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Draft. A draft ecological site description is either incomplete or has not undergone quality control and quality assurance review.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub Not specified
Herbaceous Not specified
Physiographic features
This site occurs on flat or slightly concave positions of mountain valleys, terraces, toe slopes and bottomland. Slopes range from 0-15 percent. Elevations range from 4100 to 5500 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Mountain valley
(2) Terrace
Elevation 4100 – 5500 ft Slope 0 – 15 % Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
The annual precipitation ranges from 12 to 18 inches and occurs mainly between the months of November and June as both rain and snow. The soil temperature regime is frigid. The average annual air temperature is 44-47 degrees F with extreme temperatures ranging from 90 to -30 degrees F. The frost free period is 20 to 60 days. The optimum period for plant growth is from May through late July.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 60 days Freeze-free period (average) 90 days Precipitation total (average) 20 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 deep or moderately deep and well drained, with loam or sandy loam surface textures and loam or clay loam subsoils. They are generally formed in/from alluvium. Permeability is moderately slow to moderate. The potential for water erosion is low and for wind erosion is low to medium.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Loam
(2) Sandy loam
Family particle size (1) Loamy
Drainage class Well drained Permeability class Moderately slow to moderate 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
Pine regeneration and bitterbrush is favored by heavy thinnings and patch cuts. Heavy grazing pressure by livestock may reduce fescue, sedge, bitterbrush and palatable forbs. Green and gray rabbitbrush invade after major fires and ground disturbance.
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, FEID/PUTR2/PIPOCommunity 1.1
HCPC, FEID/PUTR2/PIPOThe potential native plant community is dominated by ponderosa pine. An occasional juniper is usually present. The midstory is primarily pine reporduction and traces of tall shrubs such as choke cherry, bitter cherry and/or serviceberry. Bitterbrush dominates the understory which also includes snowberry, Klamath plum, serviceberry, wax currant, desert gooseberry and/or mountain big sagebrush. Herbaceous species are dominated by Idaho fescue but Wheeler bluegrass, western needlegrass, Ross sedge, Junegrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, and Canby bluegrass are also present. Common forbs include hawkweed, strawberry, wooly eriophyllum, waterleaf, lupine and yarrow.
Toe slopes below ridges that face north, or moist locations support a more dense overstory and less bitterbrush (due to shading). Western fescue is more common in these microsites and in the western part of the sites range. Dense stands of pine, especially younger developing groups of pole size trees will have less bitterbrush due to heavier shade.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 410 540 670 Shrub/Vine 150 245 340 Tree 40 80 120 Forb 10 35 60 Total 610 900 1190 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 300–400 Idaho fescue FEID Festuca idahoensis 300–400 – 2 Sub-dominant deep rooted perennial grasses 50–120 Ross' sedge CARO5 Carex rossii 20–50 – Wheeler's bluegrass POWH2 Poa wheeleri 10–30 – western needlegrass ACOC3 Achnatherum occidentale 10–20 – mountain brome BRMA4 Bromus marginatus 10–20 – 4 Sub-dominant shallow rooted perennial grasses 50–100 Sandberg bluegrass POSE Poa secunda 50–100 – 5 Other perennial grasses 10–50 squirreltail ELEL5 Elymus elymoides 0–5 – prairie Junegrass KOMA Koeleria macrantha 0–5 – bluebunch wheatgrass PSSP6 Pseudoroegneria spicata 0–5 – spike trisetum TRSP2 Trisetum spicatum 0–5 – Forb9 Other perennial forbs 10–60 common yarrow ACMI2 Achillea millefolium 0–5 – agoseris AGOSE Agoseris 0–5 – western pearly everlasting ANMA Anaphalis