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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.
Classification relationships
Modal Soil: Yeates Hollow STV-L, 40-70% — clayey-skeletal, montmorillonitic, frigid Typic Argixerolls
Associated sites
R047XA430UT Mountain Loam (mountain big sagebrush)
R047XA432UT Mountain Loam (oak)
Similar sites
R047XA432UT Mountain Loam (oak)
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub (1) Quercus gambelii
(2) Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyanaHerbaceous Not specified
Physiographic features
This site occurs on alluvial fans, mountainsides and slump blocks at elevations between 5,500 and 8,250 feet. Slopes range from 35 to 80 percent and runoff is high.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Alluvial fan
(2) Mountain slope
(3) Slump block
Flooding frequency None Ponding frequency None Elevation 5500 – 8250 ft Slope 35 – 80 % Climatic features
The climate of this site is cool and humid with cold, snowy winters and cool dry summers. The average annual precipitation varies from 16 to 23 inches with an average of about 21. Distribution is about 65% during the plant dormant period (October through March). This winter moisture is the most dependable supply for plant growth. Lower precipitation and high evaporation-transpiration rates during july, august and september causes a slowing down in rate of plant growth and dormancy in most of the forbs and grasses.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 90 days Freeze-free period (average) 0 days Precipitation total (average) 30 in BarLineFigure 2. Monthly precipitation range
BarLineFigure 3. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
">Influencing water features
Due to its landscape position, this site is not typically influenced by streams or wetlands.
Soil features
The soils of this site are well-drained and moderately deep to deep. They formed in colluvium and slope alluvium derived from sandstone, limestone, and shale. Soil texture is typically cobbly loam or channery loam with rock fragments making up greater than 45 percent of the soil volume. Rock fragments should be present on the soil surface. Available water-holding capacity ranges from 2.5 to 4.0 inches of water in the upper 40 inches of soil. The soil moisture regime is xeric and the soil temperature regime is frigid.
This site is correlated to soils in the following soil survey areas: (Soil components listed with soil map unit symbols in parentheses)
Sanpete Valley Area (UT627): Gappmayer (BH);Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Cobbly loam
(2) Channery loam
Family particle size (1) Loamy
Drainage class Well drained Permeability class Moderately slow to moderate Soil depth 20 – 0 in Surface fragment cover <=3" 15 – 50 % Surface fragment cover >3" 3 – 15 % Available water capacity
(0-40in)2.5 – 4 in Calcium carbonate equivalent
(0-40in)0 – 20 % Electrical conductivity
(0-40in)0 – 2 mmhos/cm Sodium adsorption ratio
(0-40in)Not specified Soil reaction (1:1 water)
(0-40in)6.6 – 8.4 Subsurface fragment volume <=3"
(Depth not specified)27 – 59 % Subsurface fragment volume >3"
(Depth not specified)0 – 29 % Ecological dynamics
Species that are not a part of the climax that are most likely to invade the site under excessive grazing use are cheatgrass, annual forbs, curlycup gumweed, houndstongue, flannel mullein, tarweed, rubber rabbitbrush and snakeweed. Gambel oak will increase and may become almost a pure stand under excessive grazing use or repeated range fires.
State and transition model
Custom diagramStandard diagram
Figure 4. STM
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 1
Reference StateCommunity 1.1
Reference StateThe vegetation of this site is 35 percent perennial grasses, 10 percent forbs, and 55 percent shrubs with a general oakbrush aspect.
