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Draft. A draft ecological site description is either incomplete or has not undergone quality control and quality assurance review.
Associated sites
F021XE232CA Pinus contorta var. murrayana/Arctostaphylos nevadensis/Carex rossii
F021XE234CA Populus tremuloides/Symphoricarpos rotundifolius/Bromus marginatus
R021XE208CA Semi-Wet Meadow 16+ P.Z.
R021XE222CA Loamy Slope 30+ P.Z.
R021XE225CA Willow Thicket
R021XE226CA Seep
Similar sites
R021XE208CA Semi-Wet Meadow 16+ P.Z.
DECA18 dominant plant; greater plant diversity.
R021XE226CA Seep
Greater plant diversity; associated with springs and seeps
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub Not specified
Herbaceous (1) Carex rostrata
(2) Carex nebrascensisPhysiographic features
This site occurs on nearly level intermontane basins. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent. Elevations range from 6500 to 8300 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Intermontane basin
Flooding duration Brief (2 to 7 days) to long (7 to 30 days) Flooding frequency Occasional to frequent Ponding duration Brief (2 to 7 days) Ponding frequency Rare Elevation 6500 – 8300 ft Slope 0 – 8 % Ponding depth 0 – 6 in Water table depth 12 – 40 in Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
The climate of this site is subhumid, characterized by warm, dry summers and cold, moist winters. The area's precipitation comes mostly from winter Pacific cyclonic storms, with a very slight summer monsoonal season that is erratic but can be locally significant. Average annual precipitation ranges from 20 to 50 inches with most occurring during the winter months. Approximately half the precipitation falls as snow; half as rain. The mean annual air temperature is 38 to 44 degrees F. The average growing season is about 30 to 60 days.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 60 days Freeze-free period (average) 0 days Precipitation total (average) 50 in BarLineFigure 1. Monthly precipitation range
BarLineFigure 2. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
">Influencing water features
There are perennial streams associated with this site. The site also has a seasonal high water table within 40 inches.
Soil features
The soils associated with this site are very deep and poorly to very poorly drained. Surface soils are high in organic matter and are medium textured and modified with vitric volcanic ash and glass. These soils have a water table at, or near the surface throughout most of the growing season. A mollic epipedon occurs from the soil surface to 22 inches. Soil series associated with this site include Dismalswamp.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Parent material (1) Alluvium – andesite
Surface texture (1) Ashy loam
Family particle size (1) Loamy
Drainage class Poorly drained to excessively drained Permeability class Moderate Soil depth 72 – 84 in Surface fragment cover <=3" Not specified Surface fragment cover >3" Not specified Available water capacity
(0-40in)7.6 – 7.8 in Calcium carbonate equivalent
(0-40in)Not specified Electrical conductivity
(0-40in)Not specified Sodium adsorption ratio
(0-40in)Not specified Soil reaction (1:1 water)
(0-40in)5.6 – 6.5 Subsurface fragment volume <=3"
(Depth not specified)7 – 44 % Subsurface fragment volume >3"
(Depth not specified)0 – 3 % Ecological dynamics
This is a lentic site. Wet meadows have a simple structure consisting of a layer of herbaceous plants. Shrub or tree layers are usually absent or very sparse; they may, however, be an important feature of the meadow edge. Transition to coniferous forest will occur at montane and subalpine elevations. At lower elevations, a transition to broad leaved trees or shrubs, particularly sagebrush, may occur. Most wet meadow plant species are perennial and a substantial change in the plant community may develop slowly. Differences in species composition between observations may represent temporal fluctuations rather than a transition to a new state. Channel erosion lowers the water table causing a transition to species of drier habitats.
Fire Ecology:
Fires are infrequent in wet meadow communities and they often only top-kill plants. Prescribed fires are most effective in late summer, early fall, or during dry years when the water is below the soil surface. The sedges have deep buried rhizomes which usually survive all but the most severe fires.
Tufted hairgrass generally survives all but the most severe fires. It usually sprouts from the root crown after aerial portions are burned. Tufts formed by the leaves often protect basal buds from fire damage.State and transition model
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
Reference StateCommunity 1.1
Reference Plant Community
Figure 3. Wet Meadow Reference Plant Community
The reference plant community is characterized by a dense stand of perennial grasses, grass-like plants and few perennial forbs. Nebraska sedge and beaked sedge dominate the site. Potential vegetative composition is approximately 93% grasses and grass-like plants, 5% forbs, 1% moss and 1% shrubs. Approximate ground cover (basal)is 80 to 90 percent.
