Summer 2012

In the Spotlight: Xeric Red Cedar - Oak Forest/Woodland by Brian Yahn, Vegetation Ecologist A unique but quite common community in the driest and rockiest habitats. Common species of butterflies and moths. Kentucky is the Xeric red cedar - oak forest/ shrub and midstory trees include Carolina woodland, one of several xeric forest/woodland buckthorn, Carolina rose, dwarf hackberry, Although more stable (disturbance tolerant) types. This forest/woodland ranges from dry to eastern redbud, fragrant sumac and rusty than other natural communities, due to very dry (i.e. xeric) and often has a semi-open blackhaw. The herb layer can range from bedrock exposure and dominance by drought- canopy (i.e. woodland= semi-open canopy, sparse to dense (usually of moderate cover), hardy vegetation, xeric forest/woodlands are forest=closed canopy). Soils are usually dominated by drought-tolerant . The still vulnerable to human disturbance. In thin and bedrock is often exposed (amount most common and characteristic grass is many areas, these forest/woodlands, although of bedrock exposed varies from site to site). poverty oat-grass but other grasses like little rocky, can still be logged or logged on the This community is usually found on south and bluestem, muhly grasses, panic grasses, margins which can devastate the community, west-facing slopes often along upper slopes rosette grasses and wild ryes may be present. changing the vegetative structure and near ridge tops and also just above bluffs/ Common and characteristic wildflowers (i.e. composition and allowing woody seedlings, cliffs of stream corridors. Xeric red cedar - forbs) include aromatic aster, Canadian native weeds and invasive non-native weeds oak forest/woodlands are also known to occur summer bluet, downy pagoda-plant, hoary to replace more conservative species. Xeric around glades (i.e. dry bedrock communities) puccoon, meadow zizia and nodding onion. forest/woodlands are also susceptible to where in the past, fire played a more Other characteristic but restricted plants grazing which (along with logging) allows significant role in shaping the openness of the (i.e. only common in a fraction of examples) erosion of thin soils, scaring the woodland/ community and eastern red cedar was less of include bastard toadflax, beebalm, purple forest for years into the future. Consequently, a dominant in the canopy and understory. cliffbrake, moss phlox, pitcher’s stitchwort the erosion and shifting soils also present These forest/woodlands are usually developed and prostrate blue violet. ideal conditions for undesirable species over limestone but when soils are neutral or invasion like exotic vines such as Japanese slightly acidic, this community can occur In Kentucky, Xeric red cedar - oak forest/ honeysuckle. over sandstone, siltstone and shale. Outside woodlands provide habitat for unique species of Kentucky, communities most similar to of plants and animals, a few found nowhere these forest/woodlands are found scattered else outside of this community. At least 11 References throughout surrounding states and likely KSNPC-listed plants have been documented [KSNPC] Kentucky State Nature Preserves throughout the native range of eastern red on or in close association with these forest/ Commission. 2009. Natural communities of cedar (from the eastern Midwest to Eastern woodlands (KSNPC 2012). These associated Kentucky. Working draft. Frankfort, Ky. U.S., south to southern Georgia and eastern rare species (not highlighted below or listed Texas). above) include the Canby’s mountain-lover, [KSNPC] Kentucky State Nature Preserves cleft phlox, cutleaf meadow-, globe Commission. 2012. Kentucky Natural Heritage KSNPC’s classification of Xeric red cedar - oak bladderpod, mock orange, plains muhly, Database. Kentucky State Nature Preserves forest/woodland broadly describes dry cedar- purple oat, September elm, snowberry, Commission, Frankfort, Ky. oak woodlands across Kentucky. But a few of starry-cleft phlox and Svenson’s wildrye. these woodlands in Kentucky have distinctive Other unique critters often found associated NatureServe. 2012. NatureServe Explorer: An compositions of plants and support several rare with xeric limestone woodlands include cave online encyclopedia of life. NatureServe, Arlington, species. One example occurs above Jessamine salamanders, prairie warblers and numerous Va. Available www.natureserve.org/explorer. Creek in Jessamine County, within Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region. According to NatureServe (the national authority on the status of rare species and natural communities), this community is considered globally imperiled (=G2). Another dry limestone woodland in the Knobs Region is also considered globally imperiled (=G2) (NatureServe 2010).

