Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site F121XY010KY
Phosphatic Limestone Upland
Last updated: 10/01/2024
Accessed: 12/06/2024
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.
MLRA notes
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 121X–Kentucky Bluegrass
General: MLRA 121 is in Kentucky (83 percent), southern Ohio (11 percent), and southern Indiana (6 percent). It makes up about 10,680 square miles (27,670 square kilometers). The cities of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Louisville, Frankfort, and Lexington, Kentucky, are in this area.
Physiography: This area is primarily in the Lexington Plain Section of the Interior Low Plateaus Province of the Interior Plains.
Soils: The dominant soil orders in MLRA 121 are Alfisols, Inceptisols, and Mollisols. The soils in the area dominantly have a mesic soil temperature regime, an udic soil moisture regime, and mixed mineralogy. They are shallow to very deep, generally well-drained, and loamy or clayey. Hapludalfs formed in residuum on hills and ridges (Beasley, Cynthiana, Eden, Faywood, Lowell, and McAfee series) and in loess over residuum on hills and ridges (Carmel and Shelbyville series). Paleudalfs (Crider and Maury series) formed in loess or other silty sediments over residuum on hills and ridges. Fragiudalfs (Nicholson series) formed in loess over residuum on ridges. Hapludolls formed in residuum on hills and ridges (Fairmount series) and in alluvium on floodplains (Huntington series). Eutrudepts (Nolin series) formed in alluvium on flood plains.
Geology: Most of this area has an Ordovician-age limestone that has been brought to the surface in the Jessamine Dome, a high part of a much larger structure called the Cincinnati Arch. The strata of limestone have a propensity to form caves and karst topography. Younger units of thin-bedded shale, siltstone, and limestone occur at the eastern and western edges of the area.
The area has no coal-bearing units. Pleistocene-age loess deposits cover most of the bedrock units in this MLRA, and some glacial lake sediments are at the surface in the northwest corner of the area. Unconsolidated alluvium is deposited in the river valleys.
Classification relationships
Bluegrass woodland: Kentucky Nature Preserves Commission.
Ecological site concept
The Phosphatic Limestone Upland ecological site occurs on soils which are moderately deep to very deep, well drained, moderately permeable and formed in silty material over residuum weathered from phosphatic limestone. Representative soils include Bluegrass, Braxton, Loudon, Maury, Mcafee, Mercer.
State 1. (Reference)
State 1, Phase 1.1: Plant species dominants:
Quercus macrocarpa- Juglans nigra/Arundinaria gigantea /Sanicula spp.-Agrimonia spp.
(Bur oak-black walnut/ giant cane/ black snakeroot-agrimony)
State 1, Phase 1.2: Plant species dominants: 1.2 Acer saccharum.-Quercus spp. / Arundinaria gigantea /Amphicarpaea bracteata-Ageratina altissima (Sugar maple – oaks / giant cane/ hogpeanut - white snakeroot)
State: 2. Pasture
State 2, Phase 2.1: Managed Pasture. Plant species dominants: Schedonorus arundinaceus (tall fescue)
State 2, Phase 2.2: Minimally Managed Pasture. Plant species dominants: Rosa multiflora- Rubus spp. /Schedonorus arundinaceus
State 2, Phase 2.3: Warm season pasture.
Transitioning this state to a reference condition would require timber stand improvement practices to control non-native vegetation and plant/manage for desired species.
State: 3. Transitional Field
State 3, Phase 31: Plant species dominants: eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) / Rosa multiflora (multiflora rose) / tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus)-giant ironweed (Vernonia gigantean)
State: 4. Honeysuckle Invaded Woodland
State 4, Phase 4.1: Plant species dominants: Acer saccharum- Celtis occidentalis/ Lonicera maackii.
This state is characterized by a dense understory of Lonicera spp. (usually L. maackii in central Kentucky) which fundamentally alters the native plant communities due to shade and competition. Long-term, multi-year control efforts are required to control this aggressive non-native plant and restore native woodlands.
State: 5. Cropland
State 5, Phase 5.1: Plant species dominants: dependent upon seeding and management. Most common crops are corn and soybeans.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
(1) Quercus macrocarpa |
---|---|
Shrub |
(1) Arundinaria gigantea |
Herbaceous |
(1) Ageratina altissima |
Click on box and path labels to scroll to the respective text.