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 1860 2790 3720 Forb 100 150 200 Moss 20 30 40 Shrub/Vine 20 30 40 Total 2000 3000 4000 Additional community tables
Table 6. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Grass/Grasslike1 Primary Perennial Grasses/Grasslikes 2310–3450 beaked sedge CARO6 Carex rostrata 1800–2100 – Nebraska sedge CANE2 Carex nebrascensis 450–1050 – water sedge CAAQ Carex aquatilis 60–300 – 2 Secondary Perennial Grasses/Grasslikes 75–300 mountain sedge CASCS2 Carex scopulorum var. scopulorum 15–60 – spikerush ELEOC Eleocharis 15–60 – meadow barley HOBR2 Hordeum brachyantherum 15–60 – Forb3 Perennial Forbs 60–120 aster ASTER Aster 15–30 – willowherb EPILO Epilobium 15–30 – American bistort POBI6 Polygonum bistortoides 15–30 – cinquefoil POTEN Potentilla 15–30 – Shrub/Vine4 Shrubs 20–40 Moss5 Spaghnum Moss 20–40 Interpretations
Animal community
Livestock Interpretations:
Because these sites are wet for long periods, livestock will graze drier areas first and move to these areas in the fall. Misuse of this site, however, can cause gully erosion, causing water table decline, reducing site productivity and changing plant community species composition toward more drought tolerant plants. Sod may be broken with small, bare areas showing.
Palatability of beaked sedge varies seasonally. Beaked sedge provides good forage in the spring but becomes tough during the summer. Frosts or hard freezes on upper elevation meadows make forage unpalatable in the fall.
Tufted hairgrass provides good to excellent forage for all classes of livestock. It is often an abundant source of forage throughout its growing season. Tufted hairgrass is a decreaser with excessive grazing by cattle. However, it is tolerant of moderate amounts of fairly close grazing because of dense growth and tillering. When the soils are wet they are highly susceptible to soil compaction.
Grazing management of this community should allow for regrowth at the end of the grazing season to replenish carbohydrate reserves for winter respiration and early spring growth.
Stocking rates vary over time depending upon season of use, climate variations, site, and previous and current management goals. A safe starting stocking rate is an estimated stocking rate that is fine tuned by the client by adaptive management through the year and from year to year.
Wildlife Interpretations:
The sedges and tufted hairgrass have high to moderate resource values for elk and medium values for mule deer. Elk consume beaked sedge later in the growing season. Tufted hairgrass forage value for wildlife has been rated fair to good. Use of tufted hairgrass by wildlife species is variable. Waterfowl, especially mallard ducks, frequent streams flowing through this site. Yellow-headed and red-winged blackbirds occasionally nest in wet meadows with tail vegetation and with adequate water to discourage predators. Various frog species may also be abundant. Small mammals may visit this site when water table lowers late in the growing season.
Hydrological functions
This lentic site has water at or near the surface for most of the growing season, following spring runoff.
Recreational uses
The sedges can withstand moderate trailing and recreational use. To reduce pack and saddle stock grazing impact, use should be minimized until after senescence (late September and October). On wet soils, hikers and packstock often create multiple or parallel trails, resulting in severe rut formation. Off-road vehicle use results in serious long-term damage to sedge communities. To prevent this, roads should be maintained, and off-road travel should be discouraged. New trails near sedge meadows should be constructed on adjacent uplands.
Other information
Nebraska sedge and beaked sedge have high potential for biomass production and long-term revegetation, and medium potential for erosion control and short-term revegetation. Tufted hairgrass has a broad ecological range and is useful for revegetation, particularly on disturbances at high elevation or high latitude. Tufted hairgrass has good competitive ability compared to other plants evaluated for revegetation. It has low to medium potential for short-term revegetation; it has medium to high potential for long-term revegetation. It is a valuable soil stabilizer, especially in wet, acid locations.
Supporting information
Type locality
Location 1: Modoc County, CA Township/Range/Section T48N R16E S31 Latitude 41° 59′ 17″ Longitude 120° 10′ 34″ General legal description Dismal Swamp, northwest of Fort Bidwell, in the Warner Mountains, Modoc National Forest, Modoc County, California. Other references
Fire Effects Information System [Online]. http://www.fs.fed.us/feis
Hickman, J.C. (ed). 1993. The Jepson manual: higher plants of California. University of California Press, Los Angeles, California.
Miles, S.R. and C.B. Goudey. 1997. Ecological Subregions of California Section and Subsection Descriptions. United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region R5-EM-TP-005. Subsection M261Gf-Warner Mountains.
Modoc Elk Working Group. 2000. The Greater Modoc Area - A Strategic Plan for Elk Management. Modoc County, CA
Ratliff, R.D. Wet Meadow. 2006. California Wildlife Habitat Relationships System., California Department of Fish and Game, California Interagency Wildlife Task Group.
Contributors
P.NOVAK-ECHENIQUE
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 Approved by Approval date Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on Annual Production Indicators
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Number and extent of rills:
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Presence of water flow patterns:
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Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
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Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
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Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
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Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
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Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
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Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
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Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
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Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
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Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
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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:
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Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
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Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
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Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
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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:
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Perennial plant reproductive capability:
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