Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R008XY140OR
Shallow Loam
10-14 PZ
Last updated: 5/02/2025
Accessed: 04/21/2026
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Provisional. A provisional ecological site description has undergone quality control and quality assurance review. It contains a working state and transition model and enough information to identify the ecological site.
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Figure 1. Mapped extent
Areas shown in blue indicate the maximum mapped extent of this ecological site. Other ecological sites likely occur within the highlighted areas. It is also possible for this ecological site to occur outside of highlighted areas if detailed soil survey has not been completed or recently updated.
Associated sites
R008XY130OR Sandy Loam 10-12 PZ
R008XY150OR Very Shallow Loam 10-14 PZ
R008XY200OR South 10-14 PZ
R008XY220OR North 10-14 PZ
Similar sites
R008XY130OR Sandy Loam 10-12 PZ
Coarser texture
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub Not specified
Herbaceous Not specified
Physiographic features
This site occurs on level to gently sloping uplands and plateau shoulders.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Hill
(2) Plateau
Elevation 500 – 7000 ft Slope 2 – 15 % Climatic features
The annual precipitation ranges from 10 to 14 inches which occurs mostly as snow during December through May. Spring and fall rains are common. The temperature regime is mesic with extreme temperatures ranging from 110 degrees F. to -20 degrees F. The frost-free period is 100 to 180 days long and the optimum period for plant growth is from early April through mid-June.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 180 days Freeze-free period (average) Precipitation total (average) 10 in ">Influencing water features
Soil features
The soils of this site are shallow loams formed over basalt bedrock. Ther permeability is moderate and the available water holding capacity is 1 to 2 inches for the profile. The erosion hazard for water is moderate and slight for wind.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Loam
Permeability class Moderate Soil depth 20 in Available water capacity
(0-40in)1 – 2 in Ecological dynamics
If heavy grazing causes site deterioration, bluebunch wheatgrass will decrease in the stand and Sandberg bluegrass, six weeks fescue, yarrow, and gray rabbitbrush will increase. Cheatgrass, China lettuce, salsify, and Russian thistle can invade this site.
Variability in plant composition and production is influenced by soil depth and aspect. Production is reduced and plants that are drought tolerant increase as soil depth decreases. Slopes that dip north will support small amounts of Idaho fescue.State and transition model
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More interactive model formats are also available. View Interactive Models
Click on state and transition labels to scroll to the respective textEcosystem states
State 1 submodel, plant communities
State 1
ReferenceCommunity 1.1
Reference Plant CommunityThe potential native community is dominated by bluebunch wheatgrass with lesser amounts of Sandberg bluegrass. Vegetative composition is about 95% grass, 3% forbs, and 2% shrubs.
Figure 2. Annual production by plant type (representative values) or group (midpoint values)
Table 5. Annual production by plant type
Plant type Low
(lb/acre)Representative value
(lb/acre)High
(lb/acre)Grass/Grasslike 365 645 825 Forb 25 35 50 Shrub/Vine 10 20 25 Total 400 700 900 Figure 3. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). OR2501 , B8 Loamy, Droughty North, Good Condition. RPC Growth Curve B8 Loamy, Droughty North, & South,Good Condition.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec J F M A M J J A S O N D 0 10 20 25 20 10 5 0 5 5 0 0 Additional community tables
Table 6. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Grass/Grasslike1 Dominant deep rooted perennial grasses 490–630 bluebunch wheatgrass PSSP6 Pseudoroegneria spicata 490–630 – 4 Sub-dominant shallow rooted perennial grasses 35–105 Sandberg bluegrass POSE Poa secunda 35–105 – 5 Other perennial grasses 0–14 Thurber's needlegrass ACTH7 Achnatherum thurberianum 0–7 – squirreltail ELEL5 Elymus elymoides 0–7 – Idaho fescue FEID Festuca idahoensis 0–7 – 6 Annual grasses 7–14 sixweeks fescue VUOC Vulpia octoflora 7–14 – Forb7 Dominant perennial forbs 21–42 common yarrow ACMI2 Achillea millefolium 7–14 – fleabane ERIGE2 Erigeron 7–14 – phlox PHLOX Phlox 7–14 – 9 Other perennial forbs 0–14 pussytoes ANTEN Antennaria 0–7 – milkvetch ASTRA Astragalus 0–7 – sagebrush mariposa lily CAMA5 Calochortus macrocarpus 0–7 – buckwheat ERIOG Eriogonum 0–7 – flax LINUM Linum 0–7 – desertparsley LOMAT Lomatium 0–7 – Shrub/Vine11 Dominant evergreen shrubs 7–14 rubber rabbitbrush ERNA10 Ericameria nauseosa 7–14 – 15 Other shrubs 0–14 basin big sagebrush ARTRT Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata 0–7 – yellow rabbitbrush CHVI8 Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus 0–7 – Interpretations
Animal community
When associated with croplands, this site is used by upland game birds including Hungarian partridge and ring-necked pheasants. Mule deer and pronghorn antelope will use this site as well.
Hydrological functions
The soils of this site have moderate infiltration rates and moderate runoff potential. The hydrologic soil group is C.
Wood products
None
Other products
This site is suitable for grazing during all seasons under a planned grazing system, but best suited for use during the fall, winter, and early spring.
Supporting information
Contributors
Barrett, Bahn
E Ersch
JPR
K.KennedyApproval
Kirt Walstad, 5/02/2025
Rangeland health reference sheet
Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health is a qualitative assessment protocol used to determine ecosystem condition based on benchmark characteristics described in the Reference Sheet. A suite of 17 (or more) indicators are typically considered in an assessment. The ecological site(s) representative of an assessment location must be known prior to applying the protocol and must be verified based on soils and climate. Current plant community cannot be used to identify the ecological site.
Author(s)/participant(s) Jeff Repp Contact for lead author Oregon NRCS State Rangeland Management Specialist Date 07/27/2012 Approved by Approval date Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on Annual Production Indicators
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Number and extent of rills:
None, moderate shet & rill erosion hazard -
Presence of water flow patterns:
Some, in bare ground and around surface rock fragments -
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
None -
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
15-15% -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
None -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
Non, slight wind erosion hazard -
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Fine - limited movement -
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Moderately to significantly resistant to erosion; aggregate stability = 4-5 -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Shallow loams: Low OM (1-2%) -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Moderately low ground cover (25-35%) and surface rock fragments limit rainfall impact and moderately supress water flow -
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
None -
Functional/Structural Groups (list in order of descending dominance by above-ground annual-production or live foliar cover using symbols: >>, >, = to indicate much greater than, greater than, and equal to):
Dominant:
Bluebunch wheatgrass > Sandberg bluegrass > dominant forbs > other grasses = other forbs = dominant shrubs = other shrubsSub-dominant:
Other:
Additional:
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Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
Normal decadence and mortality expected -
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
-
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
Favorable: 900, Normal: 700, Unfavorable: 400 lbs/acre/year at high RSI (HCPC) -
Potential invasive (including noxious) species (native and non-native). List species which BOTH characterize degraded states and have the potential to become a dominant or co-dominant species on the ecological site if their future establishment and growth is not actively controlled by management interventions. Species that become dominant for only one to several years (e.g., short-term response to drought or wildfire) are not invasive plants. Note that unlike other indicators, we are describing what is NOT expected in the reference state for the ecological site:
Perennial brush species will increase with deterioration of plant community. Western Juniper readily invades the site. Cheatgrass and Medusahead invade sites that have lost deep rooted perennial grass functional groups -
Perennial plant reproductive capability:
All species should be capable of reproducing annually
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