Natural Resources
Conservation Service
-
Search
Major Land Resource Area or ecological site by name and/or ID.
PreviousSectionsNextGeneral information
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.
Click to explore map
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
R010XC030OR SR Cool 9-12 PZ
SR Cool 9-12 PZ
R010XC038OR SR Very Shallow 9-12 PZ
SR Very Shallow 9-12" PZ
R010XC043OR SR South 9-12 PZ
SD South 9-12 PZ
BX010X00C050 Shallow South 9-12 PZ Snake River Warm Plains
SR Shallow South 9-12" PZ
R010XC065OR SR Cool North 9-12 PZ
SR Cool North 9-12 PZ
Similar sites
R010XC030OR SR Cool 9-12 PZ
SR Cool 9-12 PZ (deeper soil, higher production)
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub (1) Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis
Herbaceous (1) Festuca idahoensis
Physiographic features
This site occurs on terraces, tablelands and rolling uplands. Slopes range from 2 to 12%. Elevations typically range from 3,500 to 4,200 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Terrace
(2) Hill
Elevation 3500 – 4200 ft Slope 2 – 12 % Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
The annual precipitation ranges from 9 to 12 inches, most of which occurs in the form of snow during the months of December through March. Localized convection storms occasionally occur during the summer. The soil temperature regime is cool mesic with a mean air temperature of 45 degrees F. Temperature extremes range from 100 to -20 degrees F. The frost free period ranges from 60 to 100 days. The optimum growth period for plant growth is April through June.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 100 days Freeze-free period (average) 0 days Precipitation total (average) 10 in BarLineFigure 2. Monthly precipitation range
BarLineFigure 3. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
">Influencing water features
Soil features
The soils of this site are typically shallow and well drained. Typically the surface layer is a silt loam to stony clay loam about 6 inches thick. The subsoil is a silty clay loam to gravelly clay about 5 inches thick. Depth to bedrock or an indurated pan is 10 to 20 inches. Permeability is slow. The available water holding capacity (AWC) is about 2 to 4 inches for the profile. The erosion potential is moderate to severe.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Gravelly silt loam
(2) Stony clay loam
Family particle size (1) Clayey
Drainage class Well drained Permeability class Slow Soil depth 10 – 20 in Available water capacity
(0-40in)2 – 4 in Ecological dynamics
The potential native plant community is dominated by Wyoming big sagebrush and Idaho fescue. Bluebunch wheatgrass, Thurber needlegrass and Sandberg bluegrass are common. A variety of forbs and other shrubs are present. Vegetative composition of the community is approximately 70 percent grasses, 10 percent forbs and 20 percent shrubs. Approximate ground cover is 40-60 percent (basal and crown).
Range in Characteristics:
Idaho fescue dominance is marginal as it is near the edge of its ecological amplitude and has low site resiliency. Bluebunch wheatgrass increases on slight south and west exposures. Thurber needlegrass increases on shallower soils and soils with gravelly surfaces. Shrubs will increases over fractured substratums. Production will increase on deeper soils and at the upper end of the precipitation zone.
Response to Disturbance:
When the condition of the site deteriorates as a result of over grazing Idaho fescue rapidly decreases. Wyoming big sagebrush, Sandberg bluegrass and squirreltail increase. With continued overgrazing Wyoming big sagebrush and Sandberg bluegrass become dominant. When present, bulbous bluegrass invades. Annual invasion is limited unless major ground disturbance occurs. With further deterioration, bare ground increases and excessive erosion reduces the site productivity and contributes to downstream sedimentation.
States: ARTRW/POSE-Bare Ground
State and transition model
Custom diagramStandard diagram
More interactive model formats are also available. View Interactive Models
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
Historic Climax Plant CommunityCommunity 1.1
Historic Climax Plant CommunityThe potential native plant community is dominated by Wyoming big sagebrush and Idaho fescue. Bluebunch wheatgrass, Thurber needlegrass and Sandberg bluegrass are common. A variety of forbs and other shrubs are present. Vegetative composition of the community is approximately 70 percent grasses, 10 percent forbs and 20 percent shrubs. Approximate ground cover is 40-60 percent (basal and crown).
