Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R007XY143WA
Sandy Loam
Last updated: 3/11/2025
Accessed: 04/12/2025
General information
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.
MLRA notes
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 007X–Columbia Basin
This MLRA is in the Walla Walla Plateau section of the Columbia Plateaus province of the Intermontane Plateaus. The Columbia River flows through this MLRA, and the Snake and Yakima Rivers join the Columbia River within it. This MLRA is almost entirely underlain by Miocene basalt flows. Columbia River Basalt is covered in most areas with as much as 200 feet of eolian, lacustrine, and alluvial deposits. The dominant soil orders in this MLRA are Aridisols and Entisols. The soils in the area dominantly have a mesic temperature regime, an aridic moisture regime, and mixed mineralogy. They generally are moderately deep to very deep and well drained to excessively drained.
Classification relationships
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 007X – Columbia Basin
LRU – Common Resource Areas (CRA):
7.1 – Sandy Missoula Flood Deposits
7.2 – Silty Missoula Flood Deposits
7.5 – Yakima Valley – Pleistocene Lake Basins
Ecological site concept
Diagnostics:
Carey balsamroot is a marker for MLRA 007X.
Sandy Loam is a shrub steppe upland site occurring on moderately deep to deep sandy loam textured soils. Depth to carbonates is 18 inches or deeper below the surface.
In the reference state this site is dominated by Wyoming sage, bluebunch wheatgrass and needle and thread. Carey balsamroot, lupine, fleabane and hawksbeard are also common.
The Sandy site, on the other hand, has the same soil texture as Sandy Loam, but is a grassland community because the carbonates are at or near the surface.
The line between Sandy Loam and Sandy is often sharp. It is possible to stand with one foot on Sandy Loam and the other on Sandy.
Principle Vegetative Drivers:
The shrub steppe vegetative expression for Sandy Loam is driven by the sandy loam soil texture and no carbonates until a depth of 18 inches or deeper.
Associated sites
| R007XY449WA |
Sandy |
|---|---|
| R007XY140WA |
Sands |
| R007XY130WA |
Loamy |
| R007XY120WA |
Stony |
| R007XY114WA |
Shallow Stony Sand |
| R007XY001WA |
Very Shallow |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
| Tree |
Not specified |
|---|---|
| Shrub |
(1) Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis |
| Herbaceous |
(1) Hesperostipa comata |
Physiographic features
The landscape is part of the Columbia basalt plateau. Sandy loam is commonly found on terraces, terrace escarpments, benches and plateaus.
Physiographic Division: Intermontane Plateau
Physiographic Province: Columbia Plateau
Physiographic Sections: Walla Walla Plateau Section
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
| Landforms |
(1)
Basin
(2) Hills (3) Plateau (4) Hillslope (5) Ridge (6) Terrace (7) Escarpment (8) Alluvial flat |
|---|---|
| Flooding frequency | None |
| Ponding frequency | None |
| Elevation | 300 – 1,200 ft |
| Slope | 10 – 55% |
| Water table depth | 60 in |
| Aspect | W, NW, N, NE, E, SE, S, SW |
Table 3. Representative physiographic features (actual ranges)
| Flooding frequency | Not specified |
|---|---|
| Ponding frequency | Not specified |
| Elevation | 300 – 3,500 ft |
| Slope | 60% |
| Water table depth | Not specified |
Climatic features
The climate across MLRA 007X is characterized by moderately cold, wet winters, and hot, dry summers, with limited precipitation due to the rain shadow effect of the Cascades. The average annual precipitation for Sandy Loam is mostly between 4 and 10 inches. Seventy to seventy-five percent of the precipitation comes late-October through March as a mixture of rain and snow. Precipitation that comes after March is not as effective for plant growth. June through early-October can be dry. Freezing temperatures generally occur from late-October through early-April. Temperature extremes are -10 degrees Fahrenheit in winter and 110 degrees Fahrenheit in summer. Winter fog is variable and often quite localized, as the fog settles on some areas but not others.
