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Draft. A draft ecological site description is either incomplete or has not undergone quality control and quality assurance review.
Associated sites
F029XY065NV PIMO-JUOS/ARTRW8
R029XY028NV SHALLOW CALCAREOUS SLOPE 12-14 P.Z.
R029XY057NV LOAMY ASH INFLUENCED SLOPE 12-14 P.Z.
Similar sites
R029XY028NV SHALLOW CALCAREOUS SLOPE 12-14 P.Z.
ARNO4 dominant shrub
R029XY057NV LOAMY ASH INFLUENCED SLOPE 12-14 P.Z.
Less productive site; PSSPI dominant grass
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub (1) Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana
Herbaceous (1) Pseudoroegneria spicata ssp. inermis
Physiographic features
This site occurs on Fan remnants, rolling hills, mountain footslopes, and mountain valley fans. Slopes range from 4 to 30 percent, but slope gradients of 4 to 15 percent are typical. Elevations are 6800 to about 7300 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Fan remnant
Elevation 6800 – 7300 ft Slope 4 – 30 % Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
Average annual precipitation is 12 to 14(16) inches. Mean annual air temperature is 46 to 52 degrees F. The average growing season is about 90 to 130 days. No climate statio available for this site.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 130 days Freeze-free period (average) 0 days Precipitation total (average) 10 in BarLineFigure 1. Monthly precipitation range
BarLineFigure 2. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
">Influencing water features
There are no influencing water features associated with this site.
Soil features
The soils associated with this site have formed in alluvium or colluvium from a variety of parent materials. These soils are deep and have slow permeability, low available water capacity and are well drained. The soil surfaces are usually gravelly and the soil profile may be gravelly throughout. The Sois series associated with this site are Handpah and Variant.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Gravelly sandy clay loam
Drainage class Well drained Permeability class Slow Soil depth 72 – 84 in Surface fragment cover <=3" 25 – 34 % Surface fragment cover >3" 2 – 46 % Available water capacity
(0-40in)4.5 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)7.4 – 7.8 Subsurface fragment volume <=3"
(Depth not specified)25 – 34 % Subsurface fragment volume >3"
(Depth not specified)2 – 46 % Ecological dynamics
Where management results in abusive livestock use, big sagebrush, rabbitbrush, bottlebrush squirreltail and Sandberg's bluegrass increase while beardless wheatgrass, needlegrasses, and Indian ricegrass decrease. Species most likely to invade this site are annuals such as cheatgrass and various mustards. In the absence of periodic wildfire, singleleaf pinyon and Utah juniper readily invade this site where it occurs adjacent to these woodland areas. If juniper-pinyon canopies are allowed to close, they can eliminate understory vegetation.
Fire Ecology:
Presettlement fire return intervals in mountain big sagebrush communities varied from 15 to 25 years. Plants are readily killed in all seasons, even light severity fires. Mountain big sagebrush is highly susceptible to injury from fire. It is often top-killed by fire and will not resprout. Fire effects on Stansbury cliffrose are variable. Fire may kill or severely damage plants. Late-season fire also increases the risk of mortality. Stansbury cliffrose is a weak sprouter that is generally killed by severe fire. Burning beardless wheatgrass may remove most of the aboveground biomass but does not usually result in plant mortality. beardless wheatgrass is generally favored by burning. Burning stimulates flowering and seed production. However, season of burning affects mortality. Needleandthread grass is top-killed by fire. It may be killed if the aboveground stems are completely consumed. Needleandthread grass is classified as slightly to severely damaged by fire. Needleandthread grass sprouts from the caudex following fire, if heat has not been sufficient to kill underground parts. Recovery usually takes 2 to 10 years. Muttongrass is unharmed to slightly harmed by light-severity fall fires. Muttongrass appears to be harmed by and slow to recover from severe fire. Indian ricegrass can be killed by fire, depending on severity and season of burn. Indian ricegrass reestablishes on burned sites through seed dispersed from adjacent unburned areas.
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 plant community is dominated by mountain big sagebrush and beardless wheatgrass. Other important species are Thurber's needlegrass and Stansbury's cliffrose. Potential vegetative composition is about 55% grasses, 5% forbs and 40% shrubs. Approximate ground cover (basal and crown) is 30 to 40 percent.
