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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
R029XY008NV SHALLOW CALCAREOUS LOAM 8-12 P.Z.
R029XY009NV UPLAND WASH
R029XY010NV LOAMY SLOPE 8-10 P.Z.
R029XY012NV SANDY 5-8 P.Z.
R029XY114NV LOAMY FAN 8-12 P.Z.
Similar sites
R029XY029NV LOAMY 10-12 P.Z.
ARVA2 present; ACHY-HECO26 dominant grasses
R029XY010NV LOAMY SLOPE 8-10 P.Z.
Less productive site; ACHY-HECO26 dominant grasses
R029XY006NV LOAMY 8-10 P.Z.
ACHY-HECO26 codominant grasses
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub (1) Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis
Herbaceous (1) Bouteloua gracilis
(2) Pleuraphis jamesiiPhysiographic features
This site occurs on fan remnants, piedmont slopes and low rolling hills on all exposures. Slopes range from 0 to 30 percent, but slope gradients of 2 to 15 percent are most typical. Elevations range from 4500 to 6300 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Fan piedmont
(2) Fan remnant
(3) Hill
Elevation 4500 – 6300 ft Slope 0 – 30 % Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
The climate associated with this site is semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 8 to 12 inches, most falling as rain during the winter months. Additional moisture occurs from July through September in the form of intense, convective storms. Mean annual temperature is 45 to 53 degrees. The average growing season is 100 to 130 days.
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 are shallow to very deep and well drained. Surface soils are medium to coarse textured and are normally more than 20 inches thick to the subsoil or underlying material. The available water capacity is low to moderate and the soils are modified with high volumes of rock fragments throughout the profile. Soil reaction increases with depth. In some soils, slight or moderate concentrations of salts and carbonates may accumulate in the lower subsoil or in the substratum. Runoff is low to very high, depending on site condition and slope. Soils are usually dry in the summer and fall and moist in the winter and spring. The soil moisture regime is aridic bordering on xeric. The soil temperature regime is mesic. Soil series associated with this site include Lojet, Veet, Roval, Chiefpan and Heist.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Very gravelly sandy loam
(2) Gravelly loam
(3) Fine sand
Family particle size (1) Loamy
Ecological dynamics
As ecological condition declines, Wyoming big sagebrush, broom snakeweed, rabbitbrush, and galleta increase, while blue grama, Indian ricegrass and needleandthread decrease. Species likely to invade this site include cheatgrass. Utah juniper and singleleaf pinyon readily increase on this site as condition declines. If tree canopies are allowed to close, understory vegetation is eliminated.
Wyoming big sagebrush is a mid- to late-seral species. It is a long-lived species that reproduces from seed; it does not sprout or layer. Pollination is mostly by outcrossing, but plants can also self pollinate. Big sagebrush produces large quantities of small seeds that are disseminated mostly by wind, with some seed spread by animals and water. A light litter layer favors seedling establishment; heavy litter retards establishment. Drought conditions favor establishment of Wyoming big sagebrush over perennial bunchgrasses, although seedling mortality can be high. Seedling growth is slow compared to growth of other subspecies and is probably under genetic control.
Fire Ecology:
The fire return interval for Wyoming big sagebrush communities ranges from 10 to 70 years. Fire is the principal means of renewal for decadent stands of Wyoming big sagebrush.
Wyoming big sagebrush is killed by fire and establishes after fire from a seedbank; from seed produced by remnant plants that escaped fire; and from plants adjacent to the burn that seed in. 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. Blue grama has variable fire tolerance; it has fair tolerance when dormant but experiences some damage if burned during active growth, especially during drought. Fire generally favors blue grama, generally increasing its occurrence, production, and percent cover. Galleta is a rhizomatous perennial which can resprout after top-kill by fire. 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. 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
Custom diagramStandard diagram
Figure 3. DRAFT STM
Figure 4. DRAFT STM LEGEND
More interactive model formats are also available. View Interactive Models
More interactive model formats are also available. View Interactive Models
Click on state and transition labels to scroll to the respective textState 1 submodel, plant communities
State 1
Reference StateCommunity 1.1
Reference Plant CommunityThe reference plant community is dominated by Wyoming big sagebrush, blue grama and galleta. Potential vegatative composition is approximately 40 percent grasses, 10 percent forbs and 50 percent shrubs. Approximate ground cover (basal and crown) is 25 to 40 percent.
