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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
R021XY210OR LOAMY 14-18 PZ
R021XY308OR SOUTH SLOPES 14-18 PZ
Similar sites
R021XY214OR CLAYPAN 14-18 PZ
Argillic horizon.
R021XY308OR SOUTH SLOPES 14-18 PZ
Deeper soils.
R021XY216OR STONY CLAYPAN 14-20 PZ
Steep south slopes.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub Not specified
Herbaceous Not specified
Physiographic features
This site occurs on southerly exposures of mountain sideslopes.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Mountain slope
Elevation 4000 – 6000 ft Slope 30 – 70 % Aspect S Climatic features
The annual precipitation ranges from 14 to 18 inches, most of which occurs in the form of snow during the months of October through April. The soil temperature regime is frigid to mesic with the mean annual air temperature ranging from 45 to 47 degrees F. Temperature extremes range from 100 to -30 degrees F. The frost free period ranges from 50 to 110 days. The optimum period for plant growth is from May through June.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 110 days Freeze-free period (average) 0 days Precipitation total (average) 20 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 very shallow to a dense clay layer, which restricts root penetration. The surface layer is loamy and contains over 35 percent rock fragments, primarily stone size. Permeability is slow. The available water holding capacity is 2 to 5 inches. Runoff is rapid. Erosion hazard by water is high.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Loam
Family particle size (1) Clayey
Permeability class Slow to very slow Surface fragment cover <=3" 0 – 35 % Available water capacity
(0-40in)2 – 5 in Ecological dynamics
If the condition of the site deteriorates as a result of overgrazing, bluebunch wheatgrass and Idaho fescue will decline in vigor and will eventually be lost from the stand. Sandberg bluegrass and low sagebrush will dominate the site.
The thickness of the soil surface layer will influence the plant composition and productivity of this site. As the soil surface thickness decreases, bluebunch wheatgrass and low sagebrush will increase. An increase in surface stones will lead to a corresponding decrease in plant productivity.State and transition model
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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
HCPC, PSSP6-FEID-POSE/ARAR8Community 1.1
HCPC, PSSP6-FEID-POSE/ARAR8The potential native plant community is dominated by bluebunch wheatgrass with lesser amounts of low sagebrush and Idaho fescue. Vegetative composition of the community is approximately 75% grasses, 5% forbs, and 20% 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 310 380 450 Shrub/Vine 65 95 125 Forb 35 58 80 Total 410 533 655 Figure 5. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). OR5554 , D21 Mid Elev., South, Good Condition. HCPC 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 0 10 45 40 5 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 225–300 bluebunch wheatgrass PSSP6 Pseudoroegneria spicata 150–200 – Idaho fescue FEID Festuca idahoensis 75–100 – 2 Sub-dominant deep rooted perennial grasses 25–50 Thurber's needlegrass ACTH7 Achnatherum thurberianum 25–50 – 3 Dominant shallow rooted perennial grasses 50–75 Sandberg bluegrass POSE Poa secunda 50–75 – 5 Other perennial grasses 10–25 squirreltail ELEL5 Elymus elymoides 0–5 – prairie Junegrass KOMA Koeleria macrantha 0–5 – Forb7 Dominant perennial forbs 15–25 snow buckwheat ERNI2 Eriogonum niveum 10–15 – woolly plantain PLPA2 Plantago patagonica 5–10 – 8 Sub-dominant perennial forbs 15–30 desertparsley LOMAT Lomatium 5–10 – phlox PHLOX Phlox 5–10 – largehead clover TRMA3 Trifolium macrocephalum 5–10 – 9 Other perennial forbs 5–25 mariposa lily CALOC Calochortus 0–5 – tapertip hawksbeard CRAC2 Crepis acuminata 0–5 – larkspur DELPH Delphinium 0–5 – lupine LUPIN Lupinus 0–5 – phacelia PHACE Phacelia 0–5 – Shrub/Vine11 Dominant evergreen shrubs 50–100 little sagebrush ARAR8 Artemisia arbuscula 50–100 – 15 Other shrubs 15–25 Wyoming big sagebrush ARTRW8 Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis 0–5 – slender buckwheat ERMI4 Eriogonum microthecum 0–5 – antelope bitterbrush PUTR2 Purshia tridentata 0–5 – Interpretations
Animal community
This site provides forage and cover for mule deer and chukar.
Hydrological functions
The soils are in hydrologic group C.
Other products
This site is suited for livestock grazing use in spring, summer and fall. As slopes greater than 50%, cattle use will reduce.
Supporting information
Contributors
Barrett, Carlson
E Ersch
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 08/22/2012 Approved by Approval date Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on Annual Production Indicators
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Number and extent of rills:
None to some, significant sheet & rill erosion hazard -
Presence of water flow patterns:
Some to Few in interspaces on steeper slopes (30-70%) -
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
Some (shallow rooted grasses) -
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
5-20% -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
None -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None, slight wind erosion hazard -
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Fine - limited movement -
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Slightly resistant to erosion: aggregate stability = 3-5 -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Very shallow (to dense clay layer), very stony loams (35+% surface rock fragments): Low OM (<1%) -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Moderate vegetative cover (50-70%) reduces potential excess run off on all but steepest slopes (30-70%); infiltration is slow -
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:
Bluebunch wheatgrass > Idaho fescue > Low sagebrush > Sandberg bluegrass > Thurber needlegrass > forbs > other shrubs > other grassesSub-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: 800, Normal: 500, Unfavorable: 300 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. Western Juniper may invade the site. 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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