Ecological site F013XP604ID

F013XP610ID	Upland Cool Woodland Group

F013XP610ID	Upland Cool Woodland Group

Tree	(1) Pinus flexilis
Shrub	Not specified
Herbaceous	(1) Pseudoroegneria spicata (2) Festuca idahoensis

Landforms	(1) Mountains > Mountain slope (2) Ridge
Runoff class	Low to very high
Elevation	5800 – 9200 ft
Slope	15 – 80 %
Aspect	W, SE, S, SW

Frost-free period (characteristic range)	30-40 days
Freeze-free period (characteristic range)	90-90 days
Precipitation total (characteristic range)	20-20 in
Frost-free period (actual range)	30-40 days
Freeze-free period (actual range)	80-90 days
Precipitation total (actual range)	20-20 in
Frost-free period (average)	40 days
Freeze-free period (average)	90 days
Precipitation total (average)	20 in

Parent material	(1) Igneous and metamorphic rock (2) Sedimentary rock
Surface texture	(1) Clay loam (2) Sandy loam
Depth to restrictive layer	10 – 20 in
Soil depth	10 – 20 in

Ecological dynamics

The lower mountain slopes and foothills provide a warmer band of forested pockets that are dominated by limber pine, rocky mountain juniper, and some cover of Douglas-fir. Although these communities can have dense overstory cover, the herbaceous understory is more common. Variability across the broad extent of this ecological grouping is great within species diversity and timber and forage production.

State and transition model

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State 1
Reference

The Reference State for the Shallow Warm Woodland has a Limber pine overstory with native bunchgrasses and shrubs in present in the under story.

Characteristics and indicators. This limber pine dominated site is commonly accompanied by rocky mountain juniper and a low occurrence of Douglas-fir. The under story is comprised of bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, threadleaf and needleleaf sedge as well as sandberg bluegrass. Common shrubs are currant, skunkbush, mahogany, and creeping juniper. Arrowleaf Balsamroot, Indian paintbrush, phlox, and cactus are common on this site as well.

Community 1.1
PIFL2/Bunchgrass

The Reference Community (1.1) is a limber pine community with a bluebunch wheatgrass and Idaho fescue under story. Low composition of Rocky mountain juniper and Douglas-fir are also found in this community. Shrubs, including currant, sumac (skunkbush), and mountain mahogany, are common. Arrowleaf baslamroot, a variety of paintbrush species, as well as phlox are found in the under story.

State 2
Degraded Overstory

The loss of woody canopy cover due to fire or disease characterizes the transition from the reference state to State 2 - Degraded Overstory.

Characteristics and indicators. Native grasses and grass-likes are dominant on this site. The woody canopy is reduced to cover of less than 15%, and may represent only one or two species. Following disease or other impacts to limber pine, juniper may become dominant on the site. Bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, threadleaf sedge, and sandberg bluegrass are the major grass/grass-like species with arrowleaf balsamroot, Indian paintbrush, phlox and cactus.

Community 2.1
Bunchgrass/JUSC2/PSME

As the limber pine canopy is reduced by insect, disease, decadence or fire, the under story transitions to a more bunchgrass dominated community with remnants of woody vegetation. As this community progresses, Rocky mountain juniper can become dominant.

State 3
Degraded Understory

The Degraded Understory State is a result of the loss of the native bunchgrasses and the establishment of invasive and aggressive species.

Characteristics and indicators. As bluebunch wheatgrass and Idaho fescue are removed from the community, sandberg bluegrass, prairie junegrass, and threadleaf sedge maintain a footprint. With drought, soil disturbance or in the removal of further understory, invasive species such as cheatgrass can take a hold in the community.

Community 3.1
PIFL2/Invasives

The limber pine, Rocky mountain juniper, and Douglas-fir over story remains in varying composition, while the under story degrades with increased disturbance, drought, or possibly fire. As the under story degrades, invaders increase in the community. Cheatgrass is the main threat in this system. Rocky mountain juniper can also be an invader in this system.

Transition T1A
State 1 to 2

Fire, disease or insect damage, or other canopy disturbances remove the over story, exposing the herbaceous under story.

Transition T1B
State 1 to 3

Soil disturbance or impacts to the under story cover leave this site vulnerable to invasive species.

Restoration pathway R2A
State 2 to 1

Recovery time, weed and erosion control, as well as assurance that the necessary nursery stock is present are the key factors to restoring this site.

Transition T2-3
State 2 to 3

Significant canopy and soil disturbance with seed sources present lead to the degradation of the under story.

Additional community tables

Table 5. Community 1.1 plant community composition

Group	Common name	Symbol	Scientific name	Annual production ()	Foliar cover (%)

Table 6. Community 2.1 plant community composition

Group	Common name	Symbol	Scientific name	Annual production ()	Foliar cover (%)

Table 7. Community 3.1 plant community composition

Group	Common name	Symbol	Scientific name	Annual production ()	Foliar cover (%)

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)
Contact for lead author
Date	02/13/2025
Approved by
Approval date
Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on	Annual Production

Indicators

Number and extent of rills:
Presence of water flow patterns:
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
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:

Sub-dominant:

Other:

Additional:
Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
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 plant reproductive capability:

Download reference sheet

Natural ResourcesConservation Service

Ecological site F013XP604ID

Shallow Warm Woodland Group

Last updated: 5/13/2025 Accessed: 07/01/2026

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General information

MLRA notes

LRU notes

Classification relationships

Ecological site concept

Associated sites

Similar sites

Table 1. Dominant plant species

Natural Resources
Conservation Service

Last updated: 5/13/2025
Accessed: 07/01/2026