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 135 270 360 Grass/Grasslike 120 240 320 Forb 30 60 80 Tree 15 30 40 Total 300 600 800 State 2
Current Potential StateRepresentative of the current potential with the presence of non-native annuals. Non-native annuals have the ability to significantly change disturbance regimes and nutrient cycling dynamics.
State 3
Tree StateDominated by pinyon and/or juniper trees. Changes in disturbance return intervals over the long term allows for pinyon and/or juniper to dominate the site by controlling site resources.
State 4
Annual StateDominated by non-native annuals. Changes in disturbance return intervals and nutrient dynamics creating a positive feedback loop
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 144–240 blue grama BOGR2 Bouteloua gracilis 90–120 – James' galleta PLJA Pleuraphis jamesii 30–60 – needle and thread HECO26 Hesperostipa comata 12–30 – Indian ricegrass ACHY Achnatherum hymenoides 12–30 – 2 Secondary Perennial Grasses 18–60 silver rockcress ARPU Arabis puberula 3–18 – squirreltail ELEL5 Elymus elymoides 3–18 – muttongrass POFE Poa fendleriana 3–18 – sand dropseed SPCR Sporobolus cryptandrus 3–18 – 3 Annual Grasses 1–18 sixweeks fescue VUOC Vulpia octoflora 3–18 – Forb4 Perennial 18–48 milkvetch ASTRA Astragalus 3–12 – matted buckwheat ERCA8 Eriogonum caespitosum 6–12 – rubberweed HYMEN7 Hymenoxys 3–12 – lupine LUPIN Lupinus 3–12 – beardtongue PENST Penstemon 3–12 – phlox PHLOX Phlox 3–12 – globemallow SPHAE Sphaeralcea 3–12 – 5 Annual 6–12 Shrub/Vine6 Primary Shrubs 182–264 Stansbury cliffrose PUST Purshia stansburiana 12–24 – 7 Secondary Shrubs 19–90 buckhorn cholla CYACA2 Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa var. acanthocarpa 3–18 – Whipple cholla CYWH Cylindropuntia whipplei 3–18 – Nevada jointfir EPNE Ephedra nevadensis 3–18 – foxtail cactus ESCOB Escobaria 3–18 – holywood GUSA Guaiacum sanctum 3–18 – beavertail pricklypear OPBA2 Opuntia basilaris 3–18 – plains pricklypear OPPO Opuntia polyacantha 3–18 – banana yucca YUBA Yucca baccata 3–18 – Tree8 Evergreen 6–36 Utah juniper JUOS Juniperus osteosperma 3–18 – singleleaf pinyon PIMO Pinus monophylla 3–18 – Interpretations
Animal community
Livestock Interpretations:
This site is suitable for grazing for all classes of livestock. Grazing management should focus on maintaining desirable perennial grasses. Where management results in abusive livestock use, Wyoming big sagebrush, broom snakeweed, rabbitbrush and galleta increase. Desirable perennial grasses such as blue grama, Indian ricegrass and needleandthread decrease. Blue grama is valuable forage for all classes of domestic livestock, providing excellent forage for cattle and sheep. Blue grama tends to be most productive following summer rains, but it cures well and provides forage year round. When actively growing, galleta provides good to excellent forage for cattle and horses and fair forage for domestic sheep. Although not preferred, all classes of livestock may use galleta when it is dry. Domestic sheep show greater use in winter than summer months and typically feed upon central portions of galleta tufts, leaving coarser growth around the edges. Galleta may prove somewhat coarse to domestic sheep. 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. 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. Livestock browse Wyoming big sagebrush, but may use it only lightly when palatable herbaceous species are available. Stansbury cliffrose is an important browse species for livestock, especially in the winter.