margaritacea 0–5 – blue eyed Mary COLLI Collinsia 0–5 – hawksbeard CREPI Crepis 0–5 – buckwheat ERIOG Eriogonum 0–5 – common woolly sunflower ERLA6 Eriophyllum lanatum 0–5 – strawberry FRAGA Fragaria 0–5 – old man's whiskers GETR Geum triflorum 0–5 – white hawkweed HIAL2 Hieracium albiflorum 0–5 – waterleaf HYDRO4 Hydrophyllum 0–5 – fewflower pea LAPA5 Lathyrus pauciflorus 0–5 – Lewis flax LILE3 Linum lewisii 0–5 – desertparsley LOMAT Lomatium 0–5 – lupine LUPIN Lupinus 0–5 – Brown's peony PABR Paeonia brownii 0–5 – beardtongue PENST Penstemon 0–5 – phacelia PHACE Phacelia 0–5 – lambstongue ragwort SEIN2 Senecio integerrimus 0–5 – Oregon checkerbloom SIOR Sidalcea oregana 0–5 – American vetch VIAM Vicia americana 0–5 – Shrub/Vine13 Dominant deciduous (or 1/2 shrubs) shrubs 120–250 antelope bitterbrush PUTR2 Purshia tridentata 100–200 – Saskatoon serviceberry AMAL2 Amelanchier alnifolia 20–50 – 14 Sub-dominant deciduous (or 1/2 shrubs) shrubs 20–40 wax currant RICE Ribes cereum 10–20 – common snowberry SYAL Symphoricarpos albus 10–20 – 15 Other shrubs 10–50 sulphur-flower buckwheat ERUM Eriogonum umbellatum 0–5 – bitter cherry PREM Prunus emarginata 0–5 – Klamath plum PRSU2 Prunus subcordata 0–5 – chokecherry PRVI Prunus virginiana 0–5 – desert gooseberry RIVE Ribes velutinum 0–5 – Tree16 Dominant evergreen trees 30–100 ponderosa pine PIPO Pinus ponderosa 30–100 – 17 Sub-dominant evergreen trees 10–20 western juniper JUOC Juniperus occidentalis 10–20 – Interpretations
Animal community
Livestock grazing- This site is normally very accessible for grazing in the late spring and summer. Use may be light under heavy shade except for rest, travel and bedding. Cattle prefer forage grown in open or simi-open areas such as in natural sunspots, logged areas, burns or plantations.
Wildlife-Mule deer, elk, bobcat, coyote, and grouse.Hydrological functions
The soils fo this site have low to medium infiltration rates and low to medium runoff potential depending on slope. The hydrologic soil group is C for mound and B for top.
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 (also possibly Kentucky bluegrass and orchardgrass in partially shaded areas).
Supporting information
Type locality
Location 1: Klamath County, OR Township/Range/Section T36S R10E S14 General legal description Sprague Valley SE of Sprague River (town) T36S, R10E, Sec 14 (SE1/4) Location 2: Klamath County, OR Township/Range/Section T38S R11E S15 General legal description North of Bonanza 4-5 miles: T38S, R11E, Sec. 15 (SE) and Sec 14 (SW) Location 3: Klamath County, OR Township/Range/Section T36S R10E S5 General legal description Swan Lake valley: T36S, R10E, Sec 5 (SE, NW) Location 4: Klamath County, OR Township/Range/Section T38S R11E S24 General legal description Bechdolt Flat NE of Bonanza: T38S, R11E, Sec 24 (SW, NW) Contributors
Hickman, BLM ESI Team
Kennedy, ReppRangeland 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, 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):
<1% -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
None -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None, slight to moderate 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 to moderately resistant to erosion: aggregate stability = 2-4 -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Moderately deep to deep, well drained loams or sandy loams: Low to moderate OM (1-3%) -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Significant vegetative cover of over 130% and gentle slopes (1-15%) 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:
Idaho fescue > Antelope bitterbrush > Canby bluegrass > Ponderosa Pine > Saskatoon serviceberry >= Ross sedge > forbs > other grasses = other shrubs > Western JuniperSub-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: 1200, Normal: 1000, Unfavorable: 800 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 readily invades the site. Ponderosa Pine readily increases on the site (can be converted to woodland w/out fire). 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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