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Draft. A draft ecological site description is either incomplete or has not undergone quality control and quality assurance review.
Associated sites
R022AY023NV LOAMY SLOPE 16-20 P.Z.
R022AY028NV CLAYPAN 16+ P.Z.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub (1) Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana
(2) Purshia tridentataHerbaceous (1) Achnatherum thurberianum
(2) Achnatherum occidentale ssp. occidentalePhysiographic features
This site occurs on plateau and mountain sideslopes on all aspects. This site is restricted to northerly aspects at lower elevations. Slopes range from 4 to 50 percent, but slope gradients of 4 to 30 percent are most typical. Elevations are 6000 to 8500 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Plateau
(2) Mountain slope
Flooding duration Extremely brief (0.1 to 4 hours) Flooding frequency Very rare Ponding frequency None Elevation 6000 – 8500 ft Slope 4 – 50 % Ponding depth 0 in Water table depth 0 in Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
The climate is subhumid-continental with cold, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 14 to 16 inches, mean annual temperature is 42 to 44 degrees F., and the frost-free period is 30 to 70 days.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 70 days Freeze-free period (average) 0 days Precipitation total (average) 20 in BarLineFigure 1. Monthly precipitation range
BarLineFigure 2. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
">Influencing water features
There are no influencing water features associated with this site.
Soil features
The soils in this site are moderately deep to deep and well drained. Available water capacity is moderate. Inherent soil fertility is high and the soils are slightly acid to neutral interaction. The soils are moist from fall through early summer when plant growth depletes soil moisture. Some soils are modified with high volumes of rock fragments through the soil profile. Runoff is slow to moderate and the potential for sheet and rill erosion is medium to high depending on slope. The soil series associated with this site are Chrisflat and Heenlake. The soil families associated with this site are Chrisflat inclusion, Heenlake inclusion, Pahric Argixerolls inclusion, Pahric Haploxerolls inclusion and Typic Argixerolls.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Very gravelly coarse sandy loam
(2) Very stony loam
Family particle size (1) Loamy
Drainage class Well drained Permeability class Moderate to moderately slow Soil depth 32 – 60 in Surface fragment cover <=3" 15 – 30 % Surface fragment cover >3" 4 – 29 % Available water capacity
(0-40in)3.8 – 7.2 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 – 7.3 Subsurface fragment volume <=3"
(Depth not specified)18 – 41 % Subsurface fragment volume >3"
(Depth not specified)3 – 25 % Ecological dynamics
As ecological condition declines, big sagebrush, currant and rabbitbrush will increase as Thurber and western needlegrasses decrease. Following wildifre horsebrush, ephedra, Anderson peachbrush, currant, rabbitbrush and basin wildrye dramatically increase. Species most likely to invade this site are cheatgrass, mustards and other annual forbs. Singleleaf pinyon and Utah juniper will invade this site where it occurs adjacent to these woodlands.
Fire Ecology:
Presettlement fire return intervals in mountain big sagebrush communities varied from 15 to 25 years. Plants are readily killed in all seasons, even light severity fires. Mountain big sagebrush is highly susceptible to injury from fire. It is often top-killed by fire and will not resprout.
Antelope bitterbrush is considered a weak sprouter and is often killed by summer or fall fire. Antelope bitterbrush in some areas may sprout after light-severity spring fire. High fuel consumptions increase antelope bitterbrush mortality and therefore favors seedling establishment.
Thurber’s needlegrass is classified as moderately resistant, but depending on season of burn, phenology, and fire severity, this perennial bunchgrass is moderately to severely damaged by fire. Burning has been found to decrease the vegetation and reproductive vigor. Early season burning is more damaging to this needlegrass than late season burning. Basin wildrye is top-killed by fire. Older basin wildrye plants with large proportions of dead material within the perennial crown can be expected to show higher mortality due to fire than younger plants having little debris. Basin wildrye is generally tolerant of fire but may be damaged by early season fire combined with dry soil conditions. Muttongrass is unharmed to slightly harmed by light-severity fall fires. Muttongrass appears to be harmed by and slow to recover from severe 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
The reference plant community is characterized by an overstory of soft-woody shrubs with an understory of perennial grasses and forbs. The representative plant community is dominated by Thurber and western needlegrasses, mountain big sagebrush and antelope bitterbrush. Great Basin wildrye and muttongrass are other important species associated with this site. Potential vegetative composition is about 60% grasses, 10% forbs, 25% shrubs and 5% trees. Total tree canopy is less than 10%.