Table 4. Representative climatic features
| Frost-free period (characteristic range) | 150-180 days |
|---|---|
| Freeze-free period (characteristic range) | |
| Precipitation total (characteristic range) | 101-254 in |
| Frost-free period (actual range) | 130-200 days |
| Freeze-free period (actual range) | |
| Precipitation total (actual range) |
Influencing water features
A plant’s ability to grow on a site and overall plant production is determined by soil-water-plant relationships
1. Whether rain and melting snow runs off-site or infiltrates into the soil
2. Whether soil condition remain aerobic or become saturated and become anaerobic
3. Water drainage and how quickly the soil reaches wilting point
Sandy Loam ecological sites have more available moisture than Sandy sites since the carbonates are not reached until a depth of 18 inches or deeper. Soils are well drained and dry down quicker than adjacent Loamy ecological sites.
Soil features
This ecological site components are dominantly Xeric taxonomic subgroup of Haplocalcids and Haplocambids great groups of the Aridisols taxonomic orders. Soils are dominantly very deep, but strongly contrasting textural stratification can occur up to 20 inches. Average available water capacity of about 5.0 inches (12.7 cm) in the 0 to 40 inches (0 to 100 cm) depth range.
Soil parent material is dominantly alluvium derived from mixed sources.
The associated soils are Adkins, Ephrata, Finley, Prosser, Royal, Taunton, Wiehl and similar soils.
Dominate soil surface is very fine sandy loam to cobbly fine sandy loam.
Dominant particle-size class is coarse-silty to loamy-skeletal.
Table 5. Representative soil features
| Parent material |
(1)
Alluvium
|
|---|---|
| Surface texture |
(1) Very fine sandy loam (2) Cobbly fine sandy loam |
| Family particle size |
(1) Coarse-silty (2) Loamy-skeletal |
| Drainage class | Well drained |
| Permeability class | Moderately rapid to rapid |
| Depth to restrictive layer | 60 in |
| Soil depth | 60 in |
| Surface fragment cover <=3" | 10% |
| Surface fragment cover >3" | 2% |
| Available water capacity (0-40in) |
5 in |
| Calcium carbonate equivalent (Depth not specified) |
10 – 30% |
| Electrical conductivity (Depth not specified) |
10 mmhos/cm |
| Sodium adsorption ratio (Depth not specified) |
10 |
| Soil reaction (1:1 water) (0-10in) |
6.1 – 9 |
| Subsurface fragment volume <=3" (Depth not specified) |
25% |
| Subsurface fragment volume >3" (Depth not specified) |
10% |
Table 6. Representative soil features (actual values)
| Drainage class | Not specified |
|---|---|
| Permeability class | Not specified |
| Depth to restrictive layer | Not specified |
| Soil depth | Not specified |
| Surface fragment cover <=3" | 30% |
| Surface fragment cover >3" | 25% |
| Available water capacity (0-40in) |
1.8 – 7.9 in |
| Calcium carbonate equivalent (Depth not specified) |
Not specified |
| Electrical conductivity (Depth not specified) |
Not specified |
| Sodium adsorption ratio (Depth not specified) |
Not specified |
| Soil reaction (1:1 water) (0-10in) |
Not specified |
| Subsurface fragment volume <=3" (Depth not specified) |
40% |
| Subsurface fragment volume >3" (Depth not specified) |
30% |
Ecological dynamics
Vegetation Dynamics:
Sandy Loam ecological site produces about 500 to 850 pounds per acre of biomass annually.
Sandy Loam ecological site is a shrub steppe site with Wyoming sagebrush, needle and thread and bluebunch wheatgrass dominant in the reference state.
Wyoming sagebrush in a long-lived, multi-branched, evergreen shrub. Size varies from three to five feet depending on soil and site conditions. Wyoming big sagebrush has a significant rooting system, composed of a two-part rooting structure with a primary deep taproot, and a shallow extensive network of finer roots that spread laterally. This rooting system allows Wyoming big sagebrush to survive in the hottest and driest portions of the sagebrush range by tapping into groundwater sources deep into the soil profile itself. This also allows Wyoming big sagebrush to be more competitive with bunchgrasses when the landscape positions and/or soils are less ideal for grass species to maintain the competitive advantage.