When describing this community, the canopy is fairly distinctive as the trees are somewhat limited to certain habitats. Red cedars, chinquapin oaks and blue ash are abundant in this community, preferring dry, rocky places and limestone bedrock. Blackjack and post oaks do well in these dry, rocky soils but can also tolerate higher acidic conditions, like over sandstone (they can be present but usually not dominant). The trees of the canopy are often gnarled and stunted, especially in A Xeric red cedar-oak forest/woodland found among the steep bluffs of the Green River, just east of Mammoth Cave National Park (spring). ~KSNPC photo by Marc Evans 1 ~ Naturally Kentucky Accounts writtenby Ellis Laudermilk, Range: MuchoftheUnitedStateswithafewoccurrencesinMexico. Flight Season:Two broodsinKentucky, peakinginAprilandJuly. Larval Foodplant foodplant. virginiana). Adultsoftenfoundnectaringonfl Habitat Small tailsonbackofhindwings.Wingspan1–1.25inch. dark brownwitholive-coloredsheeninmalesandblackish primarily greenandwithtawnylinesoutlinedinwhite.Uppersideofwings General Description:Adistincthairstreakbutterflywithundersideofwings USFWS Status:None KSNPC Status:None Mexico, westtoUtah,andnorth tosouthernSouthDakota. Range: DistributedfromNewYork tocentralFlorida,extending westtoeasternKansasandTexas. Awesternsubspecies extendssouthto posts, oldrockpiles,building, orsimilarplaces. Habitat until outofreach. opposite sideofthetrunk.Ifapproached,theywillcontinue up thetree fence lizardswillclimbthenearesttreeandremainmotionless onthe have brightbluepatchesontheirchinandsidesofbelly. Whendisturbed, on theirback,whiledorsallinesareindistinctorabsentmales. Males range from4to7¼inches.Femalesoftenhaveblackhorizontal patterning Kentucky strong arborealtendencies.Fencelizardsaretheonlyspiny lizard in General Description:Asmalltomedium-sizedgrayorbrownlizardshowing USFWS Status:None KSNPC Status:None r Range: Wild is more common in Missouri and Illinois at the north part of the Flowering Period:Usuallyearlysummer. Habitat: Xericwoodlandaroundgladeandrockoutcroppingcommunities. xeric (meaningverydry)woodlands. Reason forProtectionStatus:Habitatshavebeendegradedduetohydrologicchangesandhabitatdestruction. the OhioRivercountiesinwest,alongsouthernstateborder topped heads,somewhatsimilartotheweed,QueenAnne’ segments. Plantsareerectto2-3ft.Thefl General Description:Adelicateplantwithleavesdividedintoveryslender USFWS Status:None KSNPC Status:Threatened a Juniper Hairstreak Juniper Fence Lizard Fence Wild dill Wild nge and rare in the states to south and east. In Kentucky, itisfoundfrom : Rockybluffs,glades,andoldfieldswitheasternredcedar(Juniperus : Fencelizardsoccupydry, sunnywoodlandsthroughoutKentuckyandcanoften beseenscramblingaroundlogs,stumps,fence , havingkeeledandpointeddorsalscales.Matureindividuals americana Perideridia : InKentuckylarvaefeedoneasternredcedar. Sceloporus undulatus Sceloporus Deborah White Callophrys gryneus Callophrys and BrianYahn,respectively. owers areclustersofwhiteflat- owers infieldsnearthelarval s lace.Foundin brown infemales. , andtheBluegrassRegion. Naturally Kentucky~2

Photo by John MacGregor KSNPC Photo by Kurt Emmanuele, TNPS Photo by Ellis Laudermilk, KSNPC