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Draft. A draft ecological site description is either incomplete or has not undergone quality control and quality assurance review.
Classification relationships
Holland, R.F. 1986. Preliminary descriptions of the terrestrial natural communities of California. Unpublished report. State of California, The Resources Agency, Department of Fish and Game, Natural Heritage Division, Sacramento, CA. (Updated September 2003). Element Code: Low Sagebrush/ Idaho Fescue 35.120.03.
Sawyer, J.O. and T. Keeler-Wolf. 1995. A Manual of California Vegetation. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA. Low Sagebrush Series.
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Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub (1) Artemisia arbuscula ssp. arbuscula
Herbaceous (1) Festuca idahoensis
(2) Pseudoroegneria spicata ssp. spicataPhysiographic features
This site occurs on hills and mountain slopes. Slopes range from 2 to 50 percent. Elevations range from 5200 to 6300 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Mountain slope
Elevation 5200 – 6300 ft Slope 2 – 50 % Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
The climate of this site is temperate, 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 16 to 30 inches with most occurring during the winter months. Approximately half the precipitation falls as snow; half as rain. The mean annual air temperature is 41 to 45 degrees F. The average growing season is about 60 to 80 days.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 80 days Freeze-free period (average) 0 days Precipitation total (average) 30 in BarLineFigure 1. Monthly precipitation range
BarLineFigure 2. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
">Influencing water features
There are no influencing water features associated with this site.
Soil features
This site occurs on shallow, well drained soils that formed in volcanic ash and colluvium over residuum derived from basalt and volcanic rock. These soils are usually moist in winter, spring, and early summer, and dry later in summer and fall. There are high amounts of vitric volcanic ash and glass throughout the soil profile which enhances the water holding capacity of these soils. A mollic epeipedon occurs from the mineral soil surface to 18 inches. An argillic horizon occurs from 3 to 18 inches. Soil series associated with this site include Burningman.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Parent material (1) Volcanic ash – volcanic breccia
Surface texture (1) Extremely cobbly sandy loam
Family particle size (1) Loamy
Drainage class Well drained Permeability class Very slow Soil depth 14 – 20 in Surface fragment cover <=3" 24 – 48 % Surface fragment cover >3" 33 – 35 % Available water capacity
(0-40in)2.6 – 2.7 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)6.1 – 7.3 Subsurface fragment volume <=3"
(Depth not specified)14 – 48 % Subsurface fragment volume >3"
(Depth not specified)10 – 33 % Ecological dynamics
Bluebunch wheatgrass is more abundant at the lower elevational range for this site. Although western juniper may occur on this site, tree canopy cover is less than 10% in the historic climax plant community.
Fire effects:
Low sagebrush is very susceptible to fire damage. Low sagebrush is usually killed by fire and does not re-sprout. The recovery in burned areas is usually via small, light, wind-dispersed seed for all low sagebrush subspecies. Partially injured low sagebrush may re-grow from living branches, but sprouting does not occur.
Burning bluebunch wheatgrass may remove most of the aboveground biomass but does not usually result in plant mortality. Bluebunch wheatgrass is generally favored by burning. Burning stimulates flowering and seed production. However, season of burning affects mortality.
Idaho fescue grows in a dense, fine-leaved tuft. Fires tend to burn within the accumulated fine leaves at the base of the plant and may produce temperatures sufficient to kill some of the root crown. Mature Idaho fescue plants are commonly reported to be severely damaged by fire in all seasons.
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. Ashy Claypan
The reference plant community is dominated by Idaho fescue and low sagebrush. Bluebunch wheatgrass is an important species associated with this site. Potential vegetative composition is about 50% grasses, 15% forbs and 35% shrubs.
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 250 400 550 Shrub/Vine 150 240 330 Forb 75 120 165 Tree 25 40 55 Total 500 800 1100 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 296–464 Idaho fescue FEID Festuca idahoensis 120–160 – bluebunch wheatgrass PSSPS Pseudoroegneria spicata ssp. spicata 80–120 – Sandberg bluegrass POSE Poa secunda 40–80 – prairie Junegrass KOMA Koeleria macrantha 40–64 – onespike danthonia DAUN Danthonia unispicata 16–40 – 2 Secondary Perennial Grasses 8–32 Thurber's needlegrass ACTH7 Achnatherum thurberianum 4–16 – squirreltail ELEL5 Elymus elymoides 4–16 – Forb3 Perennial Forbs 36–72 loosehead sandwort ARCOS2 Arenaria congesta var. subcongesta 4–8 – sagebrush mariposa lily CAMAM9 Calochortus macrocarpus var. macrocarpus 4–8 – tapertip hawksbeard CRAC2 Crepis acuminata 4–8 – buckwheat ERIOG Eriogonum 4–8 – Baker's wild hollyhock ILBA Iliamna bakeri 4–8 – desertparsley LOMAT Lomatium 4–8 – lupine LUPIN Lupinus 4–8 – owl's-clover ORTHO Orthocarpus 4–8 – cold-desert phlox PHST11 Phlox stansburyi 4–8 – 4 Annual Forbs 8–40 Shrub/Vine5 Primary Shrubs 136–264 little sagebrush ARAR8 Artemisia arbuscula 120–200 – antelope bitterbrush PUTR2 Purshia tridentata 16–64 – 6 Secondary Shrubs 16–32 Utah serviceberry AMUT Amelanchier utahensis 8–16 – mountain big sagebrush ARTRV Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana 8–16 – Tree7 Evergreen Trees 25–55 western juniper JUOC Juniperus occidentalis 25–55 – Interpretations
Animal community
Livestock Interpretations:
This site is suited for grazing by cattle and sheep during the late spring, summer and fall. Grazing management should be keyed to palatable shrub and perennial grass production. Domestic sheep and to a much lesser degree cattle consume low sagebrush, particularly during the spring, fall and winter. Bluebunch wheatgrass and Idaho fescue provides important forage for many types of domestic livestock.
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:
Low sagebrush is considered a valuable browse plant during the spring, fall and winter months. In some areas it is of little value in winter due to heavy snow. Low sagebrush is an important food source for sage grouse throughout the year, especially between October and April. Mule deer utilize and sometimes prefer low sagebrush, particularly in winter and early spring. Bluebunch wheatgrass and Idaho fescue provides important forage for several wildlife species.
Hydrological functions
Runoff is medium to high. Hydrologic group: D.
Supporting information
Type locality
Location 1: Modoc County, CA Township/Range/Section T47N R17E S5 Latitude 41° 58′ 20″ Longitude 120° 3′ 0″ General legal description North of Cowhead Lake, Modoc County, CA. Other references
Fire Effects Information System [Online]. http://www.fs.fed.us/feis
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.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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