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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): 025X–Owyhee High Plateau
MLRA 25 lies within the Intermontane Plateaus physiographic province. The southern half is in the Great Basin Section of the Basin and Range Province. This part of the MLRA is characterized by isolated, uplifted fault-block mountain ranges separated by narrow, aggraded desert plains. This geologically older terrain has been dissected by numerous streams draining to the Humboldt River. The northern half of the area lies within the Columbia Plateaus geologic province. This part of the MLRA forms the southern boundary of the extensive Columbia Plateau basalt flows. Deep, narrow canyons drain to the Snake River which incise the broad volcanic plain. The Humboldt River, route of a major western pioneer trail, crosses the southern half of this area. Reaches of the Owyhee River in this area have been designated as National Wild and Scenic Rivers.
Associated sites
R025XY412UT Mountain Gravelly Loam (Mountain Big Sagebrush)
Also R025XY030UT and R025XY410UT
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree (1) Populus angustifolia
Shrub (1) Salix lutea
Herbaceous Not specified
Physiographic features
This site occurs on gently sloping flood plains in canyon and small valley bottoms. Slopes are mostly 1 to 10 percent. Elevations range from 5,000 to 8,000 feet on all aspects.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Flood plain
(2) Valley floor
Flooding frequency None Ponding frequency None Elevation 5000 – 8000 ft Slope 1 – 10 % Water table depth 20 – 40 in Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
Mean Annual Air Temperature: 43-46
Mean Annual Soil Temperature: 45-48
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 0 days Freeze-free period (average) 120 days Precipitation total (average) 20 in BarLineFigure 1. Monthly precipitation range
BarLineFigure 2. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
">Influencing water features
Soil features
Characteristic soils in this site are 10 to over 60 inches. Soils are deep and somewhat poorly drained. They formed in alluvium derived mainly from mixed parent materials. These soils are moist throughout the year. They have moderate to rapid permeability. The water table is usually below 40 inches but may be present at 20 inches in the spring. Rock fragment content range from 0 to 70 percent in the profile. The high water table in this soil is the main soil property affecting plant growth. The water supplying capacity is 5 to 14 inches.
Average annual soil loss in potential is approximately 0.5 tons/acre. Average annual precipitation is 7 to 20 inches.
Approximately 25 percent occurs as rain from May through September. On the average, July through September are the driest months and April through June are the wettest months. The mean annual air temperature is 43 to 46 degrees F. and the soil temperatures are in the cryic regime. The average freeze free period is 60 to 120 days. In average years, grasses begin growth around May 1 and end growth around September 30.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Drainage class Somewhat poorly drained Permeability class Moderate to rapid Soil depth 10 – 60 in Subsurface fragment volume <=3"
(Depth not specified)0 – 35 % Subsurface fragment volume >3"
(Depth not specified)0 – 35 % Ecological dynamics
As ecological condition deteriorates due to grazing pressure, palatable grasses, grasslike plants, forbs, and shrubs decrease while unpalatable plants increase.
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 StateCommunity 1.1
Reference StateThe dominant aspect of the potential natural plant community is narrowleaf cottonwood and willow. The composition by air-dry weight is approximately 45 percent perennial grasses and grass-like plants, 15 percent forbs, 20 percent shrubs, and 20 percent trees.
