Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R010XB047OR
JD Shallow South
12-16 PZ
Last updated: 5/06/2025
Accessed: 06/02/2026
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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.
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R010XB031OR JD Shallow 12-16 PZ
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Similar sites
R010XB045OR JD Clayey South 12-16 PZ
JD Clayey South 12-16" PZ (deeper soil, higher production)
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub Not specified
Herbaceous Not specified
Physiographic features
This site occurs on south facing aspects of uplands, tablelands, and upper canyon side slopes. Slopes range from 10 to 70 percent with slopes of 30 to 60 percent being most typical. Elevation varies from 2700 to 4800 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Canyon
Elevation 2700 – 4800 ft Slope 10 – 70 % Water table depth 60 in Aspect S Climatic features
The annual precipitation ranges from 10 to 16 inches. The precipitation occurs as rain and snow during the months of November and March. Localized, occasionally severe, convection storms occur during the summer. The mean annual air temperature is approximately 50 degrees F. Extreme temperatures range from 100 degrees F to -10 degrees F. Soil temperature regimes are mesic. The frost-free period ranges from 90 to 150 days. The period of optimum plant growth is from April through June.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 150 days Freeze-free period (average) Precipitation total (average) 20 in ">Influencing water features
Soil features
The soils of this site are formed in colluvium and loess over basalt and tuffaceous bedrock. They are shallow. Typically the surface layer is a very stony loam over a very stony clay loam subsoil. Depth to bedrock is 10 to 20 inches. Soil permeability is moderate. The available water holding capacity (AWC) is 2 to 4 inches. The erosion potential is severe.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Stony loam
Family particle size (1) Clayey
Drainage class Well drained Permeability class Moderate Soil depth 10 – 20 in Available water capacity
(0-40in)2 – 4 in Ecological dynamics
Range in Characteristics:
Variability in plant composition and production is dependent on soil depth, texture, and bedrock conditions. Bluebunch wheatgrass increases on fine textured surfaces. Thurber needlegrass increases on coarse textured surfaces. Juniper and antelope bitterbrush increase with bedrock fracturing. Production increases with soil depth.
Response to Disturbance:
If the condition of the site deteriorates as a result of overgrazing, bluebunch wheatgrass, and Thurber needlegrass decrease while Sandberg bluegrass, broom snakeweed, and western juniper increase. Cheatgrass, annual brome, medusa-head and other annuals invade. In the absence of fire, western juniper strongly increases and areas of bareground appear between the juniper. Soil erosion rapidly accelerates and inherent site productivity decreases.State and transition model
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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 plant community is dominated by bluebunch wheatgrass. Thurber needlegrass and Sandberg bluegrass are common. Juniper and bitterbrush occur sporadically. Other shrubs are minor. The potential vegetative composition is approximately 90 percent grass, 5 percent forbs, and 5 percent shrubs. Approximate ground cover is 40-50 percent (basal and crown).
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 410 655 985 Forb 55 85 125 Shrub/Vine 30 50 75 Tree 5 10 15 Total 500 800 1200 Figure 3. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). OR4281 , Claypan Warm Dry. JD Claypan South 12-16 PZ and JD Claypan 9-12 moderate to high 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 0 10 20 30 20 5 0 10 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 Perennial, deep-rooted, dominant 480–560 bluebunch wheatgrass PSSP6 Pseudoroegneria spicata 480–560 – 2 Perennial, deep-rooted, sub-dominant 80–120 Thurber's needlegrass ACTH7 Achnatherum thurberianum 80–120 – 4 Perennial, shallow-rooted, sub-dominant 16–40 Sandberg bluegrass POSE Poa secunda 16–40 – 5 Other perennial grasses, all 24–72 squirreltail ELEL5 Elymus elymoides 0–24 – Idaho fescue FEID Festuca idahoensis 0–24 – bluegrass POA Poa 0–24 – Forb7 Perennial, all, dominant 32–96 milkvetch ASTRA Astragalus 8–24 – arrowleaf balsamroot BASA3 Balsamorhiza sagittata 8–24 – desertparsley LOMAT Lomatium 8–24 – lupine LUPIN Lupinus 8–24 – 9 Other perennial forbs, all 8–40 common yarrow ACMI2 Achillea millefolium 0–8 – agoseris AGOSE Agoseris 0–8 – cryptantha CRYPT Cryptantha 0–8 – Blue Mountain prairie clover DAOR2 Dalea ornata 0–8 – fleabane ERIGE2 Erigeron 0–8 – buckwheat ERIOG Eriogonum 0–8 – grasswidow OLSYN Olsynium 0–8 – phacelia PHACE Phacelia 0–8 – phlox PHLOX Phlox 0–8 – Shrub/Vine11 Perennial, deep-rooted, dominant 16–56 antelope bitterbrush PUTR2 Purshia tridentata 16–40 – 15 Other perennial shrubs, all 8–40 basin big sagebrush ARTRT Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata 0–8 – rubber rabbitbrush ERNA10 Ericameria nauseosa 0–8 – broom snakeweed GUSA2 Gutierrezia sarothrae 0–8 – Saskatoon serviceberry AMAL2 Amelanchier alnifolia 0–8 – Tree16 Evergreen 0–16 western juniper JUOC Juniperus occidentalis 0–16 – ponderosa pine PIPO Pinus ponderosa 0–8 – Interpretations
Animal community
Livestock Grazing:
This site is suited to spring, summer, and fall use by cattle, sheep, and horses under a planned grazing system. Bluebunch wheatgrass can be damaged if heavily grazed during periods of flowering and seed formation when root reserves and soil moisture is low. Use in the spring should be postponed until the soils are firm enough to prevent plant crown trampling damage, soil compaction, and soil mass movement.
Native Wildlife Associated with the Potential Climax Community:
Mule deer
Elk
Upland birds
When the ecological condition is high this site provides food and cover for deer, elk, other mammals, and upland birds. It is an important wintering area for deer and elk.
Threatened and Endangered Animals:
Listed endangered species (1993), which may occur on this site include the peregrine falcon. Listed threatened species is the bald eagle.Hydrological functions
The soils of this site have low water holding capacities providing little late season water for plant growth. The hydrologic cover condition is fair when the ecological condition is high.
Other information
When in poor condition this site has low potential for range seeding because it is shallow, stony, and usually steep. Technology for seeding on steep slopes is currently not available.
Supporting information
Contributors
M. Bovingdon, A. Bahn
M. Parks (OSU)Approval
Kirt Walstad, 5/06/2025
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 and Bruce Frannsen Contact for lead author State Rangeland Management Specialist for NRCS - Oregon Date 08/06/2012 Approved by Approval date Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on Annual Production Indicators
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Number and extent of rills:
None to few on steeper slopes, significant sheet & rill erosion hazard -
Presence of water flow patterns:
None to few on steeper slopes -
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):
10-25% -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
None -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None, 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 resistant to erosion: aggregate stability = 3-5 -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Shallow to very shallow very stony or very cobbly loams or silt loams: moderate OM (1-3%) -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Moderate ground cover (50-60%) and gentle to very steep slopes (12-70%) moderately limit rainfall impact and overland 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 > Thurber needlegrass > shrubs > forbs > other grassesSub-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: 1200, Normal: 800, Unfavorable: 500 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:
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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