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Oak-Hickory Forests

What Does an Oak-Hickory Forest Look Like?

Oak-Hickory forests are dominated by oak trees, with a smaller but significant presence of hickories. At ONSC, these forests are common, though shortleaf pine may dominate in certain areas, such as ridges.

Common Oak Species in Oak-Hickory Forests:

  • White Oak

  • Post Oak

  • Northern and Southern Red Oak

  • Chinquapin Oak

  • Black Oak

  • Blackjack Oak

  • Bur Oak

  • Pin Oak

Oak-Hickory Forest.jpg

These oak species fall into two categories: 

 

White Oaks (e.g., Post Oak, Chinquapin Oak, White Oak, Bur Oak):

  • Leaves have rounded lobes.

  • Leaves typically turn yellow in the fall.

  • Bark is pale and flaky, with deep furrows.

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Red Oaks (e.g., Northern and Southern Red Oak, Black Oak, Blackjack Oak, Pin Oak):

  • Leaves have pointed or bristled lobes.

  • Leaves turn a vibrant red or orange in the fall.

  • Bark is darker and smoother, with large furrows.

 

Common Hickories:

 

Hickories are also prevalent in these forests, with species like bitternut, shagbark, shellbark, and mockernut hickories. These trees, along with black walnut, often feature a distinctive X pattern on their bark. Shagbark and shellbark hickories have especially flaky bark that peels off in sheets.

White oak bark.webp
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Red Oak Bark

 

Dr. Roy Winkelman, trunk of a red oak tree, https://etc.usf.edu/clippix/picture/trunk-of-a-red-oak-tree.html

Oak-Hickory Forest Soil and Topography

Oak-Hickory forests tend to grow in upland areas with shallow, rocky soil. The soil is usually composed of silt loam, a mixture of sand, silt, and clay. Soil composition may vary, becoming sandier on ridges. North-facing slopes tend to be more humid and retain more moisture, while south-facing slopes receive more direct sunlight, making them drier. These differences influence the types of species that grow on each slope.


Forest Layers


Oak-Hickory forests, like all forests, are made up of several distinct layers, each with unique plant and animal species.
 

https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/print_image/11378

The canopy is the highest layer and is dominated by species like oaks and hickories. These trees have less shade tolerance and provide shelter for birds that avoid ground-based predators.

Plants in the Canopy: White Oak, Red Oak, Black Oak, Chinquapin Oak, Shagbark Hickory, Mockernut Hickory, Black Walnut
 

Birds in the Canopy: Owls , Woodpeckers, Thrushes, Warblers, Hawks

 

Photo Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pileated_Woodpecker_(6258355443).jpg

Pileated_Woodpecker_(6258355443).jpg

Acorns and Hickory Nuts

 

The trees in Oak-Hickory forests produce acorns and hickory nuts, essential food sources for wildlife like white-tailed deer, wild turkey, black bears, eastern chipmunks, and eastern gray squirrels. Nut production varies by year, with mast years (years of high nut production) occurring every 2-6 years for oaks and every 3 years for hickories, on average.


Fire in Oak-Hickory Forests


Periodic, low-intensity fires are essential for the health of Oak-Hickory forests. These fires reduce competition by killing less fire-resistant plants, allowing oaks and hickories to thrive. Oaks have adaptations like thick bark and a deep root collar, enabling them to survive these fires. Hickories, while more vulnerable to hot fires, can regrow through suckers if the trunk is damaged.


However, fire suppression has led to an increase in fire-intolerant species like maples and ashes. Without fire, these species can dominate, resulting in a loss of biodiversity in Oak-Hickory forests.

 

Glades: Special Habitats Amidst the Forests

 

Glades are open areas with shallow, rocky soil, often found on upland forests. These sun-soaked habitats support species typically found in prairies or deserts, such as tarantulas, scorpions, collared lizards, and prickly pear cactus. The glades at ONSC are limestone/dolomite glades, influenced by calcium-rich soil, while nearby sandstone glades host different plant species. The sandstone glades, which lie in the McIlroy Madison County Wildlife Management Area, have been receiving fire management, and are now supporting a small population of reintroduced Eastern collared lizards.

Glades, like Oak-Hickory forests, also need periodic disturbances such as prescribed fire to maintain their unique ecosystem. Without these disturbances, nuisance species such as Eastern redcedar can invade, shading out native glade species.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Common_Collared_Lizard_at_Wichita_Mountains_National_Wildlife_Refuge_in_Oklahoma.JPG/480px-Common_Collared_Lizard_at_Wichita_Mountains_National_Wildlife_Refuge_in_Oklahoma.JPG

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Greater_Roadrunner_RWD.jpg/1199px-Greater_Roadrunner_RWD.jpg?20110331135912

Helpful Links

Fire and Disturbance in Oak-Hickory Forests:

 

Forest Variations and Ecosystems:

 

Oak-Hickory Forests, Plants, and Animals:

 

Missouri Department of Conservation Resources (Plants and Animals):

 

Hickory Tree Species:

 

Tree Identification:

 

Mast Trees:

 

Forest Layers and Habitat:

Ozark Natural Science Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit residential field science education center located in Northwest Arkansas

EIN # 71-0705259

CONTACT US

479-202-8340

info@onsc.us

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