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Conservation Service

Ecological site F140XY010NY

Frigid Moist Till Uplands

Last updated: 10/01/2024
Accessed: 12/03/2024

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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): 140X–Glaciated Allegheny Plateau and Catskill Mountains

This area is primarily in the Southern New York Section of the Appalachian Plateaus Province of the Appalachian Highlands. The top of the dissected plateau in this MLRA is broad and is nearly level to moderately sloping. The narrow valleys have steep walls and smooth floors. The Catskills in the east have steep slopes. Elevation is typically 650 to 1,000 feet on valley floors; 1,650 to 2,000 feet on the plateau surface; and 3,600 feet or more in parts of the Catskills.

The average annual precipitation in most of this area is 30 to 45 inches. Rainfall occurs as high-intensity, convective thunderstorms during the summer, but most of the precipitation in this area occurs as snow. The average annual temperature is 40 to 50 degrees F.

The dominant soil order in this MLRA is Inceptisols. The soils in the area dominantly have a mesic soil temperature regime, an aquic or udic soil moisture regime, and mixed mineralogy. Frigid soils are found within the higher elevations.

This area supports forest vegetation, particularly hardwood species. Beech-birch-maple and elm-ash-red maple are the potential forest types. The extent of oak species increases from east to west, particularly in areas of shallow and dry soils. In some areas conifers, such as white pine, are important. Aspen, hemlock, northern white-cedar, and black ash grow on the wetter soils. In some parts of the area, sugar maple has potential economic significance. Some of the major wildlife species in this area are white-tailed deer, cottontail, turkey, pheasant, and grouse.

Classification relationships

USDA NRCS:
LRR: R - Northeastern Forage and Forest Region
MLRA 140 - Glaciated Allegheny Plateau and Catskills Mountains

EPA Ecoregions:
Level III: 60 - Northern Allegheny Plateau and 58 - Northeastern Highlands
Level IV: 60a - Glaciated Low Allegheny Plateau, 60b - Delaware-Neversink Highlands, 60c - Catskills Transition, and 58y - Catskill High Peaks

USDA USFS:
200 Humid Temperate Domain
212 Laurentian Mixed Forest Province
M212 Adirondack - New England Mixed Forest - Coniferous Forest - Alpine Meadow Province

Ecological site concept

Landform/Landscape Position:

The site occurs on bedrock controlled benches, steps, and footslopes. Slopes are mostly under 20% but can range up to 50%.

Soils:
The soils consists of very deep to moderately deep, moderately well to somewhat poorly drained soils formed in loamy till derived from sandstone, siltstone, and shale. Soil temperature regime is frigid. Reaction is very strongly acid or strongly acid throughout the mineral soil. Soil components include Ischua, Gretor, Salamanca, Middlebrook, Hornellsville, and Almond.

Vegetation:
Reference community is a red maple-red oak-beech dominant hardwood Forest along wetland margins. Characteristic vegetation includes:

Trees: Red maple (Acer rubrum), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), red oak (Quercus rubra), yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis). Conifers such as eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) and hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) are minor components.

Shrubs: Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), American witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), hobblebush (Viburnum lantanoides).

Herbaceous: Cinnamon fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum), Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum), and sessile-leaved bellwort (Uvularia sessilifolia)

Associated sites

F140XY008NY	Frigid Steep Till Uplands
F140XY009NY	Frigid Till Uplands

F140XY008NY

Frigid Steep Till Uplands

F140XY009NY

Frigid Till Uplands

Similar sites

F140XY004NY	Frigid Shallow Moist Till

F140XY004NY

Frigid Shallow Moist Till

Table 1. Dominant plant species

Tree	(1) Acer saccharum (2) Acer rubrum
Shrub	(1) Lindera benzoin
Herbaceous	(1) Osmunda cinnamomea

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Physiographic features

The site occurs on bedrock controlled benches, steps, and footslopes. Slopes range from 0-5%

Table 2. Representative physiographic features

Landforms	(1) Mountains > Bench (2) Upland > Hill (3) Mountain (4) Ridge (5) Till plain
Runoff class	Medium to very high
Flooding frequency	None
Ponding frequency	None
Elevation	800 – 3,608 ft
Slope	50%
Water table depth	9 – 21 in
Aspect	Aspect is not a significant factor

Climatic features

The Koppen-Geiger climate classification of the area in which this MLRA occurs is
Dfb, Warm-summer humid continental. Rainfall occurs as high-intensity, convective thunderstorms in the summer. However, snow comprises most of the precipitation in this area. The frost-free-free period in this area averages 165 days and ranges from 130 to 200 days, with the coldest temperatures and the shortest frost-free periods occurring in the high-elevation areas in the eastern part of the MLRA.

