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.

Indicators

1. Number and extent of rills:

   Rills are none to rare and may be expected in areas recently subject to intense summer rainfall and on steeper slopes.

2. Presence of water flow patterns:

   Water flow patterns none to rare and may be expected in areas recently subject to intense summer rainfall and on steeper slopes.

3. Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:

   Pedestals and terracettes are none.

4. Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):

   Bare ground is variable (20-50%) depending on amount of surface rock fragments.

5. Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:

   None

6. Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:

   None

7. Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):

   Litter typically remains in place. Fine litter (foliage from grasses and annual & perennial forbs) may move the distance of slope length during intense summer convection storms or rapid snowmelt events. Persistent litter (large woody material) will remain in place except during large rainfall events.

8. 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 1 to 3 on most soil textures and varies depending on canopy cover. (To be field tested.)

9. Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):

   Soil surface structure is typically medium to thick platy or single grained. Soil surface colors are light grays or yellowish browns and the soils have an ochric epipedon. Organic matter of the surface 2 to 3 inches is less than 1 percent.

10. Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:

    Sparse shrub canopy and associated litter provide some protection from raindrop impact.

11. Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):

    None. Subsurface duripans or calcic sub-surface horizons are not to be interpreted as compacted layers.

12. 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:

    salt-desert shrubs (shadscale)

    Sub-dominant:

    evergreen shrubs > perennial forbs > cool-season, perennial bunchgrasses = annual forbs > annual grasses

    Other:

    succulents, warm-season bunchgrasses

    Additional:

13. Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):

    Dead branches within individual shrubs are common and standing dead shrub canopy material may be as much as 25% of total woody canopy.

14. Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):

    Between plant interspaces and under canopy (trace to 10%) and depth (<¼-inch). Litter is concentrated under shrubs and generally stays in place.

15. Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):

    For normal or average growing season ~50lbs/ac. Favorable years 75 lbs/ac and unfavorable years <25 lbs/ac

16. 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:

    Red brome, red-stem filaree, mustards, and Mediterranean grass are potential invaders on this site.

17. Perennial plant reproductive capability:

    All functional groups should reproduce in normal and above-normal rainfall years. Little to no growth or reproduction occurs in drought years.