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Ecological site F028AY128NV

PIPOS/SALIX/CANE2

Accessed: 08/31/2026

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General information

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): 028A–Ancient Lake Bonneville

MLRA 28A occurs in Utah (82%), Nevada (16%), and Idaho (2%). It makes up about 36,775 square miles (95,300 square kilometers). About three-fifths of this area is federally owned land, large tracts of which are used for military training and testing purposes by the. A large area west and southwest of Great Salt Lake is a salty playa. This area is the farthest eastern extent of the Great Basin Section of the Basin and Range Province of the Intermontane Plateaus. It is an area of nearly level basins between widely separated mountain ranges trending north to south. The basins are bordered by long, gently sloping alluvial fans. The mountains are uplifted fault blocks with steep side slopes. They are not well dissected because of low rainfall in the MLRA. Most of the valleys are closed basins containing sinks or playa lakes. Elevation ranges from 3,950 to 6,560 feet (1,205 to 2,000 meters) in the basins and from 6,560 to 11,150 feet (2,000 to 3,400 meters) in the mountains.
Most of this area has alluvial valley fill and playa lakebed deposits at the surface. Great Salt Lake is all that remains of glacial Lake Bonneville, which covered this area during the most recent ice age. A level line on some mountain slopes indicates the former extent of this glacial lake. The uplifted mountains have exposed some Precambrian rocks at their margins. Most of the mountains in the interior of this area consist of tilted blocks of marine sediments from Cambrian to Mississippian age. Scattered outcrops of Tertiary continental sediments and volcanic rocks are throughout the area.
The average annual precipitation is 5 to 12 inches (125 to 305 millimeters) in the valleys and is as much as 49 inches (1,245 millimeters) in the mountains. Most of the rainfall occurs as high-intensity, convective thunderstorms during the growing season. The driest period is from midsummer to early autumn. Precipitation in winter typically occurs as snow. The average annual temperature is 39 to 53 degrees F (4 to 12 degrees C). The freeze-free period averages 165 days and ranges from 110 to 215 days, decreasing in length with elevation.
The dominant soil orders in this MLRA are Aridisols, Entisols, and Mollisols. The soils in the area dominantly have a mesic or frigid soil temperature regime, an aridic or xeric soil moisture regime, and mixed mineralogy. They generally are well drained or somewhat excessively drained, loamy or loamy-skeletal, and very deep.

Ecological site concept

This forest site occurs along mountain stream terraces. Slopes range from 4 to 15 percent, but are typically 4 to 8 percent. Elevations are 7300 to about 9000 feet.

Average annual precipitation is over 14 inches. Mean annual air temperature is 39 to 43 degrees F. The average growing season is 40 to 70 days.

Soils associated with this forest site are typically very deep, well drained that formed in mixed alluvium derived from limestone, quartzite and granite. The soils of this site are skeletal with 60 to 80 percent rock fragments by volume, predominantly gravels in the upper horizons and cobbles and stones in the lower horizons. Soil reaction is neutral.

The reference state is dominated by Rocky Mountain ponderosa pine. Wood’s rose, Booth’s willow, and narrowleaf willow are the principal understory shrubs. Nebraska sedge and Nevada bluegrass are the most prevalent understory grasses and grasslikes. An overstory canopy cover of about 20 to 35 percent is assumed to be representative of tree dominance on this site in the pristine environment. Wildfire is recognized as a natural disturbance that strongly influenced the structure and composition of the climax vegetation of this forest site. Overstory tree canopy composition is 90 percent ponderosa pine. Other tree species such as Rocky Mountain white fir (Abies concolor var. concolor), Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca), Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) and quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), may occur on the site, and collectively, comprise less than 10 percent of the total tree overstory canopy. Where this site associates with singleleaf pinyon and Utah juniper communities, these trees may compose up to 5 percent of the overstory.

Table 1. Dominant plant species

Tree	(1) Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum
Shrub	(1) Salix
Herbaceous	(1) Carex nebrascensis

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Physiographic features

This forest site occurs along mountain stream terraces. Slopes range from 4 to 15 percent, but are typically 4 to 8 percent. Elevations are 7300 to about 9000 feet.

