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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.
MLRA notes
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 038X–Mogollon Transition South
AZ 38.2 - Middle Mogollon Transition
Elevations range from 4000 to 5500 feet and precipitation averages 16 to 20 inches per year. Vegetation includes turbinella oak, Wright silktassel, hollyleaf buckthorn, desert buckbrush, one-seed juniper, alligator juniper, pinyon, algerita, sugar sumac, prairie junegrass, blue grama, curly mesquite, bottlebrush squirreltail, muttongrass, cane beardgrass, plains lovegrass and bullgrass. The soil temperature regime ranges from thermic to mesic and the soil moisture regime is aridic ustic. This unit occurs within the Transition Zone Physiographic Province and is characterized by canyons and structural troughs or valleys. Igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rock classes occur on rough mountainous terrain in association with less extensive sediment filled valleys exhibiting little integrated drainage.Classification relationships
Similar site to TES (Terrestrial Ecosystem Sites) map unit no's. 463 and 481 on the Prescott National Forest.
Associated sites
R038XB202AZ Clayey Upland 16-20" p.z.
R038XB209AZ Loamy Upland 16-20" p.z.
R038XB215AZ Clayey Hills 16-20" p.z.
R038XB225AZ Clayey Swale 16-20" p.z.
Similar sites
R041XC311AZ Loamy Swale 12-16" p.z.
R038XB225AZ Clayey Swale 16-20" p.z.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub Not specified
Herbaceous (1) Bouteloua curtipendula
(2) Bouteloua gracilisPhysiographic features
This site occurs in the middle elevations of the Mogollon Transition zone south of the Rim in central Arizona.
This site is in a bottom position. It benefits significantly from extra moisture recieved as runoff from, adjacent, upland areas.Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Alluvial flat
(2) Flood plain
(3) Swale
Flooding duration Very brief (4 to 48 hours) to brief (2 to 7 days) Flooding frequency Rare to occasional Ponding duration Very brief (4 to 48 hours) to brief (2 to 7 days) Ponding frequency None to rare Elevation 4400 – 5600 ft Slope 0 – 3 % Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
Precipitation in this common resource area averages 16 to 20 inches annually. The winter-summer rainfall ratio ranges from about 60/40% in the western part of the area to 45/55% in the eastern part. Summer rains fall July through September; and are from high-intensity convective thunderstorms. This moisture originates primarily from the Gulf of Mexico, but can come from the remnants of Pacific hurricanes in September. Winter moisture is frontal, originates in the north Pacific, and falls as rain or snow in widespread storms of low intensity and long duration. Snowfall ranges from 5 to 35 inches per year and can occur from November through April. Snow seldom persists for more than a week. May and June are the driest months of the year. Humidity is generally low all year. Average annual air temperatures range from 51 to 60 degrees F ( thermic temperature regime). Daytime temps in the summer are commonly in the low 90's. Freezing temperatures are common from October through April. The actual precipitation, avaliable moisture and temperature varies, depending on, region, elevation, rain shadow effect and aspect.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 180 days Freeze-free period (average) 240 days Precipitation total (average) 20 in BarLineFigure 2. Monthly precipitation range
BarLineFigure 3. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
">Influencing water features
There are no water features associated with this site.
Soil features
These soils are deep (60 inches), loamy throughout, and well drained. They are formed in mixed alluvium from a variety of sources. The surface textures are sandyloam to siltloam. The effective rooting depth is 60 inches. Runoff is moderate on moist soils. The erosion hazard is slight unless heavy traffic causes trailing and compaction.
Soil series mapped under this site include: SSA675 San Carlos IR area MU's 51 Lanque.Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Sandy loam
(2) Loam
(3) Silt loam
Family particle size (1) Loamy
Drainage class Well drained to moderately well drained Permeability class Moderately rapid to moderate Soil depth 60 in Surface fragment cover <=3" 0 – 5 % Surface fragment cover >3" 0 – 2 % Available water capacity
(0-40in)4.8 – 9.2 in Calcium carbonate equivalent
(0-40in)1 – 15 % Electrical conductivity
(0-40in)0 – 2 mmhos/cm Sodium adsorption ratio
(0-40in)0 – 2 Soil reaction (1:1 water)
(0-40in)6.6 – 8.2 Subsurface fragment volume <=3"
(Depth not specified)0 – 5 % Subsurface fragment volume >3"
(Depth not specified)0 – 1 % Ecological dynamics
The native plant community is a warm season grassland (canopy cover of 50 to 70%) with an important component of cool season grasses that fluctuate with climate. Cool and warm season annual grasses and forbs are well represented in the flora. Half shrubs and perennial forbs are an important group also. Periodic wildfires occured every 10 to 15 years; June through August, and controlled shrubs and succulents invading from adjacent, shallow soil, areas. In the absence of fire for long periods of time; shrubs, trees and cacti can dominate the site. The interactions of drought, fire and grazing can result in a loss of perennial grass cover. In these situations annuals, both native and non-native, can dominate the plant community. Non-native annuals can, over time, diminish the soil seed-bank of native annual species.
