Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site DX035X03G002
Western Plateau Zuni Reservation
13 to 16 inches
Last updated: 5/20/2025
Accessed: 04/28/2026
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Provisional. A provisional ecological site description has undergone quality control and quality assurance review. It contains a working state and transition model and enough information to identify the ecological site.
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Figure 1. Mapped extent
Areas shown in blue indicate the maximum mapped extent of this ecological site. Other ecological sites likely occur within the highlighted areas. It is also possible for this ecological site to occur outside of highlighted areas if detailed soil survey has not been completed or recently updated.
Ecological site concept
This site occurs on well-drained, very deep soils on slopes of 1 to 8 percent. It is unclear whether the central concept of these soils is coarse-loamy, fine loamy, or both.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree (1) Juniperus monosperma
(2) Pinus edulisShrub (1) Artemisia nova
Herbaceous (1) Pascopyrum smithii
Legacy ID
F035XG002NM
Physiographic features
The western plateau ranges from 6,600-8,000 feet. It consists of an area of broad mesas and plateaus interspersed with numerous deep canyons and dry washes.
This site was apparently established for the entire plateau, but seems to best apply to slopes with gravelly soils. Slopes range for 1 to 10 percent.Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Plateau
(2) Hill
Elevation 6600 – 8000 ft Slope 1 – 10 % Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
The western plateau area experiences cool, wet winters and warm summers with monsoon
moisture from July to September.Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 140 days Freeze-free period (average) Precipitation total (average) 20 in BarLineFigure 2. Monthly precipitation range
BarLineFigure 3. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
">Influencing water features
This is an upland site, and is not associated with water features or wetlands. During heavy rain events, this site may receive run-on moisture from landforms above and contribute runoff to landforms below.
Soil features
These soils are very deep, well-drained, moderately permeable soils formed in medium to
moderately fine textured material. These soils are on hills, ridges, and farm remnants. Slopes
range from 1 to 8 percent.
This ecological site is associated with the map units and soil components in the following soil
surveys. Future updates to this soil survey may affect these associations. For up-to-date
associations between soil components and this ecological site, refer to NASIS. Associations
between ecological sites and soil components are maintained in NASIS via the ecological site ID.
MAP UNIT NAME
Soil survey..Map unit symbol...Soil components
McKinley SS..566...............BAMAC
Editor's note on the legacy text above: The Bamac series is sandy-skeletal. This contradicts the text above.Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Fine sandy loam
(2) Sandy loam
(3) Loam
Drainage class Well drained Permeability class Rapid to moderately rapid Soil depth 40 – 80 in Surface fragment cover <=3" 0 – 5 % Surface fragment cover >3" Not specified Available water capacity
(0-40in)1 – 9 in Calcium carbonate equivalent
(0-40in)0 – 10 % Electrical conductivity
(0-40in)0 – 4 mmhos/cm Soil reaction (1:1 water)
(0-40in)7 – 7.8 Subsurface fragment volume <=3"
(Depth not specified)0 – 5 % Subsurface fragment volume >3"
(Depth not specified)Not specified Ecological dynamics
This site appears to describe degraded conditions on the plateau in question. Local field staff believe these reflect post-brush-clearing conditions. The three community phases included herein reflect the tacit knowledge of current field staff.
Legacy ESD text:
"The juniper dominant woodland on the western plateau occupies the mesas and plateaus where less effective moisture is available. The juniper competes effectively on drier sites. The trees are somewhat scrubby and bushy."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
Land use 2 submodel, ecosystem states
State 2 submodel, plant communities
State 1
Unknown Reference ConditionsThe state refers to reference conditions. As of now, we have no documentation of such conditions. Please refer to State 2 for more information.
State 2
Post-TreatmentThis state reflects dominant current conditions for this ecological site: plant communities that have received treatments to control tree and shrub species in the past. Chaining is thought to have been the most common method.
If reference conditions are encountered in the field, State 1 should be populated.
See community phases for more information.Community 2.1
Juniper-Dominated WoodlandThis phase occurs where there have not been recent fires or tree/brush control activities. Older junipers dominate the overstory.
Dominant plant species
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oneseed juniper (Juniperus monosperma), tree
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twoneedle pinyon (Pinus edulis), tree
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big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), shrub
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rubber rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa), shrub
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blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), grass
Community 2.2
Small Pinyon-JuniperThis phase occurs shortly after operations to control trees and brush--such as chaining. Trees are young and, thus, small.
Dominant plant species
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oneseed juniper (Juniperus monosperma), tree
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twoneedle pinyon (Pinus edulis), tree
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big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), shrub
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rubber rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa), shrub
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blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), grass
Community 2.3
Shrubs and GrassesThis phase occurs after stand-killing fires. Shrubs and grasses are roughly codominant.
Dominant plant species
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big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), shrub
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rubber rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa), shrub
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alkali sacaton (Sporobolus airoides), grass
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New Mexico feathergrass (Hesperostipa neomexicana), grass
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blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), grass
Pathway P2.1A
Community 2.1 to 2.2Tree-removal activities such as chaining and chemical treatments.
Key drivers
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Timber management
Pathway P2.1B
Community 2.1 to 2.3Stand-killing fire.
Key drivers
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Fire
Pathway P2.2A
Community 2.2 to 2.1Extended period of time without tree/brush control or fire.
Key drivers
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Timber management
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Fire frequency
Pathway P2.2B
Community 2.2 to 2.3Stand-killing fire.
Key drivers
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Fire
Pathway P2.3A
Community 2.3 to 2.1Extended period without fire.
Key drivers
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Fire frequency
Transition T1A
State 1 to 2Intensive management of tree species such as chaining.
Additional community tables
Table 5. Community 2.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Table 6. Community 2.2 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Table 7. Community 2.3 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Interpretations
Supporting information
Type locality
Location 1: McKinley County, NM Township/Range/Section T9N R21W S22 Contributors
Steve Lacy
Approval
Kendra Moseley, 5/20/2025
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 04/28/2026 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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