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:
Wyoming big sagebrush is preferred browse for wild ungulates. Pronghorn usually browse Wyoming big sagebrush heavily. 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. Blue grama also provides important forage for mule deer. Quail and some songbirds eat the seeds of blue grama. Small mammals also eat blue grama seeds and stems. Flower heads and seeds of blue grama are also consumed by grasshoppers, which can all but eliminate an annual seed crop. Galleta provides moderately palatable forage when actively growing and relatively unpalatable forage during dormant periods. Galleta provides poor cover for most wildlife species. Needleandthread is moderately important spring forage for mule deer, but use declines considerably as more preferred forages become available. 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.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 made tea from big sagebrush leaves. They used the tea as a tonic, an antiseptic, for treating colds, diarrhea, and sore eyes and as a rinse to ward off ticks. Big sagebrush seeds were eaten raw or made into meal. 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
Wyoming big sagebrush is used for stabilizing slopes and gullies and for restoring degraded wildlife habitat, rangelands, mine spoils and other disturbed sites. It is particularly recommended on dry upland sites where other shrubs are difficult to establish. 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. Because of its wide adaptation, ease of establishment, and economic value, blue grama is used extensively for conservation purposes, rangeland seeding, and landscaping. Blue grama is useful for reclamation and for erosion control in arid and semiarid regions. Needleandthread grass is useful for stabilizing eroded or degraded sites.
Supporting information
Type locality
Location 1: Lincoln County, NV Township/Range/Section T20S R67E S33 UTM zone N UTM northing 4178452 UTM easting 0720614 General legal description West of Panaca, Lincoln 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
CJ ANDERSON
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) P NOVAK-ECHENIQUE Contact for lead author State Rangeland Management Specialist Date 05/16/2013 Approved by Approval date Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on Annual Production Indicators
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Number and extent of rills:
Rills are none to rare. A few (short and stable) may occur on steeper slopes after summer convection storms. -
Presence of water flow patterns:
Water flow patterns none to rare. A few (short <1m and not connected) may occur on steeper slopes after summer convection storms. -
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
Pedestals are none to rare with occurrence typically limited to areas within water flow patterns. -
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
Bare Ground to 15%; surface rock fragments often ± 75%; shrub canopy to 10%; basal area for perennial herbaceous plants – up to 5% -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
None -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None -
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Fine litter (foliage from grasses and annual & perennial forbs) expected to move distance of slope length (<10 ft) during intense summer convection storms or rapid snowmelt events. Persistent litter (large woody material) will remain in place except during large rainfall events. -
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Soil stability values should be 3 to 6 on most soil textures found on this site (To be field tested.) -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Surface structure is weak fine granular, platy, or subangular blocky. Soil surface colors are browns (1-5 inches) and soils are typified by an ochric epipedon. Organic matter of the surface 2 to 3 inches is less than 1 percent. -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Shrub canopy and associated litter break raindrop impact. Medium to fine textured surface soils have moderate to moderately rapid permeability and medium runoff. Perennial grasses aid in infiltration and reduce runoff. -
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
None. Subsoil argillic or duripan horizons are not to be interpreted as compacted layers. -
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:
evergreen shrubs (Wyoming big sagebrush)Sub-dominant:
warm season rhizomatous perennial grasses > deep-rooted cool season, perennial bunchgrasses > associated shrubs > perennial forbs > annual forbsOther:
succulents, evergreen trees, annual grassesAdditional:
-
Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
Dead branches within individual shrubs common and standing dead shrub canopy material may be as much as 25% of total woody canopy; mature bunchgrasses commonly (±20%) have dead centers. -
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
Under canopy and between plant interspaces 30-40% and <¼-inch in depth -
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
For normal or average growing season ±600 lbs/ac. Favorable years ± 800 lbs/ac and unfavorable years ± 300 lbs/ac -
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:
Potential invaders on this site include red brome, red-stem filaree and cheatgrass. -
Perennial plant reproductive capability:
All functional groups should reproduce in average and above average growing season year. Reduced growth and reproduction occur during drought years.
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