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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.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub (1) Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana
Herbaceous (1) Stipa occidentalis
(2) Carex rossiiPhysiographic features
This site occurs on nearly level to gently sloping areas within basins. Slopes range from nearly flat to 5 percent. Elevations range from 4,300 to 5,000 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Lava plain
(2) Lake terrace
(3) Lava plateau
Flooding frequency None Ponding frequency None Elevation 1300 – 5000 ft Slope 0 – 5 % Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
The annual precipitation ranges from 10 to 12 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. The 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 moderately deep to very deep and well to somewhat excessively drained. They are generally formed from volcanic ash over residuum or alluvium. Permeability is moderately slow and the available water holding capacity (AWC) is 6.0 to 10.0 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) Gravelly loamy sand
(2) Ashy loamy sand
(3) Gravelly coarse sand
Family particle size (1) Sandy
Drainage class Well drained to somewhat excessively drained Permeability class Moderate to rapid Soil depth 20 – 60 in Surface fragment cover <=3" 15 – 40 % Surface fragment cover >3" 0 – 5 % Available water capacity
(0-40in)1.3 – 7.9 in Calcium carbonate equivalent
(0-40in)Not specified Electrical conductivity
(0-40in)0 – 2 mmhos/cm Sodium adsorption ratio
(0-40in)Not specified Soil reaction (1:1 water)
(0-40in)6.6 – 7.8 Subsurface fragment volume <=3"
(Depth not specified)6 – 35 % Subsurface fragment volume >3"
(Depth not specified)0 – 7 % Ecological dynamics
Areas with greater amounts of gravel and coarse textured soil will have more needlegrass. Other areas higher in ash with less coarse material support greater amounts of Idaho fescue and less needlegrass.
With overgrazing by cattle, Junegrass, Thurber needlegrass, and Ross sedge can be reduced or eliminated from the stand. Burning reduces cover of sagebrush and increases rabbitbrush.
Cheatgrass, gray rabbitbrush, annual phlox, and collinsia may invade this site.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 Plant CommunityCommunity 1.1
Reference Plant CommunityThe reference native plant community is dominated by big sagebrush and western needlegrass. Ross sedge, squirreltail, buckwheat, and green rabbitbrush are also common in the stand.
Vegetative composition is approximately 65% grasses, 5% forbs, and 30% shrubs.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 260 325 390 Shrub/Vine 120 150 180 Forb 20 25 30 Total 400 500 600 Table 6. Canopy structure (% cover)
Height Above Ground (ft) Tree Shrub/Vine Grass/
GrasslikeForb <0.5 – 0-2% – – >0.5 <= 1 – – 5-10% 0-2% >1 <= 2 – – 30-35% 0-3% >2 <= 4.5 – 10-15% – – >4.5 <= 13 – – – – >13 <= 40 – – – – >40 <= 80 – – – – >80 <= 120 – – – – >120 – – – – Additional community tables
Table 7. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Grass/Grasslike1 Perennial, bunch grass, deep-rooted 150–250 western needlegrass ACOCO Achnatherum occidentale ssp. occidentale 150–250 – 2 Upland sedge 50–75 Ross' sedge CARO5 Carex rossii 50–75 – 3 Perennial, bunch-grass, moderately deep-rooted 25–50 squirreltail ELEL5 Elymus elymoides 25–35 – Thurber's needlegrass ACTH7 Achnatherum thurberianum 10–25 – 4 Perennial, rhizomatous 5–10 thickspike wheatgrass ELLA3 Elymus lanceolatus 5–10 – 8 Other perennial grasses 5–10 sedge CAREX Carex 0–5 – Idaho fescue FEID Festuca idahoensis 0–5 – prairie Junegrass KOMA Koeleria macrantha 0–5 – mat muhly MURI Muhlenbergia richardsonis 0–5 – Forb10 Perennial forb 5–10 buckwheat ERIOG Eriogonum 5–10 – 15 Other perennial forbs 5–10 common yarrow ACMI2 Achillea millefolium 0–5 – western pearly everlasting ANMA Anaphalis margaritacea 0–5 – pussytoes ANTEN Antennaria 0–5 – rockcress ARABI2 Arabis 0–5 – woollypod milkvetch ASPU9 Astragalus purshii 0–5 – Indian paintbrush CASTI2 Castilleja 0–5 – fleabane ERIGE2 Erigeron 0–5 – starlily LEUCO Leucocrinum 0–5 – Lewis flax LILE3 Linum lewisii 0–5 – lupine LUPIN Lupinus 0–5 – Shrub/Vine20 Evergreen 100–125 mountain big sagebrush ARTRV Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana 100–125 – 21 Evergreen 20–30 yellow rabbitbrush CHVI8 Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus 20–30 – 22 Sub-shrub 0–5 granite prickly phlox LIPU11 Linanthus pungens 0–5 – Interpretations
Animal community
Winter grazing is possible in mild winters with little snow. Protection from cold is limited due to limited tall cover.
Wildlife include Pronghorn Antelope, Mule Deer, and various rodents.Hydrological functions
Natural water is not usually available on this site.
The soils of this site have high infiltration rates and low runoff potential.Other information
Adapted species for seedings include crested wheatgrass, Siberian wheatgrass, and thickspike wheatgrass.
Supporting information
Contributors
Gene Hickman
Justin GredvigRangeland 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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