Table 3. Representative climatic features

Frost-free period (characteristic range)	90-109 days
Freeze-free period (characteristic range)	124-143 days
Precipitation total (characteristic range)	38-51 in
Frost-free period (actual range)	89-110 days
Freeze-free period (actual range)	118-144 days
Precipitation total (actual range)	38-60 in
Frost-free period (average)	98 days
Freeze-free period (average)	132 days
Precipitation total (average)	46 in

Characteristic range

Actual range

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Figure 1. Monthly precipitation range

Characteristic range

Actual range

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Figure 2. Monthly minimum temperature range

Characteristic range

Actual range

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Figure 3. Monthly maximum temperature range

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Figure 4. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature

Figure 5. Annual precipitation pattern

Figure 6. Annual average temperature pattern

Climate stations used

(1) DELHI 2 SE [USC00302036], Delancey, NY
(2) LANSING MANOR [USC00304575], Gilboa, NY
(3) SLIDE MTN [USC00307799], Big Indian, NY
(4) EAST JEWETT [USC00302366], Tannersville, NY
(5) WELLSVILLE [USC00309072], Wellsville, NY
(6) ALFRED [USC00300085], Alfred Station, NY

Soil features

The soils consists of very deep to moderately deep, moderately well to somewhat poorly drained soils formed in loamy till derived from sandstone, siltstone, and shale. Soil temperature regime is frigid. Reaction is very strongly acid or strongly acid throughout the mineral soil. Soil components include Empeyville, Ishua, Gretor, Salamanca, Middlebrook, Hornellsville, and Almond.

Table 4. Representative soil features

Parent material	(1) Till – sandstone and shale (2) Till – siltstone (3) Residuum
Surface texture	(1) Loam (2) Channery loam (3) Channery silt loam (4) Silt loam (5) Extremely stony sandy loam
Family particle size	(1) Coarse-loamy (2) Loamy (3) Fine-loamy (4) Loamy-skeletal
Drainage class	Somewhat poorly drained to moderately well drained
Permeability class	Very slow
Depth to restrictive layer	22 – 72 in
Surface fragment cover <=3"	Not specified
Surface fragment cover >3"	9%
Available water capacity (Depth not specified)	3 – 7 in
Soil reaction (1:1 water) (Depth not specified)	3.5 – 7.3
Subsurface fragment volume <=3" (Depth not specified)	3 – 20%
Subsurface fragment volume >3" (Depth not specified)	55%

Ecological dynamics

Reference community is a red maple dominant hardwood Forest. Characteristic vegetation includes:

Trees: Red maple (Acer rubrum), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), red oak (Quercus rubra), yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis). Conifers such as eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) and hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) are minor components.

Shrubs: Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), American witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), hobblebush (Viburnum lantanoides).

Herbaceous: Cinnamon fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum), Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum), and sessile-leaved bellwort (Uvularia sessilifolia).

Natural disturbances that create forest canopy openings include windthrow, ice storms, and insect damage. Alternative states are a semi-natural forest (timber harvest, invasive species) and a pasture state.

State and transition model

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

State 1
Mixed Hardwood Forest - Reference

Minimally managed hardwood forest. Natural disturbances primarily from weather events, insect damage, tree fall create pockets of young forest communities (early successional). Red maple, sugar maple, American beech, yellow birch, red oak, eastern hemlock, and eastern white pine are some characteristic trees.

Community 1.1
Closed Canopy Forest

Community 1.2
Young Forest (early successional)

Pathway P1.1
Community 1.1 to 1.2

Conservation practices

Early Successional Habitat Development/Management

Pathway P1.2
Community 1.2 to 1.1

State 2
Semi-Natural

Timber harvest common, invasive species such as bush honesuckle, oriental bittersweet, Japanese barberry, and multiflora rose may be common in disturbed areas.

