
Buttonbush/Prairie Cord Grass – Sedge

This phase is dominated by a dense cover of wetland species, including prairie cord grass, sedges and wet tolerant forbs. Shrubs, such as buttonbush and willow, are scattered throughout. The lowest and wettest areas may have marshes with cattails, river bulrush and other emergent wetland species, and minor areas of open water

Forest understory. The Forest Understory list is based on commonly occurring species listed in Nelson (2010). Cover percentages are estimates.

Community 1.2
Willow/Buttonbush/ Cattail – Bulrush

This phase has longer ponding and flooding and will reduce woody species such prairie willow, dogwoods and false indigo. Marsh species such as cattails and bulrushes will increase.

State 2
Woody Invaded Prairie

This state is typical of wet depressional prairies and marshes that experience full horizon saturation (endosaturation) for extended periods during the growing season. Long duration flooding regimes are common during some years. Two phases can occur that will transition back and forth depending on ponding and flooding frequencies. Longer ponding and flooding intervals with periods of open water will reduce woody species such prairie willow, dogwoods and false indigo. When ponding and flooding intervals shorten these woody species will increase or re-establish. This state is very rare. Nearly all sites have been converted to intensive agriculture cropland along with some cool season grassland.

Community 2.1
Willow/Buttonbush – Dogwood/ Smartweed – Sedge

This is the only phase associated with this state at this time. See the corresponding state narrative for details.

State 3
Cool Season Grassland

Degraded reference states that have experienced reduced ponding and flooding reduction for 20 or more years will transition to this state. With reduced ponding and flooding, woody species such as willow, silver maple and dogwood will begin to increase transitioning this state from a prairie to a Woody Invaded Prairie. Native ground cover will also decrease. Transition from this state to cool season grasslands (State 3) or intensive cropland (State 4) was very common.

Community 3.1
Red Top – Reed Canarygrass – White Clover

This is the only phase associated with this state at this time. See the corresponding state narrative for details.

State 4
Cropland

Conversion of other states to non-native cool season species such as Reed canarygrass, white clover, and red top occurs infrequently. Occasionally, these pastures will have scattered bur oaks or pecan. Transitioning to a Cropland State to help eliminate non-native grassland species and then restoring to a reference state is usually the easiest and most useful method of restoration from this state.

Community 4.1
Corn, Soybean

This is the only phase associated with this state at this time. See the corresponding state narrative for details.

Additional community tables

Table 5. Community 1.1 forest understory composition

Common name	Symbol	Scientific name	Nativity	Height (ft)	Canopy cover (%)
Grass/grass-like (Graminoids)
broadleaf cattail	TYLA	Typha latifolia	Native	–	5–40
narrowleaf cattail	TYAN	Typha angustifolia	Native	–	5–40
prairie cordgrass	SPPE	Spartina pectinata	Native	–	20–40
rice cutgrass	LEOR	Leersia oryzoides	Native	–	10–20
softstem bulrush	SCTA2	Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani	Native	–	10–20
shoreline sedge	CAHY3	Carex hyalinolepis	Native	–	10–20
hop sedge	CALU4	Carex lupulina	Native	–	10–20
fox sedge	CAVU2	Carex vulpinoidea	Native	–	10–20
fescue sedge	CAFE3	Carex festucacea	Native	–	10–20
Forb/Herb
common duckweed	LEMI3	Lemna minor	Native	–	5–30
smooth white oldfield aster	SYRA5	Symphyotrichum racemosum	Native	–	5–20
Virginia iris	IRVI	Iris virginica	Native	–	5–20
American water horehound	LYAM	Lycopus americanus	Native	–	5–20
swamp smartweed	POHY2	Polygonum hydropiperoides	Native	–	5–20
harvestlice	AGPA6	Agrimonia parviflora	Native	–	5–20
bearded beggarticks	BIAR	Bidens aristosa	Native	–	5–20
prairie ironweed	VEFA2	Vernonia fasciculata	Native	–	5–20
water knotweed	POAM8	Polygonum amphibium	Native	–	5–20
sawtooth sunflower	HEGR4	Helianthus grosseserratus	Native	–	5–20
swamp milkweed	ASIN	Asclepias incarnata	Native	–	5–20
winged lythrum	LYAL4	Lythrum alatum	Native	–	5–20
nodding beggartick	BICE	Bidens cernua	Native	–	5–20
jewelweed	IMCA	Impatiens capensis	Native	–	5–20
American lotus	NELU	Nelumbo lutea	Native	–	5–20
yellow pond-lily	NULU	Nuphar lutea	Native	–	5–20
broadleaf arrowhead	SALA2	Sagittaria latifolia	Native	–	5–20
broadfruit bur-reed	SPEU	Sparganium eurycarpum	Native	–	5–20
humped bladderwort	UTGI	Utricularia gibba	Native	–	5–20
Shrub/Subshrub
false indigo bush	AMFR	Amorpha fruticosa	Native	–	5–20
common buttonbush	CEOC2	Cephalanthus occidentalis	Native	–	5–20
narrowleaf willow	SAEX	Salix exigua	Native	–	5–20

