MHc36

124

Central Mesic Hardwood Forest (Eastern)Mesic hardwood forests dominated by basswood, northern red oak, and sugar maple. Present on loamy or sandy loam soils on hummocky stagnation moraines and rolling till plains.

Vegetation Structure & CompositionDescription is based on summary of vegetation data from 129 plots (relevés).•Ground-layer cover ranges from patchy to interrupted (25–75%). Common species include early meadow-rue (Thalictrum dioi-cum), lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina), large-flowered bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora), Clayton’s sweet cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii), Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica), large-leaved aster (Aster macrophyllus), wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis), zigzag gold-enrod (Solidago flexicaulis), and yellow vio-let (Viola pubescens). •Shrub-layer cover is variable; important species include chokecherry (Prunus virgin-iana), pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia), prickly gooseberry (Ribes cynosbati), and beaked hazelnut (Corylus cornuta), along with sugar maple, basswood, ironwood, and northern red oak seedlings and saplings.•Subcanopy cover is variable; sugar maple is the most important species, followed by ironwood and basswood.•Canopy is continuous (> 75% cover), usually dominated by basswood, northern red oak, and sugar maple. Minor canopy species include green ash, paper birch, bur oak, red maple, and quaking aspen.

Landscape Setting & Soils • Stagnationmoraines—Common. Landscape is hummocky with highly variable relief. Parent material is predominantly noncalcareous or weakly calcareous fine-textured till, often with a shallow cap of coarser, partially sorted drift. Soils have firm, sandy clay-loam subsoil horizons capable of perching snowmelt and rainfall well above the local water table. On upper slopes, soils do not perch water for long and are well drained with a fresh soil-moisture regime. On lower slopes, soils can perch water for prolonged periods and are moderately well drained with a very fresh or moderately moist soil-moisture regime. (MDL; WSU; Hardwood Hills and Big Woods in MIM)•Till plains—Occasional. Landscape is undulating to rolling. Parent material is noncalcareous gravelly, sandy-loam till. Soils have very firm and partially cemented lower horizons capable of perching snowmelt and rainfall. Gray soil colors just above the lower horizons indicate a thin (~10in [25cm]) zone of saturated soil that persists well into the growing season. Soils are well drained to moderately well drained. Soil-moisture regime is fresh or moderately moist. (MDL; WSU)

Natural HistoryIn the past, catastrophic disturbances were rare in MHc36. An analysis of Public Land Survey (PLS) records indicates that the rotation of catastrophic fires was in excess of 1,000 years, and the rotation of catastrophic windthrow was about 380 years. Events that result in partial loss of the tree canopy, especially light surface fires, were much more common, with an estimated rotation of just 40 years. Based on the historic composition and age structure of these forests, MHc36 had two growth stages separated by a long period of transition.• 0–35years—Young forests recovering from wind, dominated by northern red oak mixed with some quaking aspen, big-toothed aspen, and basswood.

MESICHARDWOODFORESTSYSTEMCentral Floristic Region

125

•35–95years—A transition period marked by a steady decline in northern red oak and its replacement with sugar maple. Quaking aspen, big-toothed aspen, and paper birch decline to the point where they are very rare, while basswood, American elm, and ironwood increase. Bur oak and white pine become established in the understory during this period. •>95years—Mature forests characterized by canopies of sugar maple mixed with many other trees including basswood, American elm, northern red oak, ironwood, and minor amounts of bur oak and white pine. (Modern mature forests contain more green ash and red maple than indicated in the PLS records.)

Similar Native Plant Community Classes•MHc37CentralMesicHardwoodForest(Western)MHc37 is similar to MHc36 but generally occurs to the west of MHc36, in the western part of the MDL and in the Hardwood Hills Subsection in the MIM. In general, MHc37 is considerably poorer in species than MHc36.

•MHc26CentralDry-MesicOak-AspenForestMHc26 is similar to MHc36 but usually occurs on drier sites.

•FDs37SouthernDry-MesicOak(Maple)WoodlandFDs37 when dominated by northern red oak can be appear similar to MHc36 but generally lacks sugar maple.

•FDs36SouthernDry-MesicOak-AspenForestFDs36 when dominated by northern red oak or bur oak can be similar in appearance to MHc36. FDs36 generally occurs to the west and north of MHc36 and is more likely to have species with affinity for southern forests or woodlands.

MHc36 Indicator Species (freq%)

MHc36 MHc37Blue beech (U) 40 -Maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum) 26 -Wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) 52 1Interrupted fern (Osmunda claytoniana) 45 1Nodding fescue (Festuca subverticillata) 47 2Bearded shorthusk (Brachyelytrum erectum) 41 5Large-flowered trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) 52 7Red maple (C,U) 50 7

MHc37 Indicator Species (freq%)MHc36 MHc37

Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) 1 12Box elder (U) 1 8Tall coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata) 4 22Round-leaved dogwood (Cornus rugosa) 5 17American hazelnut (Corylus americana) 12 37American elm (C,U) 25 73Quaking aspen (C) 20 47Paper birch (C) 31 65

MHc36 Indicator Species (freq%)

MHc36 MHc26Blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) 39 3Maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum) 26 3Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) 36 4Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) 58 7Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) 50 8Lopseed (Phryma leptostachya) 50 9Common enchanter’s nightshade (Circaea lutetiana) 57 13Wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) 52 13

MHc26 Indicator Species (freq%)MHc36 MHc26

Lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) 2 43Prickly or Smooth wild rose* 2 17Round-leaved dogwood (Cornus rugosa) 5 41Hairy honeysuckle (Lonicera hirsuta) 5 24Bush honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera) 16 65Veiny pea (Lathyrus venosus) 9 29Tall blackberries** 9 27Spreading dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium) 10 31

* Prickly or Smooth wild rose (Rosa acicularis or R. blanda) ** Tall blackberries (Rubus allegheniensis and similar Rubus spp.)