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 630 878 1125 Shrub/Vine 280 390 500 Tree 280 390 500 Forb 210 293 375 Total 1400 1951 2500 Table 6. Soil surface cover
Tree basal cover 10-20% Shrub/vine/liana basal cover 10-20% Grass/grasslike basal cover 20-40% Forb basal cover 10-10% Non-vascular plants 0% Biological crusts 0% Litter 0% Surface fragments >0.25" and <=3" 0% Surface fragments >3" 0% Bedrock 0% Water 0% Bare ground 0% Table 7. Canopy structure (% cover)
Height Above Ground (ft) Tree Shrub/Vine Grass/
GrasslikeForb <0.5 – – – – >0.5 <= 1 – – – 5-15% >1 <= 2 – – 35-45% – >2 <= 4.5 – – – – >4.5 <= 13 – 15-25% – – >13 <= 40 – – – – >40 <= 80 15-25% – – – >80 <= 120 – – – – >120 – – – – Figure 4. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). UT0101 , PNC 0101. Excellent Condition.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec J F M A M J J A S O N D 0 0 5 15 40 20 10 5 5 0 0 0 Additional community tables
Table 8. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Tree0 Primary Trees 200–300 narrowleaf cottonwood POAN3 Populus angustifolia 200–300 – 4 Secondary Trees 40–120 Rocky Mountain maple ACGL Acer glabrum 20–60 – quaking aspen POTR5 Populus tremuloides 20–60 – Shrub/Vine0 Primary Shrubs 240–460 yellow willow SALU2 Salix lutea 100–200 – Woods' rose ROWO Rosa woodsii 60–100 – narrowleaf willow SAEX Salix exigua 60–100 – gray alder ALIN2 Alnus incana 20–60 – 3 Secondary Shrubs 100–200 Shrub (>.5m) 2SHRUB Shrub (>.5m) 100–200 – Saskatoon serviceberry AMAL2 Amelanchier alnifolia 20–60 – redosier dogwood COSE16 Cornus sericea 20–60 – black hawthorn CRDO2 Crataegus douglasii 20–60 – golden currant RIAU Ribes aureum 20–60 – Grass/Grasslike0 Primary Grasses 560–1000 fowl bluegrass POPA2 Poa palustris 200–300 – basin wildrye LECI4 Leymus cinereus 100–200 – Hood's sedge CAHO5 Carex hoodii 100–200 – woolly sedge CAPE42 Carex pellita 100–200 – common spikerush ELPA3 Eleocharis palustris 60–100 – 1 Secondary Grasses 60–100 Grass, annual 2GA Grass, annual 60–100 – Grass, perennial 2GP Grass, perennial 60–100 – creeping bentgrass AGST2 Agrostis stolonifera 20–60 – slender wheatgrass ELTR7 Elymus trachycaulus 20–60 – western wheatgrass PASM Pascopyrum smithii 20–60 – Forb0 Primary Forbs 60–100 Richardson's geranium GERI Geranium richardsonii 60–100 – 2 Secondary Forbs 200–300 Forb, annual 2FA Forb, annual 200–300 – Forb, perennial 2FP Forb, perennial 200–300 – common yarrow ACMI2 Achillea millefolium 20–60 – white sagebrush ARLU Artemisia ludoviciana 20–60 – Rocky Mountain iris IRMI Iris missouriensis 20–60 – Rocky Mountain groundsel PAST10 Packera streptanthifolia 20–60 – English cinquefoil POAN7 Potentilla anglica 20–60 – common dandelion TAOF Taraxacum officinale 20–60 – cows clover TRWO Trifolium wormskioldii 20–60 – Interpretations
Animal community
Wildlife using this site include rabbit, coyote, owl, hawk, mule deer, and elk.
This is a short list of the more common species found. Many other species are present as well and migratory birds are present at times.
Recreational uses
Recreation values are camping, fishing, hunting, and hiking. Natural beauty values exist in the diversity and abundance of plant growth coming from the moist soils found in this site.
Wood products
Fire wood
Other information
Site Factors Influencing Management
For proper maintenance of the key species, this site should be deferred from grazing during the last half of the growing season; at least one year in three or as prescribed after upon examination of the site by qualified authorities.
Supporting information
Type locality
Location 1: Box Elder County, UT Township/Range/Section T13N R17W S36 General legal description Type location: NE ¼ SW ¼ Section 2, Township 13N, Range 17W Legal Description: NE ¼ of the SW ¼, Section 36, Township 13N, Range 17W. Basin Creek at Lynn, Utah Contributors
DJS
J P ReppRangeland 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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