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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.
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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
R021XY104OR SALINE MEADOW
Similar sites
R021XY104OR SALINE MEADOW
Lower sodium
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub Not specified
Herbaceous Not specified
Physiographic features
This site occurs in lake basins. This site may also occur on steeper slopes adjacent to basins where the wind has deposited soil particles which are high in sodium.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Basin floor
Elevation 4000 – 4700 ft Slope 0 – 1 % Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
The annual precipitation ranges from 10 to 14 inches, most of which occurs in the form of snow during the months of November through April with spring and fall rains. The soil temperature regime is mesic with the mean annual air temperature of about 47 degrees F. Temperature extremes range from 110 to -30 degrees F. The frost free period ranges from 70 to 110 days. The optimum period for plant growth is from mid-April to June.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 110 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 strongly or very strongly alkaline. The presence of sodium and salts limit the use of these soils. The soils are very deep to bedrock but typically have a water table at or near the surface durng the spring. Because of the sodium, soil structure is poor and puddling of the surface layer is common. Along with the sodium, salts are usually present and plant available water is dramatically reduced. In some cases the soils have a black, crusted surface. This condition supports little or no vegetation. The soils are somewhat poorly or poorly drained. Typically the surface is silt loam with a clay loam or clay subsoil. Permeability is moderate to slow. Runoff is very slow. Erosion hazard from water is slight but wind erosion can be a concern where the surface soil is exposed and is dry.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Silt loam
Family particle size (1) Clayey
Drainage class Somewhat poorly drained to poorly drained Permeability class Slow to moderate Soil depth 60 in Ecological dynamics
If the condition of the site deteriorates as a result of overgrazing, bisin wildrye will decrease while inland saltgrass will become the dominant grass. Further deterioration will reduce soil cover and accelerate soil moisture evaporation leading to an increased concentration of salts and alkali on the soil surface.
The typical plant composition of this site results from poor soil drainage and accumulations of salts and sodium. Where small elevational increases occur and drainage is imporved, there is an increase in plants less tolerant of salts and sodium.State and transition model
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Click on state and transition labels to scroll to the respective textEcosystem states
State 1 submodel, plant communities
State 1
HCPC, LECI4-DISP/SAVE4Community 1.1
HCPC, LECI4-DISP/SAVE4The potential native plant community is dominated by basin wildrye, black greasewood and inland saltgrass. Gray rabbitbrush, alkali bluegrass, sedges and rushes are common. Vegetative composition of the community is approximately 85% grasses, 5% forbs, and 10% 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 960 1268 1575 Shrub/Vine 105 165 225 Forb 60 90 120 Total 1125 1523 1920 Figure 5. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). OR5511 , D21 Low Elev., NA, Good Condition. RPC Growth Curve.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec J F M A M J J A S O N D 0 0 15 30 50 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 Additional community tables
Table 6. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Grass/Grasslike1 Dominant deep rooted perennial grasses 750–1050 basin wildrye LECI4 Leymus cinereus 750–1050 – 2 Sub-dominant deep rooted perennial grasses 75–225 saltgrass DISP Distichlis spicata 75–225 – 3 Dominant shallow rooted perennial grasses 105–225 Sandberg bluegrass POSE Poa secunda 105–225 – 5 Other perennial grasses 30–75 sedge CAREX Carex 0–5 – rush JUNCU Juncus 0–5 – Forb7 Dominant perennial shrubs 60–120 common yarrow ACMI2 Achillea millefolium 15–30 – fleabane ERIGE2 Erigeron 15–30 – povertyweed IVAX Iva axillaris 15–30 – pepperweed LEPID Lepidium 15–30 – Shrub/Vine12 Sub-dominant evergreen shrubs 30–75 rubber rabbitbrush ERNA10 Ericameria nauseosa 30–75 – 13 Dominant deciduous (or 1/2 shrubs) shrubs 75–150 greasewood SAVE4 Sarcobatus vermiculatus 75–150 – Interpretations
Animal community
When located near water, this site provides food and cover for mule deer and quail.
Hydrological functions
The soils are typically in hydrologic group D.
Other products
This site is suited to grazing by livestock in most seasons under a planned grazing system. This site can be damages if heavily grazed during spring and early summer.
Other information
The soils of this site typically reflect hydric soil characteristics. Chemcial conditions in the soil may make it corrosive to concrete and steel. This site is not well suited to reseeding. Salt concentrations inhibit germination of most presently available species.
Supporting information
Contributors
Barrett, Carlson
E Ersch (OSU)
K.KennedyRangeland 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) Jeff Repp Contact for lead author Oregon NRCS State Rangeland Management Specialist Date 08/21/2012 Approved by Approval date Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on Annual Production Indicators
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Number and extent of rills:
None, slight sheet & rill erosion hazard -
Presence of water flow patterns:
None -
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
None -
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
5-25% black alkali spots are devoid of vegetation -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
None -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None, slight wind erosion hazard: severe when soil is exposed and dry -
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Fine to moderately coarse - limited movement -
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Moderately resistant to erosion: aggregate stability = 3-4 -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Very deep strongly or very strongly alkaline, somewhat poorly or poorly drained loams, silt loams, and silty clay loams: Low OM (1-2%) -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
High ground cover (75-85%) and gentle slopes (0-1%) effectively limits rainfall impact and overland flow, infiltration can be limited by excess thatch -
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:
Basin wildrye > Inland saltgrass > Alkali bluegrass = Black greasewood > other shrubs = other grasses > forbsSub-dominant:
Other:
Additional:
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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):
Favorable: 2200, Normal: 1500, Unfavorable: 1000 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:
Perennial brush species will increase with deterioration of plant community. 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
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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.
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