DEFINITION: community - collection of different populations in a given geographic area.

DEFINITIONS:

1) dominant - a sp. common and abundant in at least a given community or land resource area; range may be somewhat restricted to isolated areas but within that area, the sp. is more numerous than most of the other spp. with its habitat or microhabitat.

2) weed - a) ecologically - any plant growing in an area where it is unwanted; b) biologically - a plant with a relatively short generation time that is capable of produceing an extremely high number of seeds over a short period of time, usually with relatively little vegetative growth.

SUBCOMMUNITIES AND SUBSTRATES (LAND RESOURCE AREAS):

1) Cherokee Prairie - 6.4 million acres of moderately acidic soil with some leaching of nutrients; good soil fertility, but may lack significant levels of phosphorous (supports good root development, therefore, mostly annuals and perennials with minor root systems). Fairly deep topsoil with some parent rocks remaining in upper hoizons. Silt loams, and clay loams common; some fine sandy loams. Fairly extensive bottomlands with very rich soils - good cultivation and excellent croplands. Significant amount of a few native grassland spp.. In areas with larger and more numerous rocks, cultivation is not possible, therefore, more native spp. still exist (some C and NC and ENC and some of NE OK).

2) Bluestem Hills - 1.2 million acres of substrates similar to #1, except heavier soils with more clay components. Fewer bottom lands. Our best native tallgrass prairies are here (e.g. the tallgrass priarie preserve in Osage Co. - WNE OK) - larger, more numerous rocks, therefore, less cultivation.

WEEDS OF OLD FIELDS - areas of disturbance that have undergone extensive re-establishment of community structure (secondary succession); specifically, late stages of secondary succession; typified by annual and perennial plants that do not necessarily fit the biological definition of a weed (i.e. some spp. may demonstrate a relatively long life cycle and produce relavely few seeds); typified by lots of composites (family Asteraceae / Compositae, sunflower/daisy family - plants with several flowers all on a common base called a receptacle). Also, many weedy grasses, such as Bothriochloa saccharoides (Andropogon saccharoides), silver bluestem.

Forbs - non-grass herbaceous plants; include both non-grass monocots and herbaceous dicots.

1. Ambrosia psilostachya, western ragweed - Pinnatafid leaves which may be alternate and opposite on the same plant. Is a perennial, stodk roots and rhizomes. Inflorescence of largeer stamenate heads and smaller pistilate ones on the same plant (monoecious). Found statewide. Significant pature pest.

2. Chrysopsis pilosa, soft goldaster

3. Gutierrezia dracunculoides, annual broomweed

4. Vernonia baldwinii, ironweed

OAK PINE FOREST
Canopy species
1. Quercus stellata, post oak
2. Taxodium distichum, bald cypress
3. Liquidambar styraciflua, sweet gum

Understory species
1. Phoradendron serotinum, mistletoe

OAK HICKORY FOREST
Canopy species
1. Quercus stellata, post oak
2. Quercus macrocarpa, bur oak
3. Ulmus americana, American elm
4. Acer saccharum, sugar maple

Understory species
1. Vitis spp., grape

POST OAK-BLACKJACK FOREST*

Canopy species, uplands

1. Quercus marilandica, blackjack oak

2. Quercus stellata, post oak

3. Carya texana, black hickory

4. Juniperus virginiana, eastern red cedar

8. Celtis spp., hackberry

9. Maclura pomifera, Osage orange

10. Sapindus drummondii, soapberry

11. Ulmus alata, winged elm

12. Diospyros virginiana, persimmon

13. Quercus virginiana, live oak

14. Juglans microcarpa, river walnut

Understory species, uplands

1. Toxicodendron radicans (Rhus radicans), poison ivy

2. Smilax bona-nox, greenbrier

Canopy species, bottomlands

1. Carya illinoensis, pecan

2. Juglans nigra, black walnut

4. Morus rubra, red mulberry

5. Platanus occidentalis, sycamore

6. Ulmus americana, American elm

Understory species, bottomlands

1. Cercis canadensis, redbud

2. Cornus drummondii, rough-leaf dogwood

3. Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Virginia creeper

4. Vitis spp. grape

5. Equisetum hyemale, horsetail

6. Phoradendron serotinum, mistletoe

*The Post oak-Blackjack forest forms a mosaic with stands of Tallgrass prairie. There are about equal amounts of prairie and forest, but the prairie species are listed separately. This area is often called the Cross Timbers.