Table 2. Representative physiographic features

Landforms	(1) Stream terrace
Flooding duration	Brief (2 to 7 days)
Flooding frequency	Occasional
Elevation	7000 – 9000 ft
Slope	4 – 15 %
Water table depth	30 – 39 in

Climatic features

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. The prevailing winds are from the west, and as the warm moist air from the Pacific Ocean ascend the western slopes of the Sierra Range, the air cools, condensation occurs and most of the moisture falls as precipitation. As the air descends the eastern slope, it is warmed by compression, and very little precipitation occurs. The effects of this mountain barrier are felt not only in the West but throughout the state, with the result that the lowlands of Nevada are largely desert or steppes. The temperature regime is also affected by the blocking of the inland-moving maritime air. Nevada sheltered from maritime winds, has a continental climate with well-developed seasons and the terrain responds quickly to changes in solar heating.
Nevada lies within the mid-latitude belt of prevailing westerly winds which occur most of the year. These winds bring frequent changes in weather during the late fall, winter and spring months, when most of the precipitation occurs. To the south of the mid-latitude westerlies, lies a zone of high pressure in subtropical latitudes, with a center over the Pacific Ocean. In the summer, this high-pressure belt shifts northward over the latitudes of Nevada, blocking storms from the ocean. The resulting weather is mostly clear and dry during the summer and early fall, with scattered thundershowers. The eastern portion of the state receives significant summer thunderstorms generated from monsoonal moisture pushed up from the Gulf of California, known as the North American monsoon. The monsoon system peaks in August and by October the monsoon high over the Western U.S. begins to weaken and the precipitation retreats southward towards the tropics (NOAA 2004).

Average annual precipitation is over 14 inches. Mean annual air temperature is 39 to 43 degrees F. The average growing season is 40 to 70 days.

Table 3 Representative climatic features

Frost-free period (average)	70 days
Freeze-free period (average)	0 days
Precipitation total (average)	20 in

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Figure 1. Monthly precipitation range

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Line

Figure 2. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature

Soil features

Soils associated with this forest site are typically very deep, well drained that formed in mixed alluvium derived from limestone, quartzite and granite. The soils of this site are skeletal with 60 to 80 percent rock fragments by volume, predominantly gravels in the upper horizons and cobbles and stones in the lower horizons. Soil reaction is neutral. Available water capacity is moderate. Runoff is low, and permeability is moderate. Soils are susceptible to occasional flooding for brief periods between March and September.
Soil series associated with this site includes: Rippo.

Table 4. Representative soil features

Parent material	(1) Alluvium – limestone
Surface texture	(1) Very cobbly loam
Family particle size	(1) Loamy
Drainage class	Well drained
Permeability class	Moderate
Soil depth	72 – 84 in
Surface fragment cover <=3"	5 – 15 %
Surface fragment cover >3"	10 – 15 %
Available water capacity (0-40in)	5 – 5.1 in
Calcium carbonate equivalent (0-40in)	Not specified
Electrical conductivity (0-40in)	Not specified
Sodium adsorption ratio (0-40in)	Not specified
Soil reaction (1:1 water) (0-40in)	6.1 – 7.8
Subsurface fragment volume <=3" (Depth not specified)	15 – 31 %
Subsurface fragment volume >3" (Depth not specified)	30 – 52 %

Ecological dynamics

Major Successional Stages of Forest Development:

HERBACEOUS: Vegetation is dominated by grasses and forbs under full sunlight. This stage is experienced after a major disturbance such as crown fire. Skeleton forest (dead trees) remaining after fire or residual trees left following harvest have little or no affect on the composition and production of the herbaceous vegetation.

SHRUB-HERBACEOUS: Herbaceous vegetation and woody shrubs dominate the site. Various amounts of tree seedlings (less than 20 inches in height) may be present up to the point where they are obviously a major component of the vegetal structure.

SAPLING: In the absence of disturbance the tree seedlings develop into saplings (20 inches to 4.5 feet in height) with a range in canopy cover of about 5 to 10 percent. Vegetation consists of grasses, forbs and shrubs in association with tree saplings.

IMMATURE FOREST: The visual aspect and vegetal structure are dominated by ponderosa pine greater than 4.5 feet in height. The young ponderosa pine are still very susceptible to fire at this stage. Seedlings and saplings of ponderosa pine are common in the understory. Dominants are the tallest trees on the site; co-dominants are 65 to 85 percent of the highest of dominant trees. Understory vegetation is moderately influenced by a tree overstory canopy of about 15 to 25 percent.

MATURE FOREST: This stage is dominated by ponderosa pine that have reached or are near maximal heights for the site. Tree canopy cover ranges from 20 to 35 percent. Understory vegetation is strongly influenced by tree competition, overstory shading, duff accumulation, etc. Infrequent, yet periodic, wildfire is presumed to be a natural factor influencing the understory of mature ponderosa pine forests. Mature Ponderosa pine trees are relatively resistant to cool, slow burning, wildfires through the understory due to their thick, insulating bark. This stage of community development is assumed to be representative of this forest site in the pristine environment.

