Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R010XB013OR
JD Shrubby Loam 12-16 PZ
Accessed: 11/13/2024
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
| R010XB032OR |
JD Very Shallow 12-16 PZ |
|---|
Table 1. Dominant plant species
| Tree |
Not specified |
|---|---|
| Shrub |
(1) Purshia tridentata |
| Herbaceous |
(1) Festuca idahoensis |
Physiographic features
This site occurs on flat plains and gently rolling areas.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
| Landforms |
(1)
Plain
(2) Hill |
|---|---|
| Flooding frequency | None |
| Ponding frequency | None |
| Elevation | 1,500 – 4,000 ft |
| Slope | 20% |
| Ponding depth |
Not specified |
| Water table depth |
Not specified |
| Aspect | Aspect is not a significant factor |
Climatic features
The annual precipitation ranges from 12 to 16 inches. It occurs mainly between the months of October and June in the form of rain and snow. The soil temperature regime is mesic. The average annual air temperature is 48 degrees F with extreme temperatures ranging from -16 to 103 degrees F. The frost free period is 100 to 170 days. The optimum period for plant growth is from April through early July.
Table 3. Representative climatic features
| Frost-free period (average) | 170 days |
|---|---|
| Freeze-free period (average) | 0 days |
| Precipitation total (average) | 16 in |
Figure 2. Monthly precipitation range
Figure 3. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
Influencing water features
Soil features
The soils of this site are moderately deep to deep, well drained and medium textured. They are generally formed in volcanic materials and may be overlain by glacial outwash. Permeability is moderate to moderately slow and the available water holding capacity is 3.7 to 8.8 inches for the profile. The potential for water or wind erosion is low.
Table 4. Representative soil features
| Surface texture |
(1) Silt loam |
|---|---|
| Drainage class | Well drained |
| Permeability class | Moderate to moderately slow |
| Soil depth | 20 – 80 in |
| Surface fragment cover <=3" | 17% |
| Surface fragment cover >3" | 15% |
| Available water capacity (0-40in) |
3.7 – 8.8 in |
| Calcium carbonate equivalent (0-40in) |
Not specified |
| Electrical conductivity (0-40in) |
Not specified |
| Sodium adsorption ratio (0-40in) |
Not specified |
| Soil reaction (1:1 water) (0-40in) |
6.1 – 7.3 |
| Subsurface fragment volume >3" (Depth not specified) |
2 – 34% |
Ecological dynamics
Deep soils, especially in moist areas, may have greater shrub cover than moderately deep soils.
Burning usually reduces bitterbrush composition and Idaho fescue, but stimulates bluebunch wheatgrass production and cover. Overgrazing may reduce Idaho fescue and/or bluebunch wheatgrass and bitterbrush, depending on the season of use. Increasers and invaders include cheatgrass, soft chess, squirreltail, bushy birdbeak, filaree, hemizonia, pepperweed, willowweed, and snakeweed. Western juniper may invade with prolonged fire suppression.
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 of this site is dominated by Idaho fescue and bluebunch wheatgrass. Sandberg bluegrass and Junegrass are prominent in the stand (about 2-5% each). A variety of perennial forbs occur throughout the stand such as balsamroot, lupine, phlox, paintbrush, and yarrow. Bitterbrush dominates the aspect and buckwheat is common. Vegetative composition is approximately 75% grasses, 10% forbs, and 15% shrubs.
Figure 4. Annual production by plant type (representative values) or group (midpoint values)
Table 5. Annual production by plant type
| Plant type | Low (lb/acre) |
Representative value (lb/acre) |
High (lb/acre) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grass/Grasslike | 675 | 825 | 975 |
| Shrub/Vine | 135 | 165 | 195 |
| Forb | 90 | 110 | 130 |
| Total | 900 | 1100 | 1300 |
Figure 5. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). OR4151, B10 JD Clayey, Lmy, Sh North. B10B JD Clayey, Lmy, Sh North 12 - 16 PZ RPC.