Interpretations

Animal community

Wildlife*

Game species that likely utilize this ecological site include:
Waterfowl: Mallard, Blue-Winged Teal, Green-Winged Teal, American Black Duck, Northern Pintail, Gadwall, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, American Widgeon, and Northern Shoveler.

Other waterbirds: Sora, Virginia Rail, Common Snipe

Furbearers: Muskrat, Beaver, and Mink.

Bird species associated with this ecological site’s reference state condition:
Breeding birds likely associated with herbaceous perennial plant dominated (Spartina pectinata, Typha species, Polygonum amphibium, Schoenoplectus fluviatilis, Carex species, Sparganium eurycarpum) areas of this ecological site (Palustrine Emergent Semipermanently Flooded): Sedge Wren, Red-Winged Blackbird, Least Bittern, Mallard, Sora, Pie-billed Grebe, King Rail, Common Moorhen, and Common Yellowthroat.

A number of migratory bird species are likely associated with annual plant (Eleocharis species, Bidens species, Cyperus species, Polygonum lapathifolium, Polygonum hydropiper) dominated areas and mudflats of this ecological site (Palustrine Emergent Seasonally Flooded, Palustrine Emergent Temporarily Flooded): Great Egret, Common Snipe, Pectoral Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, Semipalmated Plover, and dabbling ducks (e.g., Mallard, Blue-Winged Teal, Gadwall, and Northern Pintail).

Breeding birds associated with woody vegetation dominated areas of this ecological site: Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, and Song Sparrow.

Amphibian and reptile species that may be associated with this ecological site’s reference state: Western Chorus Frog (Pseudacris triseriata triseriata), Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana), Southern Leopard Frog (Rana sphenocephala), Western Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii), Diamond-backed Water Snake (Nerodia rhombifer rhombifer), Graham’s Crayfish Snake (Regina grahamii), Midland Brown Snake (Storeria dekayi wrightourm), and Western Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis proximus proximus).

Small mammals likely associated with this ecological site’s reference state condition: Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), Southern Bog Lemming (Synaptomys cooperi), and Mink (Mustela vison).

Many native insect species are likely associated with this ecological site, especially native dragonflies and damselflies, beetles, and ants. However information on these groups is often lacking enough resolution to assign them to individual ecological sites.

Insect species known to be associated with this ecological site’s reference state condition: Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle (Labidomera clivicollis), Cordgrass Planthopper (Prokelisia crocea), Dion Skipper butterfly (Euphyes dion), Duke’s Skipper butterfly (Euphyes dukesi), Sedge Grasshopper (Stethophyma celatum), the Lance-tipped Darner dragonfly (Aeshna constricta) and the Ruby Meadowhawk dragonfly (Sympetrum rubicundulum).

*This section prepared by Mike Leahy, Natural Areas Coordinator, Missouri Department of Conservation, 2013

Other information

Forestry

Management: This ecological site is not recommended for traditional timber management activity. Historically this site was dominated by a ground cover of native prairie grasses and forbs. Some scattered open grown trees may have also been present. May be suitable for non-traditional forestry uses such as windbreaks, environmental plantings, alley cropping (a method of planting, in which rows of trees or shrubs are interspersed with rows of crops) or woody bio-fuels.

