Plant species that characterize this ecosystem type, organized by vegetation stratum. These are species ecologically associated with the ecosystem, not confirmed present in any specific area.
Animal species ecologically associated with this ecosystem type based on NatureServe assessment. These are species whose habitat requirements overlap with this ecosystem, not confirmed present in any specific roadless area.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | G-Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Gray Squirrel | Sciurus carolinensis | G5 |
| Eastern Chipmunk | Tamias striatus | G5 |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | G-Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Ozark Zigzag Salamander | Plethodon angusticlavius | G4 |
Plant community associations that occur within this ecological system. Associations are the finest level of the U.S. National Vegetation Classification (USNVC) and describe specific, repeating assemblages of plant species. Each association represents a distinct community type that may be found where this ecosystem occurs.
| Name | G-Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Quercus alba / Carex pensylvanica - Carex ouachitana Dwarf Woodland | G1 | NatureServe |
| Quercus alba - Carya tomentosa / Ostrya virginiana / Carex pensylvanica - Schizachyrium scoparium Woodland | G3 | NatureServe |
| Quercus stellata - Quercus marilandica var. ashei Interior Highlands Scrub Woodland | G2 | NatureServe |
Subnational conservation status ranks (S-ranks) assigned by Natural Heritage Programs in each state where this ecosystem occurs. S1 indicates critically imperiled at the state level, S2 imperiled, S3 vulnerable, S4 apparently secure, and S5 secure. An ecosystem may be globally secure but imperiled in specific states at the edge of its range.
| State | S-Rank |
|---|---|
| AR | SNR |
| OK | SNR |
Inventoried Roadless Areas where this ecosystem is present, identified from LANDFIRE 2024 Existing Vegetation Type spatial analysis. Coverage indicates the proportion of each area occupied by this ecosystem type.
| Area | Forest | Coverage | Hectares |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rich Mountain (AR) | Ouachita National Forest | 15.6% | 162.81 |
| Area | Forest | Coverage | Hectares |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rich Mountain (OK) | Ouachita National Forest | 12.7% | 257.76 |
| Beech Creek | Ouachita National Forest | 1.5% | 50.94 |
Ecosystem classification: Ecosystems are classified using the LANDFIRE 2024 Existing Vegetation Type (EVT) layer, mapped to NatureServe Terrestrial Ecological Systems via a curated crosswalk. Each EVT is linked to the USNVC (U.S. National Vegetation Classification) hierarchy through pixel-level co-occurrence analysis of LANDFIRE EVT and NatureServe IVC Group rasters across all roadless areas.
Vegetation coverage: Coverage percentages and hectares are derived from zonal statistics of the LANDFIRE 2024 EVT raster intersected with roadless area boundaries.
Ecosystem narratives and community species: Sourced from the NatureServe Explorer API, representing professional ecological assessments of vegetation composition, environmental setting, dynamics, threats, and characteristic species assemblages.
IVC hierarchy: The International Vegetation Classification hierarchy is sourced from the USNVC v3.0 Catalog, providing the full classification from Biome through Association levels.
Component associations: Plant community associations listed as components of each NatureServe Ecological System. Association data from the NatureServe Explorer API.
State ranks: Conservation status ranks assigned by NatureServe member programs in each state where the ecosystem occurs.