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 480 660 780 Shrub/Vine 200 275 325 Forb 80 110 130 Tree 40 55 65 Total 800 1100 1300 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 374–748 Thurber's needlegrass ACTH7 Achnatherum thurberianum 275–440 – western needlegrass ACOCO Achnatherum occidentale ssp. occidentale 55–165 – basin wildrye LECI4 Leymus cinereus 22–88 – muttongrass POFE Poa fendleriana 22–55 – 2 Secondary Perennial Grasses/Grasslikes 55–165 Indian ricegrass ACHY Achnatherum hymenoides 6–55 – squirreltail ELEL5 Elymus elymoides 6–55 – Sandberg bluegrass POSE Poa secunda 6–55 – Forb3 Perennial Forbs 55–165 rockcress ARABI2 Arabis 6–33 – arrowleaf balsamroot BASA3 Balsamorhiza sagittata 6–33 – tapertip hawksbeard CRAC2 Crepis acuminata 6–33 – lupine LUPIN Lupinus 6–33 – beardtongue PENST Penstemon 6–33 – Shrub/Vine4 Primary Shrubs 110–440 mountain big sagebrush ARTRV Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana 55–275 – antelope bitterbrush PUTR2 Purshia tridentata 55–165 – 5 Secondary Shrubs 55–110 Utah serviceberry AMUT Amelanchier utahensis 6–33 – curl-leaf mountain mahogany CELE3 Cercocarpus ledifolius 6–33 – rabbitbrush CHRYS9 Chrysothamnus 6–33 – mormon tea EPVI Ephedra viridis 6–33 – slender buckwheat ERMI4 Eriogonum microthecum 6–33 – currant RIBES Ribes 6–33 – Tree6 Trees 1–88 Jeffrey pine PIJE Pinus jeffreyi 0–33 – Interpretations
Animal community
Livestock Interpretations:
This site is suited to livestock grazing. Grazing management should be keyed to Thurber's and western needlegrass production. Mountain big sagebrush is eaten by domestic sheep and cattle, but has long been considered to be of low palatability to domestic livestock, a competitor with more desirable species.
Antelope bitterbrush is important browse for livestock. Domestic livestock and mule deer may compete for antelope bitterbrush in late summer, fall, and/or winter. Cattle prefer antelope bitterbrush from mid-May through June and again in September and October. Thurber needlegrass is valuable forage for livestock. It is an important forage grass for cattle in Nevada. Livestock, especially domestic sheep, sometimes graze the leaves closely, leaving the stems untouched. The early growth and abundant production of basin wildrye make it a valuable source of forage for livestock. It is important forage for cattle and is readily grazed by cattle and horses in early spring and fall. Though coarse-textured during the winter, basin wildrye may be utilized more frequently by livestock and wildlife when snow has covered low shrubs and other grasses. Muttongrass is excellent forage for domestic livestock especially in the early spring. Muttongrass begins growth in late winter and early spring, which makes it available before many other forage plants.
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:
Mountain big sagebrush is highly preferred and nutritious winter forage for mule deer. Pronghorn antelope, mule deer, elk, and bighorn sheep utilize antelope bitterbrush extensively. Mule deer use of antelope bitterbrush peaks in September, when antelope bitterbrush may compose 91 percent of the diet. Winter use is greatest during periods of deep snow. Antelope bitterbrush is a critical winter food for mule deer. Antelope bitterbrush seed is a large part of the diets of rodents, especially deer mice and kangaroo rats. Thurber needlegrass is valuable forage for wildlife. Thurber needlegrass regions are an especially important segment of the vegetation as their seeds are valuable to birds and small mammals. Their leaves and stems are used by rabbits, deer, and other herbivores, and they provide protective cover for many small and medium-sized animals. Basin wildrye provides winter forage for mule deer, though use is often low compared to other native grasses. Basin wildrye provides summer forage for black-tailed jackrabbits. Because basin wildrye remains green throughout early summer, it remains available for small mammal forage for a longer time than other grasses. Deer and elk make heavy use of muttongrass, especially in early spring when other green forage is scarce. Depending upon availability of other nutritious forage, deer may use muttongrass in all seasons. Muttongrass cures well and is an important fall and winter deer food in some areas.Hydrological functions
Runoff is low to very high and the potential for sheet and rill erosion is medium to high depending on slope.
