Analysis of the Vegetation and Soils of Glades on Calico Rock Sandstone in Northern Arkansas

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Abstract
Twenty-five sandstone glade sites in the Arkansas Ozarks were surveyed for vegetation and soil characteristics. The soil factors were similar to those of other glade types reported in the literature with the exception that the Calico Rock glades had a wide range of soil pH. The mean soil depth was 4.2 cm; 86.4% of all soil measurements were less than 10 cm. Juniperus virginiana was the most common tree species, and the mean basal area for all trees was only 2.8 m2/ha. Coreopsis grandiflora and/or Crotonopsis elliptica were dominant or co-dominant on 76% of the sites, and grasses comprised 16% of the herbaceous species. Species richness was highest on neutral soils, but percent occurrence of cryptogamic vegetation decreased with increasing pH.