Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Major Land Resource Area 116B
Major Land Resource Area
Accessed: 04/10/2026
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Description
The Springfield Plain is in the western part of the Ozark Uplift. It is primarily a smooth plateau with some dissection along streams. Elevation is about 1,000 feet in the north to over 1,700 feet in the east along the Burlington escarpment adjacent to the Ozark Highlands. The underlying bedrock is mainly Mississippian-aged limestone, with areas of shale on lower slopes and structural benches, and intermittent Pennsylvanian-aged sandstone deposits on the plateau surface.
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Ecological sites
Major Land Resource Areas
Ecological site photos
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Filter by
interactive key
precipitation
frost free days
more..
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Type
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Filters
Interactive key
Precipitation
Frost free days
Slope
Landform
Parent material origin
Parent material kind
Soil texture
Upland Summits, Shoulders or Backslopes
Footslopes
Upland Drainageways
Sinkholes
Terraces and Floodplain Steps
Floodplains
Bedrock <20"
Bedrock >20"
SHALLOW LIMESTONE UPLAND GLADE/WOODLAND
Limestone residuum
R116BY024MO – Shallow Limestone Upland Glade/Woodland
R116BY024MO – Shallow Limestone Upland Glade/Woodland
SHALLOW SANDSTONE UPLAND GLADE/WOODLAND
Sandstone residuum
R116BY025MO – Shallow Sandstone Upland Glade/Woodland
R116BY025MO – Shallow Sandstone Upland Glade/Woodland
Mollisol or Mollic Subgroup
Alfisol or Ultisol (not in Mollic subgroups)
>12" loess
<12" loess
CLAYPAN SUMMIT PRAIRIE
Fragipan or claypan
R116BY020MO – Claypan Summit Prairie
R116BY020MO – Claypan Summit Prairie
LOAMY UPLAND PRAIRIE
No root restriction
R116BY022MO – Loamy Upland Prairie
R116BY022MO – Loamy Upland Prairie
CHERT UPLAND PRAIRIE
Cherty limestone residuum
R116BY021MO – Chert Upland Prairie
R116BY021MO – Chert Upland Prairie
SANDSTONE/SHALE UPLAND PRAIRIE
Sandstone/shale residuum
R116BY023MO – Sandstone/Shale Upland Prairie
R116BY023MO – Sandstone/Shale Upland Prairie
<15% slope
>15% slope
>12" loess
<12" loess
Fragipan
LOW-BASE LOAMY UPLAND WOODLAND
No root restriction
F116BY005MO – Low-Base Loamy Upland Woodland
F116BY005MO – Low-Base Loamy Upland Woodland
FRAGIPAN UPLAND FLATWOODS
P, SWP Drained
F116BY039MO – Fragipan Upland Flatwoods
F116BY039MO – Fragipan Upland Flatwoods
FRAGIPAN UPLAND WOODLAND
MW Drained
F116BY001MO – Fragipan Upland Woodland
F116BY001MO – Fragipan Upland Woodland
Cherty limestone residuum
DRY SANDSTONE UPLAND WOODLAND
Sandstone residuum
F116BY007MO – Dry Sandstone Upland Woodland
F116BY007MO – Dry Sandstone Upland Woodland
Interbedded shale, sandstone, mudstone residuum
Alfisol
LOW-BASE CHERT UPLAND WOODLAND
Ultisol
F116BY004MO – Low-Base Chert Upland Woodland
F116BY004MO – Low-Base Chert Upland Woodland
CHERT LIMESTONE UPLAND WOODLAND
Bedrock 20-60"
F116BY006MO – Chert Limestone Upland Woodland
F116BY006MO – Chert Limestone Upland Woodland
CHERT UPLAND WOODLAND
No root restriction
F116BY003MO – Chert Upland Woodland
F116BY003MO – Chert Upland Woodland
INTERBEDDED SEDIMENTARY UPLAND WOODLAND
Alfisol
F116BY008MO – Interbedded Sedimentary Upland Woodland
F116BY008MO – Interbedded Sedimentary Upland Woodland
LOW-BASE INTERBEDDED SEDIMENTARY UPLAND WOODLAND
Ultisol
F116BY019MO – Low-Base Interbedded Sedimentary Upland Woodland
F116BY019MO – Low-Base Interbedded Sedimentary Upland Woodland
Cherty limestone residuum
Interbedded shale, sandstone, mudstone residuum
Alfisol
Ultisol
Bedrock 20-60"
No root restriction
CHERT LIMESTONE PROTECTED BACKSLOPE FOREST
N, E aspects
