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Draft. A draft ecological site description is either incomplete or has not undergone quality control and quality assurance review.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub Not specified
Herbaceous Not specified
Physiographic features
This site occurs on nearly level to gently sloping bottoms and fans. The soils frequently have a fluctuating water table at a depth of 1 to 4 feet. The site receives water from the surrounding sites either as shallow groundwater or surface runoff. Elevation ranges from 4,300 to 5,900 feet above sea level. Slopes are concave and range from 0 to 4 percent. Exposure varies and is not significant.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Valley floor
(2) Fan
Flooding duration Brief (2 to 7 days) Flooding frequency Rare Elevation 1311 – 1798 m Slope 0 – 4 % Water table depth 30 – 122 cm Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
The climate of this area can be classified as “semi-arid continental”.
Precipitation averages from about 15 to 16 inches annually with approximately 75 percent of this yearly moisture falling during the period of May through October. Most summer rainfall is associated with usually brief afternoon and evening thundershowers, which occasionally produce heavy rain over a small area, and sometimes bring a little hail. Winters are generally dry, with only one or two days a month when as much as one-tenth inch of moisture falls. However, winter average 20 inches of snow, although most snowfalls are light with an occasional storm producing up to six inches. Following these storms, snow may lie on the ground for several days and occasionally moderate to strong winds accompanying these storms result in blizzard conditions and heavy drifting. Although the precipitation patterns favor the production of warm-season plants, sufficient moisture is received in the late winter and the spring to support cool-season plants. Approximately 25 percent of the annual precipitation is received during April and May. May is generally the wettest month followed by July and then August.
Temperatures show the seasonal changes and large annual and diurnal ranges characteristic of such a climate. Summers are generally mild. The high daily temperature reading exceed 90 degrees F about one-third of the time, and readings of 100 degrees F occur about once a year. Rapid cooling after sundown results in minimum temperatures below 60 degrees F on most nights, even in midsummer. Winter shade temperatures usually rise to the mid-40’s and an average of only 15 days fail to see temperatures rise above the freezing mark most of the time from early November through March; below zero readings occur on an average of only three times a year.
The freeze-free season ranges from 168 days to 171 days between April 28th to October 16th. Both temperatures and annual precipitation favor warm-season plants. About 40 percent of the annual precipitation is received during the season where temperatures will benefit cool-season plants and only 10 percent falls during the dormant season.
While open to winter invasions of arctic air over the Great Plains, this area is far enough south and west to miss many of these outbreaks. Mountains to the north and west intercept mush of the precipitation from the Pacific northwest storms coming through this area during the winter. An average hourly wind velocity for the year is 15 miles per hour. Somewhat higher winds prevail during the spring months, but velocities exceeding 24 mile per hour are experienced only 10 percent of the usual year. Stronger winds blow chiefly from a westerly or southwesterly direction during the spring. Relative humidity is moderately low.
Climate data was obtained from http://www.wrcc.sage.dri.edu/summary/climsmnm.html web site using 50% probability for freeze-free and frost-free seasons using 28.5 degrees F and 32.5 degrees F respectively.Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 190 days Freeze-free period (average) 220 days Precipitation total (average) 410 mm BarLineFigure 1. Monthly precipitation range
BarLineFigure 2. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
">Influencing water features
This site is not influenced by water from a wetland or stream.
Soil features
The soils of this site are moderately deep to deep, slightly saline and poorly drained. The texture of the surface layer is silty clay loam to loamy fine sand. The subsurface layer is silty clay loam to loamy fine sand. The permeability is moderate to slow. The available water-holding capacity is high. The effective rooting depth is 40 to 60 inches. These soils have a fluctuating water table at depths of 1 to 4 feet much of the growing season.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Silty clay loam
(2) Loamy fine sand
Family particle size (1) Loamy
Drainage class Poorly drained to well drained Permeability class Slow to moderate Soil depth 10 – 51 cm Available water capacity
(0-101.6cm)22.86 – 30.48 cm Electrical conductivity
(0-101.6cm)60 – 72 mmhos/cm Soil reaction (1:1 water)
(0-101.6cm)6.6 – 8.4 Ecological dynamics
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
Historic Climax Plant CommunityCommunity 1.1
Historic Climax Plant CommunityOn this site the dominant vegetation is grass. Small trees and shrubs are associated with the very shallow soils near the bare ledges or rock outcrops. Mid-grasses such as sideoats grama and little bluestem are dominant with scattered junipers or shrubs. Several species of perennial and annual forbs are evenly distributed.
Other grasses that could appear on this site include: slender tridens, threeawn spp., and ring muhly.
Other shrubs include: broom snakeweed, winterfat and cholla.