State and transition model
Custom diagramStandard diagram
Figure 4. State & Transition Model, Loamy Swale 16-20" pz.
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 textEcosystem states
State 1 submodel, plant communities
State 2 submodel, plant communities
State 3 submodel, plant communities
State 4 submodel, plant communities
State 1
Mixed Native Grassland StateCommunity 1.1
Historic Native Plant CommunityThe historic, native, plant community is a grassland dominated by blue grama, sideoats grama, mat muhly, creeping muhly, tobosa and vine mesquite. Prairie junegrass and bottlebrush squirreltail are an important in the plant community, but can diminish to low levels after severe winter - spring drought. Shrubby buckwheat is an important half-shrub in the plant community. A rich flora of native annual forbs and grasses, of both the winter and summer seasons, exist in the plant community. Periodic, naturally occuring, wildfires were important in maintaining the potential plant community.
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)Grass/Grasslike 900 1850 2500 Forb 50 150 500 Shrub/Vine 10 50 100 Total 960 2050 3100 Table 6. Ground cover
Tree foliar cover 0% Shrub/vine/liana foliar cover 0-0% Grass/grasslike foliar cover 10-30% Forb foliar cover 0-0% Non-vascular plants 0-0% Biological crusts 0-0% Litter 40-60% Surface fragments >0.25" and <=3" 0-10% Surface fragments >3" 0-0% Bedrock 0% Water 0% Bare ground 20-20% Table 7. Canopy structure (% cover)
Height Above Ground (ft) Tree Shrub/Vine Grass/
GrasslikeForb <0.5 – – 0-5% 0-5% >0.5 <= 1 – 0-5% 2-20% 1-10% >1 <= 2 – 0-2% 40-65% 0-10% >2 <= 4.5 – 0-2% – 0-10% >4.5 <= 13 – 0-2% – – >13 <= 40 – – – – >40 <= 80 – – – – >80 <= 120 – – – – >120 – – – – Figure 6. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). AZ3812 , 38.2 16-20" p.z. all sites. Growth begins in the spring and continues into the summer and fall..
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 5 5 15 10 10 15 20 10 5 5 0 State 2
Native Annuals StateCommunity 2.1
Native Annual Forb and Grass Plant CommunityPerennial grass canopy cover is reduced due to the interactions of drought, grazing and / or fire. Native and non-native annual forbs and grasses dominate the plant community. If this plant community persists for long periods of time; the seed-bank of native perennial grasses can diminish to a point where artificial reseeding will be necessary to return to a native potential plant community
State 3
Shrub Dominated, Eroded StateCommunity 3.1
Shrub Dominated, Eroded Plant CommunityRill and gully erosion can rapidly drain extra water from the site. Shrubs like; mesquite, wait a bit mimosa, catclaw acacia and turbinella oak; and succulents like prickly pear and cholla can increase, and trees like one-seed juniper, alligator juniper, redberry juniper and pinyon pine, can invade from adjacent, shallow soil, areas, to dominate the site in the absence of fire. Native and non-native annual forbs and grasses dominate the understory. In "El Nino" years, herbaceous fuels can be sufficient to carry fire through the heavy canopy of shrubs. The major woody shrubs are, however, fire resistant once established.
State 4
Exotic Invaded StateCommunity 4.1
Exotic forb and grass invaded stateNon-native annual grasses and forbs like; red brome, cheatgrass, kochia, tumble pigweed, russian thistle, tumble mustard, yellow starthistle, wild oats and filaree, can invade and dominate areas of the site with very low perennial grass cover. Perennial forbs like russian knapweed and leafy spurge could invade and, perhaps, dominate this site. These species can, over time, reduce the seed-bank of native annual grasses and forbs.
