Natural Resources
Conservation Service
-
Search
Major Land Resource Area or ecological site by name and/or ID.
PreviousSectionsNextGeneral information
Draft. A draft ecological site description is either incomplete or has not undergone quality control and quality assurance review.
Associated sites
R029XY027NV MAHOGANY THICKET
R029XY043NV MAHOGANY SAVANNA
R029XY051NV LOAMY SLOPE 16+ P.Z.
R029XY053NV MOUNTAIN RIDGE 16+ P.Z.
Similar sites
R029XY051NV LOAMY SLOPE 16+ P.Z.
Less productive site; typically occurs on steep, not concave, mountain sideslopes
R029XY138NV MOUNTAIN SLOPE 12-14 P.Z.
CELE3 & AMUT major shrubs; less productive site
R029XY150NV MOUNTAIN SHOULDER
Less productive site; typically occurs on steep, convex, mountain sideslopes.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub (1) Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana
Herbaceous (1) Achnatherum
Physiographic features
This site occurs in concave positions on mountain sideslopes on all exposures. This site is usually restricted to northerly aspects at the lower elevations of its range. Slopes range from 2 to 30 percent, but slope gradients of 2 to 15 percent are typical. Elevations are 8000 to about 9500 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Mountain
Elevation 8000 – 9500 ft Slope 2 – 30 % Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
The climate associated with this site is arid, characterized by cool, moist winters and hot, dry summers. Average annual precipitation is 16 to over 20 inches. Mean annual air temperature is 43 to 48 degrees F. The average growing season is about 60 to 90 days. There is no climate station available for this site site. There is no climate station available for this site.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 90 days Freeze-free period (average) 0 days Precipitation total (average) 20 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 of this site are from residuum and colluvium derived from mixed rock sources. These soils are deep and well drained. Water intake rates are moderate and available water holding capacity is high. The surface layer is moderately coarse to medium textured and is 12 inches or more in thickness to the subsoil or underlying material. Subsoils are moderately coarse to moderately fine textured and may be slightly acid. Some soils are very gravelly throughout. This site provides a cool, moist, environment for plant growth. Runoff from this site is medium.
Ecological dynamics
Where management results in abusive grazing use by livestock and/or feral horses, needlegrasses, slender wheatgrass, and other palatable grasses and forbs decrease while mountain big sagebrush, rabbitbrush, and snowberry increase.
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. Perennial needlegrasses tend to be among the least fire resistant bunchgrass due to the densely tufted stems.
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 Columbia and Letterman's needlegrass. Potential vegetative composition is about 60% grasses, 15% forbs and 25% shrubs. Approximate ground cover (basal and crown) is 25 to 40 percent.
Figure 3. Annual production by plant type (representative values) or group (midpoint values)
Table 4. Annual production by plant type
Plant type Low
(lb/acre)Representative value
(lb/acre)High
(lb/acre)Grass/Grasslike 600 900 1080 Shrub/Vine 250 375 450 Forb 150 225 270 Total 1000 1500 1800 Additional community tables
Table 5. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Grass/Grasslike1 Primary Perennial Grasses 486–945 needlegrass ACHNA Achnatherum 375–525 – slender wheatgrass ELTR7 Elymus trachycaulus 75–150 – muttongrass POFE Poa fendleriana 30–120 – mountain brome BRMA4 Bromus marginatus 3–75 – 2 Secondary Perennial Grasses/Grasslikes 30–150 blue grama BOGR2 Bouteloua gracilis 8–45 – sedge CAREX Carex 8–45 – big squirreltail ELMU3 Elymus multisetus 8–45 – prairie Junegrass KOMA Koeleria macrantha 8–45 – basin wildrye LECI4 Leymus cinereus 8–45 – Forb3 Secondary 75–225 sedge CAREX Carex 8–45 – tapertip hawksbeard CRAC2 Crepis acuminata 8–45 – larkspur DELPH Delphinium 8–45 – lupine LUPIN Lupinus 8–45 – beardtongue PENST Penstemon 8–45 – Shrub/Vine4 Primary Shrubs 166–289 mountain big sagebrush ARTRV Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana 150–225 – snowberry SYMPH Symphoricarpos 16–64 – basin wildrye LECI4 Leymus cinereus 8–45 – 5 Secondary Shrubs 75–225 Letterman's needlegrass ACLE9 Achnatherum lettermanii 125–175 – Columbia needlegrass ACNE9 Achnatherum nelsonii 125–175 – western needlegrass ACOCO Achnatherum occidentale ssp. occidentale 125–175 – slender wheatgrass ELTR7 Elymus trachycaulus 75–150 – muttongrass POFE Poa fendleriana 30–120 – mountain brome BRMA4 Bromus marginatus 3–75 – big squirreltail ELMU3 Elymus multisetus 8–45 – prairie Junegrass KOMA Koeleria macrantha 4–45 – Utah serviceberry AMUT Amelanchier utahensis 15–45 – curl-leaf mountain mahogany CELE3 Cercocarpus ledifolius 15–45 – yellow rabbitbrush CHVI8 Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus 15–45 – antelope bitterbrush PUTR2 Purshia tridentata 15–45 – elderberry SAMBU Sambucus 15–45 – Interpretations