TALLGRASS PRAIRIE

Grasses

1. Andropogon gerardii, big bluestem

2. Schizachyrium scoparium (Andropogon scoparius), little bluestem

3. Panicum virgatum, switchgrass

4. Sorghastrum nutans, indiangrass

5. Bouteloua curtipendula, sideoats grama

6. Sporobolus asper, tall dropseed

Forbs and Shrubs

1. Rhus glabra, smooth sumac

2. Prunus angustifolia, sand plum

SHORTGRASS PRAIRIE

1. Buchloe dactyloides, buffalo grass

2. Yucca glauca, plains yucca

3. Opuntia macrorhiza, plains pricklypear

JUNIPER WOODLAND

1. Pinus ponderosa, ponderosa pine

SANDSAGE GRASSLAND SCRUB

Shrubs

1. Yucca glauca, plains yucca

3. Rhus aromatica, lemon sumac

Herbs

1. Andropogon gerardii, big bluestem

MESQUITE-SHORTGRASS SAVANNA AND ERODED PRAIRIE

Herbs

1. Buchloe dactyloides, buffalo grass

Shrubs

1. Juniperus virginiana, eastern red cedar

2. Opuntia macrorhiza, plains pricklypear

SHINNERY GRASSLAND SCRUB

Shrubs

1. Quercus havardii, shinnery oak

2. Rhus aromatica, lemon sumac

3. Prunus angustifolia, sand plum

Herbs

1. Schizachyrium scoparium (Andropogon scoparius), little bluestem

FLOOD PLAIN WOODLAND

Tree species

1. Populus deltoides, cottonwood

2. Salix nigra, black willow

3. Gleditsia triacanthos, honeylocust

Herbaceous species

1. Sorghum halapense, Johnson grass

2. Cynodon dactylon, Bermuda grass

3. Xanthium strumarium, cocklebur

AQUATIC AND WETLANDS

1. Typha spp., cattail

2. Potamogeton spp., pondweed

3. Nelumbo lutea, yellow lotus

WEEDS OF OLD FIELDS

Forbs

1. Ambrosia psilostachya, western ragweed

Grasses

1. Bothriochloa saccharoides (Andropogon saccharoides), silver bluestem

2. Aristida oligantha, annual three awn

3. Sorghum halapense, Johnson grass

WEEDS OF RECENTLY DISTURBED SITES

Forbs

1. Ambrosia trifida, giant ragweed

2. Euphorbia marginata, snow-on-the-mountain

3. Euphorbia maculata, mat spurge

4. Haplopappus ciliatus, wax goldenweed

5. Helianthus annuus, annual sunflower

6. Solanum rostratum, buffalo bur

7. Convolvulus arvensis, bindweed

8. Solanum elaeagnifolium, silverleaf nightshade

9. Amaranthus spp., pigweed

10. Chenopodium album, lamb's quarter

11. Salsola kali, Russian thistle

12. Taraxacum spp., dandelion

Grasses

1. Digitaria sanguinalis, hairy crabgrass

2. Setaria spp., bristlegrass

3. Sorghum halapense, Johnson grass

4. Cenchrus incertus, sandbur

FAMILIES AND TRIBES REQUIRING SIGHT RECOGNITION

1. Fabaceae, pea family

2. Euphorbiaceae, spurge family

3. Solanaceae, nightshade family

4. Cruciferae / Brassicaceae, mustard family

5. Compositae / Asteraceae, sunflower family

6. Cyperaceae, sedge family

7. Gramineae / Poaceae, grass family