Additional community tables
Table 8. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Grass/Grasslike1 mid grasses 600–1200 sideoats grama BOCU Bouteloua curtipendula 200–600 – cane bluestem BOBA3 Bothriochloa barbinodis 50–200 – green sprangletop LEDU Leptochloa dubia 25–200 – deergrass MURI2 Muhlenbergia rigens 0–150 – big sacaton SPWR2 Sporobolus wrightii 0–150 – tobosagrass PLMU3 Pleuraphis mutica 0–100 – plains lovegrass ERIN Eragrostis intermedia 25–100 – spike dropseed SPCO4 Sporobolus contractus 0–50 – 2 short grasses 200–400 blue grama BOGR2 Bouteloua gracilis 100–300 – vine mesquite PAOB Panicum obtusum 100–300 – creeping muhly MURE Muhlenbergia repens 10–150 – mat muhly MURI Muhlenbergia richardsonis 10–100 – 3 cool season grasses 50–400 squirreltail ELEL5 Elymus elymoides 10–200 – prairie Junegrass KOMA Koeleria macrantha 10–200 – western wheatgrass PASM Pascopyrum smithii 0–50 – 4 misc. perennial grasses 10–100 Orcutt's threeawn ARSCO Aristida schiedeana var. orcuttiana 0–50 – spidergrass ARTE3 Aristida ternipes 0–50 – spidergrass ARTEG Aristida ternipes var. gentilis 0–50 – threeawn ARIST Aristida 0–25 – Fendler threeawn ARPUL Aristida purpurea var. longiseta 0–25 – curly-mesquite HIBE Hilaria belangeri 0–25 – sand dropseed SPCR Sporobolus cryptandrus 0–25 – sprucetop grama BOCH Bouteloua chondrosioides 0–20 – black grama BOER4 Bouteloua eriopoda 0–20 – hairy grama BOHI2 Bouteloua hirsuta 0–20 – Arizona wheatgrass ELAR7 Elymus arizonicus 0–20 – common wolfstail LYPH Lycurus phleoides 0–15 – slender muhly MUTE4 Muhlenbergia tenuifolia 0–10 – muttongrass POFE Poa fendleriana 0–10 – muttongrass POFEL Poa fendleriana ssp. longiligula 0–10 – poverty threeawn ARDI5 Aristida divaricata 0–10 – 5 annual grasses 25–400 Mexican sprangletop LEFUU Leptochloa fusca ssp. uninervia 10–200 – mucronate sprangeltop LEPAB Leptochloa panicea ssp. brachiata 10–200 – Mexican panicgrass PAHI5 Panicum hirticaule 5–200 – prairie threeawn AROL Aristida oligantha 5–100 – needle grama BOAR Bouteloua aristidoides 0–50 – sticky sprangletop LEVI5 Leptochloa viscida 0–50 – sixweeks threeawn ARAD Aristida adscensionis 0–50 – feather fingergrass CHVI4 Chloris virgata 0–50 – witchgrass PACA6 Panicum capillare 0–50 – tufted lovegrass ERPE Eragrostis pectinacea 0–50 – desert lovegrass ERPEM Eragrostis pectinacea var. miserrima 0–50 – little barley HOPU Hordeum pusillum 0–50 – small fescue VUMI Vulpia microstachys 0–50 – Eastwood fescue VUMIC Vulpia microstachys var. ciliata 0–50 – sixweeks fescue VUOC Vulpia octoflora 5–50 – canyon cupgrass ERLE7 Eriochloa lemmonii 0–25 – delicate muhly MUFR Muhlenbergia fragilis 0–25 – littleseed muhly MUMI Muhlenbergia microsperma 0–25 – sixweeks grama BOBA2 Bouteloua barbata 0–25 – Arizona brome BRAR4 Bromus arizonicus 0–25 – Bigelow's bluegrass POBI Poa bigelovii 0–25 – Arizona signalgrass URAR Urochloa arizonica 0–15 – Forb6 perennial forbs 25–100 largeflower onion ALMA4 Allium macropetalum 1–50 – Missouri gourd CUFO Cucurbita foetidissima 0–50 – Lewis flax LILE3 Linum lewisii 0–50 – Arizona gumweed GRAR2 Grindelia arizonica 0–25 – showy goldeneye HEMU3 Heliomeris multiflora 0–25 – Indian rushpea HOGL2 Hoffmannseggia glauca 1–25 – Missouri goldenrod SOMI2 Solidago missouriensis 0–25 – desert globemallow SPAM2 Sphaeralcea ambigua 0–25 – copper globemallow SPAN3 Sphaeralcea angustifolia 0–25 – Rusby's globemallow SPRU2 Sphaeralcea rusbyi 0–25 – brownplume wirelettuce STPA4 Stephanomeria pauciflora 0–25 – coyote gourd CUPA Cucurbita palmata 1–25 – bluedicks DICA14 Dichelostemma capitatum 1–25 – weakleaf bur ragweed AMCO3 Ambrosia confertiflora 1–25 – fingerleaf gourd CUDI