Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R021XY414OR
PINE/SEDGE-FESCUE 16-24 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
| R021XY410OR |
DEEP LOAMY 16-20 PZ |
|---|---|
| R021XY412OR |
LOAMY 18+ PZ |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
| Tree |
Not specified |
|---|---|
| Shrub |
Not specified |
| Herbaceous |
Not specified |
Physiographic features
This site occurs in/on mountain slopes, rolling uplands, plateaus and valleys. Slopes range from 1-45 percent. Elevations range from 4400 to 6000 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
| Landforms |
(1)
Mountain slope
(2) Plateau (3) Valley |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 4,400 – 6,000 ft |
| Slope | 1 – 45% |
| Aspect | Aspect is not a significant factor |
Climatic features
The annual precipitation ranges from 16 to 24 inches which occurs mainly between the months of November and June, mostly in the form of rain and snow. The soil temperature regime is frigid. The average annual air temperature is 43-46 degrees F with extreme temperatures ranging from 85 to -30 degrees F. The frost free period is 20 to 50 days. The optimum period for plant growth is from May through late July.
Table 3. Representative climatic features
| Frost-free period (average) | 80 days |
|---|---|
| Freeze-free period (average) | 120 days |
| Precipitation total (average) | 24 in |
Influencing water features
Soil features
The soils of this site are moderately deep or deep, well drained, stony loam surface textures and loam to clay loam subsoils. They are generally formed in/from tuff, breccia, rhyolite or basalt. Permeability is slow. The potential for water erosion ranges from low to high depending on the slope.
Table 4. Representative soil features
| Surface texture |
(1) Stony loam |
|---|---|
| Family particle size |
(1) Loamy |
| Drainage class | Well drained |
| Permeability class | Slow |
| Soil depth | Not specified |
| Available water capacity (0-40in) |
Not specified |
| Calcium carbonate equivalent (0-40in) |
2% |
| Electrical conductivity (0-40in) |
Not specified |
| Sodium adsorption ratio (0-40in) |
Not specified |
| Soil reaction (1:1 water) (0-40in) |
7 |
Ecological dynamics
The potential native plant community is dominated by ponderosa pine. An occasional single white fir or incense cedar sometimes occurs in the understory of the stand. The midstory is dominated by pine reproduction, curlleaf mtn. mahogany and traces of tall shrubs such as choke cherry and bitter cherry. Other shrubs present include bitterbrush, snowberry, Klamath plum, serviceberry, green manzanita, wax currant, Oregon grape and squaw carpet. Herbaceous species include Ross sedge, Idaho fescue, mountain brome, Wheeler bluegrass, western needlegrass, heartleaf arnica, strawberry, hawkweed and numerous other species.
Marginal areas for the site (droughty, low elevation) and south aspects will have greater grass cover and an absence of white fir and incense cedar.
Pine regeneration is favored by heavy thinnings and patch cuts. White fir regeneration is removed by understory burning. Heavy grazing pressure by livestock may reduce fescue, bluegrass, sedge, brome, and palatable forbs. Rabbitbrush, snowbrush, and manazanita invade after major fires.
State and transition model
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Ecosystem states
State 1 submodel, plant communities
State 1
HCPC, FEID-CARO5/PUTR2-CELE3/PIPO
Community 1.1
HCPC, FEID-CARO5/PUTR2-CELE3/PIPO
Variability in plant composition and production is influenced by the density of the tree overstory. Perennial grasses and bitterbrush decrease where dense stands of ponderosa pine have developed. White fir increases with elevation.