Needle and thread is a very drought tolerant perennial bunchgrass. It prefers excessively drained sandy and coarse textured gravelly loam soils. Needle and thread produces erect, unbranched stems about three feet in height. The seeds have a 4 to 5-inch long twisted awn. With wetting and drying the seed drills itself into the ground. Thus, needle and thread is one of the best seeders in the reference community. With grazing pressure needle and thread initially increases.
Bluebunch wheatgrass is a long-lived, mid-sized bunchgrass with an awned or awnless seed head arranged is a spike. Bluebunch provides a crucial and extensive network of roots to the upper portions (up to 48 inch deep in soils with no root-restrictive horizons) of the soil profile. These roots create a massive underground source to stabilize the soils, provide organic matter and nutrients inputs, and help maintain soil pore space for water infiltration and water retention in the soil profile. The extensive rooting system of mid-sized bunchgrasses leave very little soil niche space available for invasion by other species. This drought resistant root can compete with, and suppress, the spread of exotic weeds.
The stability and resiliency of the reference communities is directly linked to the health and vigor of bluebunch wheatgrass and needle and thread Research has found that the community remains resistant to medusahead if the site maintains at least 0.8 plants per square foot of mid-sized bunchgrass (K. Davies, 2008). These two grasses help hold the system together. If we lose either grass the ecosystem begins to unravel.
The natural disturbance regime for grassland communities is periodic lightning-caused fires. The fire return intervals (FRI) listed in research for sagebrush steppe communities is quite variable. Ponderosa pine communities have the shortest FRI of about 10 to 20 years (Miller). The FRI increases as one moves to wetter forested sites or to dries shrub steppe
communities. Given the uncertainties and opinions or reviewers, a mean of 75 years was chosen for Wyoming sagebrush communities (Rapid Assessment Model). This would place the historic FRI for grassland steppe around 30 to 50 years.
The effect of fire on the community depends upon the severity of the burn. With a light to moderate fire there can be a mosaic of burned and unburned patches. Bunchgrasses thrive as the fire does not get into the crown. With adequate soil moisture the bunchgrasses can make tremendous growth the year after the fire. Largely, the community is not affected by lower intensity fire. Needle and thread is a native species that can increase via new seedlings following a fire.
A severe fire puts stress on the entire community. Spots and areas that were completely sterilized are especially vulnerable to exotic invasive species. Sterilized spots must be seeded to prevent invasive species (annual grasses, tumble mustard) from totally occupying the site. Bluebunch wheatgrass may have weak vigor for a few years but generally survive. Needle and thread is largely unaffected by fire.
Grazing is another common disturbance that occurs in this ecological site. Grazing pressure can be defined as heavy grazing intensity, or frequent grazing during reproductive growth, or season-long grazing (the same plants grazed more than once). As grazing pressure increases the plant community unravels in stages:
1. Bluebunch wheatgrass declines while needle and thread increases
2. Both bluebunch wheatgrass and needle and thread decline. Invasive species such as cheatgrass colonize the site
3. With further decline the site can become a cheatgrass dominated community
Managing grasslands to improve the vigor and health of bluebunch wheatgrass and needle and thread begins with an understanding their needs. New growth each year begins from basal buds. B wheatgrass plants rely principally on tillering while needle and thread establishes new plants through natural seeding. During seed formation, the growing points of bluebunch wheatgrass becomes elevated and are vulnerable to damage or removal.
Repeated critical period grazing (boot stage through seed formation) is especially damaging to bluebunch. Over several years each native bunchgrass pasture should be rested during the critical period two out of every three years (approximately April 1 throughJune 30). And each pasture should be rested the entire growing-season every third year (approximately March 1 through June 30).
In the spring each year it is important to monitor and maintain an adequate topgrowth: (1) so plants have enough energy to replace basal buds annually, (2) to optimize regrowth following spring grazing, and (3) to protect the elevated growing points of bluebunch wheatgrass.
Bluebunch wheatgrass and needle and thread remain competitive if:
(1) Basal buds are replaced annually,
(2) Viable seed is produced by needle and thread in most years
(3) Enough top-growth is maintained for growth and protection of growing points, and
(4) The timing of grazing and non-grazing is managed over a several-year period. Careful management of late spring grazing is especially critical
For more grazing management information refer to Range Technical Notes found in Section I Reference Lists of NRCS Field Office Technical Guide for Washington State.