OVER-MATURE FOREST: This stage is dominated by ponderosa pine that have reached maximal heights for the site. Understory vegetation is reduced due to tree competition, overstory shading, duff accumulation, etc. Few seedlings or saplings of ponderosa pine are found in the understory.

Fire Ecology:
Rocky Mountain ponderosa pine is rated "very resistant" to fire. No other conifer within its range is better adapted to survive surface fires, which often char but usually do not kill mature trees. Adaptations to survive surface fires include open crowns; self-pruning branches; thick, insulative, relatively unflammable bark; thick bud scales; tight needle bunches that enclose and protect meristems, then open into a loose arrangement that does not favor combustion or propagation of flames; high foliar moisture; and a deep rooting habit. Trees in widely spaced stands are typically better equipped to survive surface fire than trees in denser stands because they develop thicker bark. Ponderosa pine cannot survive crown fire, but mature trees can survive a considerable amount of scorching. The effect of fire is related to tree size, fire severity, and stand density. Low-severity surface fires usually kill trees less than 3 to 5 years of age or less than 6 inches dbh, and mortality in the 6- to 30-inch dbh class is not unusual. Willow will generally sprout from its root crown or stem base following fire. However, severe fires can completely remove organic soil layers, leaving willow roots exposed and charred, thus eliminating basal sprouting. Nebraska sedge has a high fire tolerance. Nebraska sedge is common under infrequent fire regimes, due to the high moisture in the surrounding area.

State and transition model

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Ecosystem states

1. Reference State

State 1 submodel, plant communities

1.1. Reference Plant Community

State 1
Reference State

Community 1.1
Reference Plant Community

The reference plant community is dominated by Rocky Mountain ponderosa pine. Wood’s rose, Booth’s willow, and narrowleaf willow are the principal understory shrubs. Nebraska sedge and Nevada bluegrass are the most prevalent understory grasses and grasslikes. An overstory canopy cover of about 20 to 35 percent is assumed to be representative of tree dominance on this site in the pristine environment. Wildfire is recognized as a natural disturbance that strongly influenced the structure and composition of the climax vegetation of this forest site. Overstory tree canopy composition is 90 percent ponderosa pine. Other tree species such as Rocky Mountain white fir (Abies concolor var. concolor), Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca), Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) and quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), may occur on the site, and collectively, comprise less than 10 percent of the total tree overstory canopy. Where this site associates with singleleaf pinyon and Utah juniper communities, these trees may compose up to 5 percent of the overstory.

Forest overstory.MATURE FOREST: This stage is dominated by Rocky Mountain ponderosa pine that have reached or are near maximal heights for the site. Tree canopy cover ranges from 20 to 35 percent. Understory vegetation is strongly influenced by tree competition, overstory shading, duff accumulation, etc. Infrequent, yet periodic, wildfire is presumed to be a natural factor influencing the understory of mature ponderosa pine forests. Mature ponderosa pine trees are relatively resistant to cool, slow burning, wildfires through the understory due to their thick, insulating bark. This stage of community development is assumed to be representative of this forest site in the pristine environment.

Forest understory. Understory vegetative composition is about 20 percent grasses, 10 percent forbs and 70 percent shrubs and young trees when the average overstory canopy is medium (20 to 35 percent). Average understory production ranges from 1000 to 1800 pounds per acre with a medium canopy cover. Understory production includes the total annual production of all species within 4.5 feet of the ground surface.

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)
Shrub/Vine	550	825	990
Grass/Grasslike	300	450	540
Forb	100	150	180
Tree	50	75	90
Total	1000	1500	1800

