Moderately Deep Interbedded Limestone-Shale Backslopes

Description

These ecological sites generally occupied the middle to upper sideslopes and lower ridges of hills within the Inner and Outer Bluegrass physiographic regions of Kentucky. The aspect on these sites is variable as soil depth and rock content appeared to have more influence on plant growth and species density than aspect. Slopes on sites visited ranged from 15% to over 45%. Soil depth varied from 21 to 40 inches and parent material of the soils were residuum from interbedded calcareous shale, siltstone, and limestone (Eden soils) or limestone residuum interbedded with thin layers of shale (Faywood soils). Sites frequently had exposed surface rock and rock content in the soil profile.

Tree canopies were generally medium in height and somewhat closed (70 to 90% shade levels) with dominant trees consisting of oak and hickory species in phase 1.1, oak and sugar maple in phase 1.3, and eastern red cedar in phase 1.2. Understory herbaceous layers were generally dense and diverse with minor variations dependent upon soil depth, rock content, soil type, and micro-topography.

Submodel

Description

The pasture state for these ecological sites is commonly one of three phases: managed pasture, minimally managed pasture, or a warm-season grass habitat. The managed and minimally managed pasture sites were predominately cool-season, introduced grass species such as tall fescue, orchard grass, brome grass, and Kentucky bluegrass.

Submodel

Description

This state is characterized by encroaching eastern red cedar trees into a pastureland environment. This natural transition occurs once pasture management inputs are reduced. Monitored sites were predominately tall fescue pastures that were in the process of naturally reverting to a eastern red cedar grove. The moderately-deep soils on these sites had minimal surface rock and with 5 to 20 percent rock fragments in the subsurface layers. Hardwood seedlings present could include white oak, chinkapin oak, red oak, black oak, shagbark hickory, mockernut hickory, and/or black walnut if an adequate seed sources were available. Seedlings of white ash, red maple, sugar maple, hackberry, black locust, honey locust, American elm, osage orange and slippery elm could also be found on these sites.

Submodel

Description

This State is characterized by the dominance of bush honeysuckle, an aggressive non-native shurb. Bush honeysuckle is a common name used for many differenct species including Lonicera maackii, L. tatarica, L. morrowii, L. fragrantissima, etc. Plot monitoring for this project found Amur honeysuckle, Lonicera maackii, was the most common species on these sites. This plan was introduced from Asia in the 1700 and 1800s for ornamental purposes and is now an ecological epidemic in central Kentucky and surrounding states. L. maackii is shade tolerate plant that forms dense thickets in forests, roadsides, and pastures. Colonizing by abundant seed production and root sprouting, this plant will dominate the midstory of forest communities. The dense shade and competition from these plants destroys the native herbaceous layer and halts normal oak-hickory reproduction.

Submodel