Photo by Eric Epstein
- WDNR
State Rank: S1 Global Rank: G1 what are these ranks?
As defined by Curtis, this is an oak-dominated savanna community in which there is less than 50% tree canopy coverage and more than one tree per acre. Historically, oak openings were very abundant and occurred on wet-mesic to dry sites. Today, very few examples of this type exist. The few extant remnants are mostly on drier sites, with the mesic and wet-mesic oak openings almost totally destroyed by conversion to agricultural or residential uses, or by encroachment of other woody plants due to fire suppression. Bur, white, and black oaks (Quercus macrocarpa, Q. alba and Q. velutina) are dominant in mature stands, typically as large, open-grown trees with distinctive limb architecture. Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) is sometimes present. American hazelnut (Corylus americana) is a common understory shrub. The herb layer is similar to those found in oak forests and prairies, with many of the same grasses and forbs present. There are some plants (e.g., kitten-tails (Besseya bullii) and animals (e.g., Red-headed Woodpecker, Orchard Oriole, Eastern Bluebird) that reach their optimal abundance in the openings.
The following Species of Greatest Conservation Need are listed according to their level of association with the Oak Opening natural community type, based on the findings in Wisconsin's 2015 Wildlife Action Plan.
Scores: 3 = high association, 2 = moderate association, and 1 = low association. See the key to association scores for complete definitions.
Ants, wasps, and bees | Score | |
---|---|---|
American Bumble Bee | Bombus pensylvanicus | 1 |
Confusing Bumble Bee | Bombus perplexus | 1 |
Rusty-patched Bumble Bee | Bombus affinis | 1 |
Silphium Terminal Gall Wasp | Antistrophus silphii | 1 |
Yellow Bumble Bee | Bombus fervidus | 1 |
Yellowbanded Bumble Bee | Bombus terricola | 1 |
Beetles | Score | |
---|---|---|
A Pear-shaped Weevil | Coelocephalapion decoloratum | 3 |
A Leaf Beetle | Pachybrachis atomarius | 2 |
A Leaf Beetle | Cryptocephalus cuneatus | 2 |
A Leaf Beetle | Pachybrachis peccans | 1 |
A Pear-shaped Weevil | Sayapion segnipes | 1 |
Birds | Score | |
---|---|---|
Red-headed Woodpecker | Melanerpes erythrocephalus | 3 |
Common Nighthawk | Chordeiles minor | 2 |
Eastern Meadowlark | Sturnella magna | 2 |
Eastern Whip-poor-will | Antrostomus vociferus | 2 |
Greater Prairie-Chicken | Tympanuchus cupido | 2 |
Henslow's Sparrow | Ammodramus henslowii | 2 |
Long-eared Owl | Asio otus | 2 |
Northern Bobwhite | Colinus virginianus | 2 |
Sharp-tailed Grouse | Tympanuchus phasianellus | 2 |
Vesper Sparrow | Pooecetes gramineus | 2 |
American Woodcock | Scolopax minor | 1 |
Bell's Vireo | Vireo bellii | 1 |
Bobolink | Dolichonyx oryzivorus | 1 |
Brewer's Blackbird | Euphagus cyanocephalus | 1 |
Dickcissel | Spiza americana | 1 |
Grasshopper Sparrow | Ammodramus savannarum | 1 |
Loggerhead Shrike | Lanius ludovicianus | 1 |
Butterflies and moths | Score | |
---|---|---|
Karner Blue | Lycaeides melissa samuelis | 3 |
Cobweb Skipper | Hesperia metea | 2 |
Regal Fritillary | Speyeria idalia | 2 |
Silphium Borer Moth | Papaipema silphii | 2 |
Sprague's Pygarctica | Pygarctia spraguei | 2 |
Whitney's Underwing Moth | Catocala whitneyi | 2 |
Abbreviated Underwing Moth | Catocala abbreviatella | 1 |
Byssus Skipper | Problema byssus | 1 |
Columbine Dusky Wing | Erynnis lucilius | 1 |
Cross Line Skipper | Polites origenes | 1 |
Doll's Merolonche | Acronicta dolli | 1 |
Frosted Elfin | Callophrys irus | 1 |
Gorgone Checker Spot | Chlosyne gorgone | 1 |
Liatris Borer Moth | Papaipema beeriana | 1 |
Mottled Dusky Wing | Erynnis martialis | 1 |