F116BY011MO – Chert Limestone Protected Backslope Forest
F116BY011MO – Chert Limestone Protected Backslope Forest
CHERT LIMESTONE EXPOSED BACKSLOPE WOODLAND
S, W aspects
CHERT PROTECTED BACKSLOPE FOREST
N, E aspects
F116BY009MO – Chert Protected Backslope Forest
F116BY009MO – Chert Protected Backslope Forest
CHERT EXPOSED BACKSLOPE WOODLAND
S, W aspects
F116BY032MO – Chert Exposed Backslope Woodland
F116BY032MO – Chert Exposed Backslope Woodland
LOW-BASE CHERT PROTECTED BACKSLOPE WOODLAND
N, E aspects
F116BY010MO – Low-Base Chert Protected Backslope Woodland
F116BY010MO – Low-Base Chert Protected Backslope Woodland
LOW-BASE CHERT EXPOSED BACKSLOPE WOODLAND
S, W aspects
F116BY034MO – Chert Limestone Exposed Backslope Woodland
F116BY034MO – Chert Limestone Exposed Backslope Woodland
INTERBEDDED SEDIMENTARY PROTECTED BACKSLOPE FOREST
N, E aspects
F116BY012MO – Interbedded Sedimentary Protected Backslope Forest
F116BY012MO – Interbedded Sedimentary Protected Backslope Forest
INTERBEDDED SEDIMENTARY EXPOSED BACKSLOPE WOODLAND
S, W aspects
F116BY036MO – Interbedded Sedimentary Exposed Backslope Woodland
F116BY036MO – Interbedded Sedimentary Exposed Backslope Woodland
WET FOOTSLOPE PRAIRIE
Mollisol or Mollic Subgroup
R116BY027MO – Wet Footslope Prairie
R116BY027MO – Wet Footslope Prairie
Alfisol
DRY FOOTSLOPE WOODLAND
Low AWC (skeletal, sandy, coarse-loamy)
F116BY016MO – Dry Footslope Woodland
F116BY016MO – Dry Footslope Woodland
LOAMY FOOTSLOPE WOODLAND
Mod to High AWC (fine-loamy, fine-silty)
F116BY013MO – Loamy Footslope Woodland
F116BY013MO – Loamy Footslope Woodland
GRAVELLY/LOAMY UPLAND DRAINAGEWAY WOODLAND
MW, W, SWE drained
F116BY017MO – Gravelly/Loamy Upland Drainageway Woodland
F116BY017MO – Gravelly/Loamy Upland Drainageway Woodland
WET UPLAND DRAINAGEWAY PRAIRIE
SWP, P drained
R116BY037MO – Wet Upland Drainageway Prairie
R116BY037MO – Wet Upland Drainageway Prairie
LOAMY SINKHOLE WOODLAND
Well Drained
F116BY018MO – Loamy Sinkhole Woodland
F116BY018MO – Loamy Sinkhole Woodland
PONDED SINKHOLE WETLAND
Somewhat Poorly Drained
R116BY040MO – Ponded Sinkhole Wetland
R116BY040MO – Ponded Sinkhole Wetland
LOAMY TERRACE SAVANNA
Mollisol or Mollic Subgroup
R116BY026MO – Loamy Terrace Savanna
R116BY026MO – Loamy Terrace Savanna
Alfisol
LOAMY TERRACE WOODLAND
Well Drained
F116BY015MO – Loamy Terrace Woodland
F116BY015MO – Loamy Terrace Woodland
WET TERRACE WOODLAND
SWP, P Drained
F116BY014MO – Wet Terrace Woodland
F116BY014MO – Wet Terrace Woodland
SANDY/GRAVELLY FLOODPLAIN FOREST
Low AWC (skeletal, sandy, coarse-loamy)
F116BY029MO – Sandy/Gravelly Floodplain Forest
F116BY029MO – Sandy/Gravelly Floodplain Forest
LOAMY FLOODPLAIN FOREST
Mod to High AWC (fine-loamy, fine-silty)
F116BY002MO – Loamy Floodplain Forest
F116BY002MO – Loamy Floodplain Forest
Long term average mean annual precipitation
- No filter
- 100 – 120cm (39 – 47in)
- 120 – 140cm (47 – 55in)
—
cm
Long term average frost free days
- No filter
- 130 – 150days
- 150 – 170days
- 170 – 190days
- 190 – 210days
—
days
- No filter
- 0 – 3%
- 3 – 5%
- 5 – 10%
- 10 – 15%
- 15 – 20%
- 20 – 25%
- 25 – 30%
- 30 – 35%
- 35 – 40%
- 40 – 45%
- 45 – 50%
—
%
- No filter
- Bench
- Bluff
- Depression
- Divide
- Drainageway
- Flood plain
- Flood-plain step
- Hill
- Hillslope
- Interfluve
- Knob
- Paleoterrace
- Plateau
- Ridge
- Sinkhole
- Strath terrace
- Stream terrace
- No filter
- Limestone and shale
- Limestone, cherty
- Limestone, sandstone and shale
- Limestone, unspecified
- Sandstone and shale
- Sandstone, unspecified
- Shale and siltstone
- No filter
- Alluvium
- Colluvium
- Loess
- Residuum
- Slope alluvium
Soil surface texture
- No filter
- Fine sandy loam
- Loam
- Silty clay loam
- Silt loam
- Sandy loam
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Ecological site keys
MLRA 116B
I.