Community 2.1
Closed Canopy Forest

Dominant plant species

American beech (Fagus grandifolia), tree
maple (Acer), tree
Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense), other herbaceous
wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis), other herbaceous
intermediate woodfern (Dryopteris intermedia), other herbaceous

Community 2.2
Young Forest (early successional)

Pathway P2.1
Community 2.1 to 2.2

Pathway P2.2
Community 2.2 to 2.1

State 3
Pasture

Forest has been converted to pastureland/grassland for either livestock grazing, hay production, or wildlife habitat.

Community 3.1
Introduced Grasses and Forbs

Grasses and forbs introduces for livestock grazing, hay production, or wildlife habitat.

Community 3.2
Shrub Encroached

Pathway P3.1
Community 3.1 to 3.2

Lack of mowing, grazing, or fire.

Pathway P3.2
Community 3.2 to 3.1

Brush management and/or fire.

Conservation practices

Brush Management
Prescribed Burning

Transition T1A
State 1 to 2

Human disturbances (roads, timber harvest,) affect species composition and allow the potential for non-native and invasive species to establish and persist.

Transition T1B
State 1 to 3

Conservation practices

Land Clearing
Forage and Biomass Planting

Restoration pathway R2A
State 2 to 1

Conservation practices

Brush Management
Forest Stand Improvement
Forest Management Plan - Written
Forest stand improvement for habitat and soil quality
Herbaceous Weed Control

Restoration pathway R3A
State 3 to 1

Conservation practices

Native Plant Community Restoration and Management

Additional community tables

Table 5. Community 2.1 forest overstory composition

Common name	Symbol	Scientific name	Nativity	Height (ft)	Canopy cover (%)	Diameter (in)	Basal area (square ft/acre)
Tree
northern red oak	QURU	Quercus rubra	Native	–	–	–	–
sugar maple	ACSA3	Acer saccharum	Native	–	–	–	–
black cherry	PRSE2	Prunus serotina	Native	–	–	–	–
hophornbeam	OSVI	Ostrya virginiana	Native	–	–	–	–
American beech	FAGR	Fagus grandifolia	Native	–	–	–	–
green ash	FRPE	Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Native	–	–	–	–
red maple	ACRU	Acer rubrum	Native	–	–	–	–
sweet birch	BELE	Betula lenta	Native	–	–	–	–
white oak	QUAL	Quercus alba	Native	–	–	–	–
black oak	QUVE	Quercus velutina	Native	–	–	–	–

