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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.
MLRA notes
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 022A–Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi Mountains
This ESD was developed using older policy requirements which have been improved with the intent of improving ESD products overall. Users should approach these materials with some caution as the content herein, while likely useful for some purposes, was developed within parameters now recognized as needing varying levels of improvement. As always, a site-specific investigation is highly recommended when site-specific management alternatives are to be developed and/or management decisions are to be made.
Each ESD is an interpretation of the ecological relationships between biotic and abiotic aspects of the landscape. Users of this document should be aware of the limitations of this tool to the extent that specific local conditions may not be entirely captured within the ESD. In particular, management decisions should be supported by site-specific inventories, assessments and planning processes based on the best available information including and extending beyond the ESD.
An ESD is not a permanent determination of ecological dynamics. Rather, each ESD is an evolving body of work intrinsically tied to the soil surveys and data associated with soil map unit components of correlated soil-ecological site relationships. As new information becomes available, updates may be made or may be underway at any given time. Minor updates may be made without announcement when such changes do not modify the ecological site concept, the soils correlated or the state-and-transition model.
Associated sites
R022AY011NV MOUNTAIN RIDGE 30+ P.Z.
R022AY021NV SOUTH SLOPE 30+ P.Z.
R022AY031NV LOAMY SLOPE 30+ P.Z.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub (1) Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana
(2) Symphoricarpos oreophilusHerbaceous (1) Leucopoa kingii
(2) Achnatherum occidentalePhysiographic features
This site occurs on sideslopes of mountains and moraines on mostly northerly aspects. Slopes range from 8 to 50 percent. Elevations are 8000 to 11,500 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Mountain slope
(2) Moraine
Elevation 8000 – 11500 ft Slope 8 – 50 % Aspect N, NE, NW Climatic features
The climate is subhumid with cold, moist winters and cool, dry summers. Average annual precipitation is from 16 to 30 inches. Mean annual air temperature is 36 to 43 degrees F. The average growing season is about 30 to 70 days. Climate data used to support this section were derived from PRISM and is not specifically tied to any dominant climate station.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 70 days Freeze-free period (average) 0 days Precipitation total (average) 30 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.<br />
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Soil features
The soils associated with this site are very deep and well drained. They are formed in colluvium from granitic or volcanic rocks. The soils have a mollic epipedon and an argillic horizon. They have moderately rapid to moderate permeability and medium to high surface runoff. The soils are usually moist during late fall, winter, and spring, and dry from July through early October. The moisture regime is xeric bordering on aridic and the temperature regime is cryic.
The soil series associated with this site include: Delhew and Dab
CA729 Toiyabe National Forest Area, California
471;Sumeadow association;Dab
560;Dunderberg-Conwayridge association;Vitrandic Haplocryolls
561;Dunderberg association;Vitrandic Haplocryolls
660;Delhew-Grandridge-Bakscratch association;Delhew
680;Rolldown-Mountpatterson-Rubble land complex, 4 to 30 percent slopes;Dab
700;Coldtree-Rubble land complex, 30 to 75 percent slopes;Dab
790;Dab association;Dab
791;Dab-Longday-Thiefridge association;Dab
792;Dab-Aspocket-Hawkridge association;Dab
NV773 Douglas County Area, Nevada
660;Delhew-Grandridge-Bakscratch association;Delhew
1000;Dab-Longday-Thiefridge association;Dab
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Extremely gravelly sandy loam
(2) Ashy sandy loam
(3) Very gravelly coarse sandy loam
Family particle size (1) Loamy
Drainage class Well drained Permeability class Moderately rapid Soil depth 72 – 0 in Surface fragment cover <=3" 55 – 74 % Surface fragment cover >3" 2 – 4 % Available water capacity
(0-40in)3.2 – 3.8 in 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)2 – 25 % Ecological dynamics
As ecological condition declines, big sagebrush, snowberry and other woody plants increase in prevalence as Letterman's needlegrass, mountain brome and other perennial grasses and forbs decline in the understory.
Fire Ecology:
The fire return interval for mountain big sagebrush communities ranges from 15 to 40 years. Mountain big sagebrush is highly susceptible to injury from fire. Plants are readily killed in all seasons, even by light severity fires. Mountain big sagebrush plants are top-killed by fire and will not resprout. Regeneration of mountain big sagebrush is from on-site or off-site seed. Depending on circumstances of the environment and seed source, mountain big sagebrush seedsState 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 Plant CommunityCommunity 1.1
Reference Plant CommunityThe reference plant community is characterized by an open canopy of soft-woody shrubs and a dense understory of perennial grasses. The plant community is dominated by western needlegrass, mountain brome and mountain big sagebrush. Potential vegetative composition is about 70% grasses, 10% forbs, and 20% 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 375 525 825 Shrub/Vine 100 140 220 Forb 25 35 55 Total 500 700 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 210–490 western needlegrass ACOCO Achnatherum occidentale ssp. occidentale 105–245 – spike fescue LEKI2 Leucopoa kingii 105–245 – 2 Secondary Perennnial Grasses 136–307 Letterman's needlegrass ACLE9 Achnatherum lettermanii 4–21 – Thurber's needlegrass ACTH7 Achnatherum thurberianum 4–21 – mountain brome BRMA4 Bromus marginatus 4–21 – big squirreltail ELMU3 Elymus multisetus 4–21 – needle and thread HECO26 Hesperostipa comata 4–21 – prairie Junegrass KOMA Koeleria macrantha 4–21 – basin wildrye LECI4 Leymus cinereus 4–21 – Sandberg bluegrass POSE Poa secunda 4–21 – Forb4 Perennial Forbs 14–56 tapertip hawksbeard CRAC2 Crepis acuminata 4–14 – buckwheat ERIOG Eriogonum 4–14 – phlox PHLOX Phlox 4–14 – mule-ears WYAM Wyethia amplexicaulis 4–14 – Shrub/Vine5 Evergreen 105–210 mountain big sagebrush ARTRV Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana 70–140 – roundleaf snowberry SYRO Symphoricarpos rotundifolius 350–70 – 6 Secondary Shrubs 14–56 yellow rabbitbrush CHVI8 Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus 4–14 – slender buckwheat ERMI4 Eriogonum microthecum 4–14 – granite prickly phlox LIPU11 Linanthus pungens 4–14 – antelope bitterbrush PUTR2 Purshia tridentata 4–14 – currant RIBES Ribes 4–14 – Interpretations
Animal community
Livestock Interpretations:
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, and a physical impediment to grazing.
Wildlife Interpretations:
Mountain big sagebrush is highly preferred and nutritious winter forage for mule deer.
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.
Supporting information
Type locality
Location 1: Mono County, CA Latitude 38° 31′ 37″ Longitude 119° 19′ 12″ General legal description Toiyabe National Forest Other references
Fire Effect Information System (Online; http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/).
USDA-NRCS Plants Database (Online; http://plants.usda.gov/).
Contributors
ALM/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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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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