Figure 2. 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 | 296 | 464 | 632 |
| Shrub/Vine | 56 | 144 | 232 |
| Tree | 48 | 92 | 136 |
| Forb | 40 | 68 | 96 |
| Total | 440 | 768 | 1096 |
Figure 3. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). OR5551, D21 Mid Elev., NA, Good Condtion. 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 | 0 | 10 | 40 | 45 | 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 (lb/acre) | Foliar cover (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Grass/Grasslike
|
||||||
| 1 | Dominant deep rooted perennial grasses | 240–400 | ||||
| Idaho fescue | FEID | Festuca idahoensis | 160–240 | – | ||
| Ross' sedge | CARO5 | Carex rossii | 80–160 | – | ||
| 2 | Sub-dominant deep rooted perennial grasses | 48–192 | ||||
| mountain brome | BRMA4 | Bromus marginatus | 16–64 | – | ||
| western fescue | FEOC | Festuca occidentalis | 16–64 | – | ||
| Wheeler's bluegrass | POWH2 | Poa wheeleri | 16–64 | – | ||
| 5 | Other perennial grasses | 8–40 | ||||
| western needlegrass | ACOC3 | Achnatherum occidentale | 0–5 | – | ||
| squirreltail | ELEL5 | Elymus elymoides | 0–5 | – | ||
| Sandberg bluegrass | POSE | Poa secunda | 0–5 | – | ||
|
Forb
|
||||||
| 7 | Dominant perennial forbs | 40–96 | ||||
| woolly mule-ears | WYMO | Wyethia mollis | 8–24 | – | ||
| white hawkweed | HIAL2 | Hieracium albiflorum | 8–24 | – | ||
| white hawkweed | HIAL2 | Hieracium albiflorum | 8–24 | – | ||
| woolly mule-ears | WYMO | Wyethia mollis | 8–24 | – | ||
| strawberry | FRAGA | Fragaria | 8–16 | – | ||
| ragwort | SENEC | Senecio | 8–16 | – | ||
| American vetch | VIAM | Vicia americana | 8–16 | – | ||
| ragwort | SENEC | Senecio | 8–16 | – | ||
| American vetch | VIAM | Vicia americana | 8–16 | – | ||
| strawberry | FRAGA | Fragaria | 8–16 | – | ||
|
Shrub/Vine
|
||||||
| 13 | Dominant deciduous (or 1/2 shrubs) shrubs | 48–192 | ||||
| curl-leaf mountain mahogany | CELE3 | Cercocarpus ledifolius | 16–64 | – | ||
| prostrate ceanothus | CEPR | Ceanothus prostratus | 16–64 | – | ||
| antelope bitterbrush | PUTR2 | Purshia tridentata | 16–64 | – | ||
| 15 | Other shrubs | 8–40 | ||||
| Saskatoon serviceberry | AMAL2 | Amelanchier alnifolia | 0–5 | – | ||
| greenleaf manzanita | ARPA6 | Arctostaphylos patula | 0–5 | – | ||
| Klamath plum | PRSU2 | Prunus subcordata | 0–5 | – | ||
| common snowberry | SYAL | Symphoricarpos albus | 0–5 | – | ||
|
Tree
|
||||||
| 16 | Dominant evergreen trees | 40–120 | ||||
| ponderosa pine | PIPO | Pinus ponderosa | 40–120 | – | ||
| 17 | Sub-dominant evergreen trees | 8–16 | ||||
| white fir | ABCO | Abies concolor | 8–16 | – | ||
Interpretations
Animal community
Livestock grazing- This site is normally very accessible for grazing but use may be light under heavy shade except for rest, travel and bedding. Most grazing is available in logged, burned or disturbed sites (except dense brush fields) and in plantations.
Wildlife-Mule deer, elk, bobcat, coyote, grouse-primarily summer range
Hydrological functions
The soils of this site have low to medium infiltration rates and low to high runoff potential depending on slope. The hydrologic soil group is C.
Recreational uses
hiking and hunting
Wood products
Lumber, poles, firewood, primarily summer range.
Other information
For road stabilization or critical area stabilization where competition with tree seedlings is not a concern- choices include pubescent wheatgrass, intermediate wheatgrass, hard fescue, sheep fescue, smooth brome and/or orchardgrass.
Supporting information
Type locality
| Location 1: Klamath County, OR | |
|---|---|
| Township/Range/Section | T39S R13E S5 |
| General legal description | SE Klamath county at Goodlow Mtn. Natural Area along road through Natural Area in T39S, R13E, Sec 5 (E half of SW) |
| Location 2: Lake County, OR | |
| Township/Range/Section | T37S R16E S28 |
| General legal description | Lake county along highway west of Quartz Mtn. Pass T37S, R16E, Sec 28, 29, 30 |
Contributors
BLM ESI Team
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 |
|---|---|
| Contact for lead author | Oregon NRCS State Rangeland Management Specialist |
| Date | 09/05/2012 |
| Approved by | Bob Gillaspy |
| Approval date | |
| Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on | Annual Production |
Indicators
-
Number and extent of rills:
None, moderate sheet & rill erosion hazard -
Presence of water flow patterns:
None to some on steeper slopes (to 60%) -
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):
<1% -
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 to significantly resistant to erosion: aggregate stability = 4-6 -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Moderately deep to deep, well drained loams, gravelly loams and stony loams (15-50% rock fragments in the subsoil): Moderate to High OM (2-5%) -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Significant vegetative cover of over 125% and moderate slopes (1-45%) effectively limit rainfall impact and overland flow; infiltration is moderate to slow -
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 > Ross sedge > Ponderosa Pine > other dominant forbs > other dominant grasses = other dominant shrubs > other grasses = other shrubs > White FirSub-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: 1000, Normal: 800, Unfavorable: 600 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 and Ponderosa Pine readily increase on the site (can be converted to woodland w/out fire). 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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