SCALE-DEPENDENT CLASSIFICATION OF XERIC LIMESTONE PRAIRIES: ANNUAL OR PERENNIAL GRASSLANDS?1

摘要: Abstract Xeric limestone prairies (XLPs) are herbaceous plant communities that occur on shallow rocky calcareous soils from Missouri and Pennsylvania south to Arkansas Georgia (U.S.A.). There has been considerable confusion regarding the classification of XLPs due their similarity with cedar glades (LCGs), an edaphic climax community type restricted unglaciated southeastern United States. Although C4 perennial grasses typically dominant taxa in XLPs, portions sites extremely (≤ 0.1 m) typified by local dominance Sporobolus vaginiflorus (Torr. ex Gray) Alf. Wood, a summer annual grass is characteristic LCGs. In this study, we assess relative importance versus S. XLP types identified Kentucky over range scales. We then use these data analyze variability vegetation physical environmental conditions further compare vagini...