Additional community tables

Table 6. Community 1.1 plant community composition

Group	Common name	Symbol	Scientific name	Annual production ()	Foliar cover (%)
Grass/Grasslike
1	Primary Perennial Grasses			150–270
	Nebraska sedge	CANE2	Carex nebrascensis	75–135	–
2	Secondary Perennial Grasses			45–225
	flatsedge	CYPER	Cyperus	15–75	–
	beardless wildrye	LETR5	Leymus triticoides	15–75	–
Forb
3	Perennial Forbs			60–300
	common yarrow	ACMI2	Achillea millefolium	15–75	–
	aster	ASTER	Aster	15–75	–
	cinquefoil	POTEN	Potentilla	15–75	–
	woolly mule-ears	WYMO	Wyethia mollis	15–75	–
Shrub/Vine
4	Primary Shrubs			375–675
	water birch	BEOC2	Betula occidentalis	75–135	–
	currant	RIBES	Ribes	75–135	–
	Woods' rose	ROWO	Rosa woodsii	75–135	–
	Booth's willow	SABO2	Salix boothii	75–135	–
	narrowleaf willow	SAEX	Salix exigua	75–135	–
5	Secondary Shrubs			90–450
	big sagebrush	ARTR2	Artemisia tridentata	15–75	–
	curl-leaf mountain mahogany	CELE3	Cercocarpus ledifolius	15–75	–
	rubber rabbitbrush	ERNA10	Ericameria nauseosa	15–75	–
	creeping barberry	MARE11	Mahonia repens	15–75	–
	antelope bitterbrush	PUTR2	Purshia tridentata	15–75	–
	snowberry	SYMPH	Symphoricarpos	15–75	–
Tree
6	Trees			15–75

Table 7. Community 1.1 forest overstory composition

Common name	Symbol	Scientific name	Nativity	Height ft	Canopy cover (%)	Diameter in	Basal area (square ft/acre)
Tree
ponderosa pine	PIPO	Pinus ponderosa	Native	–	90-100	–	0
Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir	PSMEG	Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca	Native	–	0-3	–	0
Rocky Mountain juniper	JUSC2	Juniperus scopulorum	Native	–	0-2	–	0
quaking aspen	POTR5	Populus tremuloides	Native	–	0-2	–	0

Interpretations

Animal community

Livestock Interpretations:
This site is suited to cattle and sheep grazing during the summer and fall. Grazing management should be keyed to Nebraska sedge and Nevada bluegrass production.
Livestock will often concentrate on this site taking advantage due to the presence of shade, shelter and water. In the West, willows are generally considered to be more palatable to sheep than to cattle, but cattle may make greater use of willow because they tend to frequent riparian areas. Water birch is generally considered to have a poor to fair palatability rating for most classes of livestock and wildlife. It may be slightly more palatable to sheep and goats than to cattle and horses. Water birch is only lightly browsed by most classes of livestock. This species can sometimes form dense, monotypic stands, thereby excluding access to livestock. Community herbage production for livestock may be low as a result of frequent flooding and alluvium deposition. Bluegrass is a widespread forage grass. It is one of the earliest grasses in the spring and is sought by domestic livestock and several wildlife species. Nevada bluegrass is a palatable species, but its production is closely tied to weather conditions. It produces little forage in drought years, making it a less dependable food source than other perennial bunchgrasses.

Wildlife Interpretations:
This site has moderate value for mule deer and elk during the summer and fall. Various songbirds, rodents, reptiles and associated predators natural to the area, also use it. Willows provide food and cover for many wildlife species. Willows, in general, are a preferred food and building material of beaver. It is especially important for deer and nongame birds. Willow is moderately to highly palatable for mule deer and elk, and is an important browse during winter. Ducks, grouse, other birds, and small mammals eat willow shoots, catkins, buds, and leaves. Browsing of water birch by big game animals such as mule deer and elk is light; use increases when other more palatable woody species become scarce. Beaver build dams and lodges with water birch stems. Sedges have a high to moderate resource value for elk and a medium value for mule deer. Elk consume beaked sedge later in the growing season.

Hydrological functions

The hydrologic cover condition of this site is fair in a representative stand. The average runoff curve is about 60 for group A soils. (See Section 4, SCS National Engineering Handbook for runoff quantities and hydrologic curves).

Recreational uses

The trees on this site provide a welcome break in an otherwise open landscape. It has potential for hiking, cross-country skiing, camping, and deer and upland game hunting.

Wood products

The wood of ponderosa pine is valuable for lumber.
This forest community is of low site quality for tree production. Site Index ranges from 70 to 80 (Table 21, SCS, 190-V-NFM Amend. 3; from Meyer, 1938. USDA Tech. Bull. 630).).
Productivity Class: 4
CMAI*: 55 to 69 ft3/ac/yr;
3.8 to 4.8 m3/ha/yr.
Culmination is estimated to be at 100 years.
*CMAI: is the culmination of mean annual increment or highest average growth rate of the stand in the units specified.
Basal Area per Acre: Basal area ranges from 60 to 170 sq. ft.
Tree Volume per Acre: For stands averaging 70 feet in height and 100 years of age:
SITE INDEX 70 = 3100 cu ft
SITE INDEX 80 = 4270 cu ft