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 440 550 660 Shrub/Vine 304 380 456 Forb 40 50 60 Tree 16 20 24 Total 800 1000 1200 Additional community tables
Table 6. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Grass/Grasslike1 Primary Perennial Grasses 440–580 beardless wheatgrass PSSPI Pseudoroegneria spicata ssp. inermis 200–300 – needle and thread HECO26 Hesperostipa comata 100–150 – muttongrass POFE Poa fendleriana 20–80 – Indian ricegrass ACHY Achnatherum hymenoides 20–50 – 2 Secondary Perennial Grasses 20–80 little Parish's needlegrass ACPAD Achnatherum parishii var. depauperatum 5–30 – Thurber's needlegrass ACTH7 Achnatherum thurberianum 5–30 – blue grama BOGR2 Bouteloua gracilis 5–30 – squirreltail ELEL5 Elymus elymoides 5–30 – prairie Junegrass KOMA Koeleria macrantha 5–30 – western wheatgrass PASM Pascopyrum smithii 5–30 – Sandberg bluegrass POSE Poa secunda 5–30 – Forb3 Perennial 50–100 milkvetch ASTRA Astragalus 5–30 – buckwheat ERIOG Eriogonum 5–30 – lupine LUPIN Lupinus 5–30 – beardtongue PENST Penstemon 5–30 – blue grama BOGR2 Bouteloua gracilis 2–11 – 4 Annual 0–18 Shrub/Vine5 Primary Shrubs 170–330 mountain big sagebrush ARTRV Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana 150–250 – Stansbury cliffrose PUST Purshia stansburiana 20–80 – Forb, annual 2FA Forb, annual 0–18 – 6 Secondary Shrubs 20–150 Utah serviceberry AMUT Amelanchier utahensis 5–30 – fourwing saltbush ATCA2 Atriplex canescens 5–30 – yellow rabbitbrush CHVI8 Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus 5–30 – mormon tea EPVI Ephedra viridis 5–30 – antelope bitterbrush PUTR2 Purshia tridentata 5–30 – Tree7 Evergreen 10–60 Utah juniper JUOS Juniperus osteosperma 5–30 – singleleaf pinyon PIMO Pinus monophylla 5–30 – antelope bitterbrush PUTR2 Purshia tridentata 3–22 – Utah serviceberry AMUT Amelanchier utahensis 3–22 – yellow rabbitbrush CHVI8 Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus 3–21 – Interpretations
Animal community
Livestock Interpretations:
This site is suited for livestock grazing. Grazing management should be keyed to Beardless wheatgrass, needleandthread grass, muttongrass, indian ricegrass, and other perennial grass species on this site. Beardless wheatgrass is considered one of the most important forage grass species on western rangelands for livestock. Although beardless wheatgrass can be a crucial source of forage, it is not necessarily the most highly preferred species. Needleandthread provides highly palatable forage, especially in the spring before fruits have developed. Needlegrasses are grazed in the fall only if the fruits are softened by rain. Muttongrass is excellent forage for domestic livestock especially in the early spring. Muttongrass begins growth in late winter and early spring, which makes it available before many other forage plants. Indian ricegrass is highly palatable to all classes of livestock in both green and cured condition. It supplies a source of green feed before most other native grasses have produced much new growth. Mountain big sagebrush is eaten by domestic livestock but has long been considered to be of low palatability, and a competitor to more desirable species. Stansbury cliffrose is an important browse species for livestock, especially in the winter.
Wildlife Interpretations:
Mountain big sagebrush is highly preferred and nutritious winter forage for mule deer and elk. Sagebrush-grassland communities provide critical sage-grouse breeding and nesting habitats. Meadows surrounded by sagebrush may be used as feeding and strutting grounds. Sagebrush is a crucial component of their diet year-round, and sage-grouse select sagebrush almost exclusively for cover. Sage-grouse prefer mountain big sagebrush and Wyoming big sagebrush communities to basin big sagebrush communities. Stansbury cliffrose is an important browse species for mule deer, pronghorn, game birds, and songbirds. Wild ungulates use it heavily in winter. Beardless wheatgrass is considered one of the most important forage grass species on western rangelands for wildlife. Beardless wheatgrass does not generally provide sufficient cover for ungulates, however, mule deer are frequently found in beardless-dominated grasslands. Needleandthread is moderately important spring forage for mule deer, but use declines considerably as more preferred forages become available. Deer and elk make heavy use of muttongrass, especially in early spring when other green forage is scarce. Depending upon availability of other nutritious forage, deer may use mutton grass in all seasons. Mutton grass cures well and is an important fall and winter deer food in some areas. Indian ricegrass is eaten by pronghorn in "moderate" amounts whenever available. In Nevada it is consumed by desert bighorns. A number of heteromyid rodents inhabiting desert rangelands show preference for seed of Indian ricegrass. Indian ricegrass is an important component of jackrabbit diets in spring and summer. In Nevada, Indian ricegrass may even dominate jackrabbit diets during the spring through early summer months. Indian ricegrass seed provides food for many species of birds. Doves, for example, eat large amounts of shattered Indian ricegrass seed lying on the ground.Hydrological functions
Runoff is very high. Drainage is well. permeability is slow.
Recreational uses
Aesthetic value is derived from the diverse floral and faunal composition and the colorful flowering of wild flowers and shrubs during the spring and early summer. This site offers rewarding opportunities to photographers and for nature study. This site is used for camping and hiking and has potential for upland and big game hunting.
Other products
Native Americans used big sagebrush leaves and branches for medicinal teas, and the leaves as a fumigant. Bark was woven into mats, bags and clothing. Triterpenoids extracted from Stansbury cliffrose have been shown to have inhibitory effects on HIV and Epstein-Barr virus. Native Americans used the inner bark for making clothing and ropes, and the branches for making arrows. Indian ricegrass was traditionally eaten by some Native Americans. The Paiutes used seed as a reserve food source.
Other information
Stansbury cliffrose is recommended for wildlife, roadside, construction, and mine spoils plantings; and for restoring pinyon-juniper woodland, mountain brushland, basin big sagebrush grassland, black sagebrush, and black greasewood communities. It can be established on disturbed seedbeds by broadcast seeding, drill seeding, or transplanting. Fall or winter seeding is recommended. Needleandthread grass is useful for stabilizing eroded or degraded sites.
Supporting information
Type locality
Location 1: Esmeralda County, NV Township/Range/Section T6S R39E S27 General legal description Abuot 7 miles southwest of Lida, Sylvana Mountains area, Esmeralda County, Nevada. Other references
Fire Effects Information System (Online; http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/).
USDA-NRCS Plants Database (Online; http://www.plants.usda.gov).
Contributors
HA/GD
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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