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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.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub Not specified
Herbaceous Not specified
Physiographic features
This site occurs in/on mountain slopes, rolling uplands, plateaus and valleys. Slopes range from 1-45 percent. Elevations range from 4900 to 6500 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Mountain slope
(2) Plateau
(3) Valley floor
Elevation 4900 – 6500 ft Slope 1 – 45 % Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
The annual precipitation ranges from 18 to 30 inches which occurs mainly between the months of November and June, mostly in the form of rain and snow. The soil temperature regime is frigid. The average annual air temperature is 42-45 degrees F with extreme temperatures rangeing from 85 to -30 degrees F. The frost free period is 20 to 50 days. The optimum period for plant growth is from May through late July or August.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 50 days Freeze-free period (average) 80 days Precipitation total (average) 30 in BarLineFigure 1. Monthly precipitation range
BarLineFigure 2. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
">Influencing water features
Soil features
The soils of this site are moderately deep or deep, well drained, stony and medium (laom) textured. They are generally formed in/from tuff, breccia, rhyolite or basalt. Permeability is slow. The potential for water erosion ranges from low to high depending on the slope.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Stony loam
Family particle size (1) Loamy
Drainage class Well drained Permeability class Slow Soil depth Not specified Available water capacity
(0-40in)Not specified 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)7 Ecological dynamics
The potential native plant community is dominated by ponderosa pine and scattered overstory white fir. White fir reproduction is common but limited moisture and historic periodic understory fires limit the development of a full canopy of white fir from the reproduction available. Numerous understory shrubs are present such as snowberry, sesrviceberry, green manzanita, wax currant, Oregongrape and squaw carpet. Herbaceous species include Ross sedge, long-stolon sedge, Wheeler bluegrass, heartleaf arnica, strawberry and numerous other species.
Marginal areas for the site ( droughty, low elevation) and south aspects will have greater pine cover, less true fir and greater abundance of understory species that have high light requirements. The only true fir present ranges in characteristics from grand fir-like to white fir-like and is actually a cross between these two species (similar to much of SW Oregon).
White fir regeneration is reduced by understory burning. Pine regeneration is favored by heavy thinnings and patch cuts. Heavy grazing pressure by livestock may reduce bluegrass sedge, brome and palatable forbs. Rabbitbrush, snowbrush and manzanita invade after major fires.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, CAIN9-BRMA4/SYAL/ABGR-PIPOCommunity 1.1
HCPC, CAIN9-BRMA4/SYAL/ABGR-PIPOThe potential native plant community is dominated by ponderosa pine and scattered overstory white fir. White fir reproduction is common but limited moisture and historic periodic understory fires limit the development of a full canopy of white fir from the reproduction available. Numerous understory shrubs are present such as snowberry, sesrviceberry, green manzanita, wax currant, Oregongrape and squaw carpet. Herbaceous species include Ross sedge, long-stolon sedge, Wheeler bluegrass, heartleaf arnica, strawberry and numerous other species.
