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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 is characterized by rolling to steep hills and mountain footslopes. Slopes average 25 percent or more but range in extremes from 15 percent to 75 percent.
Soils characterizing this site are typically shallow over acid igneous bedrock, although pockets of deeper soils also occur in saddles, between ledges, and lower side slopes. They may be loams, clay loams, or sandy loams, and are usually stony, gravelly or cobbly.Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree (1) Juniperus monosperma
(2) Pinus edulisShrub (1) Quercus gambelii
(2) Cercocarpus montanusHerbaceous (1) Bouteloua gracilis
(2) Schizachyrium scopariumPhysiographic features
This site is characterized by rolling to steep hills and mountain footslopes. Slopes average 25 percent or more but range in extremes from 15 percent to 75 percent. Exposure or direction of slope is variable. Rock outcrops, exposed ledges, and occasional boulders are not uncommon. Elevations range from about 6000 to 7800 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Hill
(2) Mountain slope
(3) Scarp slope
Flooding frequency None Ponding frequency None Elevation 6000 – 7800 ft Slope 15 – 75 % Water table depth 72 – 0 in Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
Average annual precipitation varies from about 10 inches to just over 16 inches. Fluctuations ranging from about 5 inches to 25 inches are not uncommon. The overall climate is characterized by cold dry winters in which winter moisture is less than summer. As much as half or more of the annual precipitation can be expected to come during the period of July through September. Thus, fall conditions are often more favorable for good growth of cool-season perennial grasses, shrubs, and forbs than are those of spring.
The average frost-free season is about 120 days and extends from approximately mid-May to early or mid-September. Average annual air temperatures are 50 degrees F or lower and summer maximums rarely exceed 100 degrees F. Winter minimums typically approach or go below zero. Monthly mean temperatures exceed 70 degrees F for the period of July and August.
Rainfall patterns generally favor warm-season perennial vegetation, while the temperature regime tends to favor cool-season vegetation. This creates a somewhat complex community of plants on a given range site which is quite susceptible to disturbance and is at or near its productive potential only when both natural warm- and cool- season dominants are present.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 170 days Freeze-free period (average) 250 days 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
Soils characterizing this site are typically shallow over acid igneous bedrock, although pockets of deeper soils also occur in saddles, between ledges, and lower side slopes. They may be loams, clay loams, or sandy loams, and are usually stony, gravelly or cobbly. Permeability is moderate to moderately slow, and the available water capacity is low due to shallow depth. Characteristic soils are Chimayo stony loam, Dusty gravelly loam, and Santa Fe very gravelly loam.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Stony loam
(2) Gravelly clay loam
(3) Cobbly sandy loam
Family particle size (1) Loamy
Drainage class Well drained to excessively drained Permeability class Very slow to moderately rapid Soil depth 10 – 72 in Surface fragment cover <=3" 20 – 30 % Surface fragment cover >3" 15 – 25 % Available water capacity
(0-40in)1 – 5 in Calcium carbonate equivalent
(0-40in)1 – 10 % Electrical conductivity
(0-40in)0 – 4 mmhos/cm Sodium adsorption ratio
(0-40in)0 – 5 Soil reaction (1:1 water)
(0-40in)6.1 – 8.4 Subsurface fragment volume <=3"
(Depth not specified)10 – 35 % Subsurface fragment volume >3"
(Depth not specified)5 – 10 % Ecological dynamics
Deterioration of the potential plant community due to inadequately managed grazing is most often typified by a decline in such desirable plants as sideoats grama, black grama, cool-season grasses, mountainmahogany, and winterfat. As these plants decline, they are replaced by pinyon, juniper, broom snakeweed, and lesser-value grasses such as threeawns and galleta. Because mechanical seeding and brush control are seldom justifiable on this site, the mixed use of both browsing and grazing kinds of livestock may be the best means of maintaining a healthy balance of woody and herbaceous vegetation.
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 StateCommunity 1.1
Reference Plant CommunityThe potential plant community of this site has a mixed shrub-grassland aspect with scattered tree-type junipers and pinyon pines. The shrub and tree component is more visually prevalent on the cooler, north- and east-facing slopes, while low-growing shrubs and grasses prevail on south- and west- facing slopes. Dominant grasses include sideoats grama, blue grama, species of Muhlenbergia, and sometimes black grama (south-facing slopes). Cool-season species, such as New Mexico feathergrass, and needle-and-thread, are most common on north-facing slopes. Green sprangletop, little bluestem, and bullgrass are typical aspect grasses on this site. Shrubs include skunkbush sumac, mountainmahogany and species of oak.
Dominant plant species
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twoneedle pinyon (Pinus edulis), tree
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oneseed juniper (Juniperus monosperma), tree
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sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), grass
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blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), grass
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muhly (Muhlenbergia), grass
Figure 4. 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 280 480 670 Forb 10 20 270 Tree 50 90 100 Shrub/Vine 20 40 80 Total 360 630 1120 Table 6. Ground cover
Tree foliar cover 0-10% Shrub/vine/liana foliar cover 0% Grass/grasslike foliar cover 20-20% Forb foliar cover 0-10% Non-vascular plants 0% Biological crusts 0% Litter 10-20% Surface fragments >0.25" and <=3" 20-30% Surface fragments >3" 20-30% Bedrock 0% Water 0% Bare ground 20-20% Figure 5. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). NM0315 , R035XG124NM-Hills-HCPC. Mixed warm/cool season grassland with shrubs and scattered trees..
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec J F M A M J J A S O N D 0 0 5 7 10 15 25 25 8 5 0 0 Community 1.2
Woodland CommunityDeterioration of the potential plant community due to inadequately managed grazing is most often typified by a decline in such desirable plants as sideoats grama, black grama, cool-season grasses, mountainmahogany, and winterfat. As these plants decline, they are replaced by pinyon, juniper, broom snakeweed, and lesser-value grasses such as threeawns and galleta.