Upland Summits, Shoulders or Backslopes
A.
Bedrock <20"
1
SHALLOW LIMESTONE UPLAND GLADE/WOODLAND
Limestone residuum
... R116BY024MO – Shallow Limestone Upland Glade/Woodland
2
SHALLOW SANDSTONE UPLAND GLADE/WOODLAND
Sandstone residuum
... R116BY025MO – Shallow Sandstone Upland Glade/Woodland
B.
Bedrock >20"
1
Mollisol or Mollic Subgroup
i.
>12" loess
ii.
<12" loess
b.
SANDSTONE/SHALE UPLAND PRAIRIE
Sandstone/shale residuum
... R116BY023MO – Sandstone/Shale Upland Prairie
2
Alfisol or Ultisol (not in Mollic subgroups)
i.
<15% slope
a.
>12" loess
1)
Fragipan
2)
LOW-BASE LOAMY UPLAND WOODLAND
No root restriction
... F116BY005MO – Low-Base Loamy Upland Woodland
b.
<12" loess
1)
Cherty limestone residuum
a)
Alfisol
(1)
CHERT LIMESTONE UPLAND WOODLAND
Bedrock 20-60"
... F116BY006MO – Chert Limestone Upland Woodland
3)
Interbedded shale, sandstone, mudstone residuum
a)
INTERBEDDED SEDIMENTARY UPLAND WOODLAND
Alfisol
... F116BY008MO – Interbedded Sedimentary Upland Woodland
b)
LOW-BASE INTERBEDDED SEDIMENTARY UPLAND WOODLAND
Ultisol
... F116BY019MO – Low-Base Interbedded Sedimentary Upland Woodland
ii.
>15% slope
a.
Cherty limestone residuum
1)
Alfisol
a)
Bedrock 20-60"
(1)
CHERT LIMESTONE PROTECTED BACKSLOPE FOREST
N, E aspects
... F116BY011MO – Chert Limestone Protected Backslope Forest
(2)
CHERT LIMESTONE EXPOSED BACKSLOPE WOODLAND
S, W aspects
b)
No root restriction
(1)
CHERT PROTECTED BACKSLOPE FOREST
N, E aspects
... F116BY009MO – Chert Protected Backslope Forest
(2)
CHERT EXPOSED BACKSLOPE WOODLAND
S, W aspects
... F116BY032MO – Chert Exposed Backslope Woodland
2)
Ultisol
a)
LOW-BASE CHERT PROTECTED BACKSLOPE WOODLAND
N, E aspects
... F116BY010MO – Low-Base Chert Protected Backslope Woodland
b)
LOW-BASE CHERT EXPOSED BACKSLOPE WOODLAND
S, W aspects
... F116BY034MO – Chert Limestone Exposed Backslope Woodland
b.
Interbedded shale, sandstone, mudstone residuum
1)
INTERBEDDED SEDIMENTARY PROTECTED BACKSLOPE FOREST
N, E aspects
... F116BY012MO – Interbedded Sedimentary Protected Backslope Forest
2)
INTERBEDDED SEDIMENTARY EXPOSED BACKSLOPE WOODLAND
S, W aspects
... F116BY036MO – Interbedded Sedimentary Exposed Backslope Woodland
II.
Footslopes
B.
Alfisol
1
DRY FOOTSLOPE WOODLAND
Low AWC (skeletal, sandy, coarse-loamy)
... F116BY016MO – Dry Footslope Woodland
2
LOAMY FOOTSLOPE WOODLAND
Mod to High AWC (fine-loamy, fine-silty)
... F116BY013MO – Loamy Footslope Woodland
III.
Upland Drainageways
A.
GRAVELLY/LOAMY UPLAND DRAINAGEWAY WOODLAND
MW, W, SWE drained
... F116BY017MO – Gravelly/Loamy Upland Drainageway Woodland
IV.
Sinkholes
V.
Terraces and Floodplain Steps
B.
Alfisol
VI.
Floodplains
A.
SANDY/GRAVELLY FLOODPLAIN FOREST
Low AWC (skeletal, sandy, coarse-loamy)
... F116BY029MO – Sandy/Gravelly Floodplain Forest
B.
LOAMY FLOODPLAIN FOREST
Mod to High AWC (fine-loamy, fine-silty)
... F116BY002MO – Loamy Floodplain Forest
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okay . note
The Ecosystem Dynamics Interpretive Tool is an information system framework developed by the USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and New Mexico State University.
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