Ottoe Skipper | Hesperia ottoe | 1 |
Phlox Moth | Schinia indiana | 1 |
Poweshiek Skipperling | Oarisma poweshiek | 1 |
Dragonflies and damselflies | Score | |
---|---|---|
Mottled Darner | Aeshna clepsydra | 3 |
Grasshoppers and allies | Score | |
---|---|---|
A Spur-throat Grasshopper | Melanoplus foedus | 3 |
Handsome Grasshopper | Syrbula admirabilis | 2 |
Plains Yellow-winged Grasshopper | Arphia simplex | 2 |
Short-winged Grasshopper | Dichromorpha viridis | 2 |
Showy Grasshopper | Hesperotettix speciosus | 2 |
Ash-brown Grasshopper | Trachyrhachys kiowa | 1 |
Blue-legged Grasshopper | Melanoplus flavidus | 1 |
Club-horned Grasshopper | Aeropedellus clavatus | 1 |
Gladston's Spur-throat Grasshopper | Melanoplus gladstoni | 1 |
Green-streak Grasshopper | Hesperotettix viridis | 1 |
Grizzly Spur-throat Grasshopper | Melanoplus punctulatus | 1 |
Mermiria Grasshopper | Mermiria bivittata | 1 |
Obscure Grasshopper | Opeia obscura | 1 |
Scudder's Short-winged Grasshopper | Melanoplus scudderi | 1 |
Speckled Rangeland Grasshopper | Arphia conspersa | 1 |
Spotted-winged Grasshopper | Orphulella pelidna | 1 |
Stone's Locust | Melanoplus stonei | 1 |
Leafhoppers and true bugs | Score | |
---|---|---|
A Leafhopper | Paraphlepsius maculosus | 3 |
A Leafhopper | Prairiana angustens | 3 |
Yellow Loosestrife Leafhopper | Erythroneura carbonata | 3 |
A Leafhopper | Cuerna sayi | 2 |
A Leafhopper | Prairiana kansana | 2 |
An Issid Planthopper | Bruchomorpha extensa | 2 |
Prairie Leafhopper | Polyamia dilata | 2 |
A Leafhopper | Memnonia panzeri | 1 |
A Leafhopper | Driotura robusta | 1 |
A Leafhopper | Kansendria kansiensis | 1 |
A Leafhopper | Laevicephalus vannus | 1 |
A Leafhopper | Attenuipyga vanduzeei | 1 |
A Leafhopper | Paraphlepsius altus | 1 |
A Leafhopper | Prairiana cinerea | 1 |
An Issid Planthopper | Fitchiella robertsonii | 1 |
Piglet Bug | Aphelonema simplex | 1 |
Red-tailed Prairie Leafhopper | Aflexia rubranura | 1 |
Mammals | Score | |
---|---|---|
Big Brown Bat | Eptesicus fuscus | 3 |
Eastern Pipistrelle | Perimyotis subflavus | 3 |
Franklin's Ground Squirrel | Poliocitellus franklinii | 3 |
Little Brown Bat | Myotis lucifugus | 2 |
Woodland Vole | Microtus pinetorum | 2 |
Northern Long-eared Bat | Myotis septentrionalis | 1 |
Prairie Deer Mouse | Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii | 1 |
Prairie Vole | Microtus ochrogaster | 1 |
Silver-haired Bat | Lasionycteris noctivagans | 1 |
Reptiles | Score | |
---|---|---|
Blanding's Turtle | Emydoidea blandingii | 3 |
Gophersnake | Pituophis catenifer | 3 |
Ornate Box Turtle | Terrapene ornata | 3 |
Prairie Ring-necked Snake | Diadophis punctatus arnyi | 3 |
Prairie Skink | Plestiodon septentrionalis | 3 |
Six-lined Racerunner | Aspidoscelis sexlineata | 3 |
Timber Rattlesnake | Crotalus horridus | 3 |
Gray Ratsnake | Pantherophis spiloides | 2 |
North American Racer | Coluber constrictor | 2 |
Slender Glass Lizard | Ophisaurus attenuatus | 2 |
Wood Turtle | Glyptemys insculpta | 2 |
Butler's Gartersnake | Thamnophis butleri | 1 |
Lined Snake | Tropidoclonion lineatum | 1 |
Plains Gartersnake | Thamnophis radix | 1 |
Western Ribbonsnake | Thamnophis proximus | 1 |
Please see Section 2. Approach and Methods of the Wildlife Action Plan to learn how this information was developed.
The Natural Heritage Inventory has developed scores indicating the degree to which each of Wisconsin's rare plant species is associated with a particular natural community or ecological landscape. This information is similar to that found in the Wildlife Action Plan for animals. As this is a work in progress, we welcome your suggestions and feedback.