Supporting information

Inventory data references

No known reference sites.

Other references

Brinson, M.M. 1993. A hydrogeomorphic classification for wetlands. Technical Report WRP-DE-4, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS.

Cowardin, L.M., V. Carter, F.C. Golet, & E.T. LaRoe. 1979. Classification of wetlands and deepwater habitats of the United States. U.S. Dept. of Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service, Office of Biological Services, Washington DC.

Fitzgerald, J.A. and D.N. Pashley. 2000a. Partners in Flight bird conservation plan for the Ozark/Ouachitas. American Bird Conservancy.

Fitzgerald, J.A. and D.N. Pashley. 2000b. Partners in Flight bird conservation plan for the Dissected Till Plains. American Bird Conservancy.

Heitzman, J.R. and J.E. Heitzman. 1996. Butterflies and moths of Missouri. 2nd ed. Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City.

Horn, Frederick E. 1992. Soil Survey of Callaway County, Missouri. U.S. Dept. of Agric. Soil Conservation Service.

Jacobs, B. 2001. Birds in Missouri. Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City.

Johnson, T.R. 2000. The amphibians and reptiles of Missouri. 2nd ed. Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City.

NatureServe, 2010. Vegetation Associations of Missouri (revised). NatureServe, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Nelson, Paul W. 2010. The Terrestrial Natural Communities of Missouri. Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, Missouri.

Nigh, Timothy A., & Walter A. Schroeder. 2002. Atlas of Missouri Ecoregions. Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, Missouri.

Pitts, D.E. and W.D. McGuire. 2000. Wildlife management for Missouri landowners. 3rd ed. Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City.

Schwartz, C.W., E.R. Schwartz and J.J. Conley. 2001. The wild mammals of Missouri. University of Missouri Press, Columbia and Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City.

University of Missouri Climate Center - http://climate.missouri.edu/climate.php; accessed June 2012

Land Resource Regions and Major Land Resource Areas of the United States, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Basin, United States Department of Agriculture Handbook 296 - http://soils.usda.gov/survey/geography/mlra/

Contributors

Fred Young
Doug Wallace

Acknowledgments

Missouri Department of Conservation and Missouri Department of Natural Resources personnel provided significant and helpful field and technical support in the development of this ecological site.

Rangeland health reference sheet

Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health is a qualitative assessment protocol used to determine ecosystem condition based on benchmark characteristics described in the Reference Sheet. A suite of 17 (or more) indicators are typically considered in an assessment. The ecological site(s) representative of an assessment location must be known prior to applying the protocol and must be verified based on soils and climate. Current plant community cannot be used to identify the ecological site.

Author(s)/participant(s)
Contact for lead author
Date
Approved by
Approval date
Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on	Annual Production

Indicators

Number and extent of rills:
Presence of water flow patterns:
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
Functional/Structural Groups (list in order of descending dominance by above-ground annual-production or live foliar cover using symbols: >>, >, = to indicate much greater than, greater than, and equal to):

Dominant:

Sub-dominant:

Other:

Additional:
Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
Potential invasive (including noxious) species (native and non-native). List species which BOTH characterize degraded states and have the potential to become a dominant or co-dominant species on the ecological site if their future establishment and growth is not actively controlled by management interventions. Species that become dominant for only one to several years (e.g., short-term response to drought or wildfire) are not invasive plants. Note that unlike other indicators, we are describing what is NOT expected in the reference state for the ecological site:
Perennial plant reproductive capability:

Download reference sheet

Search

Natural ResourcesConservation Service

Ecological site R115XB042MO

Ponded Floodplain Prairie

Accessed: 11/13/2024

General information

Figure 1. Mapped extent

MLRA notes

Classification relationships

Ecological site concept

Associated sites

Similar sites

Table 1. Dominant plant species

Ecosystem states

State 1 submodel, plant communities

State 2 submodel, plant communities

State 3 submodel, plant communities

State 4 submodel, plant communities

Natural Resources
Conservation Service