Cucurbita digitata 1–25 – whitemouth dayflower COER Commelina erecta 0–20 – leastdaisy CHAET2 Chaetopappa 0–15 – longstalk greenthread THLO Thelesperma longipes 0–15 – tepary bean PHAC Phaseolus acutifolius 0–15 – Greene's bird's-foot trefoil LOGR4 Lotus greenei 0–15 – Wright's deervetch LOWR Lotus wrightii 0–15 – variableleaf bushbean MAGI2 Macroptilium gibbosifolium 0–15 – vetch VICIA Vicia 0–10 – rose heath CHER2 Chaetopappa ericoides 0–10 – Texas bindweed COEQ Convolvulus equitans 0–10 – onion ALLIU Allium 0–10 – Forb, perennial 2FP Forb, perennial 0–10 – scarlet spiderling BOCO Boerhavia coccinea 0–10 – ragwort SENEC Senecio 0–10 – plainsmustard SCHOE2 Schoenocrambe 0–10 – twinleaf senna SEBA3 Senna bauhinioides 0–5 – sego lily CANU3 Calochortus nuttallii 0–5 – Indian paintbrush CASTI2 Castilleja 0–5 – brownfoot ACWR5 Acourtia wrightii 0–5 – tuber anemone ANTU Anemone tuberosa 0–5 – Braun's rockcress ARPE3 Arabis perstellata 0–5 – Watson's dutchman's pipe ARWA Aristolochia watsonii 0–5 – beeblossom GAURA Gaura 0–5 – southwestern mock vervain GLGO Glandularia gooddingii 0–5 – desert larkspur DEPA Delphinium parishii 0–5 – Parry's beardtongue PEPA24 Penstemon parryi 0–5 – orange fameflower PHAU13 Phemeranthus aurantiacus 0–5 – canaigre dock RUHY Rumex hymenosepalus 0–5 – 7 annual forbs 25–400 common sunflower HEAN3 Helianthus annuus 1–200 – longleaf false goldeneye HELOA2 Heliomeris longifolia var. annua 1–100 – longleaf false goldeneye HELOL Heliomeris longifolia var. longifolia 0–100 – camphorweed HESU3 Heterotheca subaxillaris 1–100 – San Pedro matchweed XAGY Xanthocephalum gymnospermoides 0–100 – goldeneye VIGUI Viguiera 0–50 – Arizona popcornflower PLAR Plagiobothrys arizonicus 1–50 – creamcups PLCA5 Platystemon californicus 0–50 – crestrib morning-glory IPCO2 Ipomoea costellata 1–50 – spreading fleabane ERDI4 Erigeron divergens 0–50 – carelessweed AMPA Amaranthus palmeri 0–50 – aster ASTER Aster 0–50 – New Mexico thistle CINE Cirsium neomexicanum 2–50 – Forb, annual 2FA Forb, annual 0–50 – Coulter's spiderling BOCO2 Boerhavia coulteri 0–25 – lambsquarters CHAL7 Chenopodium album 0–25 – aridland goosefoot CHDE Chenopodium desiccatum 0–25 – western tansymustard DEPI Descurainia pinnata 0–25 – milkvetch ASTRA Astragalus 0–25 – miniature woollystar ERDI2 Eriastrum diffusum 0–25 – California goldfields LACA7 Lasthenia californica 0–25 – California poppy ESCAM Eschscholzia californica ssp. mexicana 0–25 – Thurber's pepperweed LETH2 Lepidium thurberi 0–25 – foothill deervetch LOHU2 Lotus humistratus 0–25 – coastal bird's-foot trefoil LOSA Lotus salsuginosus 0–25 – trefoil LOTUS Lotus 0–25 – desert Indianwheat PLOV Plantago ovata 0–25 – woolly plantain PLPA2 Plantago patagonica 0–25 – New Mexico plumeseed RANE Rafinesquia neomexicana 0–25 – cudweed GNAPH Gnaphalium 0–25 – miniature lupine LUBI Lupinus bicolor 0–25 – Coulter's lupine LUSP2 Lupinus sparsiflorus 0–25 – hollowleaf annual lupine LUSU3 Lupinus succulentus 0–25 – tanseyleaf tansyaster MATA2 Machaeranthera tanacetifolia 0–25 – manybristle chinchweed PEPA2 Pectis papposa 0–25 – Canada cocklebur XASTC Xanthium strumarium var. canadense 0–25 – sand fringepod THCU Thysanocarpus curvipes 0–15 – purslane PORTU Portulaca 0–15 – desert unicorn-plant PRAL4 Proboscidea althaeifolia 0–15 – doubleclaw PRPA2 Proboscidea parviflora 0–15 – Arizona lupine LUAR4 Lupinus arizonicus 0–15 – Goodding's bladderpod LEGO2 Lesquerella gooddingii 0–15 – shaggyfruit pepperweed LELA Lepidium lasiocarpum 0–15 – wheelscale saltbush ATEL Atriplex elegans 0–15 – bristly fiddleneck AMTE3 Amsinckia tessellata 0–10 – sanddune wallflower ERCA14 Erysimum capitatum 