Ecological Assessment in the Current River Hills Subsection

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Developing Ecological Landtypes and Ecological
Site Descriptions in Concert with the Missouri
Soil Survey
MDC Project Leader Tim Nigh Co-Investigators
Dr. Fred Young (NRCS)
Doug Wallace (NRCS) Jeremy Kolaks
(UMC) Dennis Meinert (DNR) John
Preston (NRCS) Mike Cook (NRCS)
NRCS DNR Soil Scientists
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ELT (ESD)
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ELT Pilot Project
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Ecological Landtype (ELT) Projects
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Whetstone CA
ELTs from Soils ELTs
Soils ELTs
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Ecological Site Descriptions, for example
Flatwoods on certain soil map units, are very
much like ELTs as they associate phases of a
plant community with particular soil map
units. Missouri NRCS has an interest in
developing ESDs Missouri Department of
Conservation has an interest in developing
statewide ELTs
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3 year Project Purpose To develop maps and
descriptions of ELTs and Ecological Site
Descriptions (ESDs) for all Missouri
subsections starting with the existing soil
survey Strategies Year 1 start with the Outer
Ozark Border, Chariton River Hills and
Springfield Plain Year2 Develop ELT/ESDs for 10
subsections Year 3 Develop ELTs/ESDs for
remaining 13 subsections
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Methods
1. Create a geo-landform driven legend for the
soils in each LTA in the subsection.
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Ecological Landtypes Legend for Outer Ozark
Border Subsection
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Soil Properties ELTs Key for Springfield Plateau
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Methods
1. Create a geo-landform driven legend for the
soils in each LTA in the subsection.
2. Evaluate spatial distribution of soil map
units using various terrain variables identify
inconsistencies fix them where possible split
backslopes by aspect.
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Problem Menfro MUSYM 60168 in Ridge and Terrace
PositionsSolution New Code (eg 60168-R vs
60168-T) based on position
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Problem Map unit crosses numerous
landformsSolution Recognize it as an ELT
complex and flag it for future attention
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Problem Goss map unit not split on aspect
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Solution Split on aspect to account for
vegetation differences
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Methods
1. Create a geo-landform driven legend for the
soils in each LTA in the subsection.
2. Evaluate spatial distribution of soil map
units using various terrain variables identify
inconsistencies fix them where possible.
3. Revise the elt legend, create cross-sectional
profiles, and create elt maps from modified soil
survey.
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ELT Map for Weldon Spring CA
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Methods
1. Create a geo-landform driven legend for the
soils in each LTA in the subsection.
2. Evaluate spatial distribution of soil map
units using various terrain variables identify
inconsistencies fix them where possible.
3. Revise the elt legend, create cross-sectional
profiles, and create elt maps from modified soil
survey.
4. Confirm and adjust vegetation relationships to
soil-landforms through field reconaissance and
historic vegetation data revise ELT
legend,cross-sectional profile and map.
5. Produce reports illustrating and defining
ELTs/ESDs for each subsection.
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• Products
• Initial descriptions, maps, legends and
  cross-sectional profiles of ELTs and ESDs from
  all subsections.
• 2. Identification of problem soil map units
• and suggestions for their improvement.

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Agency Roles NRCS and DNR will provide soils
data and expertise, including initial legend
development, evaluation of map units, and soil
field sampling. NRCS staff will also assist in
ESDs development. MDC will provide vegetation
and ELT expertise. They will directly supervise
collection and analysis of vegetation
information, and be responsible for the ELT
legends, cross-sectional profiles and
maps. MoRAP will hire an Ecologist/GIS
Specialist. This person will conduct the
vegetation sampling and analysis, and assist with
mapping and descriptions of ELTs. MoRAP staff
will provide expertise in terrain modeling and
analysis, and final ELT map construction