Bowles, M. & M. Jones. 2007. The prairie-wetland vegetation continuum in the Chicago
region of northeastern Illinois. Ecological Restoration 25 (1):29-38.(pdf)
Bowles, M. & M. Jones. 2004. Long-term changes in Chicago region prairie vegetation in
relation to fire management. Chicago Wilderness Journal 2(2)7-16.(pdf)
Bowles, M. & M. Jones. 2006. Trends of change in composition and structure of Chicago
region wetland vegetation. Chicago Wilderness Journal 4(3)25-34.(pdf)
Each prairie and wetland profile is based on analysis of species frequencies from 20-30 1/4m-sq plots, provided as mean frequencies for multiple data sets. Each profile indicates the INAI site number and quality grade (primarily A or B), as well as summary statistics produced by the "Row and Column Summary" on PCORD. Mean Native Plot Richness is also provided. For more information on applications of this statistic and the Native Richness Index, see:
Following summaries for dominant native graminoid, forb, and woody species, and then by mean individual species frequencies. Nomenclature and abbreviations follow Swink & Wilhelm (Plants of the Chicago Region. 1994. Indiana Academy of Science).
SUBSTRATE | COMMUNITY TYPE | |
PRIMARY | Lake shore | Dune |
PRAIRIE | Silt-loam | Dry-mesic |
Mesic | ||
Wet-mesic | ||
Wet | Sand | Dry |
Dry-mesic | ||
Mesic | ||
Wet-mesic | ||
Wet (no profile available) | Gravel | Dry |
Dry-mesic | ||
Mesic | Dolomite | Dry-mesic |
Wet-mesic | Shrub prairie | Sand |
SAVANNA | Silt-loam | Mesic | Sand | Dry |
Dry-mesic | ||
WETLAND | Marsh | Marsh | Graminoid bog | Graminoid bog | Graminoid fen | Graminoid fen | Calcareous floating mat | Seep & spring | Calcareous seep | Sedge meadow | Sedge meadow |
The Forest community profiles below represent maple, red oak, and white oak stand types, which include dry-mesic and wet-mesic upland forest types classified by the INAI. The INAI data collected in 1976 include Canopy Species Data from 0.025 ha plots (N = 20/stand) and Woody Understory Species Data from 0.001 ha plots (N = 10/stand). Groundlayer species data were analyzed from N = 20 m-sq plots from each stand. These data are summarized in a Groundlayer Species Statistical Table and also presented as Groundlayer Species Frequencies per stand type. Nomenclature follows Swink & Wilhelm (1994).
How old is that tree?
inches | centimeters | Basswood | White ash | Sugar maple | Bur/swamp white oak | Red elm | Red oak | Shagbark hickory | White oak |
10 | 25 | 60 | 75 | 75 | 66 | 73 | 76 | 102 | 84 |
12 | 30 | 70 | 87 | 88 | 79 | 86 | 89 | 116 | 100 |
14 | 35 | 79 | 99 | 100 | 91 | 99 | 102 | 129 | 115 |
16 | 40 | 89 | 110 | 112 | 104 | 112 | 115 | 142 | 129 |
18 | 45 | 98 | 121 | 124 | 117 | 124 | 128 | 155 | 144 |
20 | 50 | 107 | 131 | 136 | 129 | 136 | 141 | 167 | 159 |
22 | 55 | 116 | 142 | 147 | 142 | 148 | 154 | 179 | 173 |
24 | 60 | 125 | 152 | 159 | 154 | 160 | 166 | 190 | 187 |
26 | 65 | 133 | 162 | 170 | 167 | 172 | 179 | 202 | 201 |
28 | 70 | 142 | 172 | 181 | 179 | 184 | 191 | 212 | 215 |
30 | 75 | 150 | 182 | 192 | 192 | 196 | 203 | 223 | 229 |
31 | 80 | 159 | 191 | 203 | 204 | 207 | 215 | 234 | 243 |
34 | 86 | 169 | 203 | 216 | 219 | 221 | 230 | 246 | 260 |
35 | 90 | 175 | 210 | 224 | 229 | 230 | 239 | 254 | 271 |
37 | 95 | 184 | 220 | 235 | 242 | 241 | 251 | 264 | 285 |
39 | 100 | 192 | 229 | 245 | 254 | 253 | 263 | 274 | 298 |