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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
R024XY001OR SODIC FLAT
Sodic Flat (higher sodic conditions, finer textured thin surface layer, scattered small coppice mounds dominated by SAVE4, lower production, different composition – SAVE4/DISP dominant, LECI4 scattered)
R024XY002OR SODIC MEADOW 6-10 PZ
Sodic Meadow (higher sodic conditions, finer texture thin surface layer, located in ephemeral seepage areas along dry alkali lakebeds, higher production, different composition –SPAI & DISP dominant, SAVE4 & LECI4 minor)
R024XY003OR SODIC BOTTOM
Sodic Bottom (finer surface texture, additional available subsurface moisture, higher production, different composition - SAVE4/LECI4-DISP association, ARTRT minor)
R024XY012OR SANDY 6-10 PZ
Sandy 6-10 PZ (non-sodic low terrace sandy soil, higher production, different composition – ARTRT/HEC026-ACHY association, SAVE4 and DISP absent, LECI4 minor, ATCA2 variable)
R024XY013OR LOW SODIC TERRACE 6-10 PZ
Low Sodic Terrace 6-10 PZ (droughtier sodic soil, loamy to fine loamy surface texture, slightly higher position, less production, different composition – SAVE4 dominant, ATCO, GRSP,PIDE4 prominent, ARTRT & LECI4 minor)
Similar sites
R024XY012OR SANDY 6-10 PZ
Sandy 6-10 PZ (non-sodic low terrace sandy soil, higher production, different composition – ARTRT/HEC026-ACHY association, SAVE4 and DISP absent, LECI4 minor, ATCA2 variable)
R024XY110OR DUNES
Dunes (non-sodic sandy dunes, higher production, lower sodic conditions, higher production, different composition – ARTRT/HEC026-ACHY association, SAVE4 and DISP absent, LECI4 and LETR5 common)
R024XY644OR SILTY DUNES
Silty Dunes (silty to silty clay loam sodic dunes, higher production, different composition – SAVE4 and LETR5 dominant, ARTRT, LECI4 and DISP minor)
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub (1) Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata
(2) Sarcobatus vermiculatusHerbaceous (1) Leymus cinereus
(2) Achnatherum hymenoidesPhysiographic features
This site typically occurs in windblown sands on the floors of dry sodic lake basins. The windblown sands have accumulated around the edges of old shorelines. Slopes typically range from 1 to 15 percent with short reaches up to 30 percent on leeward dune faces. Elevations vary from 4,000 to 4,600 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Basin floor
(2) Pluvial lake (relict)
(3) Shoreline
Ponding frequency None Elevation 4000 – 4600 ft Slope 1 – 15 % Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
The annual precipitation ranges from 8 to 10 inches, most of which occurs in the form of rain and snow during the months of December through April. A short duration supply of ephemeral subsurface moisture augments the precipitation. The soil temperature regime is mesic to frigid near mesic with a mean air temperature of 45-50 degrees F. Temperature extremes range from 100 to -20 degrees F. The frost-free period ranges from 50 to 110 days. The optimum period for plant growth is from April to early June.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 110 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 very deep, coarse textured and somewhat excessively drained. Typically they are salt affected overblown loamy fine sands and sands. Substratums are fine to loamy textured old lakebed sediments. Reaction is variable from slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline. Depth to lacustrine sediment ranges from from six inches to over three feet. Permeability is moderately rapid to rapid. The available water holding capacity (AWC) is about 1 to 4.5 inches for the profile. The wind erosion potential is severe. The water erosion potential is low due to the high intake rate.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Parent material (1) Eolian sands – rhyolite
Surface texture (1) Loamy sand
(2) Fine sand
(3) Sand
Family particle size (1) Sandy
Drainage class Somewhat excessively drained to excessively drained Permeability class Moderately rapid to rapid Soil depth 72 – 0 in Surface fragment cover <=3" Not specified Surface fragment cover >3" Not specified Available water capacity
(0-40in)0.8 – 4.5 in Calcium carbonate equivalent
(0-40in)0 – 15 % Electrical conductivity
(0-40in)0 – 12 mmhos/cm Sodium adsorption ratio
(0-40in)0 – 30 Soil reaction (1:1 water)
(0-40in)6.6 – 9 Subsurface fragment volume <=3"
(Depth not specified)Not specified Subsurface fragment volume >3"
(Depth not specified)Not specified Ecological dynamics
The potential native plant community is dominated by basin big sagebrush, greasewood and Indian ricegrass. Basin wildrye is common. Spiny hopsage, needle and thread, beardless (creeping) wildrye, alkali sacaton, and a variety of forbs are present. Vegetative composition of the community is approximately 60 percent grasses, 10 percent forbs, and 30 percent shrubs. The approximate ground cover is 50 to 60 percent (basal and crown).
