Central Basin

Plant Communities

Plant community makeup fluctuates in response to climatic factors and periodic disturbances, such as floods, drought, and wildfire. Over time, if undisturbed, the plant community in any one place will gradually transition into the "climax community" for that site based on geology, soils, climate, and aspect - though, even a "climax community" is never static. Early successional stages - those that come in after a disturbance - tend to be the most productive and support the greatest variety of wildlife.  Different successional stages in plant communities favor different wildlife species, and maintaining a healthy mix is essential to supporting a wide variety of fauna. 

Limestone Oak Savannas

Current research indicates that Murfreesboro was historically a part of a limestone oak savanna system. Whereas forests consist of several layers (herbaceous, shrub, understory, and canopy), savannas are described as open grasslands with scattered trees. Increased forestation in these areas is likely the result of many years of fire suppression. Historical survey records and the study of plants found in open fields suggest that Murfreesboro and the surrounding Inner Basin counties were likely home to extensive oak savanna systems. The dominant tree of this system is the post oak. (Reference: The Southeastern Grasslands Initiative)

This type of vegetation, with scattered individual and clumps of trees, occasional shrubs, and open areas supporting diverse populations of grasses and forbs, provides a variety of food sources and cover options and is choice habitat for many wildlife species.

The plant communities within the larger limestone-oak savanna system are not uniform. Geological and geographical features dictate the plant community in any given location within the larger ecological system. Two that you will find in Murfreesboro proper are limestone glades and wetlands. 

Limestone Glades 

Here in the Central Basin, we are fortunate to have an abundance of one of the most globally-rare and unique ecotypes: limestone glades. Characterized by extreme conditions, thin soil, and exposed limestone pavement, the plant species that live in limestone glades have adapted to very hot, exposed conditions in summer and very cold, exposed conditions in winter. Fluctuations in moisture are also extreme: During the rainy season, many portions of glades may be in standing water for long periods of time, while in the dry season, water is nowhere to be found. Conditions in these areas are so challenging that many of the plant species that have adapted to the limestone glades of the Central Basin are endemic to them (found nowhere else on Earth). With such a restricted range, many of our endemic plants are also globally threatened or endangered though they may be locally abundant. 

Limestone glades are often edged by eastern red cedar stands and thickets that can include other species of trees like post oaks, locust, some maples, and other tree species that can exist in these conditions. In the absence of occasional fires to keep them in check, some of these woody species will encroach on the glade ecosystems, changing the micro-environment and crowding or shading out the glade-adapted species.

(Reference: MTSU Center for Glade Studies)

Learn More

• MTSU Center for Glade Studies:
  • The History of the Glades of the Central Tennessee Basin
  • What is a Cedar Glade?

Wetlands

Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems in the world, comparable to rain forests and coral reefs. They support a a wide variety of aquatic, semi-aquatic, and terrestrial wildlife, and well as breeding and migratory birds. They also retain and filter stormwater, removing pollutants, sediment, and excess nutrients carried in by runoff and improving water quality as it passes through them into groundwater, streams, and rivers. Murfree Springs Wetlands, an in-town natural space you can view from its extensive boardwalk system, is a prime example - but there are many wetland areas in Murfreesboro. In fact, the city's site was specifically chosen because of the abundant water in the area.

Learn More

• TN Dept. of Environment and Conservation: 
  • What is a Wetland?
  • Wetland Benefits
• Murfreesboro Water Resources Department: 
  • Wetlands and Water Quality Treatment
  • Stormwater Wetlands

Oak-Hickory Forests Heading toward the Murfreesboro city limits, especially to the west and south, rolling hills begin to change the landscape. In these areas, oak-hickory forests begins to take shape, the most prevalent forest type found in Tennessee. This forest community, dominated by assorted hickories  and a variety of white and red oak species, and containing diverse plant and animal life, can grow in the relatively dry soils and stone outcroppings of the hilly slopes moving up the Outer Basin as well as in the wetter soils along riverbanks and low-lying areas in the foothills. Interestingly, Tennessee's dominant forest type was historically oak-chestnut, but with the arrival of the chestnut blight and the decline of the American chestnut tree, hickories filled in the ecological niche.

Learn More

• Explorenaturalcommunities.org: Plants and Animals of Basic Oak-Hickory Forest

Much as the underlying geology dictates which plant species can grow in an area, the type of plant communities in an area influence the wildlife species that live there. These relationships developed over eons. 

Middle Tennessee fauna, like its plant life, is known for its diversity and unusually high numbers of endemic (found nowhere else) and/or rare species. Glades and caves host many of the rarest species, globally speaking, since these ecosystems are rare themselves world-wide. We are also fortunate to share our open spaces with numerous species that are more ubiquitous: white-tailed deer, river otters (above), bullfrogs, opossum, great blue herons, red-wing blackbirds, northern cardinals, common garter snakes, opossums, wood ducks, and wild turkeys are among the many species commonly spotted in and around Murfreesboro. 

Learn More

• Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency:
  • Wildlife
  • Wildlife Action Plan
  • Wildlife Habitat Management
• Tennessee Wildlife Federation
• Tennessee Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP)
• Tennessee Cooperative Extension: Landowner’s Guide to Biological Resources and Biodiversity in Tennessee Caves