Figure 4. 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 280 490 770 Shrub/Vine 80 140 220 Forb 30 70 110 Total 390 700 1100 Additional community tables
Table 6. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Grass/Grasslike1 Dominant, perennial deep-rooted bunchgrass 350–490 Idaho fescue FEID Festuca idahoensis 350–490 – 2 Sub-dominant, deep rooted perennial grasses 49–126 bluebunch wheatgrass PSSPS Pseudoroegneria spicata ssp. spicata 35–70 – Thurber's needlegrass ACTH7 Achnatherum thurberianum 14–56 – 4 Dominant, perennial shallow-rooted grass 21–56 Sandberg bluegrass POSE Poa secunda 21–56 – 5 Other perennial grasses 15–63 threadleaf sedge CAFI Carex filifolia 0–21 – squirreltail ELEL5 Elymus elymoides 10–21 – prairie Junegrass KOMA Koeleria macrantha 5–21 – Forb7 Dominant, perennial forbs 27–77 arrowleaf balsamroot BASA3 Balsamorhiza sagittata 7–21 – fleabane ERIGE2 Erigeron 5–14 – buckwheat ERIOG Eriogonum 5–14 – desertparsley LOMAT Lomatium 5–14 – phlox PHLOX Phlox 5–14 – 9 Other perennial forbs 27–83 common yarrow ACMI2 Achillea millefolium 3–7 – milkvetch ASTRA Astragalus 3–7 – stoneseed LITHO3 Lithospermum 3–7 – lupine LUPIN Lupinus 3–7 – brittle pricklypear OPFR Opuntia fragilis 0–7 – tapertip hawksbeard CRAC2 Crepis acuminata 3–7 – larkspur DELPH Delphinium 0–5 – bitter root LERE7 Lewisia rediviva 2–5 – sagebrush buttercup RAGL Ranunculus glaberrimus 2–5 – brodiaea BRODI Brodiaea 2–5 – agoseris AGOSE Agoseris 2–5 – onion ALLIU Allium 2–5 – pussytoes ANTEN Antennaria 2–5 – bushy bird's beak CORA5 Cordylanthus ramosus 0–3 – rough eyelashweed BLSC Blepharipappus scaber 0–3 – Shrub/Vine11 Dominant evergreen shrub 70–140 Wyoming big sagebrush ARTRW8 Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis 70–140 – 15 Other shrubs 21–112 basin big sagebrush ARTRT Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata 14–35 – wild crab apple PERA4 Peraphyllum ramosissimum 7–21 – antelope bitterbrush PUTR2 Purshia tridentata 0–14 – horsebrush TETRA3 Tetradymia 0–7 – yellow rabbitbrush CHVI8 Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus 0–7 – spiny hopsage GRSP Grayia spinosa 0–7 – granite prickly phlox LIPU11 Linanthus pungens 0–7 – scabland sagebrush ARRI2 Artemisia rigida 0–7 – threetip sagebrush ARTR4 Artemisia tripartita 0–7 – Interpretations
Animal community
Livestock Grazing:
This site is suitable for livestock grazing use in the spring, early summer and fall under a planned grazing system. Use should be postponed until the soils are firm enough to prevent trampling damage and soil compaction. Grazing management should be keyed for Idaho fescue. Deferred grazing or rest is recommended at least once every three years.
Native Wildlife Associated with the Potential Climax Community:
This site is commonly used by pronghorn antelope, mule deer, rabbits, rodents, upland birds and various predators. It is a preferred site for sage grouse leks, nesting, rearing and wintering. Antelope and mule deer make excellent use of the site for winter and spring forage.
Hydrological functions
The soils of this site are typically in an upland topographic position. They have moderate runoff potential and medium infiltration rates when the hydrologic cover is high. Hydrologic cover is high when the Idaho fescue deep rooted bunchgrass component is >70 percent of potential. Under lower seral conditions runoff potential is high. This occurs when deep rooted perennial bunchgrass cover is low and bare ground increases.
Supporting information
Contributors
BLM/SCS Team - Burns, A. Bahn, G. Kuehl, H. Barrett
Bob Gillaspy
M. Parks (OSU)
T.Bloomer, B.Gillaspy, E. Petersen, A.Bahn.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) Bruce Frannsen and Jeff Repp Contact for lead author State Rangeland Management Specialist for NRCS in Oregon. Date 08/07/2012 Approved by Approval date Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on Annual Production Indicators
-
Number and extent of rills:
none, moderate to severe sheet & rill erosion hazard -
Presence of water flow patterns:
None -
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
None to very few (some frost heaving) -
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):
Moderate to significant resistance to erosion: aggregate stability = 4=6 -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Shallow well drained gravelly clay loam (6 inches thick): Low to moderate OM (0-2%) -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Moderate ground cover (30-50%) and gentle slopes (0-15%) 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:
Idaho fescue > Wyoming big sagebrush > Bluebunch wheatgrass > other grasses > forbs > other shrubsSub-dominant:
Other:
Additional:
-
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):
Faorable: 1100, Normal: 600, Unfavorable: 300 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:
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
Print Options
Sections
Font
AAAAOther
PrintThe 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.
Accessibility statement