MHc36 - continued -

MESICHARDWOODFORESTSYSTEMCentral Floristic Region

FDs37 Indicator Species (freq%)

MHc36 FDs37Northern pin oak (C,U) 1 35Prickly or Smooth wild rose* 2 27Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago) 4 46Black cherry (C) 4 38Gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa) 7 62Tall blackberries** 9 73Wild grape (Vitis riparia) 10 69American hazelnut (Corylus americana) 12 85

MHc36 Indicator Species (freq%)MHc36 FDs37

Leatherwood (Dirca palustris) 38 -Zigzag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis) 79 4Long-stalked sedge (Carex pedunculata) 53 4Large-flowered trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) 52 4Sugar maple (C,U) 91 8Basswood (C) 87 8Blue beech (U) 40 4Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) 58 8

* Prickly or Smooth wild rose (Rosa acicularis or R. blanda) ** Tall blackberries (Rubus allegheniensis and similar Rubus spp.)

FDs36 Indicator Species (freq%)

MHc36 FDs36Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) 1 32Wild plum (Prunus americana) 1 24Snowberry or Wolfberry* 3 68Prickly or Smooth wild rose** 2 32Golden alexanders (Zizia aurea) 2 28Gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa) 7 72Starry false Solomon’s seal (Smilacina stellata) 5 36Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) 7 40

MHc36 Indicator Species (freq%)MHc36 FDs36

Large-leaved aster (Aster macrophyllus) 77 -Long-stalked sedge (Carex pedunculata) 53 -Nodding fescue (Festuca subverticillata) 47 -Blue beech (U) 40 -Wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) 52 4Large-flowered trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) 52 4Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) 50 4Sugar maple (C,U) 91 8

* Snowberry or Wolfberry (Symphoricarpos albus or S. occidentalis) ** Prickly or Smooth wild rose (Rosa acicularis or R. blanda)

126

•MHn35NorthernMesicHardwoodForestMHn35 is similar to MHc36 but is more likely to have species most common in forests in the northern half of the state such as balsam fir, mountain maple (Acer spicatum), and bluebead lily (Clintonia borealis).

Native Plant Community Types in Class•MHc36aRedOak-BasswoodForest(NoncalcareousTill)Mesic hardwood (or rarely hardwood-conifer) forests most common on sites with soils derived from noncalcareous glacial till. Canopy is dominated by basswood and northern red oak, often with sugar maple. White pine, bur oak, quaking aspen, and white oak are important in the canopy on some sites. Paper birch, green ash, big-toothed aspen, and red maple are often present in the canopy but seldom abundant. Species that help to distinguish MHc36a from MHc36b include prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) and Virginia creepers (Parthenocissus spp.). Although not common, red raspberry (Rubus idaeus), wild grape (Vitis riparia), white avens (Geum canadense), columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), poke milkweed (Asclepias exaltata), and white pine also are more likely to occur in MHc36a. MHc36a has been documented primarily in the central MIM and southern WSU. Description is based on summary of vegetation data from 33 plots.•MHc36bRedOak-BasswoodForest(CalcareousTill)Mesic hardwood forests most common on sites with soils derived from calcareous glacial till. Canopy is dominated by basswood, sugar maple, and northern red oak. Green ash, paper birch, red maple, bur oak, quaking aspen, black ash, bitternut hickory, and big-toothed aspen may also be present in the canopy. Species that help to distinguish MHc36b from MHc36a include large-flowered trillium (Trillium grandiflorum), rose twistedstalk (Streptopus roseus), interrupted fern (Osmunda claytoniana), bearded shorthusk (Brachyelytrum erectum), wild ginger (Asarum canadense), wild honeysuckle (Lonicera dioica), dwarf raspberry (Rubus pubescens), and pale vetchling (Lathyrus ochroleucus). MHc36b has been documented mainly in the WSU but also occurs in the Hardwood Hills Subsection of the MIM and occasionally in the MDL on fire-protected sites such as peninsulas and islands in large lakes. Description is based on summary of vegetation data from 96 plots.

MHn35 Indicator Species (freq%)

MHc36 MHn35Groundpine* - 36Balsam fir (U) 3 51White spruce (U) 2 18Bluebead lily (Clintonia borealis) 11 71Hairy honeysuckle (Lonicera hirsuta) 5 24Mountain maple (Acer spicatum) 12 49Round-leaved dogwood (Cornus rugosa) 5 18Starflower (Trientalis borealis) 21 61

MHc36 Indicator Species (freq%)MHc36 MHn35

Common enchanter’s nightshade (Circaea lutetiana) 57 1Lopseed (Phryma leptostachya) 50 1Bitternut hickory (U) 34 1Wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) 52 1Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) 58 4Nodding fescue (Festuca subverticillata) 47 4Blue beech (U) 40 4Pointed-leaved tick trefoil (Desmodium glutinosum) 53 7

* Groundpine (Lycopodium dendroideum or L. hickeyi)

MHc36 - continued -

MESICHARDWOODFORESTSYSTEMCentral Floristic Region

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127

freq

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cov

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freq

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cov

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MESICHARDWOODFORESTSYSTEMCentral Floristic RegionMHc36

- continued -