In Washington, Wyoming sagebrush – bluebunch wheatgrass – needle and thread communities provide habitat for a variety of upland wildlife species.
State and transition model
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Ecosystem states
State 1 submodel, plant communities
State 1
Reference
State 1 represents shrub steppe with no invasive or exotic weed species. All the functional, structural groups are represented by one or more native species. The Reference Community 1.1 is dominated by Wyoming sagebrush, needle and thread and bluebunch wheatgrass. Native forbs are also present. All communities in the reference state are at risk on invasion by cheatgrass. Cheatgrass seeds blow onto most sites annually. Community 1.3 Heavy Sagebrush is more at risk of shifting into State 2 than the other Reference State communities.
Community 1.1
Wyoming Big Sagebrush, Needle and Thread, and Indian Ricegrass
Figure 1. Annual production by plant type (representative values) or group (midpoint values)
Community 1.2
Bunchgrass
Community 1.3
Heavy Sagebrush
Pathway 1.1A
Community 1.1 to 1.2
Result: shift from Reference Community to Bunchgrass Community. Big reduction in sagebrush and a moderate increase in bunchgrasses. Primary trigger: moderate severity fire kills sagebrush while bunchgrasses thrive and expand. Fire removes surface vegetation but leaves the bunchgrass crowns intact. Ecological Process: the death of sagebrush releases resources. Fire conditions and post-fire management allows bunchgrasses to thrive. Bunchgrasses expand via tillering and new seedlings.
Pathway 1.1B
Community 1.1 to 1.3
Result: shift from Reference Community to Heavy Sagebrush Community. Primary Trigger: heavy grazing pressure (heavy grazing intensity, season-long grazing and frequent late-spring grazing) Ecological Process: consistent defoliation pressure to bluebunch wheatgrass results in poor vigor, shrinking crowns and quite a bit of plant mortality. Sagebrush and needle and thread expand cover vis new seedlings into the niche space available from the declining bluebunch wheatgrass plants.
Pathway 1.2A
Community 1.2 to 1.1
Result: shift from Bunchgrass Community to Reference Community. Primary Trigger: soil disturbance and the natural regeneration process of sagebrush. Ecological Process: sagebrush seed spreads from sagebrush plants that survived the fire. At spots of soil disturbance, the sagebrush seeds have soil-soil contact, germinate and some seedlings become established. Shading causes a slight decrease in bunchgrasses.
Pathway 1.3A
Community 1.3 to 1.1
Result: shift from Heavy Sagebrush Community to Reference Community. There is a significant reduction in shrub cover and a corresponding increase in bunchgrass cover. Primary trigger: moderate severity fire kills sagebrush while bunchgrasses thrive and expand. Fire removes surface vegetation but leaves the bunchgrass crowns intact. Ecological Process: the death of sagebrush releases resources. Fire conditions and post-fire management allows bunchgrasses to thrive. Bunchgrasses expand via tillering and new seedlings.
State 2
Annual
State 2 represents sites dominated by invasive annual species and has crossed a biological threshold. As Reference State 1 begins to unravel the dominant bunchgrasses decline while invasive grasses become more and more prominent. Virtually all the native functional, structural groups are missing in State 2. Primary trigger: moderate severity fire kills sagebrush. Ecological process: death of sagebrush releases resources and niche space. Cheatgrass expands cover to the point of dominance.
State 3
Seeded
State 3 represents a site that has been seeded to desirable grasses such as needle and thread, Indian ricegrass, Secar Snake River wheatgrass, Sherman big bluegrass, or Siberian wheatgrass. State 3 is stable if 0.8 plants per square foot or greater of the desired bunchgrasses is maintained. Dominate Species for State 3: Desirable seeded grass species with or without legumes.