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 798 1018 1238 Grass/Grasslike 508 648 788 Forb 145 185 225 Total 1451 1851 2251 Table 6. Ground cover
Tree foliar cover 0% Shrub/vine/liana foliar cover 40-40% Grass/grasslike foliar cover 20-30% Forb foliar cover 10-10% Non-vascular plants 0% Biological crusts 0% Litter 0% Surface fragments >0.25" and <=3" 0% Surface fragments >3" 0% Bedrock 0% Water 0% Bare ground 0% Table 7. Canopy structure (% cover)
Height Above Ground (ft) Tree Shrub/Vine Grass/
GrasslikeForb <0.5 – – – – >0.5 <= 1 – – – 9-11% >1 <= 2 – – 24-26% – >2 <= 4.5 – – – – >4.5 <= 13 – 39-41% – – >13 <= 40 – – – – >40 <= 80 – – – – >80 <= 120 – – – – >120 – – – – Additional community tables
Table 8. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Shrub/Vine0 Dominant Shrubs 665–950 Gambel oak QUGA Quercus gambelii 475–570 – mountain big sagebrush ARTRV Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana 95–190 – antelope bitterbrush PUTR2 Purshia tridentata 95–190 – 3 Sub-Dominant Shrubs 209–532 Shrub (>.5m) 2SHRUB Shrub (>.5m) 95–190 – Saskatoon serviceberry AMAL2 Amelanchier alnifolia 19–57 – alderleaf mountain mahogany CEMO2 Cercocarpus montanus 19–57 – yellow rabbitbrush CHVIV4 Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus ssp. viscidiflorus var. viscidiflorus 19–57 – slender buckwheat ERMI4 Eriogonum microthecum 19–57 – creeping barberry MARE11 Mahonia repens 19–57 – mountain snowberry SYOR2 Symphoricarpos oreophilus 19–57 – Grass/Grasslike0 Dominant Grasses 247–475 slender wheatgrass ELTR7 Elymus trachycaulus 95–190 – bluebunch wheatgrass PSSP6 Pseudoroegneria spicata 95–190 – muttongrass POFE Poa fendleriana 57–95 – 1 Sub-Dominant Grasses 285–665 Grass, annual 2GA Grass, annual 95–190 – Grass, perennial 2GP Grass, perennial 95–190 – Indian ricegrass ACHY Achnatherum hymenoides 19–57 – Columbia needlegrass ACNE9 Achnatherum nelsonii 19–57 – California brome BRCA5 Bromus carinatus 19–57 – Geyer's sedge CAGE2 Carex geyeri 19–57 – basin wildrye LECI4 Leymus cinereus 19–57 – Forb2 Sub-Dominant Forbs 361–912 Forb, annual 2FA Forb, annual 95–285 – Forb, perennial 2FP Forb, perennial 95–285 – common yarrow ACMI2 Achillea millefolium 19–38 – tapertip hawksbeard CRAC2 Crepis acuminata 19–38 – shortstem buckwheat ERBR5 Eriogonum brevicaule 19–38 – sticky purple geranium GEVI2 Geranium viscosissimum 19–38 – Nevada pea LALA3 Lathyrus lanszwertii 19–38 – low beardtongue PEHU Penstemon humilis 19–38 – spiny phlox PHHO Phlox hoodii 19–38 – American vetch VIAM Vicia americana 19–38 – Interpretations
Animal community
This site provides a fairly good balance of nutritious forage. Sheep, cattle, and horses do well grazing during the spring, summer, and fall seasons.
Wildlife potential is fair to poor for openland, good to fair for woodland, very poor for wetland and good to fair for rangeland.
It is good habitat for chukars, quail, mule deer, elk, songbirds, squirrels, snowshoe hare, cottontails, bobcat, and coyotes. It is fair habitat for cougars, bear, golden eagle, hawks and small mammals.
Hydrological functions
The soil series in this site are in c hydrologic group. When the vegetation is in good condition, the hydrologic curve number is 74.
Recreational uses
This site has excellent potential for aesthetics and natural beauty. It has a large number of forbs and shrubs which have flowers in bloom from early spring throughout the summer and late into the fall. It has shrubs which offer screening for camping and picnicking. Hunting is good for upland game birds, snowshoe hare, elk, and mule deer. Fishing is opportune on streams through and adjacent to this site. This site has values for snowmobiling and skiing during a fairly long period of the season.
Wood products
Fence posts and stays can be harvested from the Gambel oak. This species also supplies fireplace wood, campfire wood and materials for knick-knacks and novelties.
