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Ecological site R008XY130OR

Sandy Loam 10-12 PZ

Accessed: 12/03/2024

Home / Esd catalog / MLRA 008X / Ecological site R008XY130OR

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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.

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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.

Associated sites

R008XY110OR	Loamy 10-12 PZ
R008XY150OR	Very Shallow Loam 10-14 PZ
R008XY200OR	South 10-14 PZ
R008XY220OR	North 10-14 PZ

Similar sites

R008XY110OR	Loamy 10-12 PZ Finer texture

R008XY110OR

Loamy 10-12 PZ

Finer texture

Table 1. Dominant plant species

Tree	Not specified
Shrub	Not specified
Herbaceous	Not specified

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Physiographic features

This site occurs on nearly level to gently rolling uplands.

Table 2. Representative physiographic features

Landforms	(1) Hill
Elevation	305 – 762 m
Slope	2 – 20%

Climatic features

The annual precipitation ranges from 10 to 12 inches, most of which occurs as rain with snow during the months of November through May. Spring and fall rains are common. The temperature regime is mesic with temperature extremes ranging from 110 degrees F. to -10 degrees F. The frost-free period is 140 to 200 days and the optimum period for plant growth is early April through mid-June.

Table 3. Representative climatic features

Frost-free period (average)	200 days
Freeze-free period (average)	0 days
Precipitation total (average)	305 mm

Bar

Line

Figure 2. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature

Soil features

The soils of this site are very deep, well drained fine sandy loams formed in loess over basalt bedrock. The permeability is moderate and the available water holding capacity is 10 to 12 inches for the profile. The erosion hazard is moderate for wind and slight for water.

Table 4. Representative soil features

Soil depth	152 cm
Available water capacity (0-101.6cm)	25.4 – 30.48 cm

Ecological dynamics

If heavy grazing causes site deterioration, Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, and needle and thread will decrease in the stand in that order. Rabbitbrush, lupine, and big sagebrush will increase. Cheatgrass, fiddleneck, and Russian thistle will invade the site. A lack of occasional fire will encourage an increase of shrubs.

The plant composition on this site depends strongly on soil surface texture and toa lesser extent on apsect. Typically, the very fine sandy loam surface texture gives rise to the high proportion of needleandthread while a shift to finer texture promotes an increase in the amount of bluebunch wheatgrass. North-trending slopes tend to show an increase in Idaho fescue.

State and transition model

Custom diagram

Standard diagram

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 text

Ecosystem states

1. HCPC, HECO26-PSSP6

State 1 submodel, plant communities

1.1. HCPC, HECO26-PSSP6

State 1
HCPC, HECO26-PSSP6

Community 1.1
HCPC, HECO26-PSSP6

The potential native plant community is dominated by needleandthread with lesser amounts of bluebunch wheatgrass. Vegetative composition is about 90% grasses, 5% forbs, and 5% shrubs.

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	807	1095	1382
Forb	50	81	111
Shrub/Vine	40	66	91
Total	897	1242	1584

Figure 4. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). OR2521, B8 Sandy Loam. B8 Sandy Loam RPC, Good Condition .

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	15	20	25	15	5	5	0	5	10	0	0

Additional community tables

Table 6. Community 1.1 plant community composition

Group	Common name	Symbol	Scientific name	Annual production (kg/hectare)	Foliar cover (%)
Grass/Grasslike
1	Dominant deep rooted perennial grasses			706–1110
	needle and thread	HECO26	Hesperostipa comata	504–706	–
	bluebunch wheatgrass	PSSP6	Pseudoroegneria spicata	202–404	–
2	Sub-dominant shallow rooted perennial grasses			50–151
	Idaho fescue	FEID	Festuca idahoensis	50–151	–
4	Sub-dominant shallow rooted perennial grasses			20–50
	Sandberg bluegrass	POSE	Poa secunda	20–50	–
5	Other perennial grasses			20–50
	squirreltail	ELEL5	Elymus elymoides	20–50	–
6	Annual grasses			10–20
	sixweeks fescue	VUOC	Vulpia octoflora	10–20	–
Forb
7	Dominant perennial forbs			30–61
	common yarrow	ACMI2	Achillea millefolium	10–20	–
	fleabane	ERIGE2	Erigeron	10–20	–
	phlox	PHLOX	Phlox	10–20	–
9	Other perennial forbs			20–50
	pussytoes	ANTEN	Antennaria	0–6	–
	milkvetch	ASTRA	Astragalus	0–6	–
	arrowleaf balsamroot	BASA3	Balsamorhiza sagittata	0–6	–
	naked mariposa lily	CANU2	Calochortus nudus	0–6	–
	willowherb	EPILO	Epilobium	0–6	–
	buckwheat	ERIOG	Eriogonum	0–6	–
	lupine	LUPIN	Lupinus	0–6	–
	woolly plantain	PLPA2	Plantago patagonica	0–6	–
Shrub/Vine
11	Dominant evergreen shrubs			40–91
	basin big sagebrush	ARTRT	Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata	10–20	–
	rubber rabbitbrush	ERNA10	Ericameria nauseosa	10–20	–
15	Other shrubs			20–50
	green rabbitbrush	ERTE18	Ericameria teretifolia	10–25	–
	broom snakeweed	GUSA2	Gutierrezia sarothrae	10–25	–

Interpretations

Animal community

Where associated with croplands, this site is used by upland game birds including Hungarian partridge, chukars and ring-necked pheasants.

Hydrological functions

The soils of this site have modeate infiltration rates and low runoff potential. The hydrologic soil group is B.

Wood products

None

Other products

This site is suitable for grazing by livestock during all seasons of the year but most ideally, it is suited to fall, winter, and early spring use under a planned grazing system.

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)	Jeff Repp
Contact for lead author	Oregon NRCS State Rangeland Management Specialist
Date	07/26/2012
Approved by	Bob Gillaspy
Approval date
Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on	Annual Production

Indicators

Number and extent of rills:
None, slight sheet & rill erosion hazard
Presence of water flow patterns:
None
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
None
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
10-15%
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
None
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None, moderate wind erosion hazard
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Fine - limited movement
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Slightly to moderately resistant to erosion; aggregate stability = 3-4
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Very deep, well drained very fine sandy loams; Low OM (2-3%)
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Significant ground cover (40-60%) and level to gently rolling slopes (2-20%) limit rainfall impact and overland flow
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
None
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:
Needle and thread > Bluebunch wheatgrass > Idaho fescue > Sandberg bluegrass = other grasses = other forbs > annual grasses + dominant forbs = dominant shrubs = other shrubs

Sub-dominant:

Other:

Additional:
Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
Normal decadence and mortality expected
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
Favorable: 1200, Normal: 900, Unfavorable: 500 lbs/acre/year at high RSI (HCPC)
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 brush species will increase with deterioration of plant community. Western Juniper readily invades the site. Cheatgrass and Medusahead invade sites that have lost deep rooted perennial grass functional group
Perennial plant reproductive capability:
All species should be capable of reproducing annually

Download reference sheet