0–10 – spurge EUPHO Euphorbia 0–10 – grassleaf lettuce LAGRA Lactuca graminifolia var. arizonica 0–10 – American wild carrot DAPU3 Daucus pusillus 0–10 – New Mexico fleabane ERNE3 Erigeron neomexicanus 0–10 – sorrel buckwheat ERPO4 Eriogonum polycladon 0–10 – annual agoseris AGHE2 Agoseris heterophylla 0–10 – sleepy silene SIAN2 Silene antirrhina 0–10 – ragwort SENEC Senecio 0–10 – phacelia PHACE Phacelia 0–10 – evening primrose OENOT Oenothera 0–10 – green carpetweed MOVE Mollugo verticillata 0–10 – Arizona mousetail MYCU Myosurus cupulatus 0–5 – Florida pellitory PAFL3 Parietaria floridana 0–5 – spreading fanpetals SIAB Sida abutifolia 0–5 – scrambled eggs COAU2 Corydalis aurea 0–5 – croton CROTO Croton 0–5 – cryptantha CRYPT Cryptantha 0–5 – Shrub/Vine8 shrubs 0–50 catclaw acacia ACGR Acacia greggii 0–25 – rubber rabbitbrush ERNA10 Ericameria nauseosa 0–25 – catclaw mimosa MIACB Mimosa aculeaticarpa var. biuncifera 0–25 – velvet mesquite PRVE Prosopis velutina 0–25 – Sonoran scrub oak QUTU2 Quercus turbinella 0–25 – skunkbush sumac RHTR Rhus trilobata 0–15 – currant RIBES Ribes 0–15 – Apache plume FAPA Fallugia paradoxa 0–15 – pale desert-thorn LYPA Lycium pallidum 0–15 – algerita MATR3 Mahonia trifoliolata 0–15 – fourwing saltbush ATCA2 Atriplex canescens 0–15 – sugarberry CELA Celtis laevigata 0–10 – heartleaf goldeneye VICO Viguiera cordifolia 0–5 – toothleaf goldeneye VIDE3 Viguiera dentata 0–5 – 9 half shrubs 10–50 bastardsage ERWR Eriogonum wrightii 1–50 – broom snakeweed GUSA2 Gutierrezia sarothrae 0–25 – yerba de pasmo BAPT Baccharis pteronioides 1–25 – Coville's bundleflower DECO4 Desmanthus covillei 0–15 – prairie acacia ACAN Acacia angustissima 0–15 – 10 succulents 0–25 walkingstick cactus CYSP8 Cylindropuntia spinosior 0–25 – sacahuista NOMI Nolina microcarpa 0–25 – cactus apple OPEN3 Opuntia engelmannii 0–25 – soaptree yucca YUEL Yucca elata 0–15 – Whipple cholla CYWH Cylindropuntia whipplei 0–15 – chaparral yucca HEWH Hesperoyucca whipplei 0–10 – spinystar ESVI2 Escobaria vivipara 0–5 – Table 9. Community 2.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Table 10. Community 3.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Table 11. Community 4.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Interpretations
Animal community
This site is suitable for grazing year round and is easily traversed by all classes of livestock. the site is very susceptible to sheet, rill and gully erosion in overgrazed areas, old roads, cattle trails and concentration areas like bed grounds, water-lots and salt grounds.
The site has good habitat diversity for grassland wildlife species. Where it is adjacent to hill sites, with tree species or chaparral, it is a foraging area for elk.Hydrological functions
This site produces runoff when soils are moist. Surfaces can be easily compacted by traffic and high densities of livestock when soils are moist. Normal depth of soil freezing in the winter is 5 to 6 inches. This will not break up compacted layers deeper than that. Compacted surfaces will produce much more runoff than surfaces with good tilth and structure. The extra water the site recieves is easily channelled by trails and wheel ruts to form rills and gullies.
Recreational uses
Hunting, camping, hiking, horseback riding, and backpacking.
Wood products
None
Other products
There is some native harvest of foods like wild onion, sunflower and thistle.
Supporting information
Contributors
Dan Robinett
Larry D. EllicottRangeland 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 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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