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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
F022AY103NV POTR5/SYMPH/BRMA4
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub (1) Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana
Herbaceous (1) Achnatherum occidentale
(2) CarexPhysiographic features
This site occurs on mountain summits and shoulders having a smooth to slightly concave shape. Slopes range from 4 to 15 percent. Elevations are 7000 to 10000 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Mountain
Flooding frequency None Ponding frequency None Elevation 7000 – 10000 ft Slope 4 – 15 % 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 cool, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 16 to 24 inches, the mean annual temperature is 37 to 43 degrees F., and the frost-free period is 30 to 60 days.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 60 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 ecological site are deep and well drained. The available water capacity is low and will vary with soil texture. These soils are formed from alluvium and residuum and from volcanic rocks. There are high amounts of gravel, cobble, and stones throughout the soil profile. Runoff is medium to high and permeability is moderate. The soil series that is associated with this ecological site is Monibasin. Soil series associated with this site include: Monibasin inclusion and Pachic Argicryolls inclusion.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Very gravelly sandy loam
(2) Extremely gravelly sandy loam
Family particle size (1) Loamy
Drainage class Well drained Permeability class Moderate Soil depth 60 – 0 in Surface fragment cover <=3" 20 – 74 % Surface fragment cover >3" 0 – 2 % Available water capacity
(0-40in)3.4 – 4.6 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, mountain big sagebrush, snowberry and other woody plants increase in prevalence.
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.
Threadleaf sedge is generally able to survive fire due to basal meristems protected by soil and/or damp litter. The low, dense growth habit allows for good continuity of fuel, which enhances fire spread.
Perennial needlegrasses tend to be among the least fire resistant bunchgrass due to the densely tufted stems. Western needlegrass is only slightly to moderately damaged by fire, because it has relatively few culms per clump which may help to minimize the amount of subsurface heat transfer and subsequent damage. Douglas’ sedge has a high fire tolerance. Douglas’ sedge is common under infrequent fire regimes, due to the high moisture in the surrounding area. The effects of fire on slender wheatgrass are dependent on its growth form. Tall, decadent plants with many leaves sustain the most fire damage, while those with short, sparse growth form, is the least likely to sustain damage to the root system during a fire.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
Reference StateCommunity 1.1
Reference Plant Community
The reference plant community is characterized by an open canopy of soft-woody shrubs and a dense understory of perennial grasses. The representative plant community is dominated Letterman needlegrass, sedges and mountain big sagebrush. Potential vegetative composition is about 75% grasses, 10% forbs and 15% shrubs. Approximate ground cover (basal and crown) is 35 to 50 percent.
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 450 600 825 Shrub/Vine 120 160 220 Forb 30 40 55 Total 600 800 1100 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/Grasslikes 456–705 western needlegrass ACOCO Achnatherum occidentale ssp. occidentale 240–360 – Douglas' sedge CADO2 Carex douglasii 100–140 – threadleaf sedge CAFI Carex filifolia 100–140 – slender wheatgrass ELTRT Elymus trachycaulus ssp. trachycaulus 16–65 – 2 Secondary Perennial Grasses/Grasslikes 40–80 Letterman's needlegrass ACLE9 Achnatherum lettermanii 4–24 – thickspike wheatgrass ELLAL Elymus lanceolatus ssp. lanceolatus 4–24 – big squirreltail ELMU3 Elymus multisetus 4–24 – basin wildrye LECI4 Leymus cinereus 4–24 – spike fescue LEKI2 Leucopoa kingii 4–24 – purple oniongrass MESP Melica spectabilis 4–24 – bluegrass POA Poa 4–24 – Forb3 Perennial Forbs 40–120 tapertip hawksbeard CRAC2 Crepis acuminata 4–16 – lupine LUPIN Lupinus 4–16 – Shrub/Vine4 Primary Shrubs 80–120 mountain big sagebrush ARTRV Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana 80–120 – 5 Secondary Shrubs 40–80 buckwheat ERIOG Eriogonum 8–16 – antelope bitterbrush PUTR2 Purshia tridentata 8–16 – roundleaf snowberry SYRO Symphoricarpos rotundifolius 8–16 – Interpretations
Animal community
Livestock Interpretations:
This site is suited to livestock grazing. Grazing management should be keyed to 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. Threadleaf sedge provides excellent forage for livestock, although production is very low. It provides extremely valuable early spring growth and remains palatable throughout the growing season. Western needlegrass provides valuable forage for domestic livestock. Douglas’ sedge is quite tough and does not offer very much value to livestock. Slender wheatgrass is grazed by all classes of livestock.
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. Threadleaf sedge provides excellent forage for several wildlife species, although production is very low. Western needlegrass is an important forage species for several wildlife species. Douglas’ sedge is medium to grazers and low to browsers. Slender wheatgrass is grazed by sage grouse, deer, elk, moose, and bighorn sheep, mountain goat, pronghorn, various rodents, and all classes of livestock. The seeds are eaten by various seed predators. Slender wheatgrass provides hiding and thermal cover for songbirds, upland game birds, waterfowl, and small mammals.Hydrological functions
Runoff is medium to high and permeability is moderate.
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.
Native Americans used culm bases of threadleaf sedge as food during famines.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. Mountain big sagebrush has also been successfully planted in field sites using nursery-grown bareroot and containerized stock.
The ability of the root system of threadleaf sedge to hold soil in place makes it an ideal candidate for controlling wind- and water-induced soil erosion. It exhibits good growth on moderate slopes and fair growth on steep slopes. Slender wheatgrass is widely used for revegetating disturbed lands. Slender wheatgrass is a short-lived perennial with good seedling vigor. It germinates and establishes quickly when seeded making it a good choice for quick cover on disturbed sites. It persists long enough for other, slower developing species to establish. It is especially valuable for use in saline soils. It has been used for rehabilitating mine spoils, livestock ranges, and wildlife habitat and watershed areas.Supporting information
Type locality
Location 1: Mono County, CA Township/Range/Section T10N R21E S36 Latitude 38° 40′ 26″ Longitude 119° 37′ 43″ General legal description Toiyabe National Forest about 0.5 mile west of Monitor Pass; approximately 1,000 feet south and about 900 feet east of the northwest corner of section 36. Other references
USDA NRCS Plants Database (Online; http://plants.usda.gov/).
Fire Effect Information System (Online; http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/).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) Contact for lead author Date Approved by Approval date Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on Annual Production Indicators
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Number and extent of rills:
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Presence of water flow patterns:
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Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
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Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
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Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
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Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
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Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
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Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
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Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
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Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
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Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
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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:
Sub-dominant:
Other:
Additional:
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Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
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Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
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Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
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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:
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Perennial plant reproductive capability:
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