Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R010XA001OR
Loamy 8-10 PZ
Accessed: 12/06/2024
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.
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
R010XA002OR |
Juniper Shrubby Pumice Hills 8-10 PZ |
---|---|
R010XA007OR |
Juniper Pumice South 9-12 PZ |
R010XA083OR |
Juniper Shrubby North 9-12 PZ |
Similar sites
R010XA018OR |
Juniper Shrubby Loam 10-12 PZ |
---|---|
R010XA019OR |
Shrubby Loam 8-12 PZ |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
Not specified |
---|---|
Shrub |
(1) Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata |
Herbaceous |
(1) Pseudoroegneria spicata ssp. spicata |
Physiographic features
This site occurs on plateaus, ridgetops and gently sloping areas.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms |
(1)
Plateau
(2) Ridge |
---|---|
Elevation | 305 – 914 m |
Slope | 0 – 15% |
Aspect | Aspect is not a significant factor |
Climatic features
The annual precipitation ranges from 8 to 10 inches which occurs mainly between the months of October and June, mostly in the form of rain. The soil temperature regime is mesic. The average annual air temperature is 49 degrees F. with extreme temperatures ranging from -26 to 104 degrees F. The frost free period is 90 to 140 days. The optimum period for plant growth is from mid-March through June.
Table 3. Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) | 140 days |
---|---|
Freeze-free period (average) | 0 days |
Precipitation total (average) | 254 mm |
Figure 2. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
Influencing water features
Soil features
The soils of this site are shallow to moderately deep and well drained. They have loam or sandy loam surface textures and subsoils that range from sandy loam to clay. They are generally formed in colluvium and/or semi-consolidated sediments with additions of ash. Permeability is moderate and the available water holding capacity is 3 to 6 inches for the profile. The potential for wind erosion is high.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture |
(1) Loam (2) Sandy loam |
---|---|
Family particle size |
(1) Loamy |
Drainage class | Well drained |
Permeability class | Moderate |
Soil depth | 51 – 102 cm |
Available water capacity (0-101.6cm) |
7.62 – 15.24 cm |
Ecological dynamics
Burning results in a decline or loss of big sagebrush, western juniper and bitterbrush, and is followed by increases in rabbitbrush and horsebrush.
Increasers and invaders include broom snakeweed, cheatgrass, annual fescue, filaree, bottlebrush squirreltail, mustard, and groundsmoke.
Idaho fescue and/or bitterbrush are greater in abundance than stated above when the soil is higher in sand content.
State and transition model
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Ecosystem states
State 1 submodel, plant communities
State 1
Historic Climax Plant Community
Community 1.1
Historic Climax Plant Community
The potential native plant community is dominated by a sparse stand of western juniper and basin big sagebrush. Bluebunch wheatgrass and Sandberg bluegrass are prominent grasses on this site. Minor amounts of bitterbrush, Idaho fescue and Indian ricegrass may occur.
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 | 696 | 807 | 918 |
Shrub/Vine | 71 | 131 | 192 |
Forb | 10 | 40 | 71 |
Tree | 20 | 36 | 50 |
Total | 797 | 1014 | 1231 |
Figure 4. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). OR4001, B10A Mesic, Low Elev., N/A, Sandy, Good Condition. B10A Mesic, Low Elev., N/A, Sandy, Good Condition RPC Growth Curve.