Animal community
Livestock interpretations:
This site is suited to livestock grazing. Grazing management should be keyed to Needlegrass production. Columbia needlegrass provides valuable forage for all classes of livestock. Overall production is generally low in the upper sagebrush and mountain brush zones and at the limits of its range where Columbia needlegrass grows only in scattered patches. It is especially valuable to cattle and horses on summer ranges and to domestic sheep on lambing grounds. It is more often cropped closely by cattle and horses than by sheep. Columbia needlegrass is palatable to livestock throughout its range. As with most needlegrasses, it is most palatable early in the season before the foliage becomes coarse and wiry. Palatability to cows and horses is increased because large amounts of fine leafage remain green throughout the gowing season. Palatability of Columbia needlegrass is described as "fair to good" for cattle and horses, becoming nearly unpalatable at maturity. Letterman’s needlegrass begins growth early in the year and remains green throughout the relatively long growing season, thus, making it valuable forage for livestock. Little specific information is available on adaptations of Letterman's needlegrass to fire. It is morphologically similar to Columbia needlegrass, which is only slightly to moderately damaged by fire. Season of burn affects the plant's ability to survive a fire. Post fire regeneration is through seeding and tillering. Western Needlegrass is also a desireable forage species for several livestock species. 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.
Stocking rates vary over time depending upon season of use, climate variations, site, and previous and current management goals. A safe starting stocking rate is an estimated stocking rate that is fine tuned by the client by adaptive management through the year and from year to year.
Wildlife Interpretations:
Mountain big sagebrush is highly preferred and nutritious winter forage for mule deer and elk. Needlegrasses provide valuable forage for many species of wildlife. They are also consumed by mule deer and other wildlife species throughout the growing season. Needlegrasses are a significant component in the diet of pocket gophers. Needlegrass is palatable to many species of wildlife throughout its range. Most needlegrasses Are most palatable early in the season before the foliage becomes coarse and wiry. Palatability of Columbia needlegrass is described as "fair" for wildlife overall, becoming nearly unpalatable at maturity.Hydrological functions
Runoff is medium.
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 hiking and has potential for upland and big game hunting.
Other products
Native peoples used big sagebrush leaves and branches for medicinal teas, and the leaves as a fumigant. Bark was woven into mats, bags and clothing.
Other information
Letterman’s needlegrass has been used successfully in revegetating mine spoils. This species also has good potential for erosion control.
Supporting information
Type locality
Location 1: Nye County, NV Township/Range/Section T2N R49E S23 Latitude 38° 0′ 41″ Longitude 116° 27′ 45″ General legal description Sections 23 and 26, T2N. R49E. MDBM. About 3 miles south of Bellehelen Ranch, north of Kawich Peak, Bellehelen Lakes area, Kawich Range, Nye 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
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 Contact for lead author: State Rangeland Management Specialist. Date 12/01/1983 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:
Print Options
Sections
Font
AAAAOther
PrintThe Ecosystem Dynamics Interpretive Tool is an information system framework developed by the USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and New Mexico State University.
Accessibility statement