| 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 | 0 | 10 | 30 | 30 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Additional community tables
Table 6. Community 1.1 plant community composition
| Group | Common name | Symbol | Scientific name | Annual production (lb/acre) | Foliar cover (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Grass/Grasslike
|
||||||
| 1 | Dominant, perennial deep rooted grasses | 600–890 | ||||
| Idaho fescue | FEID | Festuca idahoensis | 420–630 | – | ||
| bluebunch wheatgrass | PSSP6 | Pseudoroegneria spicata | 180–260 | – | ||
| 2 | Sub-dominant, perennial deep rooted grasses | 45–65 | ||||
| 4 | Sub-dominant, perennial shallow rooted grasses | 45–65 | ||||
| Sandberg bluegrass | POSE | Poa secunda | 45–65 | – | ||
|
Forb
|
||||||
| 7 | Dominant, perennial forbs | 45–65 | ||||
| milkvetch | ASTRA | Astragalus | 45–65 | – | ||
| 8 | Sub-dominant, perennial forbs | 45–65 | ||||
| common yarrow | ACMI2 | Achillea millefolium | 11–22 | – | ||
| fleabane | ERIGE2 | Erigeron | 11–22 | – | ||
| lupine | LUPIN | Lupinus | 11–22 | – | ||
| common yarrow | ACMI2 | Achillea millefolium | 11–22 | – | ||
| St. Catherine's lace | ERGI2 | Eriogonum giganteum | 11–22 | – | ||
| lupine | LUPIN | Lupinus | 11–22 | – | ||
| 9 | All other perennial forbs | 10–90 | ||||
| agoseris | AGOSE | Agoseris | 1–10 | – | ||
| pussytoes | ANTEN | Antennaria | 1–10 | – | ||
| Indian paintbrush | CASTI2 | Castilleja | 1–10 | – | ||
| trumpet | COLLO | Collomia | 1–10 | – | ||
| tapertip hawksbeard | CRAC2 | Crepis acuminata | 1–10 | – | ||
| desertparsley | LOMAT | Lomatium | 1–10 | – | ||
| nineleaf biscuitroot | LOTR2 | Lomatium triternatum | 1–10 | – | ||
| spreading phlox | PHDI3 | Phlox diffusa | 1–10 | – | ||
| cinquefoil | POTEN | Potentilla | 1–10 | – | ||
|
Shrub/Vine
|
||||||
| 11 | Dominant, evergreen perennial shrubs | 90–130 | ||||
| antelope bitterbrush | PUTR2 | Purshia tridentata | 90–130 | – | ||
| 14 | Sub-dominant, perennial deciduous shrubs | 45–65 | ||||
| slender buckwheat | ERMI4 | Eriogonum microthecum | 22–55 | – | ||
| 15 | All other perennial shrubs | 11–22 | ||||
| yellow rabbitbrush | CHVI8 | Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus | 3–6 | – | ||
| rubber rabbitbrush | ERNA10 | Ericameria nauseosa | 3–6 | – | ||
| rose | ROSA5 | Rosa | 3–6 | – | ||
| spineless horsebrush | TECA2 | Tetradymia canescens | 3–6 | – | ||
Interpretations
Animal community
This site offers food and cover for mule deer, elk, rodents, and a variety of songbirds. It is an important fall and winter use area for deer and elk.
Hydrological functions
The soils of this site have moderate infiltration rates and low to moderate runoff potential.
Other products
Livestock Grazing:
Key forage species are Idaho fescue and bluebunch wheatgrass (also bitterbrush for late season grazing).
Other information
Recommended seeding species include intermediate wheatgrass, pubescent wheatgrass, crested wheatgrass, sheep fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, tall wheatgrass and big bluegrass.
Supporting information
Contributors
Bob Gillaspy
E Ersch
G. Hickman
JPR
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 | 08/06/2012 |
| 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):
5-12% -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
None -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None, Slight 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 deep, well drained, silt loam and cobbly silt loam surface; moderate OM (2-4%) -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Significant ground cover (70-80%) and gentle slopes (0-15%) effectively 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:
Idaho fescue > Bluebunch wheatgrass > Antelope bitterbrush > other dominant grasses >= dominant forbs > other dominant shrubs = other forbs > other shrubs > Western JuniperSub-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: 1300, Normal: 1100, Unfavorable: 900 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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