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 | 0 | 5 | 20 | 55 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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 | 555–656 | ||||
bluebunch wheatgrass | PSSP6 | Pseudoroegneria spicata | 555–656 | – | ||
2 | Sub-dominant deep rooted perennial grasses | 40–111 | ||||
Idaho fescue | FEID | Festuca idahoensis | 10–50 | – | ||
basin wildrye | LECI4 | Leymus cinereus | 10–20 | – | ||
Indian ricegrass | ACHY | Achnatherum hymenoides | 10–20 | – | ||
Thurber's needlegrass | ACTH7 | Achnatherum thurberianum | 10–20 | – | ||
3 | Dominant shallow rooted perennial grasses | 101–151 | ||||
Sandberg bluegrass | POSE | Poa secunda | 101–151 | – | ||
Forb
|
||||||
9 | Other perennial forbs | 10–71 | ||||
common yarrow | ACMI2 | Achillea millefolium | 0–6 | – | ||
agoseris | AGOSE | Agoseris | 0–6 | – | ||
pussytoes | ANTEN | Antennaria | 0–6 | – | ||
Palouse milkvetch | ASAR7 | Astragalus arrectus | 0–6 | – | ||
arrowleaf balsamroot | BASA3 | Balsamorhiza sagittata | 0–6 | – | ||
mariposa lily | CALOC | Calochortus | 0–6 | – | ||
tapertip hawksbeard | CRAC2 | Crepis acuminata | 0–6 | – | ||
fleabane | ERIGE2 | Erigeron | 0–6 | – | ||
buckwheat | ERIOG | Eriogonum | 0–6 | – | ||
snow buckwheat | ERNI2 | Eriogonum niveum | 0–6 | – | ||
fernleaf biscuitroot | LODI | Lomatium dissectum | 0–6 | – | ||
lupine | LUPIN | Lupinus | 0–6 | – | ||
spreading phlox | PHDI3 | Phlox diffusa | 0–6 | – | ||
yellow salsify | TRDU | Tragopogon dubius | 0–6 | – | ||
Shrub/Vine
|
||||||
11 | Dominant evergreen shrubs | 50–151 | ||||
basin big sagebrush | ARTRT | Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata | 50–151 | – | ||
12 | Sub-dominant evergreen shrubs | 10–20 | ||||
antelope bitterbrush | PUTR2 | Purshia tridentata | 10–20 | – | ||
15 | Other shrubs | 10–20 | ||||
slender buckwheat | ERMI4 | Eriogonum microthecum | 0–6 | – | ||
rubber rabbitbrush | ERNA10 | Ericameria nauseosa | 0–6 | – | ||
green rabbitbrush | ERTE18 | Ericameria teretifolia | 0–6 | – | ||
spineless horsebrush | TECA2 | Tetradymia canescens | 0–6 | – | ||
Tree
|
||||||
16 | Dominant evergreen trees | 20–50 | ||||
western juniper | JUOC | Juniperus occidentalis | 20–50 | – |
Interpretations
Animal community
Mule deer use this site as winter range.
Hydrological functions
The soils of this site have infiltration rates and low runoff potential.
Wood products
Juniper firewood
Other products
Overgrazing reduces bluebunch wheatgrass and Idaho fescue, and encourages increases in sagebrush, rabbitbrush, Sandberg bluegrass, yarrow, milkvetch, fleabane, and hawksbeard.
Other information
Adapted species for range seedings include crested wheatgrass, Siberian wheatgrass, pubescent wheatgrass, tall wheatgrass, and Paiute orchardgrass.
Supporting information
Other references
This site also associated with B10B site Droughty North 9-12 PZ #010XB084OR
Contributors
Cici Brooks
E Ersch
Gene Hickman
K.Kennedy
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 and Bruce Frannsen |
---|---|
Contact for lead author | State Rangeland Management Specialist for NRCS - Oregon |
Date | 07/30/2012 |
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):
5-10% -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
None -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None to some, Severe 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):
moderately resistant to erosion; aggregate stability = 3-5 -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Moderately deep to shallow, well drained loams and sandy loams; low OM (1-3%) -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Significant ground cover (55-65%) and level to gently rolling slopes (2-15%) 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:
Bluebunch wheatgrass > Sandberg bluegrass > Basin big sagebrush > forbs > Idaho fescue = Western Juniper > other grasses = Antelope bitterbrush = other shrubsSub-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):
In most areas -
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
Favorable: 1100, Normal: 900, Unfavorable: 700 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 increases on the site. Cheatgrass and Medusahead invade sites that have lost deep rooted perennial grass functional groups. -
Perennial plant reproductive capability:
All species should be capable of reproducing annually
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