Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site F122XY019KY
Well Drained Shale Siltstone Uplands
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.
MLRA notes
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 122X–Highland Rim and Pennyroyal
MLRA 122 is in Tennessee (47 percent), Kentucky (43 percent), Indiana (7 percent), and Alabama (3 percent). It makes up about 21,530 square miles (55,790 square kilometers).
SOILS:
Many of the soils in this MLRA are Udalfs. The moderately deep to very deep, well drained, clayey soils formed in limestone residuum. They are dominantly in rolling to steep areas of the “Outer Basin” (Mimosa, Braxton, Gladdice, and Hampshire series) and the undulating to hilly areas of the “Inner Basin” (Talbott and Bradyville series). The most agriculturally productive soils are the very deep, well drained, clayey or loamy soils that formed in alluvium and/or loess over alluvium or limestone residuum in nearly level to undulating areas (Armour, Cumberland, Harpeth, Lomond, and Maury series). The less extensive soils generally are moderately well drained to somewhat poorly drained and formed in loamy or clayey alluvium and/or residuum (Byler, Capshaw, Colbert, and Tupelo series). This MLRA has a significant acreage of Mollisols. Shallow or moderately deep, well drained, clayey Udolls (Ashwood and Barfield series) formed in limestone residuum dominantly in rolling to steep areas. Very shallow, well drained, clayey Rendolls (Gladeville series) formed in limestone residuum dominantly in undulating to rolling areas of the “Inner Basin.” Very deep, well drained or moderately well drained Udolls (Arrington, Egam, Lynnville, and Staser series) and somewhat poorly drained or poorly drained Aquolls (Agee, Godwin, and Lanton series) formed in loamy or clayey alluvium derived from limestone on flood plains. Most of the remaining soils on flood plains are moderately well drained or well drained Udepts (Lindell and Ocana series). Udults are of small extent in this area. Most are very deep, well drained, and loamy and formed in gravelly colluvium or colluvium and the underlying residuum on steep hillsides (Dellrose soils). Rock outcrops are common on uplands.
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES:
This area supports mixed oak forest vegetation. White oak, black oak, northern red oak, and some scarlet oak are the dominant tree species. Shagbark hickory, bitternut hickory, pignut hickory, and mockernut hickory also occur. Oak, blackgum, flowering dogwood, sassafras, Virginia pine, pitch pine, and shortleaf pine grow mostly on ridgetops.
(Excerpt from United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. 2006. Land Resource Regions and Major Land Resource Areas of the United States, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Basin. U.S. Department of Agriculture Handbook 296.)
Classification relationships
NatureServe
Scientific Name: Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest
Unique Identifier: CES202.898
Ecological site concept
The communities described in this provisional document reflect plant communities that are likely to be found on these soils and have not been field verified. This PES describes hypotheses based on available data of many different scales and sources and has not been developed utilizing site-specific ecological field monitoring. This PES does not encompass the entire complexity or diversity of these sites. Field studies would be required for detailed conservation planning or to develop a comprehensive and science-based restoration plan.
State 1, Phase 1.1: Plant species dominants:
Oaks (Quercus spp.)- hickory (Carya spp.) /flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) -blueberries (Vaccinium spp.) / roundleaf greenbrier (Smilax rotundifolia) – snakeroot (Sanicula spp.)
Plant communities on these sites are influenced by variations in soil depth, rock content, slope, pH, aspect, micro-topography, and available water. Sites are on sloping hillsides and ridges. Generally, north slopes and sites with deeper soils have a reference community of mixed oaks or oak-hickory components.
Dominant tree species include southern red oak (Quercus falcata), chestnut oak (Quercus prinus), white oak (Quercus alba), pignut hickory (Carya glabra), Carya ovata (shagbark hickory), black oak (Quercus velutina), and scarlet oak (Quercus coccinea).
Additional species found on these sites may include blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica), winged elm (Ulmus alata), persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), sassafras (Sassafras albidum), red maple (Acer rubrum), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum), mockernut (Carya tomentosa), flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), redbud (Cercis canadensis), and blackhaw (Viburnum prunifolium).
South-facing slopes and sites with shallower soils have plant communities that reflect the resulting reduction in available water. These communities likely include Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana). The floristic expression of these sites varies with the individual site characteristics that influence available water.
See Community Phase Data section for additional vegetation states.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
| Tree |
(1) Quercus |
|---|---|
| Shrub |
(1) Cornus florida |
| Herbaceous |
(1) Smilax |
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