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Document Type

Research

Keywords

Ledges State Park, forest communities, ordination, Iowa forests

Abstract

The vegetation of Ledges State Park was sampled with 54 plots placed in representative plant communities throughout the park. The plots were ordinated by tree species and compared with topography. Seven major vegetation types were defined: Quercus alba type ,Quercus alba-Quercus rubra type, Quercus rubra type, Quercus rubra-Tilia americana type, Tilia americana type,Juglans nigra type, and slump forest type. A vegetation map of the park was constructed using field data and aerial photography. In comparison with eastern Iowa forests, the forests of Ledges State Park are a western extension of the species-rich eastern forests with the addition of xeric elements common in the Ledges but not as common in the east. Forests of the xeric uplands of the Ledges State Park do not succeed toward maple-basswood as in eastern Iowa, but remain oak dominated. The slump forest, a new vegetation community unique to the Ledges, is described.

Publication Date

September 1985

Journal Title

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

92

Issue

4

First Page

129

Last Page

136

Copyright

©1985 Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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