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Draft. A draft ecological site description is either incomplete or has not undergone quality control and quality assurance review.
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.
Nevada’s climate is predominantly arid, with large daily ranges of temperature, infrequent severe storms, heavy snowfall in the higher mountains, and great location variations with elevation. Three basic geographical factors largely influence Nevada’s climate: continentality, latitude, and elevation. Continentality is the most important factor. The strong continental effect is expressed in the form of both dryness and large temperature variations. Nevada lies on the eastern, lee side of the Sierra Nevada Range, a massive mountain barrier that markedly influences the climate of the State.
Ecological site concept
This site is found in headwaters and first orders drainages of mountains. Soils are deep, moderately well drained, and derived from colluvium and glacial moraine deposits with a component of loess. Soils have a mollic epipedon and an agrillic horizon. Water table is between 75-100cm for longer than 30 days following snow melt. The upper soil profile is not expected to be dry for longer than 30-45 days during the late summer months. This site received additional soil moisture supplied by run-on from sleep upper slopes.
The reference plant community is dominated by willow, sedges and Osmorhiza spp.Associated sites
F025XY065NV Backslope Aspen
Backslope aspen: dominated by aspen trees
F025XY086NV Deep Subalpine Slope
Deep Subalpine Slope. Site dominated by PIAL overstory.
R025XY076NV SHALLOW LOAM 16+ P.Z.
Shallow Loam 16+: dominated by mountain big sagebrush, well drained soil.
R025XY089NV Subalpine Wet Meadow
Subalpine wet meadow: dominated by herbaceous vegetation and soils are saturated to the surface for greater than 30 days.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub (1) Salix wolfii
(2) Salix oresteraHerbaceous (1) Osmorhiza
(2) CarexPhysiographic features
This ecological site is found in the headwaters of first order drainages on upper mountain terraces of broad valleys and narrow benches of mountain valley backslopes. Elevations are greater than 7,500ft. Slopes range from 8 to 30 percent, but are typically less than 20 percent.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Mountain slope
(2) Mountain valley
Flooding frequency None to very rare Ponding frequency None Elevation 7500 – 10500 ft Slope 8 – 20 % Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
In general, the climate associated with this ecological site is characteristics of the subalpine zone. Winters are long and cold, summers are short and dry.
Mean annual precipitation is about 20-25 inches, mostly occurring as snow during the winter. Mean annual temperature ranges from 36 to 42 degrees F. Average annual growing season is typically less than 60 days.
Mean annual precipitation across the range in which this ES occurs is 18.58".
Monthly mean precipitation: January 1.65”; February 1.68”; March 1.98”; April 2.43”; May 2.41”; June 1.62”; July 0.61”; August 0.63”; September 0.84”; October 1.41”; November 1.51”; December 1.79”.
*The above data is averaged from the Jarbridge 4N and Lamoille PH WRCC climate stations.Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 60 days Freeze-free period (average) 100 days Precipitation total (average) 20 in BarLineFigure 1. Monthly precipitation range
BarLineFigure 2. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
Figure 3. Annual precipitation pattern
Figure 4 Annual average temperature pattern
Climate stations used
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(1) LAMOILLE YOST [USC00264394], Spring Creek, NV
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(2) JARBIDGE 7 N [USC00264039], Jackpot, NV
">Influencing water features
This site receives additional moisture as run-on from steep upper slopes.
Soil features
Soils associated with this site are very deep, moderately well drained and formed in glacial moraine deposits or colluvium derived from metamorphic rock. These soils typically have a 1cm thick organic horizon comprised of moderately decomposed plant matter, a mollic epipedon from the mineral soil surface to 45cm, and an argillic horizon from 45 to 152cm. Soils are a very cobbly sandy clay loam, with a clay content ranging from 27 to 35 percent in the particle size control section. Water table occurs between 75 and 100cm, for 30 days for longer, following spring snow melt. The upper soil profile is not expected to be dry for longer than 30-45 days during the late summer months. Soil moisture regime is typic xeric and the soil temperature regime is cryic. The representative soil series is Bendastik.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Parent material (1) Colluvium – metasedimentary rock
Surface texture (1) Loam
Family particle size (1) Loamy
Drainage class Moderately well drained Soil depth 60 – 80 in Surface fragment cover <=3" 0 – 5 % Surface fragment cover >3" 0 – 5 % Soil reaction (1:1 water)
(0-40in)6.2 – 7.2 Subsurface fragment volume <=3"
(Depth not specified)15 – 35 % Subsurface fragment volume >3"
(Depth not specified)0 – 5 % Ecological dynamics
This ecological site is dominated by a mesic shrub overstory with an understory dominated by perennial forbs and other mesic herbaceous plants such as Carex spp. Understory vegetation is determined by available moisture in the soil profile. Mesic forb understories often occupy dryer sites with a water table 35-100 cm (Youngblood, 1985). Carex dominated understories occur on moister sites with a water table averaging 28cm (Youngblood, 1985). Climate change and climate driven changes, like drought, may reduce abundance of early succession woody species in favor of herbaceous species (Perry, 2012). This site has the ability to recover from drought due to its somewhat poorly drained soil profile, and general proximity to extra moisture when available.