Other forbs include: locoweed spp., globemallow spp., dalea, silverleaf nightshade, peavine, paintbrush spp., gilia, rayless goldenrod, and prairie coneflower.Figure 3. Annual production by plant type (representative values) or group (midpoint values)
Table 5. Annual production by plant type
Plant type Low
(kg/hectare)Representative value
(kg/hectare)High
(kg/hectare)Grass/Grasslike 1816 2925 4035 Shrub/Vine 101 163 224 Forb 101 163 224 Total 2018 3251 4483 Table 6. Ground cover
Tree foliar cover 0% Shrub/vine/liana foliar cover 0% Grass/grasslike foliar cover 40-40% Forb foliar cover 0-10% Non-vascular plants 0% Biological crusts 0% Litter 30-40% Surface fragments >0.25" and <=3" 0% Surface fragments >3" 0% Bedrock 0% Water 0% Bare ground 10-20% Figure 4. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). NM4708 , R077BY008NM Meadows Reference State. R077BY008NM Meadows Reference State.
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 2 3 5 8 10 25 25 15 5 2 0 Additional community tables
Table 7. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Grass/Grasslike1 Western Wheatgrass, Blue Grama, Switchgrass 325–488 blue grama BOGR2 Bouteloua gracilis 325–488 – western wheatgrass PASM Pascopyrum smithii 325–488 – switchgrass PAVI2 Panicum virgatum 325–488 – 2 Little Bluestem, Indiangrass, Big Bluestem 163–325 big bluestem ANGE Andropogon gerardii 163–325 – little bluestem SCSC Schizachyrium scoparium 163–325 – Indiangrass SONU2 Sorghastrum nutans 163–325 – 3 Vine-msqte, Galleta, Sedges sp., Inland Saltgrass 98–163 Graminoid (grass or grass-like) 2GRAM Graminoid (grass or grass-like) 98–163 – sedge CAREX Carex 98–163 – saltgrass DISP Distichlis spicata 98–163 – vine mesquite PAOB Panicum obtusum 98–163 – James' galleta PLJA Pleuraphis jamesii 98–163 – alkali sacaton SPAI Sporobolus airoides 98–163 – Forb4 Annual Forbs 0–163 Forb, annual 2FA Forb, annual 0–163 – needle and thread HECO26 Hesperostipa comata 0–115 – New Mexico feathergrass HENE5 Hesperostipa neomexicana 0–115 – 5 Perennial Forbs 0–163 Forb, perennial 2FP Forb, perennial 0–163 – big bluestem ANGE Andropogon gerardii 57–115 – Shrub/Vine6 Fringed Sagewort, Fourwing Salbush, Other Shrubs 0–163 Shrub, deciduous 2SD Shrub, deciduous 0–163 – prairie sagewort ARFR4 Artemisia frigida 0–163 – fourwing saltbush ATCA2 Atriplex canescens 0–163 – silver bluestem BOSA Bothriochloa saccharoides 35–57 – pinyon ricegrass PIFI Piptochaetium fimbriatum 35–57 – Interpretations
Hydrological functions
The runoff curve numbers are determined by field investigations using hydrologic cover conditions and hydrologic soil groups.
Hydrologic Interpretations
Soil Series---------Hydrologic Group
Manzano-------------CRecreational uses
This site provides limited recreation potential due to the dense vegetative growth. Hiking, camping, picnicking are poor to fair. Hunting for small rabbits and birds is fair. The natural beauty is enhanced by the change from the upland grasslands to the green meadows.
Wood products
This site has not significant potential for wood products.
Other products
Grazing:
This site can be grazed during any season of the year. It is best suited to cattle due to the coarseness of the forage produced by the tall and mid grasses. Approximately 90 percent of the total annual production is from species that will furnish forage for grazing animals. This site “greens-up” earlier and stays green longer than the surrounding upland sites due to the availability of water. Continuous grazing by cattle will cause the plant community to deteriorate. Species such as switchgrass, Indiangrass, sand bluestem, little bluestem and western wheatgrass will decrease and blue grama, alkali sacaton, inland saltgrass, silver bluestem and broom snakeweed will increase. A system of deferred grazing, which varies the season of grazing and rest in a pasture, is needed to maintain or improve the plant community. Different seasons of rest benefit different plants.Other information
Guide to Suggested Initial Stocking Rate Acres per Animal Unit Month
Similarity Index----------Ac/AUM
100 - 76------------------0.9 – 2.5
75 – 51-------------------1.8 – 4.0
50 – 26-------------------2.4 – 6.4
25 – 0--------------------6.4+Supporting information
Type locality
Location 1: Colfax County, NM Location 2: Harding County, NM Location 3: Union County, NM Other references
Data collection for this site was done in conjunction with the progressive soil surveys within the Southern High Plains 77 Major Land Resource Area of New Mexico. This site has been mapped and correlated with soils in the following soil surveys: Union, Harding Colfax.
Characteristic Soils Are:
Manzano
Contributors
Don Sylvester
Elizabeth Wright
Wendy McCoyRangeland 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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