Scientific Name | Common Name | Score |
---|---|---|
Agalinis gattingeri | Roundstem Foxglove | 2 |
Agalinis skinneriana | Pale False Foxglove | 2 |
Anticlea elegans ssp. glaucus | White Camas | 2 |
Asclepias hirtella | Green Milkweed | 1 |
Asclepias ovalifolia | Dwarf Milkweed | 2 |
Asclepias purpurascens | Purple Milkweed | 3 |
Besseya bullii | Kitten Tails | 3 |
Camassia scilloides | Wild Hyacinth | 1 |
Carex swanii | Swan Sedge | 3 |
Carex torreyi | Torrey's Sedge | 3 |
Cuscuta coryli | Hazel Dodder | 1 |
Dasistoma macrophylla | Mullein Foxglove | 3 |
Desmodium canescens | Hoary Tick-trefoil | 3 |
Houstonia caerulea | Azure Bluets | 2 |
Lechea mucronata | Hairy Pinweed | 3 |
Lespedeza violacea | Violet Bush Clover | 2 |
Lespedeza virginica | Slender Bush Clover | 2 |
Penstemon hirsutus | Hairy Beardtongue | 2 |
Phemeranthus rugospermus | Prairie Fame-flower | 1 |
Phlox bifida ssp. bifida | Cleft Phlox | 2 |
Piptatheropsis canadensis | Canada Mountain Ricegrass | 1 |
Polytaenia nuttallii | Prairie Parsley | 2 |
Prenanthes crepidinea | Nodding Rattlesnake-root | 2 |
Quercus muehlenbergii | Chinquapin Oak | 3 |
Rhamnus lanceolata var. glabrata | Lanced-leaved Buckthorn | 2 |
Rhus aromatica | Fragrant Sumac | 2 |
Senna marilandica | Maryland Senna | 2 |
Spiranthes ovalis var. erostellata | October Lady's-tresses | 3 |
Teloschistes chrysophthalmus | Gold-eye Lichen | 2 |
Thaspium chapmanii | Hairy Meadow Parsnip | 2 |
Thaspium trifoliatum var. flavum | Purple Meadow Parsnip | 3 |
The following Ecological Landscapes have the best opportunities to manage for Oak Opening, based on the Ecological Landscapes of Wisconsin Handbook.
Ecological Landscape | Opportunity |
---|---|
Southeast Glacial Plains | Major |
Southwest Savanna | Major |
Western Coulee and Ridges | Major |
Southern Lake Michigan Coastal | Important |
Western Prairie | Important |
Central Sand Hills | Present |
Major (3 on map)
A major opportunity for sustaining the natural community in the Ecological Landscape exists, either because many significant occurrences of the natural community have been recorded in the landscape or major restoration activities are likely to be successful maintaining the community's composition, structure, and ecological function over a longer period of time.
Important (2 on map)
Although the natural community does not occur extensively or commonly in the Ecological Landscape, one to several occurrences do occur and are important in sustaining the community in the state. In some cases, important opportunities may exist because the natural community may be restricted to just one or a few Ecological Landscapes within the state and there may be a lack of opportunities elsewhere.
Present (1 on map)
The natural community occurs in the Ecological Landscape, but better management opportunities appear to exist in other parts of the state.
Conservation actions respond to issues or threats, which adversely affect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) or their habitats. Besides actions such as restoring wetlands or planting resilient tree species in northern communities, research, surveys and monitoring are also among conservation actions described in the WWAP because lack of information can threaten our ability to successfully preserve and care for natural resources.
Threats/issues and conservations actions for natural communities
The following are additional considerations for Oak Opening in Ecological Landscapes with opportunities for protection, restoration, and/or management. For more information, see the Wildlife Action Plan.
The Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest offers some of the best management and restoration opportunities in the upper Midwest, including Eagle Oak Opening (Waukesha County). Other good examples occur at Lulu Lake State Natural Area (Walworth County).
Several Milwaukee County Parks and a few other public lands (e.g., Chiwaukee Prairie State Natural Area in Kenosha County) have small-scale opportunities to manage for this community type.
More refined boundary information is needed. There are pastured savannas here that have never been plowed that have characteristic structural features, and may have retained at least some important understory components.
There are many overgrown sites and restoration opportunities are excellent in this Ecological Landscape. Some examples of this type are found at Avoca Prairie-Savanna (Iowa County), Red Cedar River Savanna State Natural Area and Caryville Savanna (Dunn County), and Lower Chippewa River State Natural Area (Buffalo, Dunn, Trempealeau Counties). Inventory projects that are designed to reveal priority restoration sites would likely yield positive results in this EL.
Some of the Waterfowl Production Areas and Wildlife Areas in this Ecological Landscape (e.g., Oak Ridge Lake Waterfowl Production Area in St. Croix County) offer restoration potential for this community type.
Click to view a larger version. Please considering donating your photos to the Natural Heritage Conservation Program for educational uses. Photo use
Note: photos are provided to illustrate various examples of natural community types. A single photograph cannot represent the range of variability inherent in a given community type. Some of these photos explicitly illustrate unusual and distinctive community variants. The community photo galleries are a work in progress that we will expand and improve in the future.