B. MANAGEMENT GUIDES AND INTERPRETATIONS
1. LIMITATIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS
a. Potential for sheet and rill erosion is slight to moderate depending on slope.
b. Proper spacing is the key to a well managed, multiple use and multi-product forest.
2. ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
a. Protect soils from accelerated erosion.
b. Apply proper grazing management.
3. SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES
a. Harvest cut selectively or in small patches size dependent upon site conditions) to enhance forage production.
1) Thinning and improvement cutting - Removal of poorly formed, diseased and low vigor trees for fuelwood.
2) Harvest cutting - Selectively harvest surplus trees to achieve desired spacing. Save large, healthy, full-crowned trees for cone (fruit) producers. Do not select only "high grade" trees during harvest.
3) Slash Disposal - broadcasting slash improves reestablishment of native understory herbaceous species and establishment of seeded grasses and forbs after tree harvest.
b. Prescription burning program to maintain desired canopy cover and manage site reproduction.
c. Fire hazard - Fire usually not a problem in well-managed, mature stands.

Other products

Native Americans used the leaves of willows to treat mosquito bites, bee stings and stomach aches and used to stems for implements such as baskets, arrow shafts, scoops and fish traps. Native Americans made extensive use of Wood’s rose roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and hips for foods and therapeutic materials. The hips are a source of vitamin C and are dried for use in flavoring teas, jellies, fruitcakes and puddings. Wood’s rose is used as an ornamental near homes to attract birds and other wildlife. Native Americans used the inner cambial layer as food. They also converted the resin into medicinal salve for rheumatism, backaches, and dandruff.

Other information

Rocky Mountain ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum has migrated into the Great Basin following the ice ages by way of the Southern Rocky Mountains. Rocky Mountain ponderosa pine never attains the size of the typical variety (P. ponderosa var. ponderosa). The fascicles of this tree tend to have only two needles and the needles are shorter than the typical variety. The cones of Rocky Mountain ponderosa pine are also smaller then the typical variety (Lanner, 1984).
The wood of ponderosa pine is valuable for lumber. Although no longer harvested, the oleoresin, or pitch, of ponderosa pine has been a source of turpentine in the past (Lanner, 1984).
Willow is useful in stabilizing streambanks and providing erosion control on severely disturbed sites. It is valuable in revegetating disturbed riparian sites having high water tables and low elevations. Wood’s rose extensive rhizomes, and good survivability and revegetation characteristics even on harsh sites makes this species an effective tool in erosion control. It has also been suggested as a useful species for revegetation on high pH and lime soils. Wood’s rose is used to revegetate disturbed sites along streambanks and seeps. The dense root system of water birch effectively stabilizes streambanks. Stands should therefore be maintained for their streambank stabilization value. Ponderosa pine is widely used for soil stabilization and watershed protection. Bareroot stock is used occasionally for planting on mine-spoils in the West.

Table 8. Representative site productivity

Common name	Symbol	Site index low	Site index high	CMAI low	CMAI high	Age of CMAI	Site index curve code	Site index curve basis	Citation
ponderosa pine	PIPO	70	80	55	69	100	600	100TA	Meyer, Walter H. 1961. Yield of even-aged stands of ponderosa pine. USDA Technical Bulletin 630. (1938 version revised in 1961).
ponderosa pine	PIPOS	70	80	55	69	–	–	–

Supporting information

Type locality

Location 1: White Pine County, NV
Township/Range/Section	T14N R69E S32
UTM zone	N
UTM northing	4324928
UTM easting	0737929
Latitude	39° 2′ 27″
Longitude	114° 15′ 3″
General legal description	Great Basin National Park - along Mill Creek; USGS Windy Peak 7.5 minute quadrangle. White Pine County, Nevada

Other references

Fire Effects Information System (Online; http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/).

Houghton, J.G., C.M. Sakamoto, and R.O. Gifford. 1975. Nevada’s Weather and Climate, Special Publication 2. Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Mackay School of Mines, University of Nevada, Reno, NV.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2004. The North American Monsoon. Reports to the Nation. National Weather Service, Climate Prediction Center. Available online: http://www.weather.gov/

USDA-NRCS Plants Database (Online; http://www.plants.usda.gov).

USDA-NRCS. 2000 National Forestry Manual - Part 537. Washington, D.C.

USDA-NRCS. 2004 National Forestry Handbook, title 190. Washington, D.

Contributors

CJA

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

Number and extent of rills:
Presence of water flow patterns:
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
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:
Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
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 plant reproductive capability:

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