Other products
Native people used mountain big sagebrush leaves and branches for medicinal teas, and the leaves as a fumigant. Bark was woven into mats, bags and clothing. Basin wildrye was used as bedding for various Native American ceremonies, providing a cool place for dancers to stand.
Other information
Mountain big sagebrush is easily propagated from seed under greenhouse, nursery, and common garden conditions and has been successfully seeded directly into field sites.
Antelope bitterbrush has been used extensively in land reclamation. It is a pioneer species on some harsh sites. Antelope bitterbrush enhances succession by retaining soil and depositing organic material, and, in some habitats and with some ecotypes, by fixing nitrogen. Antelope bitterbrush is important for watershed erosion control.
The success of rehabilitation rests heavily on the amount of competition from the alien annual grass, cheatgrass, since it is a highly successful competitor with Thurber needlegrass seedlings. Methods of manual seed planting were assessed and it was found that more Thurber needlegrass seedlings emerged in the standard and deep furrow seeding treatments than in broadcast treatments. Thurber needlegrass was found to have higher frequency in plowed soil than in unplowed soil. Basin wildrye is useful in mine reclamation, fire rehabilitation and stabilizing disturbed areas. Its usefulness in range seeding, however, may be limited by initially weak stand establishment.Supporting information
Type locality
Location 1: Mono County, CA Township/Range/Section T7N R23E S7 Latitude 38° 27′ 45″ Longitude 119° 29′ 29″ General legal description Toiyabe National Forest, approximately .2 miles from the mouth of Terry Canyon. Other references
Fire Effects Information System (Online; http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/).
USDA-NRCS Plant Database(http://plants.usda.gov/).
Contributors
ALC/GKB
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) Patti Novak-Echenique Contact for lead author State Rangeland Management Specialist Date 07/18/2013 Approved by Approval date Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on Annual Production Indicators
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Number and extent of rills:
Rills are typically none to rare. A few may occur on steeper slopes after summer convection storms. -
Presence of water flow patterns:
Water flow patterns are typically non-existent. Water flow patterns may rarely be observed on steeper slopes in areas recently subjected to summer convection storms or rapid spring snowmelt. -
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
Pedestals are none to rare. Occurrence is usually limited to areas of water flow patterns. Frost heaving of shallow rooted plants should not be considered a "normal" condition. -
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
Bare Ground 10-20% depending on amount of surface rock fragments -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
None -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None -
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Fine litter (foliage from grasses and annual & perennial forbs) expected to move distance of slope length during intense summer convection storms or rapid snowmelt events. Persistent litter (large woody material) will remain in place except during large rainfall events. -
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Soil stability values should be 3 to 6 on most soil textures found on this site. (To be field tested.) -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Surface structure is typically fine granular or weak platy. Soil surface colors are grayish browns and soils are typified by a mollic epipedon. Organic matter of the surface 2 to 4 inches is typically 1.25 to 3 percent. Organic matter content can be more or less depending on micro-topography. -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Reference Plant Community: Perennial herbaceous plants (especially deep-rooted bunchgrasses [i.e., needlegrasses) slow runoff and increase infiltration. Shrub canopy and associated litter break raindrop impact and provide opportunity for snow catch and accumulation on site. -
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
Compacted layers are none. Subangular blocky structure or subsoil argillic horizons are not to be interpreted as compaction. -
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:
Deep-rooted, cool season, perennial bunchgrassesSub-dominant:
tall shrubs (mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush) >> associated shrubs > deep-rooted, cool season, perennial forbs >> shallow-rooted, cool season, perennial grasses > fibrous, shallow-rooted, cool season, perennial and annual forbsOther:
evergreen treesAdditional:
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Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
Dead branches within individual shrubs may be common with standing dead shrub canopy material as much as 25% of total woody canopy; some of the mature bunchgrasses (<10%) have dead centers. -
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
Between plant interspaces and under canopy as much as 50% and litter depth is < ¼ inch. -
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
For normal or average growing season (through June) ± 1100 lbs/ac; =800 lbs/ac on unfavorable years and = 1300 lbs/ac on exceptional years. -
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:
Potential invaders on this site include cheatgrass, annual mustards, and knapweeds. Singleleaf pinyon and Utah may invade this site when it occurs adjacent to these woodlands. -
Perennial plant reproductive capability:
All functional groups should reproduce in average (or normal) and above average growing season years. Reduced growth and reproduction occur during extreme or extended drought periods.
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