Supporting information
Contributors
Darryl Trickler
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) V. Keith Wadman (NRCS Retired). Contact for lead author shane.green@ut.usda.gov Date 11/27/2012 Approved by Approval date Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on Annual Production Indicators
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Number and extent of rills:
Some rills may be present, and their appearance may intensify where slopes approach 80% . Their expression may be less defined where coarse fragments (i.e., cobbles or gravels) dominate the soil surface. Rill occurrence may increase slightly on areas located below exposed bedrock or other water shedding areas where increased runoff may occur. Rills should be <1 inches deep, somewhat long (10 to 15 feet) and somewhat widely spaced (8-12 feet). An increase in rill development may be observed immediately following major thunderstorm or spring runoff events. -
Presence of water flow patterns:
Sinuous flow patterns are common and wind around perennial plants and surface rock. Evidence of flow patterns is expected to increase somewhat as slopes approach 80%. Water flow patterns are long (20 to 30 feet), somewhat narrow (1 to 2 feet wide), and spaced widely (5 to 10 yards) and more closely spaced(3 to 6 yards) on slopes nearing 70 to 80%. -
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
Small pedestals will form at the base of plants that occur on the edge of water flow patterns, 2 to 4% of plants show minor exposed roots. Terracettes are fairly common, forming behind debris dams of small to medium sized litter (up to 2 inches in diameter) in water flow patterns. These debris dams may accumulate smaller litter (leaves, grass and forb stems) and sediment. -
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
20–25%. (Soil surface is typically covered by 40-60% surface fragments). Most bare ground is associated with water flow patterns, rills, and gullies. Bare ground spaces not associated with flow patterns should not be greater than 1 to 2 feet in diameter. -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
A few gullies may occur. Any gullies present may extend down the length of the site until they reach a stream or other area where water and sediment is diverted or accumulates. Gullies show slightly more indication of erosion as slopes approach 80%, or where the site occurs adjacent to watershed areas with concentrated flow patterns. -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None. Perennial shrubs along with surface coarse fragments on this site help break the wind and reduce the potential for wind erosion. -
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Because of the sites very steep slopes, some litter redistribution downslope caused by water movement is normal. Some litter removal may occur in flow channels with deposition occurring within 3 to 5 feet at points of obstruction. The majority of litter still accumulates at the base of plants. Some grass leaves, stems and small woody twigs may accumulate in soil depressions adjacent to plants. Woody stems are likely to move 1 to 2 feet. A slight increase in litter movement is expected following runoff resulting from heavy spring runoff or thunderstorms. -
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
This site should have an erosion rating of 5 or 6. Vegetation cover, litter, biological soil crusts and surface rock reduce erosion. -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
(Gappmayer) Soil surface A horizon is typically 0 to 6 inches deep. Surface texture is a cobbly light loam which may have an organic mat of partially decomposed leaves and twigs 2 inches deep on the surface. Structure is weak very fine granular. Color is very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2). A Mollic epipedon extends 19 inches into the soil profile. Use the specific information for the soil you are assessing found in the published soil survey to supplement this description. -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Good spatial distribution of plants and well developed biological soil crusts (where present) intercept raindrops, reducing splash erosion and providing areas of increased surface detention to store water, allowing additional time for infiltration. -
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
None. Some soils may have natural textural variability within their profiles, including changes in clay and coarse fragment content, these should not be mistaken for a compaction pans. -
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:
Sprouting shrub (Gambel Oak) >> Non-sprouting shrubs (Mountain big sagebrush) > cool season perennial grasses (bluebunch wheatgrass, muttongrass) >> rhizomatous grasses (slender wheatgrass).Sub-dominant:
forbs (thickleaf peavine, shortstem wild buckwheat)Other:
Functional/structural groups may appropriately contain non-native species if their ecological function is the same as the native species in the reference state. Biological soil crust is variable in its expression where present on this site and is measured as a component of ground cover. Forbs can be expected to vary widely in their expression in the plant community based upon departures from average growing conditions.Additional:
Factors contributing to temporal variability include insects and other pathogens (mistletoe), drought, extreme precipitation events, etc. Factors contributing to spatial variability include slope, amount of rock fragments, aspect, etc. Following a recent disturbance such as fire, drought or insects, that may remove the woody vegetation, forbs and perennial grasses (herbaceous species) may become more dominate in the community. These conditions may reflect different functional community phases within the reference state. -
Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
There may be partial mortality on individual bunchgrasses and shrubs during drought periods, and complete mortality of individual plants during severe drought periods. Following fire, mature oak will die but vigorous re-sprouting of young oak seedlings is common. Hard spring frosts can kill gambel oak. -
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
Cover should be composed mostly of fine litter. Depth should vary from a 1 thickness in the interspaces, to up to 1 1/2 under herbaceous canopies, and up to 2” under shrub canopies. Litter cover may increase to 35% on some years due to increased production of plants. -
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
Annual production in air-dry herbage should be approximately 1800 - 1900#/acre on an average year, but could range from 1400 to 2300#/acre during periods of prolonged drought or above average precipitation. -
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:
Few invasive species are capable of dominating this site. When invasion does occur, cheatgrass, alyssum, and mustard species are the most likely species to invade. -
Perennial plant reproductive capability:
All perennial plants should have the ability to reproduce in all years, except in extreme drought years. There are no restrictions on either seed or vegetative reproduction. Some seedling recruitment of major species is present during average and above average growing years.
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