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Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R010XA044ID
Cinder 12-16 PZ PIFL2/ARTRV
Last updated: 12/13/2023
Accessed: 08/16/2024
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.
MLRA notes
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 010X–Central Rocky and Blue Mountain Foothills
This MLRA is characterized by gently rolling to steep hills, plateaus, and low mountains at the foothills of the Blue Mountains in Oregon and the Central Rocky Mountains in Idaho. The geology of this area is highly varied and ranges from Holocene volcanics to Cretaceous sedimentary rocks. Mollisols are the dominant soil order and the soil climate is typified by mesic or frigid soil temperature regimes, and xeric or aridic soil moisture regimes. Elevation ranges from 1,300 to 6,600 feet (395 to 2,010 meters), increasing from west to east. The climate is characterized by dry summers and snow dominated winters with precipitation averaging 8 to 16 inches (205 to 405 millimeters) and increasing from west to east. These factors support plant communities with shrub-grass associations with considerable acreage of sagebrush grassland. Big sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, and Idaho fescue are the dominant species. Stiff sagebrush, low sagebrush, and Sandberg bluegrass are often dominant on sites with shallow restrictive layers. Western juniper is one of the few common tree species and since European settlement has greatly expanded its extent in Oregon. Nearly half of the MLRA is federally owned and managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Most of the area is used for livestock grazing with areas accessible by irrigation often used for irrigated agriculture.
For further information, see "Land Resource Regions and Major Land Resource Areas of the United States, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Basin (U.S. Department of Agriculture Handbook 296, 2006)" available online at: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/survey/?cid=nrcs142p2_053624
Classification relationships
Artemisia vaseyana/Agropyron spicatum ht. Hironaka, M., M.A. Fosberg, A. H. Winward. 1983. Sagebrush-Grass Habitat Types of Southern Idaho. University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho. Bulletin Number “35”.
Ecological site concept
• Site occurs on uplands
• Slopes generally less than 30%, occurring on all aspects
• Site associated with recent lava flows
• Soil with further development relative to Cinder Gardens site
Associated sites
R010XA020ID |
Mixed Shrub 12-16 PZ Adjacent low slope areas with shallow soils |
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R010XA043ID |
Cinder North 12-16 PZ PIFL2/PUTR2 Adjacent north aspects |
R010XA045ID |
Cinder South 12-16 PZ PUTR2/HECO26 Adjacent south aspects |
R010XA046ID |
Cinder Garden 12-16 PZ EROVD-LERE7 Adjacent low slope cinder gardens |
Similar sites
R010XA045ID |
Cinder South 12-16 PZ PUTR2/HECO26 South aspects greater than 30% slope |
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R010XA049ID |
Gravelly Loam 12-16 PZ ARTRV-PUTR2/PSSPS Soils with greater soil development. Increased fine soil particles within the profile. |
R010XA046ID |
Cinder Garden 12-16 PZ EROVD-LERE7 Site nearly devoid of vegetation, soil with little development |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
(1) Pinus flexilis |
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Shrub |
(1) Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana |
Herbaceous |
Not specified |
Click on box and path labels to scroll to the respective text.
Ecosystem states
T1A | - | frequent fire, improper grazing management, severe foot traffic. |
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State 1 submodel, plant communities
1.1A | - | Fire |
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1.1B | - | Improper grazing management, hoof/foot traffic, other surface-disturbance, no fire |
1.2A | - | No fire, controlled surface-disturbance |
1.3A | - | Controlled surface-disturbance |
1.3B | - | Fire |