Figure 3. 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 196 273 350 Tree 84 196 308 Shrub/Vine 105 193 280 Forb 7 21 35 Total 392 683 973 Figure 4. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). OR5555 , D21 Mid Elev., North, 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 0 25 50 20 5 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 189–315 long-stolon sedge CAIN9 Carex inops 70–105 – Wheeler's bluegrass POWH2 Poa wheeleri 70–105 – Ross' sedge CARO5 Carex rossii 35–70 – mountain brome BRMA4 Bromus marginatus 35–70 – Forb9 Other perennial forbs 7–35 common yarrow ACMI2 Achillea millefolium 0–5 – agoseris AGOSE Agoseris 0–5 – western pearly everlasting ANMA Anaphalis margaritacea 0–5 – heartleaf arnica ARCO9 Arnica cordifolia 0–5 – hawksbeard CREPI Crepis 0–5 – fawnlily ERYTH3 Erythronium 0–5 – strawberry FRAGA Fragaria 0–5 – white hawkweed HIAL2 Hieracium albiflorum 0–5 – desertparsley LOMAT Lomatium 0–5 – lupine LUPIN Lupinus 0–5 – Brown's peony PABR Paeonia brownii 0–5 – phacelia PHACE Phacelia 0–5 – sticky cinquefoil POGL9 Potentilla glandulosa 0–5 – wintergreen PYROL Pyrola 0–5 – ragwort SENEC Senecio 0–5 – American vetch VIAM Vicia americana 0–5 – violet VIOLA Viola 0–5 – Shrub/Vine11 Dominant evergreen shrubs 28–56 creeping barberry MARE11 Mahonia repens 14–35 – prostrate ceanothus CEPR Ceanothus prostratus 14–21 – 13 Dominant deciduous (or 1/2 shrubs) shrubs 35–105 common snowberry SYAL Symphoricarpos albus 35–105 – 14 Sub-dominant deciduous (or 1/2 shrubs) shrubs 7–14 wax currant RICE Ribes cereum 7–14 – 15 Other shrubs 35–105 Saskatoon serviceberry AMAL2 Amelanchier alnifolia 0–5 – curl-leaf mountain mahogany CELE3 Cercocarpus ledifolius 0–5 – pipsissewa CHUM Chimaphila umbellata 0–5 – bitter cherry PREM Prunus emarginata 0–5 – antelope bitterbrush PUTR2 Purshia tridentata 0–5 – sticky currant RIVI3 Ribes viscosissimum 0–5 – rose ROSA5 Rosa 0–5 – Tree16 Dominant evergreen trees 70–280 grand fir ABGR Abies grandis 35–140 – ponderosa pine PIPO Pinus ponderosa 35–140 – 17 Sub-dominant evergreen trees 7–14 incense cedar CADE27 Calocedrus decurrens 7–14 – 19 Sub-dominant deciduous (or 1/2 shrubs) shrubs 7–14 willow SALIX Salix 7–14 – Interpretations
Animal community
Livestock grazing- Use is minor in heavy forest except for rest, travel and bedding; most grazing is available in logged, burned or disturbed sites (except dense brush fields) and in plantations.
Wildlife- Mule deer, elk, bobcat, coyote and grouse.Hydrological functions
The soils of this site have low to medium infiltration rates and low to high runoff potential depending on slope. The hydrologic soil group is C.
Recreational uses
Hiking and hunting.
Wood products
Lumber, poles, and firewood.
Other information
For road stabilization or critical area stabilization where competition with tree seedlings is not a concern- choices include pubescent wheatgrass, intermediate wheatgrass, hard fescue, sheep fescue, smooth brome and orchardgrass.
Supporting information
Type locality
Location 1: Klamath County, OR Township/Range/Section T39S R13E S6 General legal description SE Klamath coutny at Goodlow Mtn. T39S, R13E, Sec 6 (NW, NE). Location 2: Klamath County, OR Township/Range/Section T39S R13E S22 29 General legal description Bryant Mtn. near center of mtn. T39S, R13E, Sec 22 and 29 Contributors
BLM ESI Team
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) Jeff Repp Contact for lead author Oregon NRCS State Rangeland Management Specialist Date 09/05/2012 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 (on steeper slopes - to 45%), moderate to significant sheet & rill erosion hazard -
Presence of water flow patterns:
None to some (on steeper slopes - to 45%) -
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):
<1% -
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):
Moderately resistant to erosion: aggregate stability = 3-5 -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Moderately deep to deep, well drained cobbly or stony loams: Low OM (1-2%) -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Significant vegetative cover of over 125% and gentle to moderate slopes (1-45%) effectively limit rainfall impact and overland flow; infiltration is moderate -
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:
Long-stolon sedge = Wheeler bluegrass > Ponderosa Pine = Grand fir > Snowberry > other shrubs > Mountain brome > Ross sedge > other grasses > forbs > other treesSub-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: 1000, Normal: 700, Unfavorable: 500 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 (and after fire). Ponderosa Pine readily increases on the site (can be converted to woodland w/out fire). Cheatgrass and Medusahead invade sited 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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