Transition T1A
State 1 to 2
T1 Result: transition from Reference State to State 2 which is dominated by annual grasses. This transition occurs once the cover of needle and thread and bluebunch wheatgrass decline to less than 10 percent and invasive species cover is greater than 40 percent. Primary Trigger: heavy grazing pressure (heavy grazing intensity, season long grazing and frequent late spring grazing) results in declining bunchgrasses and invasion by invasive annual grasses. Ecological process: consistent defoliation pressure to bluebunch wheatgrass and other native bunchgrasses results in poor vigor, shrinking crowns and mortality. The unraveling of the native plant community begins with a decline in bluebunch wheatgrass, while both needle and thread and sagebrush increase. As the grazing pressure continues, needle and thread will also decrease allowing the annual grasses to colonize and then become dominate. Soil disturbances (rodents, badgers) create openings or opportunities in the community or a high moisture year causes a micro-burst of cheatgrass and is the principle means of colonization. Annually cheatgrass seed blows onto most Reference State sites. This seed is waiting for opportunity to germinate and compete with the native species for space, light and moisture. When the right year happens even pristine communities in the Reference State are susceptible to colonization by cheatgrass Indicators: The occurrence of annual grasses on sites where there has been none. Decreasing vigor and cover of needle and thread and bluebunch wheatgrass and increasing cover of invasive annual species. Increasing distance between perennial species. Decreasing soil organic matter, soil water retention, limited water infiltration and percolation in the soil profile.
Restoration pathway R2A
State 2 to 3
Recovery R1 Result: shift from State 2 dominated by annual grasses to State 3 desirable seeded grasses. This restoration transition does not occur without significant time and inputs to control weeds, prepare a seedbed, seed desirable species, and post-seeding weed control and management. This requires a commitment of two years or more for weed control. Care must be taken to maintain soil structure so that the seedbed has many safe-sites for the seed. Seed placement must be managed to achieve seed-soil contact at very shallow depth (about 1/8 inch is desired). Proper grazing management is essential to maintain the stand post-seeding. Needle and thread, Indian ricegrass, Secar Snake River wheatgrass, thickspike wheatgrass, Sherman big bluegrass, Sandberg bluegrass, and intermediate wheatgrass are typical species seeded on Sandy Loam ecological site. The actual transition occurs when the seeded species have successfully established and are outcompeting the annual species for cover and dominance of resources.
Transition T3A
State 3 to 2
T2 Result: Transition from State 3 seeded grasses to State 2 annual grasses. This transition occurs when the desirable seeded grasses become minor to the dominant annual grasses. This shift can happen with or without sagebrush. Primary Trigger: grazing pressure on the seeded grasses reduce the vigor and density of key bunchgrass species. Ecological process: consistent defoliation pressure to desirable seeded grasses results in poor vigor, shrinking crowns and plant mortality. As the unraveling of the seeded grass community continues invasive annual grasses colonize the site and become more and more common with the loss of each bunchgrass. Indicators: shrinking crowns and mortality of desirable species, increasing caps gaps between perennial species, increasing cover by annual grasses.
Additional community tables
Table 7. Community 1.1 plant community composition
| Group | Common name | Symbol | Scientific name | Annual production (lb/acre) | Foliar cover (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Shrub/Vine
|
||||||
| 1 | Non-sprouting shrubs - Subdominant | 80 | ||||
| Wyoming big sagebrush | ARTRW8 | Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis | – | – | ||
| 2 | Sprouting shrubs - Minor | 40 | ||||
| rubber rabbitbrush | ERNA10 | Ericameria nauseosa | – | – | ||
| yellow rabbitbrush | CHVI8 | Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus | – | – | ||
| spineless horsebrush | TECA2 | Tetradymia canescens | – | – | ||
|
Grass/Grasslike
|
||||||
| 3 | Dominant Mid-Size Bunchgrass | 550 | ||||
| needle and thread | HECO26 | Hesperostipa comata | – | – | ||