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 StateThe reference state is considered to be representative of the natural range of variability under pre Euro-American settlement conditions. The plant community is characterized by an overstory of deciduous shrubs and a herbaceous understory made up of rhizomatous grass-likes, perennial bunch-grasses and tap-rooted perennial forbs. Primary disturbances effecting plant community composition include heavy snow loading and drought.
Community 1.1
Community phase 1.1The reference plant community is dominated by an overstory of Wolf's willow (Salix wolfii). The understory is dominated by sedges(Carex spp.)and sweet root(Osmorhiza spp.)
Figure 5. 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)Shrub/Vine 400 500 650 Forb 200 250 325 Grass/Grasslike 200 250 325 Total 800 1000 1300 Additional community tables
Table 6. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Grass/Grasslike1 Perennial grass/grass-likes 200–325 sedge CAREX Carex 80–130 10–20 creeping bentgrass AGST2 Agrostis stolonifera 40–60 2–6 bluejoint CACA4 Calamagrostis canadensis 40–60 2–6 mountain brome BRMA4 Bromus marginatus 3–10 0–3 Columbia needlegrass ACNE9 Achnatherum nelsonii 3–10 0–3 western needlegrass ACOC3 Achnatherum occidentale 3–10 0–3 tufted hairgrass DECE Deschampsia cespitosa 3–10 0–3 blue wildrye ELGL Elymus glaucus 3–10 0–3 muhly MUHLE Muhlenbergia 3–10 0–3 Kentucky bluegrass POPR Poa pratensis 3–10 0–3 Forb2 Perennial forbs 200–325 sweetroot OSMOR Osmorhiza 120–195 15–30 Fendler's meadow-rue THFE Thalictrum fendleri 15–20 2–5 Columbian monkshood ACCO4 Aconitum columbianum 15–20 2–5 owl's-claws HYHO Hymenoxys hoopesii 10–15 1–5 feathery false lily of the valley MARA7 Maianthemum racemosum 10–15 1–5 California false hellebore VECA2 Veratrum californicum 5–10 1–5 Pacific onion ALVA Allium validum 5–10 1–5 shootingstar DODEC Dodecatheon 5–10 2–5 willowherb EPILO Epilobium 5–10 1–5 subalpine fleabane ERPE3 Erigeron peregrinus 5–10 1–5 HYFO7 Hypericum formosum 5–10 1–5 bedstraw GALIU Galium 1–5 1–5 western columbine AQFO Aquilegia formosa 1–5 0–3 heartleaf arnica ARCO9 Arnica cordifolia 1–5 0–3 common yarrow ACMI2 Achillea millefolium 1–5 0–3 elephanthead lousewort PEGR2 Pedicularis groenlandica 1–5 0–3 dock RUCO7 Rumex ×confusus 1–5 0–3 Canada goldenrod SOCA6 Solidago canadensis 1–5 0–3 Shrub/Vine3 Shrubs 400–650 Wolf's willow SAWO Salix wolfii 160–260 20–30 Geyer willow SAGE2 Salix geyeriana 80–130 10–20 Sierra willow SAOR Salix orestera 80–130 10–20 shrubby cinquefoil DAFR6 Dasiphora fruticosa 10–25 1–10 western Labrador tea LEGL Ledum glandulosum 10–25 1–5 twinberry honeysuckle LOIN5 Lonicera involucrata 10–25 1–5 chokecherry PRVI Prunus virginiana 5–25 1–5 redosier dogwood COSE16 Cornus sericea 5–25 1–5 Interpretations
Supporting information
Other references
Youngblood, A.P. Padgett, W.G. and Winward A.H. 1985. Riparian community type classification of eastern Idaho - western Wyoming. Pages 39-45. USDA, US Forest Service, Intermountain Region.
Perry, L.G. Andersen, D.C. Reynolds, L.V. Nelson, S.M. Shafroth P.B. 2012. Vulnerability of riparian ecosystems to elevated CO2 and climate change in arid and semiarid western North America. Global Change Biology, Vol 18, Pages 821-842.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) 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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