Table 6. Community 2.1 forest understory composition

Common name	Symbol	Scientific name	Nativity	Height (ft)	Canopy cover (%)
Grass/grass-like (Graminoids)
sedge	CAREX	Carex	Unknown	–	–
quackgrass	ELRE4	Elymus repens	Introduced	–	–
drooping sedge	CAPR12	Carex prasina	Native	–	–
rough bluegrass	POTR2	Poa trivialis	Introduced	–	–
poverty dropseed	SPVA	Sporobolus vaginiflorus	Native	–	–
hairy wildrye	ELVI	Elymus villosus	Native	–	–
Kentucky bluegrass	POPR	Poa pratensis	Native	–	–
Forb/Herb
eastern daisy fleabane	ERAN	Erigeron annuus	Native	–	–
orange hawkweed	HIAU	Hieracium aurantiacum	Introduced	–	–
common yellow oxalis	OXST	Oxalis stricta	Native	–	–
common cinquefoil	POSI2	Potentilla simplex	Native	–	–
goldenrod	SOLID	Solidago	Unknown	–	–
Indian cucumber	MEVI	Medeola virginiana	Native	–	–
partridgeberry	MIRE	Mitchella repens	Native	–	–
Jack in the pulpit	ARTR	Arisaema triphyllum	Native	–	–
green false hellebore	VEVI	Veratrum viride	Native	–	–
buttercup	RANUN	Ranunculus	Unknown	–	–
stickywilly	GAAP2	Galium aparine	Native	–	–
feathery false lily of the valley	MARA7	Maianthemum racemosum	Native	–	–
dogtooth violet	ERAM5	Erythronium americanum	Native	–	–
mayapple	POPE	Podophyllum peltatum	Native	–	–
starflower	TRBO2	Trientalis borealis	Native	–	–
garlic mustard	ALPE4	Alliaria petiolata	Introduced	–	–
crinkleroot	CADI10	Cardamine diphylla	Native	–	–
spotted geranium	GEMA	Geranium maculatum	Native	–	–
Virginia strawberry	FRVI	Fragaria virginiana	Native	–	–
Canada mayflower	MACA4	Maianthemum canadense	Native	–	–
wild sarsaparilla	ARNU2	Aralia nudicaulis	Native	–	–
Fern/fern ally
rare clubmoss	LYOB	Lycopodium obscurum	Native	–	–
intermediate woodfern	DRIN5	Dryopteris intermedia	Native	–	–
Christmas fern	POAC4	Polystichum acrostichoides	Native	–	–
New York fern	THNO	Thelypteris noveboracensis	Native	–	–
running clubmoss	LYCL	Lycopodium clavatum	Native	–	–
eastern hayscented fern	DEPU2	Dennstaedtia punctilobula	Native	–	–
sensitive fern	ONSE	Onoclea sensibilis	Native	–	–
Shrub/Subshrub
mapleleaf viburnum	VIAC	Viburnum acerifolium	Native	–	–
Morrow's honeysuckle	LOMO2	Lonicera morrowii	Introduced	–	–
multiflora rose	ROMU	Rosa multiflora	Introduced	–	–
autumn olive	ELUM	Elaeagnus umbellata	Introduced	–	–
Allegheny blackberry	RUAL	Rubus allegheniensis	Native	–	–
blackberry	RUBUS	Rubus	Unknown	–	–
eastern prickly gooseberry	RICY	Ribes cynosbati	Native	–	–
Japanese barberry	BETH	Berberis thunbergii	Introduced	–	–
blue cohosh	CATH2	Caulophyllum thalictroides	Native	–	–
Tree
northern red oak	QURU	Quercus rubra	Native	–	–
American beech	FAGR	Fagus grandifolia	Native	–	–
hybrid hickory	CARYA	Carya	Unknown	–	–
white oak	QUAL	Quercus alba	Native	–	–
Schuette's hawthorn	CRSC4	Crataegus schuettei	Native	–	–
common buckthorn	RHCA3	Rhamnus cathartica	Introduced	–	–
Norway spruce	PIAB	Picea abies	Introduced	–	–
black cherry	PRSE2	Prunus serotina	Native	–	–
sugar maple	ACSA3	Acer saccharum	Native	–	–
green ash	FRPE	Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Native	–	–
shagbark hickory	CAOV2	Carya ovata	Native	–	–
red maple	ACRU	Acer rubrum	Native	–	–
sweet birch	BELE	Betula lenta	Native	–	–
Norway spruce	PIAB	Picea abies	Introduced	–	–
tamarack	LALA	Larix laricina	Native	–	–
eastern white pine	PIST	Pinus strobus	Native	–	–
hophornbeam	OSVI	Ostrya virginiana	Native	–	–
black oak	QUVE	Quercus velutina	Native	–	–
eastern cottonwood	PODE3	Populus deltoides	Native	–	–
American witchhazel	HAVI4	Hamamelis virginiana	Native	–	–
Vine/Liana
smooth carrionflower	SMHE	Smilax herbacea	Native	–	–

Supporting information

Inventory data references

Site Development and Testing Plan:
Future work to validate the vegetation information in this provisional ecological site description is needed. This will include field activities to collect low and medium intensity sampling and analysis of that data. Field reviews should be done by soil scientists and vegetation specialists. A final field review, peer review, quality control, and quality assurance reviews of the ESD will be needed to produce the final approved level document. Reviews of the project plan are to be conducted by the Ecological Site Technical Team.

Other references

Edinger, G.J., Evans, D.J., Gebauer, S., Howard, T.G., Hunt, D.M., and A.M. Olivero, A.M. (eds.). 2014. Ecological Communities of New York State, Second Edition: A revised and expanded edition of Carol Reschke's Ecological Communities of New York State. New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, NY.

Contributors

Joshua Hibit

Approval

Greg Schmidt, 10/01/2024

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	05/20/2020
Approved by	Greg Schmidt
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

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Natural ResourcesConservation Service

Ecological site F140XY010NY

Frigid Moist Till Uplands

Last updated: 10/01/2024 Accessed: 12/03/2024

General information

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

Natural Resources
Conservation Service

Last updated: 10/01/2024
Accessed: 12/03/2024