Natural Resources
Conservation Service
-
Search
Major Land Resource Area or ecological site by name and/or ID.
PreviousSectionsNextGeneral information
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 Unpublished report.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: Scrub Willow 63.100.00.
Sawyer, J.O. and T. Keeler-Wolf. 1995. A Manual of California Vegetation. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA. Montane Wetland Shrub Habitat.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub (1) Salix lasiolepis
Herbaceous (1) Carex nebrascensis
(2) Poa pratensis ssp. pratensisPhysiographic features
This site occurs on intermountain basins and mountain sideslopes, associated with seeps and springs. Slopes range from 2 to 8 percent. Elevations range from 6400 to 8000 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Mountain slope
(2) Intermontane basin
Flooding frequency None Ponding frequency None Elevation 6400 – 8000 ft Slope 2 – 8 % Ponding depth 0 – 3 in Water table depth 9 – 72 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 is 30 to 50 inches with most occurring during the winter months. Approximately half the precipitation falls as snow; half as rain. The average growing season is about 50 to 70 days.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 70 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
This site is associated with seeps and springs.
Soil features
The soils associated with this site are very deep, poorly drained soils formed in residuum and colluvium derived from volcanic rocks. The soils have high amounts of vitric volcanic ash and glass throughout the soil profile which enhances the waterholding capacity. The soil profiles are modified with 15 to 35 percent rock fragments, mainly gravels. The soils are classified as ashy, glassy Aquandic Cryaquolls.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Parent material (1) Residuum – andesite
Surface texture (1) Ashy loam
Family particle size (1) Loamy
Drainage class Poorly drained Permeability class Moderate Soil depth 60 – 0 in Surface fragment cover <=3" 7 – 28 % Surface fragment cover >3" 0 – 2 % Available water capacity
(0-40in)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)6.1 – 7.8 Subsurface fragment volume <=3"
(Depth not specified)15 – 28 % Subsurface fragment volume >3"
(Depth not specified)0 – 2 % Ecological dynamics
Where management results in abusive livestock use, mountain sagebrush, rubber rabbitbrush and California false hellebore become more prevalent. Species likely to invade this site include thistle, foxtail barley, yellow salsify, mullein, curly dock and Kentucky bluegrass.
Fire effects:
Most fires kill only aboveground plant parts on willow's. Severe fires can completely remove organic soil layers, leaving willow roots exposed and charred and thus eliminating basal sprouting. Willow's will generally sprout from its root crown or stem base following fire.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. Willow Thicket
The reference plant community is dominated by willow and sedge. Potential vegetative composition is about 20% grasses, 15% forbs and 65% 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)Shrub/Vine 3000 3900 5400 Grass/Grasslike 1000 1200 1800 Forb 1000 900 1800 Total 5000 6000 9000 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 420–900 Nebraska sedge CANE2 Carex nebrascensis 420–900 – 2 Secondary Perennial Grasses/Grasslikes 240–480 creeping bentgrass AGST2 Agrostis stolonifera 30–60 – mountain brome BRMA4 Bromus marginatus 30–60 – slender wheatgrass ELTR7 Elymus trachycaulus 30–60 – meadow barley HOBR2 Hordeum brachyantherum 30–60 – rush JUNCU Juncus 30–60 – pullup muhly MUFI2 Muhlenbergia filiformis 30–60 – alpine timothy PHAL2 Phleum alpinum 30–60 – Forb3 Perennial Forbs 420–840 common yarrow ACMI2 Achillea millefolium 30–60 – white sagebrush ARLU Artemisia ludoviciana 30–60 – aster ASTER Aster 30–60 – willowherb EPILO Epilobium 30–60 – common cowparsnip HEMA80 Heracleum maximum 30–60 – lupine LUPIN Lupinus 30–60 – slender cinquefoil POGR9 Potentilla gracilis 30–60 – Oregon checkerbloom SIOR Sidalcea oregana 30–60 – goldenrod SOLID Solidago 30–60 – Fendler's meadow-rue THFEF Thalictrum fendleri var. fendleri 30–60 – clover TRIFO Trifolium 30–60 – California false hellebore VECA2 Veratrum californicum 30–60 – violet VIOLA Viola 30–60 – woolly mule-ears WYMO Wyethia mollis 30–60 – 4 Annual Forbs 60–180 Moss5 Moss 60–120 sphagnum SPHAG2 Sphagnum 60–120 – Shrub/Vine6 Primary Shrubs 2700–4500 Booth's willow SABO2 Salix boothii 1350–2250 – arroyo willow SALA6 Salix lasiolepis 1350–2250 – 7 Secondary Shrubs 360–1080 Utah serviceberry AMUT Amelanchier utahensis 60–180 – rubber rabbitbrush ERNAN5 Ericameria nauseosa ssp. nauseosa var. nauseosa 60–180 – currant RIBES Ribes 60–180 – Woods' rose ROWO Rosa woodsii 60–180 – American black elderberry SANIC4 Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis 60–180 – roundleaf snowberry SYRO Symphoricarpos rotundifolius 60–180 – Interpretations
Animal community
Livestock Interpretations:
Due to moist soil conditions this site is most suitable to grazing by cattle and sheep during late summer and fall. Grazing while soils are moist will lead to soil compaction and plant damage. Nebraska sedge and tufted hairgrass provide desireable forage to grazing 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:
This site is utilized by a variety of wildlife species including mule deer, elk, various bird species, small rodents and reptiles. Tufted hairgrass and Nebraska sedge provide preferable forage for wildlife during periods of active growth. Yellow willow provides valuable browse for deer and elk throughout the year.Hydrological functions
Runoff is high.
Other products
All willows produce salicin, which chemically is closely related to aspirin. This is probably why Native Americans used various preparations from willows to treat toothache, stomach ache, diarrhea, dysentery and dandruff. Native Americans also used the stems for basketry and bow making, and the bark for tea and fabric making.
Other information
Beaked sedge and Nebraska sedge have a high potential for biomass production and long-term revegetation, and medium potential for erosion control and short-term revegetation. Willows are used to revegetate disturbed riparian areas. They quickly stabilize disturbed alluvium, allowing other plants to become established.
Supporting information
Type locality
Location 1: Modoc County, CA Township/Range/Section T47N R16E S18 Latitude 41° 56′ 20″ Longitude 120° 10′ 53″ General legal description Near Mt. Vida Vista on the Modoc National Forest in the Warner Mountains, 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.
Modoc Elk Working Group. 2000. The Greater Modoc Area A Strategic Plan for Elk Management. Modoc County, CA
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
-
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:
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
