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communities, and encourage invasion by non - native plants. European buckthorn and Tartarian
<br />honeysuckle are problem nonnative species that often invade dry oak communities.
<br />Mesic Oak Forest - Canopy trees are typically taller and straighter in mesic oak forest than in dry
<br />forests, and northern pin oak is replaced by red oak in the canopy. Large, single- stemmed trees
<br />more than 15 inches in diameter are common, with a variety of woody plants at all heights, and a
<br />mixed ground layer of tree seedlings, grasses, and flowers. Common tree species include white,
<br />red and bur oak, and basswood. Ironwood, bitternut hickory, black cherry, and hackberry are
<br />typically infrequent in the canopy, but tend to be common in the subcanopy.
<br />Shrubs may include chokecherry, downy arrowwood, pagoda and silky dogwood, and other
<br />fruiting shrubs. The ground layer frequently includes wild grape, Virginia creeper, wild
<br />geranium, black snakeroot and a variety of ferns and spring ephemerals, such as sharp -lobed
<br />hepatica.
<br />Animals are typical of those found in other oak communities, including songbirds, flycatchers,
<br />blue] ays, chipmunk, squirrels, white -tail deer, and a variety of frogs and American toads. Past
<br />logging and grazing may have removed canopy trees, shifting species composition and reducing
<br />diversity in ground flora. Buckthorn and Tartarian honeysuckle are common invaders in oak
<br />communities, and oak wilt may spread in disturbed stands, particularly in areas of active
<br />construction.
<br />Oak Woodland - Brushland - Oak woodland communities are characterized by having a canopy
<br />that varies form sparse to nearly closed. They are dominated by open -grown bur, white, and pin
<br />oaks, often with a pronounced shrub layer containing young oaks and shrubs. The ground layer
<br />includes herbs and other woody plants characteristic of both dry oak forests and prairie
<br />communities. Fire scars may be evident on older trees. Common shrubs include hazelnut,
<br />leadplant, gray dogwood, and other berry or nut producing shrubs. Common ground cover in
<br />oak woodlands include various prairie and woodland edge grasses, purple giant hyssop, hog
<br />peanut, bracken fern, pointed -leaf tick trefoil, satin grass, lily- leaved twayblade orchid, and
<br />woodland sunflowers.
<br />Animals include mourning dove, catbird, indigo bunting, squirrels, coyotes, and white -tail deer.
<br />These communities have often been degraded by overgrazing and soil compaction. These
<br />City of Roseville 16
<br />Parks Natural Resource Management
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