Range in Characteristics:
Soil surface characteristics and the availability of seasonal subsurface moisture influences the composition and production of the site. As available subsurface moisture increases and salts decrease basin wildrye and total production increases. With a decrease in salts and available subsurface moisture Indian ricegrass, needle and thread, and basin big sagebrush will increase. As salts increase greasewood, saltgrass, alkali sacaton and other salt tolerant species increase in the stand. Alkali sacaton, a warm season grass, increases at the southern end of the site range.
Response to Disturbance - States
When the condition of the site deteriorates as a result of over grazing, basin wildrye, Indian ricegrass and needle and thread decrease. Greasewood, alkali rabbitbrush, saltgrass and unpalatable forbs increase. Surface alkalinity increases and areas of bare ground increase. Localized dune wind erosion becomes severe. Production decreases and site deterioration continues to occur in a cyclic pattern.
States: SAVE4-ERNAO/DISP - active sand blows & bare groundState 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 reference plant community is dominated by basin big sagebrush, greasewood, and Indian ricegrass. Basin wildrye is common. Spiny hopsage, needle and thread, beardless (creeping) wildrye, alkali sacaton, saltgrass, and a variety of forbs are present. Vegetative composition of the community is approximately 60 percent grasses, 10 percent forbs and 30 percent shrubs. The approximate ground cover is 50 to 60 percent (basal and crown).
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 180 300 420 Shrub/Vine 90 150 210 Forb 30 50 70 Total 300 500 700 Additional community tables
Table 6. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Grass/Grasslike1 Moderately-deep rooted bunchgrass 100–125 Indian ricegrass ACHY Achnatherum hymenoides 100–125 – 2 Deep rooted bunchgrass 50–150 basin wildrye LECI4 Leymus cinereus 50–150 – needle and thread HECO26 Hesperostipa comata 25–50 – basin wildrye LECI4 Leymus cinereus 25–50 – beardless wildrye LETR5 Leymus triticoides 10–25 – alkali sacaton SPAI Sporobolus airoides 10–25 – 4 Perennial, moderately-deep rooted grasses 45–100 needle and thread HECO26 Hesperostipa comata 25–50 – beardless wildrye LETR5 Leymus triticoides 10–25 – alkali sacaton SPAI Sporobolus airoides 10–25 – 5 Other perennial grasses 10–20 saltgrass DISP Distichlis spicata 0–10 – squirreltail ELEL5 Elymus elymoides 0–10 – bluegrass POA Poa 0–10 – sand dropseed SPCR Sporobolus cryptandrus 0–10 – Forb9 Perennial forbs 10–75 milkvetch ASTRA Astragalus 0–10 – yellow spiderflower CLLU2 Cleome lutea 0–10 – sulphur-flower buckwheat ERUM Eriogonum umbellatum 0–10 – povertyweed IVAX Iva axillaris 0–10 – desertparsley LOMAT Lomatium 0–10 – lupine LUPIN Lupinus 0–10 – whitestem blazingstar MEAL6 Mentzelia albicaulis 0–10 – hairy evening primrose OEVI Oenothera villosa 0–10 – sharpleaf penstemon PEAC Penstemon acuminatus 0–10 – scurfpea PSORA2 Psoralidium 0–10 – dock RUMEX Rumex 0–10 – scarlet globemallow SPCO Sphaeralcea coccinea 0–10 – seepweed SUAED Suaeda 0–10 – thelypody THELY Thelypodium 0–10 – deathcamas ZIGAD Zigadenus 0–10 – Shrub/Vine10 Evergreen, non-sprouting shrub 25–75 basin big sagebrush ARTRT Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata 25–75 – 11 Deciduous, non-sprouting shrub 25–50 greasewood SAVE4 Sarcobatus vermiculatus 25–50 – 12 Evergreen, non-sprouting shrub 10–25 spiny hopsage GRSP Grayia spinosa 10–25 – 14 Deciduous, sprouting shrub 0–25 fourwing saltbush ATCA2 Atriplex canescens 0–25 – 15 Other shrubs 10–50 shadscale saltbush ATCO Atriplex confertifolia 0–10 – yellow rabbitbrush CHVI8 Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus 0–10 – rubber rabbitbrush ERNAO Ericameria nauseosa ssp. consimilis var. oreophila 0–10 – winterfat KRLA2 Krascheninnikovia lanata 0–10 – bud sagebrush PIDE4 Picrothamnus desertorum 0–10 – littleleaf horsebrush TEGL Tetradymia glabrata 0–10 – shortspine horsebrush TESP2 Tetradymia spinosa 0–10 – Interpretations
Animal community
Livestock Grazing:
