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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
R023XY302OR SOUTH SLOPES 12-16 PZ
South Slopes 12-16" PZ
R023XY404OR DEEP NORTH 12-18 PZ
Deep North 12-18" PZ
R023XY406OR SWALE 12-16 PZ
Swale 12-16" PZ
R023XY509OR SUBALPINE SLOPES 16-35 PZ
Subalpine Slopes 16-35" PZ
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree (1) Populus tremuloides
Shrub (1) Symphoricarpos oreophilus
Herbaceous (1) Carex
Physiographic features
This site occurs on mountian sides and in glacial valleys. Slopes range from 2 to 35%. Elevations range from 6000 to 8000 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Mountain
Elevation 6000 – 8000 ft Slope 2 – 35 % Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
The annual precipitation ranges from 16 to 35 inches. Most precipitation occurs as snow during December through March. Soil temperature regimes is cryic. Mean annual air temperature of 40 to 43 degrees F. Teh frost free period ranges from 30 to 60 days. Teh period of optimal plant graowth occurs from late May to late-July.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 50 days Freeze-free period (average) 0 days Precipitation total (average) 30 in BarLineFigure 2. Monthly precipitation range
BarLineFigure 3. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
Figure 4. Annual precipitation pattern
Figure 5 Annual average temperature pattern
">Influencing water features
Soil features
The soils of this site are very deep and well drained. The typical surface textures are gravelly loams amd very gravelly loams. Depths to bedrock are generally greater than 60 inches. Subsurface textures are loamy and gravelly loams. The available water holding capacity is about 8 inches for the profile. Permeability is moderatley slow.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Very gravelly loam
(2) Extremely gravelly loam
Family particle size (1) Loamy
Drainage class Well drained Permeability class Moderately slow Ecological dynamics
Range in Characterisitics:
Aspen and sedges increase in wetter areas with longer duration snowdrifts and subsurface water flows. Mountian big sagebrush and needle grasses increase in drier areas and on coarser textured soils with high surface drainage.
Response to Disturbance:
As the site deteriorates total shrub densities increase while herbaceous species decrease. This is most commonly seen in a total lack of aspen recruitment, resulting in an even-aged stand of aspen.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
Reference StateCommunity 1.1
Reference Plant CommunityThe potential native community is dominated by quaking aspen, snowberry, and sedges. Mountian big sagebrush and needlgrass and mountian brome are also present in the stand. Vegetative composition is about 40 percent grasses, 10 percent forbs, and 50 percent shrubs and trees.
Figure 6. 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 400 600 800 Tree 350 525 700 Shrub/Vine 150 225 300 Forb 100 150 200 Total 1000 1500 2000 Additional community tables
Table 6. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Grass/Grasslike1 Perennial, rhizomatous, moderately deep rooted 150–300 sedge CAREX Carex 150–300 – 2 Perennial, moderately deep rooted bunchgrass 195–450 needlegrass ACHNA Achnatherum 75–150 – Letterman's needlegrass ACLE9 Achnatherum lettermanii 30–75 – western needlegrass ACOC3 Achnatherum occidentale 30–75 – California brome BRCA5 Bromus carinatus 30–75 – melicgrass MELIC Melica 30–75 – 3 Other perennial grasses 30–75 squirreltail ELEL5 Elymus elymoides 0–30 – Idaho fescue FEID Festuca idahoensis 0–30 – sheep fescue FEOV Festuca ovina 0–30 – Sandberg bluegrass POSE Poa secunda 0–30 – Forb5 Perennial Forbs 30–150 common yarrow ACMI2 Achillea millefolium 0–30 – agoseris AGOSE Agoseris 0–30 – pussytoes ANTEN Antennaria 0–30 – rockcress ARABI2 Arabis 0–30 – Indian paintbrush CASTI2 Castilleja 0–30 – fleabane ERIGE2 Erigeron 0–30 – sneezeweed HELEN Helenium 0–30 – desertparsley LOMAT Lomatium 0–30 – phlox PHLOX Phlox 0–30 – cinquefoil POTEN Potentilla 0–30 – ragwort SENEC Senecio 0–30 – meadow-rue THALI2 Thalictrum 0–30 – Shrub/Vine8 Deciduous Shrubs 75–225 mountain snowberry SYOR2 Symphoricarpos oreophilus 75–225 – 9 Evergreen Shrubs 30–75 mountain big sagebrush ARTRV Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana 30–75 – 10 Other Shrubs 30–75 ceanothus CEANO Ceanothus 0–30 – rabbitbrush CHRYS9 Chrysothamnus 0–30 – plum PRUNU Prunus 0–30 – Tree12 Deciduous Sprouting Tree 450–600 Interpretations
Animal community
Livestock Grazing:
This site is suitable for livestock grazing use in the summer and fall under a planned grazing system.
Wildlife:
This site provides hiding and thermal cover for big game, such as elk and mule deer. Wildlife diversity at this site is very important to cavity nesting birds.Hydrological functions
The soils if this site have moderate infiltration rates and medium runoff potential. The hydrologic soil group is B.
Recreational uses
This site provides opportunites for recreational activities such as hunting and camping. This site has high aesthetic value.
Wood products
Potential for non-commercial wood fiber production.
Other information
Suitability for seeding this site is fair due to the short growing season and steep slopes. The risk of seepage limits the construction of livestock watering ponds and other impoundments.
Supporting information
Contributors
Bob Gillaspy
Justin Gredvig
SCS/BLM Team, Hines, ORRangeland 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 08/17/2012 Approved by Approval date Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on Annual Production Indicators
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Number and extent of rills:
None, Moderate sheet & rill erosion hazard -
Presence of water flow patterns:
None to some -
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):
2-12% -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
None -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None, Slight wind erosion hazard -
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Fine to moderately coarse - limited movement -
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Moderately resistant to erosion: aggregate stability = 3-5 -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Very deep well drained gravelly loams: Moderate OM (3-5%) -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Significant ground cover (70-100%) and gentle to moderate slopes (2-35%) effectively 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:
Quaking aspen > Sedges > Mountain snowberry > 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: 2000, Normal: 1500, Unfavorable: 1000 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, while herbaceous species decrease. This decline is most commonly seen in a total lack of aspen recruitment, resulting in an even-aged stand of aspen. -
Perennial plant reproductive capability:
All species should be capable of reproducing annually
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