Dominant plant species
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twoneedle pinyon (Pinus edulis), tree
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oneseed juniper (Juniperus monosperma), tree
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broom snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae), shrub
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blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), grass
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threeawn (Aristida), grass
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James' galleta (Pleuraphis jamesii), grass
Pathway P1.1A
Community 1.1 to 1.2Season-long grazing providing little rest and recovery for preferred grazed plants during critical growing periods, coupled with high utilization.
Key drivers
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Wildlife grazing or browsing
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Livestock grazing or browsing
Pathway P1.2A
Community 1.2 to 1.1Prescribed grazing. It is hypothesized in the legacy text that a combination of grazing and browsing could effect this pathway.
Key drivers
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Wildlife grazing or browsing
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Livestock grazing or browsing
Additional community tables
Table 7. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Grass/Grasslike1 100–130 blue grama BOGR2 Bouteloua gracilis 96–128 – 2 130–160 needle and thread HECO26 Hesperostipa comata 128–159 – New Mexico feathergrass HENE5 Hesperostipa neomexicana 128–159 – bullgrass MUEM Muhlenbergia emersleyi 128–159 – mountain muhly MUMO Muhlenbergia montana 128–159 – little bluestem SCSC Schizachyrium scoparium 128–159 – 3 0–30 black grama BOER4 Bouteloua eriopoda 0–32 – 4 60–100 threeawn ARIST Aristida 64–96 – pine dropseed BLTR Blepharoneuron tricholepis 64–96 – squirreltail ELEL5 Elymus elymoides 64–96 – Arizona fescue FEAR2 Festuca arizonica 64–96 – sheep fescue FEOV Festuca ovina 64–96 – 5 30–60 sideoats grama BOCU Bouteloua curtipendula 32–64 – 6 10–30 threeawn ARIST Aristida 6–32 – common wolfstail LYPH Lycurus phleoides 6–32 – spike muhly MUWR Muhlenbergia wrightii 6–32 – James' galleta PLJA Pleuraphis jamesii 6–32 – sand dropseed SPCR Sporobolus cryptandrus 6–32 – 7 10–30 prairie Junegrass KOMA Koeleria macrantha 6–32 – green sprangletop LEDU Leptochloa dubia 6–32 – western wheatgrass PASM Pascopyrum smithii 6–32 – Tree8 30–100 juniper JUNIP Juniperus 32–96 – twoneedle pinyon PIED Pinus edulis 32–96 – Shrub/Vine9 10–60 Fendler's ceanothus CEFE Ceanothus fendleri 6–64 – mountain mahogany CERCO Cercocarpus 6–64 – Mexican cliffrose PUME Purshia mexicana 6–64 – antelope bitterbrush PUTR2 Purshia tridentata 6–64 – oak QUERC Quercus 6–64 – skunkbush sumac RHTR Rhus trilobata 6–64 – 10 10–20 Apache plume FAPA Fallugia paradoxa 6–19 – broom snakeweed GUSA2 Gutierrezia sarothrae 6–19 – winterfat KRLA2 Krascheninnikovia lanata 6–19 – Forb11 19–30 Forb, perennial 2FP Forb, perennial 19–32 – 12 10–20 Forb, annual 2FA Forb, annual 6–19 – Table 8. Community 1.2 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Interpretations
Animal community
This range site provides habitats which support a resident animal community that is characterized by mule deer, gray fox, bobcat, desert cottontail, cliff chipmunk, white- hroated woodrat, pinyon mouse, harlequin quail, red-shafted flicker, scrub jay, pinyon jay, common raven, bridled titmouse, common bushtit, rufous-sided towhee, chipping sparrow, Eastern fence lizard, plateau whiptail, tree lizard, desert horned lizard, mountain patch-nose snake, and black-tailed rattlesnake.
Hydrological functions
Hydrology Functions:
The runoff curve numbers are determined by field investigations using hydrologic cover conditions and hydrologic soil groups.
Hydrologic Interpretations
Soil Series----------------Hydrologic Group
Chimayo-------------------------D
Recreational uses
This site offers good potential for hiking, horseback riding, hunting, nature observation, and photography. It has low to moderate potential for improved picnicking and camping sites, depending upon how steep the topography is. It provides natural beauty typical of the mountain foothills of the area in which it is formed.
Wood products
This site has a limited potential for wood products that is restricted almost entirely to fence posts and firewood production.
Other products
This site is well suited for grazing by multiple kinds and classes of livestock. Where slopes are steep, however, accessibility may become limited and stocking rates need to be properly adjusted. Deterioration of the potential plant community due to inadequately managed grazing is most often typified by a decline in such desirable plants as sideoats grama, black grama, cool-season grasses, mountainmahogany, and winterfat. As these plants decline, they are replaced by pinyon, juniper, broom snakeweed, and lesser-value grasses such as threeawns and galleta. Because mechanical seeding and brush control are seldom justifiable on this site, the mixed use of both browsing and grazing kinds of livestock may be the best means of maintaining a healthy balance of woody and herbaceous vegetation.
Other information
Guide to Suggested Initial Stocking Rate Acres per Animal Unit Month
Similarity Index-------------Ac/AUM
100 - 76-------------------3.6 - 4.8
75 – 51--------------------4.5 - 6.5
50 – 26--------------------6.0 - 12.5
25 – 0---------------------12.5 +
Supporting information
Contributors
Brenda Simpson
Christine Bishop
Don Sylvester
John TunbergApproval
Kendra Moseley, 5/19/2025
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 04/23/2026 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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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.
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