This sandy site is subject to severe wind erosion and can be severely damaged by heavy grazing. Limited shorter duration livestock grazing use is suitable during the late spring, fall and early winter under a planned grazing system. Use should be postponed until the soils are firm enough to prevent trampling damage and soil compaction. Grazing management should be keyed for Indian ricegrass and basin wildrye. The site can be damaged if heavily grazed during periods of Indian ricegrass and basin wildrye flowering and seed formation. Both these species provide excellent standing dried forage during winter dormancy. Deferred grazing or rest is recommended at least once every three years.
Wildlife:
This site is used by mule deer, pronghorn antelope, rabbits, rodents, upland birds and various predators. It provides excellent cover and winter-spring forage for mule deer, antelope and upland birds. Cover is excellent when ecological condition is high.Hydrological functions
The soils of this site are typically near the lowest topographic position of dry sodic lake basins. They have low runoff potential due to the rapid infiltration rate of the sands. The soils are in hydrologic group A.
The potential for wind erosion is severe. Localized severe wind erosion occurs when the potential vegetation is less than 70 percent of potential and bare soil surface increases.
Other information
Any type of prescribed grazing and other land treatment should be designed to protect the soil from wind erosion. The potential for range seeding is low due to the site’s susceptibility to wind erosion, the droughty nature of the site and salt concentrations. Soils are corrosive to steel.
Supporting information
Contributors
J.Joye(OSU)
NRCS/BLM Team - Ontario
NRCS/BLM Team - Vale (up-date)
SCS/BLM Team - Burns (1985&1994)
SCS/BLM Team, BurnsRangeland 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) Bob Gillaspy Contact for lead author State Rangeland Management Specialist for NRCS Oregon Date 11/10/2016 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):
40 - 50% -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
None. -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None to some. Significant wind ersoion hazard. -
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Limited movement of fine to moderately coarse litter. -
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Site is slightly resistant to erosion. Stability class (Herrick et al. 2001) anticipated to be 2-3 at surface under perennial vegetation. Stability class at surface in the interspaces is anticipated to be less than or equal to that under perennial vegetation. -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Surface layer structure is single grain to moderate medium platy structure. The A horizon has a dry color of 6 - 7 and is 3 - 5 inches thick. The Soil Organic Matter (SOM) content is low (0 to 1%). -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Infiltration and runoff is dominantly controlled by the high water intake rate of the soils. Plant foliar cover and basal cover with small (1 - 2 foot) gaps between plants should reduce raindrop impact and slow overland flow, providing increased time for infiltration to occur. High herbaceous vegetation on this site will retain more water from precipitation. Moderate ground cover (50 - 60%) with moderate slopes (1-15%) 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:
Deep rooted bunchgrass > Rhizomatous grassSub-dominant:
Shrubs > Other Perennial Grasses = ForbsOther:
Additional:
-
Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
Grasses will nearly always show some mortality and decadence. Normal decadence and mortality expected on other plants. -
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
-
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
Low 300 lbs/acre, Representative Value 500 lbs/acre, High 700 lbs/acre -
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:
Cheatgrass and mustard may invade this site. -
Perennial plant reproductive capability:
All species should be capable of reproducing annually.
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