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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.
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Figure 1. Mapped extent
Areas shown in blue indicate the maximum mapped extent of this ecological site. Other ecological sites likely occur within the highlighted areas. It is also possible for this ecological site to occur outside of highlighted areas if detailed soil survey has not been completed or recently updated.
Associated sites
R023XY211OR PUMICE CLAYPAN 10-12 PZ
Pumice Claypan 10-12" PZ
R023XY514OR Pumice 8-10 PZ
Pumice 8-10" PZ
R023XY516OR STONY LOAM 10-12 PZ
Stony Loam 10-12" PZ
R023XY607OR PUMICE PLAINS 8-11 PZ
Pumice Plains 8-11" PZ
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R023XY514OR Pumice 8-10 PZ
Pumice 8-10" PZ
R023XY607OR PUMICE PLAINS 8-11 PZ
Pumice Plains 8-11" PZ
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub Not specified
Herbaceous Not specified
Physiographic features
This site occurs as low hills, ridges, or terraces within large basins. It is nearly level except where terraces have been dissected. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent, but some small areas may have slope gradients up to 35 percent. Elevations range from 4300 to 4500 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Hill
(2) Ridge
(3) Terrace
Elevation 4300 – 4500 ft Slope 0 – 5 % Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
The annual precipitation ranges from 9 to 11 inches, which occurs mainly between the months of November and June, mostly in the form of snow and spring-fall rains. The soil temperature regime is frigid and the site seems to be located in an area of cold air drainage. The average annual air temperature is 43 degrees F with extreme temperatures ranging from -30 to 103 degrees F. The frost-free period is 50 to 90 days. The optimum period for plant growth is from mid-April through early July.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 90 days Freeze-free period (average) 0 days Precipitation total (average) 10 in BarLineFigure 2. Monthly precipitation range
BarLineFigure 3. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
">Influencing water features
Soil features
The soils of this site are shallow to a pan, well-drained and have loamy sand surface. The subsoil is moderately alkaline and has a zone of carbonate accumulation in places. They are generally formed from volcanic ash and residuum. Permeability is moderate and the availabe water holding capacity (AWC) is 1 to 3 inches for the profile. The potential for water erosion is low and for wind erosion is high.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Loamy sand
Family particle size (1) Clayey
Drainage class Well drained Permeability class Moderate Available water capacity
(0-40in)1 – 3 in Ecological dynamics
Range in Characteristics:
Dissected areas with more northerly aspects, will support a greater proportion of Idaho fescue and less needlegrass. More gravelly areas and dissected areas with southerly aspects, may support greater amounts of needlegrass, particularly needle-and-thread.State and transition model
Custom diagramStandard diagram
More interactive model formats are also available. View Interactive Models
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
Historic Climax Plant CommunityCommunity 1.1
Historic Climax Plant CommunityThe potential native plant community is dominated by Idaho fescue (about 35 percent), and needlegrasses. Indian ricegrass and squirreltail are prominent in the stand and make up about 10 percent. Big sagebrush is the dominant shrub (about 10 percent), along with smaller amounts of gray and green rabbitbrush, gray horsebrush, and pricklygilia. Vegetative composition is approximately 75 percent grasses, 5 percent forbs, and 20 percent shrubs/trees.
Figure 4. 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 342 429 516 Shrub/Vine 78 105 132 Forb 12 21 30 Total 432 555 678 Additional community tables
Table 6. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Grass/Grasslike1 Perennial, deep-rooted, dominant 180–240 Idaho fescue FEID Festuca idahoensis 180–240 – 2 Perennial, deep-rooted, sub-dominant 162–276 western needlegrass ACOC3 Achnatherum occidentale 90–120 – Thurber's needlegrass ACTH7 Achnatherum thurberianum 30–60 – Indian ricegrass ACHY Achnatherum hymenoides 12–30 – tufted wheatgrass ELMA7 Elymus macrourus 12–30 – needle and thread HECO26 Hesperostipa comata 6–12 – Ross' sedge CARO5 Carex rossii 6–12 – squirreltail ELEL5 Elymus elymoides 6–12 – Forb7 Perennial, all, dominant 6–12 lupine LUPIN Lupinus 6–12 – 9 Other perennial forbs, all 6–18 curvepod milkvetch ASCU4 Astragalus curvicarpus 0–3 – woollypod milkvetch ASPU9 Astragalus purshii 0–3 – fleabane ERIGE2 Erigeron 0–3 – buckwheat ERIOG Eriogonum 0–3 – aster EUCEP2 Eucephalus 0–3 – common starlily LEMO4 Leucocrinum montanum 0–3 – phlox PHLOX Phlox 0–3 – Shrub/Vine11 Perennial, evergreen, dominant 60–90 Wyoming big sagebrush ARTRW8 Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis 60–90 – 12 Perennial, evergreen, sub-dominant 6–12 slender buckwheat ERMI4 Eriogonum microthecum 6–12 – 15 Other perennial shrubs, all 12–30 yellow rabbitbrush CHVI8 Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus 0–6 – rubber rabbitbrush ERNA10 Ericameria nauseosa 0–6 – antelope bitterbrush PUTR2 Purshia tridentata 0–6 – spineless horsebrush TECA2 Tetradymia canescens 0–6 – Interpretations
Animal community
Livestock Grazing:
Water is not usually available on-site. Winter grazing is possilbe in mild winters with little snow, but protection from the cold for livestock is absent due to lack of tall cover.
Native Wildlife Associated with the Potential Climax Community:
Rabbits
Rodents
Mule deer
Sage grouse
Antelope
Pronghorn antelope use this site for winter range.Hydrological functions
The soils of this site have rapid infiltration rates and low runoff potential.
Other information
Adapted species for seedings include crested wheatgrass, thickspike wheatgrass, Siberian wheatgrass, sheep fescue, and Indian ricegrass. Due to shallow soils, the site has low seeding potential.
Supporting information
Contributors
Gene Hickman, S. F. Greenfield (1978)
M. Parks (OSU)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 08/16/2012 Approved by Approval date Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on Annual Production Indicators
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Number and extent of rills:
None -
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):
5-20% -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
None -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None to some, Severe 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):
Slight resistance to erosion: aggregate stability = 1-2 -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Shallow well drained loamy sands (shallow to pan), Neutral to moderately alkaline: Low OM (1-2%) -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Moderate ground cover (60%) and gentle slopes (0-5%) moderately limit rainfall impact and overland flow -
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 > Western needlegrass > Wyoming big sagebrush > Thurber needlegrass > other grasses > other shrubs > forbsSub-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: 800, Normal: 600, Unfavorable: 400 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. 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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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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