| bluebunch wheatgrass | PSSP6 | Pseudoroegneria spicata | – | – | ||
| 4 | Other Mid-Size Bunchgrass - Minor | 40 | ||||
| sand dropseed | SPCR | Sporobolus cryptandrus | – | – | ||
| prairie Junegrass | KOMA | Koeleria macrantha | – | – | ||
| squirreltail | ELEL5 | Elymus elymoides | – | – | ||
| Thurber's needlegrass | ACTH7 | Achnatherum thurberianum | – | – | ||
| 5 | Short Grasses - Minor | 40 | ||||
| Sandberg bluegrass | POSE | Poa secunda | – | – | ||
| sixweeks fescue | VUOC | Vulpia octoflora | – | – | ||
|
Forb
|
||||||
| 6 | Native Forbs - Minor | 80 | ||||
| Munro's globemallow | SPMU2 | Sphaeralcea munroana | – | – | ||
| Carey's balsamroot | BACA3 | Balsamorhiza careyana | – | – | ||
| evening primrose | OENOT | Oenothera | – | – | ||
| hawksbeard | CREPI | Crepis | – | – | ||
| fleabane | ERIGE2 | Erigeron | – | – | ||
| buckwheat | ERIOG | Eriogonum | – | – | ||
| Indian paintbrush | CASTI2 | Castilleja | – | – | ||
| low pussytoes | ANDI2 | Antennaria dimorpha | – | – | ||
| Douglas' dustymaiden | CHDO | Chaenactis douglasii | – | – | ||
| trumpet | COLLO | Collomia | – | – | ||
| woolly plantain | PLPA2 | Plantago patagonica | – | – | ||
| common yarrow | ACMI2 | Achillea millefolium | – | – | ||
| snow buckwheat | ERNI2 | Eriogonum niveum | – | – | ||
| lupine | LUPIN | Lupinus | – | – | ||
| longleaf phlox | PHLO2 | Phlox longifolia | – | – | ||
| desertparsley | LOMAT | Lomatium | – | – | ||
| milkvetch | ASTRA | Astragalus | – | – | ||
| owl's-clover | ORTHO | Orthocarpus | – | – | ||
| spiny phlox | PHHO | Phlox hoodii | – | – | ||
| granite prickly phlox | LIPU11 | Linanthus pungens | – | – | ||
| larkspur | DELPH | Delphinium | – | – | ||
| western stoneseed | LIRU4 | Lithospermum ruderale | – | – | ||
Interpretations
Supporting information
Inventory data references
Data to populate Reference Community came from several sources: (1) NRCS ecological sites from 2004, (2) Soil Conservation Service range sites from 1980s and 1990s, (3) Daubenmire’s habitat types, and (4) ecological systems from Natural Heritage Program
Other references
Boling M., Frazier B., Busacca, A., General Soil Map of Washington, Washington State University, 1998
Daubenmire, R., Steppe Vegetation of Washington, EB1446, March 1968
Davies, Kirk, Medusahead Dispersal and Establishment in Sagebrush Steppe Plant Communities, Rangeland Ecology & Management, 2008
Environmental Protection Agency, map of Level III and IV Ecoregions of Washington, June 2010
Miller, Baisan, Rose and Pacioretty, “Pre and Post Settlement Fire regimes in mountain Sagebrush communities: The Northern Intermountain Region
Natural Resources Conservation Service, map of Common Resource Areas of Washington, 2003
Rapid Assessment Reference Condition Model for Wyoming sagebrush LANDFIRE project, 2008
Rocchio, Joseph & Crawford, Rex C., Ecological Systems of Washington State. A Guide to Identification. Washington State Department of Natural Resources, October 2015. Pages 156-161 Inter-Mountain Basin Big Sagebrush.
Rouse, Gerald, MLRA 8 Ecological Sites as referenced from Natural Resources Conservation Service-Washington FOTG, 2004
Soil Conservation Service, Range Sites for MLRA 8 from 1980s and 1990s
Tart, D., Kelley, P., and Schlafly, P., Rangeland Vegetation of the Yakima Indian reservation, August 1987, YIN Soil and Vegetation Survey
Approval
Kirt Walstad, 3/11/2025
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 | 01/24/2025 |
| Approved by | Kirt Walstad |
| Approval date | |
| Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on | Annual Production |
Indicators
-
Number and extent of rills:
-
Presence of water flow patterns:
-
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
-
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
-
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
-
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
-
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
-
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
-
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
-
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
-
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
-
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:
-
Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
-
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
-
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
-
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:
-
Perennial plant reproductive capability:
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