The Upland Prairie-Forest Continuum*
Mesic Forests
Dry-mesic Forests
Dry-mesic Woodlands
Attributes
Vegetation layers Multiple > 4
Multiple > 3
2 to 3
Dry Woodlands and
Flatwoods
2 to 3
Savannas
2
Prairies
1
Canopy Height-ft
Tree Form
90+
70-90
60-90
20-60
Narrow crowns, clean trunks Narrow crowns, clean trunks Somewhat spreading crowns,
Spreading crowns, some lower
some lower spreading branches spreading branches
20-60
Not applicable
Wide-spreading crowns, lower Not applicable
branches typical
Canopy closure
% Understory
Cover
90-100
50-100, dense
10-30
5-10, sparse
0-10
0-10
Ground Layer
Cover
Dense in spring, patchy to
sparse by mid-summer
Dense all season
Dense all season
Ground Layer
Plants
Moderate to low diversity of
spring ephemerals, and ferns;
abundant C3 grasses, sedges,
and summer/fall forbs
Protected valleys, ravines, Mid and upper slopes of
Mid and upper slopes of
bluff bases, lower slopes of northerly aspects, ravines,
southerly aspects, fire prone
northerly aspects, fire
other aspects in fire shadow landscapes
shadow areas
areas
Deep (> 3') loams, nutrient Moderate depth (24-36") silt Moderate depth (20-36") silt
rich, high organic matter,
loams, moderate organic
loams, moderate organic matter,
deep leaf litter
matter, moderately deep leaf shallow leaf litter
litter
Very infrequent, low
Infrequent, low intensity
Low to moderate intensity fires
intensity (historically every (historically every 20+
(2-3 years / 3-10 years)
30+ years?)
years?)
Topography and
Landform
Soils
Fire Regime (Restoration/
Maintenance)
Dominant Trees
90-100
50-100, dense
Dense to patchy in spring,
patchy to sparse by midsummer
Rich diversity of spring
Moderate to low diversity of
ephemerals, and ferns; few spring ephemerals, and
summer/fall forbs
ferns; few summer/fall forbs
Red oak, sugar maple, ash, White, red, and black oaks,
basswood, walnut
hickories
Characteristic
Spicebush, Paw Paw,
Meadow Rue, Trout Lily,
Plants
Trilliums, Bloodroot,
Christmas Fern, Black
Dutchman’s Breeches
Cohosh, Dwarf Larkspur
Basal Area (ft2/ac) 90-100
80-100
80+
30-50, patchy
30-80
10-30, scattered
Dense to patchy in spring,
Patchy to dense all season
patchy to dense by mid-summer
White, black, scarlet, chinkapin
oaks, hickories, shortleaf pine
Bristly Sunflower, Asters,
Goldenrods, Bee Balm, Sedges,
Native C3 Grasses
50-80
C3 and C4 grasses, sedges,
diversity of forbs all season
C4 grasses, sedges, diversity C4 grasses, sedges, diversity
of forbs all season
of forbs all season
Steep upper slopes of southerly Level to gently rolling
Level to gently rolling plains,
aspects, narrow ridges, broad
topography, steep loess hills, steep loess hills, broad ridges
ridges, fire prone landscapes
broad ridges
Shallow depth (<20"), droughty, Wide range of soil types from Wide range of soil types from
often rocky and or nutrient poor; shallow to deep, variably
shallow to deep, variably
fragipans or claypans
rocky
rocky
Low to moderate intensity fires
(1-3 years / 3-7 years)
Moderate intensity fires (1-4
years / 3-5 years)
Moderate to high intensity
fires every 1 to 3 years
Post, blackjack, chinkapin, bur,
white oaks, shortleaf pine
Leadplant, Asters, Wild Quinine,
Goldenrods, Pale Purple
Coneflower, Native Lespedezas
30-60
Bur, chinkapin, post, swamp
white, and white oaks
Compass Plant, Rattlesnake
Master, Rigid Goldenrod,
Native C4 Grasses
<30
Not applicable
Compass Plant, Rattlesnake
Master, Rigid Goldenrod,
Native C4 Grasses
<10
* Note: This chart describes idealized conditions for stands that best represent their pre-settlement character. For most sites, these will be the desired future conditions in terms of
structure.